Supporting Undocumented Families “Alienated from her mother culture, ‘alien’ in the dominant culture, the woman of color does not feel safe within the inner life of herself. Petrified, she can’t respond, her face caught between los intersticios, the spaces between the different worlds she inhabits.” Gloria Anzaldúa, Borderlands / La Frontera In November, Becky Clark, doctoral candidate in the Educational Leadership program and graduate assistant for the Office of a Pedagogy of Hope through Research and Practice (PoH), organized a panel to present best practices to the School of Education to support inclusivity in the educational space. Attendees were challenged to rethink their prior understanding of what it means to support all families.
Reading to Generate Conversation and Change How can a group of individuals intentionally discuss and reflect upon important topics, such as racism, discrimination, and historical oppression? More than 20 members of the School of Education (SOE) answered that question through regular meetings via Zoom to discuss Beverly Daniel Tatum’s work, “Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in The Cafeteria?” In her work, Tatum shows educators that conversations and a critical analysis centered around race and cultural considerations are essential and urgently needed to build communication that will allow us to better serve others. This sentiment is echoed in her book: “Learning how to have these conversations is a necessary art of moving forward as a healthy society. You can’t fix what you can’t talk about.” Rob McKinney, Ph.D., assistant professor in counselor education facilitated the book review, and was proud that SOE members took up Tatum’s challenge. Individuals discussed Tatum’s work from the lens of their own personal lives and found points of application for who they are as people. Moments of personal transparency occurred in the book groups that semester, and they were as rich and as multifaceted as the landscape Tatum lays out in her book. As a result of reading this book and meeting in small groups, one group member reported, “I thrive to learn more. I spend evenings searching the web and trying to take in information that I was not aware of.” Another individual said, “I am noting how infused systemic racism is in my
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environment.” Others remarked how they are more aware of their own biases, words, and actions. Throughout this semester, individuals reflected on how this book has been transforming the work they are doing in the SOE.
“Because of this book, I have infused more critical pedagogy within my classroom.” “I am more aware now of how trauma and identity of race impacts youth in the classroom.” “I plan on utilizing the examples that Tatum supplies in her book in the classroom with students.” Clearly, this book and the discussions around it have impacted SOE individuals in personal and professional ways. At the conclusion of these groups, and in reflection of these salient outcomes from individuals, McKinney said, “I believe it is safe to say that this book has also been an agent that has brought forth change for SOE faculty and staff who participated in the book club.” Who knows just how far-reaching this dialogue will be and how many people it will impact.
Conversation included what Gloria Anzaldúa, Chicana Feminist Scholar and teacher, writes about in her work Borderlands / La Frontera. She describes the experience of being caught in the struggle between the dominant culture and her own. She started teaching high school English in 1971 and worked to support her Chicano students by sharing literature from Chicano writers. When the school claimed this literature was not “American” or English literature, Anzaldúa defied school policy and continued to teach secretly Chicano writing. Anzaldúa challenged the status quo and advocated for her students’ culture to be included in their education. “Students in this situation have always been in our schools, but they have not always been served appropriately.” As seen in Anzaldúa’s writing, students coming from cultures overshadowed by the dominant culture can feel isolated and invisible. Clark hopes attendees from the talk understand that, “Students who have undocumented status deserve to be treated with equity and respect and grow to be active global citizens.” Often these students and families will be reserved or cautious, but educators must listen and provide support when needed. Incorporating Anzaldúa’s framework into the learning environment means highlighting cultures in the margins and honoring and respecting each individual and their lived experiences.
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