This Month in Gender Equity: June 2020
We want to be cognizant of our privilege, especially in the space of education leadership, and spend that privilege wisely and often. You’ve likely seen white people on social media this week opting to create and boost less of their own content and instead amplify the voices of Black creators and leaders. We want to do the same.
To that end, we’ve compiled a list of Black woman leaders, many of whom are education leaders. These are women from whom we have learned and who have challenged us to change our language or behaviors. We want to offer a few guidelines if you, too, choose to learn from them:
Positioning yourself as a learner is not an excuse for inaction. Continue to be an ally through your words, actions, and spending.
Do not ask these women to perform emotional labor for you. This means that, if you are white, you should process your emotions with other white people. This also means there is not a “devil’s advocate” argument to make, ever.
Do not center yourself, especially as a white person, in the online spaces of Black women.
If it is within your means, support Black women (listed here and elsewhere) financially. Patronize their businesses, buy their books, hire them to speak in your organization, or contribute to organizations that support the mental health of Black women.
Consider purchasing books (those listed below and others) from Black-owned bookstores. We recommend those local to us: Frugal Bookstore in Boston or, in Philly, Harriett’s Bookshop or Uncle Bobbie’s.
Dr. Eve L. Ewing is a sociologist of education and a writer from Chicago.
Brittany Packnett Cunningham is a leader at the intersection of culture and justice.
Book: We Are Like Those Who Dream: Black Women Speak (preorder via Bookshop.org here)
Podcast: Pod Save the People
Twitter: @mspackyetti
Austin Channing Brown is a full-time freelance writer and speaker, as well as an award-winning author.
Book: I’m Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness (buy via Bookshop.org here)
Web series: The Next Question
Newsletter: Roll Call, subscribe
Twitter: @austinchanning
Akilah Hughes is a writer and podcaster.
Book: Obviously: Stories from My Timeline (buy it here from Bookshop.org)
Podcast: What a Day
Twitter: @AkilahObviously
Dr. Roxane Gay is a writer, professor, speaker, and social commentator.