I speak to people. I don’t always expect people to speak back, but it doesn’t change my character. I just believe in seeing people and acknowledging them. Columbia itself is multi-racial and multi-cultural. The language and culture barrier lends to my understanding that, sometimes people don’t speak back. Often, I am the first to speakContinue reading “Columbia Speaks!”
Category Archives: District
No follow-up
Our school staff were assigned to read The Little Book of Restorative Justice in Education last year. Unfortunately, there were no students physically in school, so there were no opportunities to practice the lessons. There has been no follow-up this year. This lack of follow-up feels all too familiar. Our School Improvement Plan has AfricanContinue reading “No follow-up”
School redistricting changes home value
A coworker was discussing how the value of their home would likely go down because of the projected redistricting of schools. The new schools their home was districted to were deemed of less value because of the demographics of students and families going there. They did not have any students in school and were notContinue reading “School redistricting changes home value”
Neighbors
I witnessed a White neighbor being friendly and kind to Black neighbor, but when that White neighbor interacted with me, they said things about the Black neighbor that were negative. This made me sad, because my White neighbor knows how they should be acting and thinking, but they aren’t doing so with feeling. I wasContinue reading “Neighbors”
Distrust of the Medical System
At work, we have recently implement a COVID vaccine mandate for the team with medical and religious exemptions. This has sparked several conversations with team members, but the most impactful were those with team members of color and their expressed historical and systemic distrust of the medical community. This distrust is preventing them from feelingContinue reading “Distrust of the Medical System”
Grocery time
I have been sticking close to home for the last few months. One of the few places I go is the grocery store. There is such a discrepancy between who is shopping and who is stocking/checking out/bagging – working hard and with long hours and probably not very significant compensation or recognition. It’s striking toContinue reading “Grocery time”
The foreigner
I experience frequent microaggresions when people listen to my accent when I speak. I can feel right away their change of tone and treat me like I am not as smart as them. This is racism.
Hope in the Judiciary
My car was hit in 2019 by a man who was under the influence of many things, and I had to attend court for his hearing. My brother-in-law has worked for the county judiciary for many years, and he mentioned that the judge hearing the case was a friend of his. My case went last,Continue reading “Hope in the Judiciary”
Challenging comfort, moderation, and norms
I’m still so discouraged by the level of white entitlement and prioritization of their “comfort” we still see in our community. By my “liberal” white friends who express concern about issues that are served up to them by “moderate” and right-wing media explicitly fear mongering and seeking political advantage with white outrage. These issues areContinue reading “Challenging comfort, moderation, and norms”
Representation challenges
There are community-based organizations that struggle constantly to hear from new people and compel/motivate/provide avenues for all people of all backgrounds to be involved. We are in a constant circle of hearing that our elected board is not diverse enough (which is true and very apparent) and simultaneously seeing minimal turnout to vote for someoneContinue reading “Representation challenges”