It’s been a great post birthday week so far. Last night I went with my family, and dear friends to a Class D (semi pro) basketball game. We call our four boys together–all brown through adoption or partnership/marriage our “wolf pack” as they are all months apart. Marcel announced to our entire section that the brown skinned cheerleader was the best dancer, and Sam noticed with equal enthusiasm that one of the refs was a woman and brown! And we think kids don’t see race and gender? Seeing the brown coaches, the brown players, and an ever increasing number of brown fans in the audience was good for all of us. The game was wildly entertaining too. One of “our” (does two games in three months allow me the right to say “our” ?) players set a franchise record for most baskets scored (52) and the team came back from a 17 point deficit to win the game. I was hoarse from screaming, and it is always refreshing when the the people providing the substance and entertainment during an event are not predominantly white.
Speaking of which, I want to call your attention to a few points of interest addressing race around the net that I’ve read in the last few days or weeks. I have less and less time to read the good work out there, so when it grabs me, I really want to share it with you. A blogger who I admire for his writing and life style has made a giant decision with his partner to relocate because of their transracially adopted son primarily. They have other reasons too, but it is clear from knowing them and the post, that the race of their young son was their main impetus. Please stop on over, offer your support, and by all means give them a shout if you live in the Philly area! You can read more about their move from Ohio, to Pennsylvania here.
As you all know I am a huge fan of Coloring Between the Lines blog, for her amazing resources, positivity on the capacity for change, and how she tackles and embraces issues of race in children’s books and beyond. This post offers the reader with three graphic novels exploring race and ethnicity:
Three recent graphic novels feature feisty girl protagonists whose ethnic identity places them on the margins of mainstream society, yet whose life questions, personal challenges and eventual triumphs will be recognizable to young people of any background.
A conference (in November in Baltimore) FACING RACE that I would very much love to figure out how to get to, is announced here. If you attended the last one, or have anything to share on the subject, please leave your comments below.
Finally, more good news in the presentation department–I am co-presenting to a local Parent Teacher Organization later this week a talk on designing/ exploring cross cultural engagement school wide. We had a powerful planning session tonight that went very well–designing the best approach given the time constraints and our relatively new connection with the group. Both their eagerness to embark on the work, and their collective capacity feels welcoming and hopeful. I will also be presenting my workshop on race in the classroom at the end of the month for another room full of educators at a conference on best practices. I am so excited to see what April has in store after all of the great connections and success I have had in February and March!
What great writing on race related topics has grabbed you this week? What struck you? Share the love, and have a fantastic and cross culturally aware week!
Thank you so much for the link. You are bringing such kind, welcoming Philly folks to my blog. Such an encouraging sign of what’s ahead. I mentioned this earlier but want to again here: your open, thoughtful reflections on adoption and race have been immensely valuable to me and my family. So if there’s ever a day when you wonder why you blog or if it’s worth it, remember people like me (I have no doubt there are many more) who benefit greatly from your writings.
They are finding their way there on there own too–but I’ll take all the credit I can for how fabulous Mama C readers are as a group! And as for your praise and graciousness–thank you. Timing is everything is all I can say 🙂
Short but sweet: http://www.theatlantic.com/personal/archive/2012/03/hair-show/254020/
Indeed. Thank you!
You’ve been making me think about things lately. So when I took Marshall and his friend to see John Carter, it upset me that there was not a single person of color in the film. So I decided to mention it to the boys to see what they thought. We were talking about the movie and I said I was disappointed with a decision that director had made–that all Martians were either monster-ish or white humanoid, no one of a different color. And how weird is that considering that Earth has so many different colors. They went off on it a bit and seemed to grasp the idea. But I’m realizing that I need to bring it to the forefront more. Thank you Mama
I can’t really ask for more that your comment and Annie’s (below). Thank you both. YES to bringing it to the forefront more. It might be a cool group read with Marshall to read “White Like Me”. My niece read it in 11th grade. Just a thought!
You’re such a generous spirit, Mama C! Thanks for the love, and for your relentless commitment to reclaiming our connection and common humanity through the maze of race. It astonishes me that with full-time teaching and full-time mothering, you still manage to make time to provide resources for so many.
I’m *so* excited to see your teaching about race finding an audience, especially in the education community, and to see your joy in sharing. I predict this will continue to expand, because educators everywhere are hungry for the skills and knowledge you have built.
Looking forward to getting together when we can find the space, for mutual support.