oh how i love black people, young people, and ALL people. how did you spend your Black Thursday?
the little one and i donned all black in solidarity with the cause. i made sure i bought him a black t-shirt last night, just so he could support the movement, even if he didn't understand what was going on. these boys could easily be my son, our son.
(the fliers posted in my classroom)
wednesday, i briefly mentioned the Jena 6 to my students. i was pleasantly surprised when many of them knew SOME, albeit wrong, information about the situation. when i realized HOW confused their information was, i set out to help them to understand the gravity of the situation and how it affects them. i put together a short powerpoint explaining the Jena 6, the significance of nooses & how lynching was used to terrorize blacks, and in particular black males.
they sat in awe.
i saw their questioning faces look up at me for answers. why would anybody HATE in such a way? kids are funny, full of the ideologies of their parents. last year i was frustrated when my attempt at a discussion about the juvenile justice system spiraled into a bunch of missed points. but today...the points were not missed.
during the course of our discussion some of my kids went from completely ignorant, to hating whitey, to hearing & knowing that ALL people (black or white) are not just one way. see, we have to be careful not to get our youth SO riled up they begin to carry around their own brand of hate. i made them remember those (non-minorities) that love and care for them, and then we were cool. we moved from helplessness to empowerment as we wrote letters to the Governor of Louisiana (i will be mailing them tomorrow).
i am so proud of everyone who sacrificed their time & energy to this cause. i am proud of my students and their young, precious, BRILLIANT minds.
today was a GREAT day
but we can't stop
here.
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Hi pw. thanks for all of your wonderful posts. I am so grateful that we have teachers like you who are willing to share their insights and information in a holistic way that offers students an opportunity to think for themselves. Big ups to you... You have a gift. Keep using it... On Black Thursday, I dedicated my morning yoga practice in Malcolm X - Meridian Hill Park to the Jena 6. I did 6 salutations and chanted OM 6 times for them. My meditation focused on surrounding everyone in Jena, LA and those who are helping to support the Jena 6 with love and light. I said a special prayer of peace and love for everyone involved including folks who believe that the Jena 6 should be prosecuted. I also sent an email to folks in my network and posted the message on my blog pages as a way of encouraging others to hoin me in walking the path of Love's Troubadours .... peope who live and learn as they love and heal themselves and the universe. I emphasized that:
1. We can all play a part by just maintaining a consciousness of love and peace in our thoughts, speech, and actions.
2. Each one of us has this power ... and we can choose to shine it at any time. So let's choose wisely ... let's do what my character Karma and her brother Ohnedaruth choose to do in my debut novel, Love's Troubadours - Karma: Book One: Be love, love light, and live as the spirit of life.
3. Be mindful this day and everyday....
Peace, Love, and Justice, Ananda
haven't visited in a bit. like the last two posts. so glad to know you talked to your kids about their life and the responsibilites in their world. i'm all about that these days. building CITIZENS. not just voters but folks engaged with their life in this country. went to a rally at shaw university on sept. 20. my first such event. the north carolina president of the naacp was there. pastor. looked like mlk plus 200 lbs. roused the kids up. Justice Everywhere Now Always! Justice Everywhere Now Always! i marched alongside one of the shaw u organizers and asked: "now what?" what was he planning to do with all this energy? must have been 300 kids there in black walking around the campus. now what? i'm feeling this energy you're talking about, tpw. gotta keep the fires burning. james baldwin, right? my man. i wrote about when "malcolm x" came out in 1992 and how poised i was for action. and i waited and waited and nothing happened. talk to your kids again. 15 minutes each week. friday afternoons. let them talk about the issues bothering them. educate them. we need oprahs and montells in the classrooms. the kids know talk shows. use the format for them to soundbomb their own worries. you know they all want to talk about their lives. powerpoint. poscast. awareness by any means necessary.
Made my first podcast. Visit http://web.mac.com/orondeash/Site/About_Me.html.
Click on "Podcast". The whole thing's 29:20 minutes. I know... I know. But if you like me, you'll listen. :=)
Get your boys to listen. I wana hear what they think.
there's a JENA 6 march in dc on Oct. 2 to stand in front of the Justice Dept. and make noise. i plan on being there. will take my camera and share.
I am so proud of you for being a TEACHER and not a lady with a teaching job! You may have impacted a child who has been hearing its parents quietly feeding poisonous lies about anyone who looks unlike him or her. Knowledge is power..AND FREEDOM. Thanks for sharing your thoughts and for speaking out.
A good tangent: I see blogging with a whole new light now. As you said, I didn't hear the story of my six brethren on the nightly news or read it in my favorite newspapers and magazines. I was enlightened by a young brother's blog. "Each one, teach one" is still alive and well!