“The idea of America, the idea born in
dreams, is farce. The dream that all men are created equal, in its very
enunciation, bespeaks the gendered nature of so-called equality. But veiled
from the declaration of “all men” are the ways the concept is not only
gendered, but racialized and classed as well. One had to be a white, landed
male, in order to be considered one of the ‘all men’ created through the
ideology of equality.”
This quote really stood out to me,
especially after hearing Associate Dean Of Students, Elizabeth Sparks discuss
her upbringing in Kansas City and her experience during the civil rights movement.
During her presentation, I asked her how she responds to people,
especially people of color, who argue that the civil rights movement is over or
that “we won” the civil rights movement. She replied by explaining that unfortunately
some people don’t understand institutionalized/systematic racism and that this
is a difficult concept to understand.
When thinking of the students I work
with I want to “be real” and discuss the injustices that exist in the U.S.
However, even I struggle speaking eloquently on such a complex issue. Moreover,
given the impact of intersectionalities and how this also plays a role in how
you are viewed and treated in the world, I find myself not knowing where to
start this conversation with teenagers.
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