Reading Kinloch’s Harlem on our Minds was very powerful
for me and I really enjoyed it. It got me thinking about this whole idea of
“community”, and how I, since moving to Texas do not feel apart of one. When
Khaleeq defined community I realized what it was that I was truly missing. On
page 47 he defines it as; “culture, a mini village, home, social area,
language, a place to be free from racism.
A place to be free from racism and feeling different outside of the confines of
my apartment is something I do not have anymore. In Miami, “blackness” was
everywhere. I remember how shocked I was in my senior in high school when my
economics teacher revealed that Blacks only made up about 12 percent of the
population. We were all in disbelief. How could that be when everyone around us
was Black? The only White people we knew were teachers and characters on t.v.
Those spaces, in our reality were the only ones they occupied, but obviously
that is far from the truth. I guess the point I’m trying to make is how
protective Black communities can be for Black people. I feel so much more
comfortable on 79th and 27th walking to the Flea Market
alongside prostitutes, pimps, and drug dealers than I do in a room full of
white people. There, I’m safe from that horrible feeling of otherness. From the
stares, their obvious uneasiness, from having to perform and act “civilized” by
their definitions, or trying to make them feel like I was worthy of being in
their presence. This idea helped me to understand what gentrification must feel
like and how unsettling it must feel to be taken away from that “safe” space.
It
all just made me realize how important my community at home is to me, and how
important my students’ communities will be to them, whether they realize or
not.
There was a lot of talk about gentrification
being a race or class issue and although I think it is both depending on who
you’re asking. I think for whites it’s easy to label it as an issue related to
class because they don’t have to consider their race as much as Blacks do. For
me, it would be an issue of race first, and issue of power, because as of
result of history and racism in our country I have no control over what
happens. Mainly because I am poor but because my race has a lot to do with why
I am poor.
Overall, I think
the ideas in this text have great implications for teaching. I think the whole
idea would be very engaging for students because what could be more relevant
than their own communities?
I wonder how teachers can study something like this with students without leaving them with a sense of powerlessness or just greater anger and resentment from what they have learned. I wonder how Khaleeq and Phillip feel about the project in terms of it being a social action or social change project. That said, I think there are different ways to conceptualize social change and empowerment. Certainly, formal inquiry into that issue and the knowledge they gained about it may feel and be empowering to the youth. But I wonder, if it doesn't feel like enough to the youth, how do we as teachers conceptualize other forms of social action.
ReplyDeleteJackie,
ReplyDeleteI found your blog response today to be very powerful. The story you tell about your home community in Miami is very revealing, as you are correct that a white person like myself does not have to "consider my race" as often as the minority citizens of our country. I, for lack of a better term, can "fit in" and feel comfortable in almost all areas of mainstream American culture. The sad truth, unfortunately, is that there are many less areas of our country where minorities can feel equally represented and have a "safe haven" that is not only free of racism," as you say, but also filled with their own unique culture that is separate from the mainstream American narrative. When we look at a few of these areas within the context of gentrification, like Harlem for example, the displacement of historic black communities becomes even more tragic. Harlem, as I have come to respect and appreciate, is a mecca for Black culture not only historically but presently as well. What right does anyone have to upend a community and displace its rightful members? The issues surrounding gentrification are very layered, but we must continue to acknowledge the negative impacts of community displacement in order to fairly treat all American citizens. When new people move into communities, they must acknowledge that there is already a present and existing community.
I think that your insights as an African-American member of our cohort are invaluable. I would be interested to know what your experience of blackness is like, especially in a setting of white people. I have never been in a situation where I am the only white person in a room or a community, and I wonder how I'd feel in that situation. I bet it's tough.
ReplyDeleteI encourage you to keep sharing as much as you can because I want to learn more about the experience of being a racial minority in the U.S. How can a white guy from the suburbs make sense of the black experience in America? How can we bridge that divide?
Jackie, your writing is powerful. I feel drawn in by your honesty and you connection to your personal experiences. You ending statement is one that we should remember, "What could be more relevant than their own communities?" When we are thinking about culturally relevant pedagogy, often times we (teachers) try to plan out these kinds of units and lessons on our own, but how can we really make our lessons or units relevant to students if we do not plan with and consult the students? It seems that we must draw on our students' lived experiences and their communities if what we do in school is to have any real relevance.
ReplyDeleteI also really appreciate your points about race and class. People sometimes try to separate the two, but most often they are intertwined. I agree that it is easier for White people to "label gentrification as a class issue" so that they do not have to admit issues of race.
Again, I was moved by your writing and your thoughts. Thank you for writing so transparently.