Are you struggling with how to talk about race with your children, friends, and community following the murders of Ahmaud Arbery, Breona Taylor, George Floyd, and Rayshard Brooks (just to name a few)?  Do you want to engage in positive action to make a change but don’t know where to start? Human dignity is at the heart of my conversation about race with Dr. Tiffany Russell, Director of Diversity and Inclusion at St. Martin’s Episcopal Day School. Dr. Russell is a black woman, wife and mother, accomplished professional and educator, and the daughter of a retired black police officer. Dr. Russell brings to the table a refreshing, non-political viewpoint missing from the social media and news media platforms that appear to be obsessed with emphasizing extremists, negativity, and violence. 

 

Dr. Russell could not be more clear:  it’s not about being colorblind. Blackness is beautiful.  It’s hard to have an authentic conversation if you deny the topic’s existence and that it carries meaning and value. Our skin color does make us different.  According to Dr. Russell, removing the negative value placed on the black race requires work. So instead, ask yourself, “what messages did I receive growing up about race?” You can’t unhear and you can’t unlearn sharing personal stories. According to Dr. Russell, sharing your personal stories is a powerful initial action to engage in a conversation about race that recognizes the value and the difference in understanding the black experience. 

 

The next step is to get more information. To recognize and to educate yourself on the systemic differences in the way black people have been treated historically. Dr. Russell suggests engaging in the arts and the products of the black community, such as poetry, to understand the systemic nature of racism. She recommends the following books that interrogate systems: “Their Eyes are Watching God,” by Zora Neale Hurston, “The Fire Next Time,” by James Baldwin, “Things Fall Apart,” by Chinua Acheb, and “Between the World in Me,” by Ta-Nehisi Coates.

 

Dr. Russell further suggests “decolonizing your bookshelf”. Removing texts from your library that demean black people or suggest they enjoyed being enslaved, books that no longer serve you, and books that do not share the history of protests and examples of black empowerment. Dr. Russell has added diverse books to her children’s library to ensure they know they are special and loved. Suggested historical fiction authors to decolonize your bookshelf … Julia Alvarez and Edwidge Danticat.

 

Then it’s all about action. Dr. Russell shares this waking up period for our culture is essential for identity development.  According to Dr. Russell, the white community has their own racial background and culture, but because we don’t talk about it we don’t recognize what our whiteness means and how “white privilege” is wielded. It’s uncomfortable to recognize what whiteness means, but the process can be started by journaling quietly and by “standing in” for non-white friends to challenge racism when we see and hear it.  It’s ok to feel guilty, but then it’s crucial to push through the guilt and start taking some action. 

 

Dr. Russell deconstructs for us the stereotype of the “angry black woman”. She suggests reading “The Authenticity Principle” by Ritu Bhasin for a great framework on how to increase racial authenticity in your life.  Most importantly, Dr. Russell shares that engaging in a conversation that acknowledges the disparate treatment of black people is crucial to moving forward.

 

What questions about race do you have for Dr. Russell? Email them to me: [email protected] and we will continue this conversation together.  

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