Thank You

It was a pleasure getting to discuss with all of my colleagues and learning from a variety of perspectives. It was a great semester and I wish you all continued success. I hope this course has reminded all of us that we are the keys to change.

New Family

I wanted to challenge myself with this week's blog post when use the scenario given as a way to stimulate and challenge me personally and professionally.

My emmergrating child's country of orgin would be Iran. I chose thos country intentionally to be able to learn about the country in depth and breaknstigma and stereotypes that surround the muslim culture.

I would integrate lessons that discuss how we are all different and come from unique places that have unique customs and traditions. I would then structure lessons and activities around different countries, including Iran, for students to be able to learn more about that particular part of the world and the people in it. I would, finally, have an activity that would bring in the families of my students to take part in an afternoon activity that facilitates conversations about diversity within the child's home and with the parents amongst other parents in the clasroom; bringing in the whole child aspect by also narrowing in on tbe famiky dynamics.

These strategies wouod hopefully give that child and their family peace of mind in knowing that although they are in unfamiliar territory, they are surrounded my a support system and network that embraces racial, religious, and cultural diversity. This would then encourage the child to inergrate more naturally into the classroom and not feel hesitant to join in with other students

Experience

This week is all about reflecting on an experience where there was an example if bias or prejudice. My experience for Black Friday was definitely something that made me feel less than an equal because of classism and racism.

However, another experience was where I was a bystander in McDonalds and an irate white gentleman was yelling profanities and racial slurs to a Mexican immigrant woman because her limited English. This was about 3 years ago on Chicago ave and State in the heart of downtown Chicago and it was startling how hardly anyone spoke up. At first I didn't either because it wasnt my fight but it made me uncomfortable. I knew it felt horrible to be on the other end for the young woman and as a Black woman I coukd definitely relate.

I finally spoke up and told him he shouldn't be so mean to her because she is trying and he yelled for me to go back to my country. Now I was pissed and cursed him to hell. Point is, it made me feel like despite my American lineage and ancestral blood herr in America, I am always seen as an outsider and never fully "American" because I am black. It also is uncomfortable that white people feel the need to claim stolen land as theirs and feel entitled to claim ownership over literally everything.

What was even more baffling was that hardly anyone spoke up. Not one other person outside of another Black guy defended me or the young lady. There were mean stares towards him and side conversations about how nasty he was but no one spoke up. And almost everyone waiting in line with me (quite a bit of people) were white. What needs to change is complacency with racism and bigotry. What needs to change are white people's attitudes towards confronting racists in their community and being a goddamn ally. Most importantly, what needs to change are our hearts towards those not like us.

Until then, we are destined to be at war with one another.