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Decentering Mythology & Consumerism.
Thanksgiving itself is part of American mythology. As a child, you may have heard this story, one centered on white kindness and “pilgrims and indians” gathered together in harmony over dinner. However, the real history of the holiday, like much of this country’s past, describes the violence of white supremacy and colonization.
National Native American Heritage Month: Centering African-Native Americans.
November is National Native American Heritage Month, a time to celebrate Indigenous Peoples of the Americas, a time to learn and reflect on the original inhabitants of this continent. Owing no doubt to my own ethnic heritage and work (I am a Louisiana Creole and a member of the Atakapa-Ishak Nation) I’d like to reflect on persons who are of both African and Native American ancestry.
Veterans Day: Dreams Deferred for Black Soldiers.
I know three things about my grandpa Joe: he was in the Navy, he was a chef, and he’s the reason I was born in San Diego instead of Mamou. He died when I was barely able to walk, but my mom has a black and white picture of him hanging above her fireplace. It’s strange having never seen him in color.
Diwali 2021: Celebrating The Festival of Lights.
Every year, Hindus across the world come together to celebrate Diwali, the festival of lights, in October or November. The word Diwali (pronounced deh-vah-lee) originates from the Sanskrit word Deepavali which means “row of lights.” Diwali is widely celebrated in India, even amongst other religious groups such as Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism.
Dia de Los Muertos 2021: How are We Honoring Our Loved Ones This Year?
Día de los Muertos (Day of the Dead) takes place at the beginning of November every year and is a celebration, particularly for the people in Mexico and Central America and their descendants. It is a day reserved for celebrating the lives of those dearly departed family members, and welcoming their return from the spirit world through an altar.
Why Beloved Community: Kevin Lewis
If you plan on watching the first season of Lovecraft Country or haven’t finished it yet, this is a warning. Avoid the introduction to this blog post because it might spoil a story for you, if you care. There’s the warning. I want to frame the reason that I chose and continue to choose Beloved after nearly a year around the story of Hippolyta in episode 7.
Halloween 2021: Can We Not With Cultural Appropriation?
Halloween is my favorite holiday. Honestly, spooky season in general is the best time of the year. You’ve got apple cider donuts, trips to the pumpkin patch, all the candy you can eat, and the best Trader Joes snacks to look forward to! But the thing that continues to haunt me, yes even in 2021, is we still have to deal with people wearing problematic costumes.
Confessions of a DEI Professional
Working in diversity, equity and inclusion is complicated. There are the day-to-day difficulties: dealing with the delusions of white supremacy/supremacists, subconsciously looping a list of every injustice in the world, and constantly being called upon to “talk to” that family member, but we know that comes with the territory.
Lessons Learned at CRT Camp.
For a week in August, the African American Policy Forum (a think tank headed up by one of the most influential antiracist educators and critical race theorists in the country, Dr. Kimberlé Crenshaw) hosted CRT Summer School to help folx across sectors understand the politically-motivated, unwarranted attacks against truth-telling in K-12 schools and institutions of higher education.
Why Beloved Community: Patrizia Santos
In 10th grade, during Premilitary Instruction (a mandatory class in Venezuela), we had to memorize our constitution, focusing on our rights and duties as people living in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela. It read like a fairytale.