#Teaching resilience to Black children

[successfulblackparenting]

Beyond Mirror Affirmations: Words That Strengthen, Uplift, and Guide Black Children

SPONSORED POST Article by Azizi Tuere In the Black experience, words are more than just communication—they’re survival, freedom, and revolution. As a mother, author, and advocate for language, I’ve seen firsthand how the right words can transform our children’s futures. The way we speak to and about our children shapes their confidence, their identity, and their ability to navigate a world that…

[sankofaspirit]

Types of Black People to Avoid From a Garveyite Perspective

Marcus Garvey’s teachings emphasize Pan-Africanism, self-reliance, and pride in African heritage. From his perspective, certain mindsets and behaviours among Black people hinder the collective progress of the race. This post outlines the types of individuals Garvey warned against and why their actions conflict with his philosophy.

1. The Self-Hating Negro

Those who lack pride in their African identity or seek to align with oppressive systems instead of embracing their heritage.

2. The Betrayer or Opportunist

People who align with colonial or imperial powers for personal gain, selling out their community in the process.

3. The Idle and Unproductive

Garvey emphasized hard work and self-reliance. Those who perpetuate laziness or refuse to contribute to the community weaken.

4. The Divisive

Individuals who sow discord or prioritize personal grievances over unity.

5. The Apologist for Oppression

Those who excuse or justify racism, colonialism, or exploitation instead of resisting it.

6. The Lackey or "House Negro"

People who serve as tools of oppression within the Black community, often working to uphold systems of exploitation.

7. The Disconnected

Those who neglect the struggles of their brothers and sisters across the African diaspora.

8. The Cynic or Defeatist

Individuals who spread hopelessness and believe liberation is impossible, stifling collective progress.

9. The Assimilationist

Those who reject African culture to assimilate into white-dominated societies, often seeking validation from oppressors.

10. The Colonial-Minded Intellectual

Educated individuals who use their knowledge to support colonial ideologies rather than fight for Black liberation.

11. The Non-Believer in Black Institutions

People who doubt the ability of Black people to build and sustain their own schools, businesses, and organizations.

12. The Religious Misleader

Religious figures who preach passivity and submission rather than encouraging active resistance and empowerment.

13. The Consumer Over Creator

Those who consume from exploitative systems but fail to support Black-owned businesses or initiatives.

14. The Envy-Driven

Individuals who sabotage others out of jealousy rather than celebrate their success as a win for the community.

15. The Perpetual Victim

Garvey believed in resilience and empowerment, not adopting a victim mindset that leads to inaction.

16. The Uninformed or Ignorant

People who refuse to educate themselves on African history, culture, or the realities of systemic oppression.

17. The Political Sellout

Politicians or leaders who prioritize personal power over the well-being of their people.

18. The Violent Toward Their Own

Garvey emphasized unity. Those who harm or exploit their own people weaken the community.

19. The Materialistic

Individuals who prioritize wealth and status over collective liberation.

20. The Fearful or Complacent

Those who fear challenging systems of oppression or accept the status quo.

21. The "Divide and Conquer" Advocate

People who promote tribalism, colourism, or internal divisions that undermine unity.

22. The Global Isolationist

Garvey believed in global solidarity. Ignoring the struggles of Africans worldwide weakens the movement.

23. The Culturally Oblivious

Individuals who neglect the preservation of African culture, language, and traditions.

24. The Misguided Activist

Those who harm liberation movements through counterproductive or extreme methods.

25. The Short-Term Thinker

People who focus on immediate gains without considering the long-term impact on future generations.

26. The Hypercritical Without Action

Critics who offer no solutions or refuse to contribute to progress.

27. The Neglectful Parent

Parents who fail to instill pride, education, and self-reliance in their children.

28. The Exploiter or Disrespecter of Black Women

Garvey emphasized the importance of both men and women in building a strong and self-reliant community. Those who exploit or disrespect Black women cause deep harm to the entire movement.

29. The Perpetrator and Promoter of Negative Stereotypes of Black Men and Women

Those who perpetuate negative stereotypes harm the collective image and self-esteem of Black people.

Examples of Harmful Stereotypes:

Stereotypes About Black Men: Promoting images of Black men as inherently violent, hypersexual, lazy, or criminal. These narratives contribute to societal discrimination and the dehumanization of Black men.

Stereotypes About Black Women: Reinforcing depictions of Black women as angry, overbearing, promiscuous, or unworthy of respect. These stereotypes undermine the dignity of Black women and lead to real-world harm.

Why This Conflicts with Garveyism:

Garvey called for the upliftment of the entire race, which includes challenging racist caricatures and media portrayals. Promoting stereotypes reinforces systemic oppression, fosters self-hatred, and fractures community unity.

"We must canonize our own heroes, create our own martyrs, and glorify our own symbols," Garvey said, urging Black people to celebrate their greatness instead of internalizing harmful narratives.

30. The Doubter of Pan-Africanism

Rejecting the idea of a unified global African identity weakens collective strength.

31. The Glorifier of Interracial Relationships Over Their Own Race

Individuals who prioritize dating outside their race, often due to internalized racism or disdain for their own community, undermine racial solidarity and family structures.

32. The Denier of African Heritage

Those who reject their African roots or refuse to identify as part of the African diaspora, fostering division and rejecting the foundation of Pan-Africanism.

33. The Disrespecter of Black Men and Boys

Individuals who belittle, demean, or fail to support Black men and boys contribute to the weakening of the community.

34. The Uninformed or Ignorant

Garvey strongly believed in education and the power of knowledge. Black people who remain ignorant about their history, culture, and the systems that oppress them harm the movement.

Why This Conflicts with Garveyism:

Ignorance weakens collective strength by promoting misunderstanding, inaction, and misplaced priorities. Education is a tool for liberation, and those who refuse to seek knowledge risk falling prey to manipulation and exploitation.

35. The Believer in Pseudo Subjects and History

Garvey valued accurate knowledge and warned against false ideologies or distorted versions of history.

Examples of Pseudo Subjects:

False Histories: Believing in fabricated or distorted versions of African history that lack historical evidence.

Pseudo-Sciences: Embracing unscientific or baseless theories about health, biology, or spirituality.

Why This Conflicts with Garveyism:

Pseudo subjects distract from the real work of liberation, confuse the community, and undermine credibility. Garvey’s philosophy calls for rooting oneself in truth and using knowledge as a foundation for empowerment

In Garvey's Words:

"A people without the knowledge of their past history, origin, and culture is like a tree without roots."

Garvey’s philosophy urges us to avoid behaviors and attitudes that undermine the pride, unity, and collective progress of Black people globally. Embracing our heritage, building strong communities, and fostering solidarity across the diaspora are key to liberation.

[joy-haver]

Life is getting harder, and so, we must get better at it.

Climate change and species extinction and ecosystem collapse are happening quickly. They are spiraling out of control. Even many Ecosystems that are supposed to be the most stable in their regions are facing decline. There are runaway effects, each thing that gets worse makes the next thing get worse faster, more disastrously. Each of these systems becomes less resilient the more of its redundancies are stripped away.

And yet, we can also have cascading effects. I am seeing controlled burns turn the plantation pines into savannas again, for the first time in 200 years, they are burning now, right now, where they would never have imagined to burn a year ago. I am seeing people talk about planting native plants. The nurseries here are selling out of them faster than they can restock. If you ask, they will say “This did not happen last year”. The foundations that have been being built by ecologists over the past half century, and maintained against brutal colonialism by indigenous peoples, are seeping out into the community. I see people talking about river cane, and pitcher plant, and planting paw paw and persimmon and sassafras and spice bush. These things are returning. Even now, in the worst drought in known history of my area, I see more butterflies than last year, because we have put in more of their host plants, their overwinters. We are learning. We are beginning. We are being born into a world of ecology; we are breaking the green wall of blur that defines our settler nonrelationship with nature. The irises are returning to Louisiana, the black bear too. The oysters are returning to Mobile Bay. I hear talk of gopher apples and river oats from the mouths of children. I see the return of the chinquapin, and her larger sister chestnut. It is slow but it is also so fast. It is growing at new trajectories, new rises. Each of these becomes it’s own advocate when planted in space and put in relationship.

We are not doomed. We must claw back from the brink. We must find each other and we must exchange seeds. We must learn to pull invasive species. We must win others over through earnestness and full bellies, through kindling the spark of ecological joy, and then we must show them the way. We must be learning the way ourselves in the meantime. We must teach the children the names we were not told, that were forgotten; how to recognize these friends.

When things are spiraling towards despair and death we must be that spiral towards life and utter utopia. We must build ourselves into full participants in our ecological systems.

As life gets harder, we must get better at it.

[foxs0x]

Today is 'Australia Day.' While many Australians celebrate with snags on the barbie and an arvo by the pool, I find it hard to join in. For me, this day marks the erasure of the Indigenous people — the traditional custodians of my country.

What many people don’t know about me is that I wouldn’t be here today if it weren’t for my 5th great-grandmother, Margaret, an Aboriginal Dharug woman who was among the first of the Stolen Generation in Parramatta, Sydney. Her closest living descendant to me is my nan.

Most people don’t realise this about my family, as my grandpa is Swedish and bloody everyone in my community knows him lol. My relatives, apart from me and my brother (and my nan), all have blonde hair and blue eyes. Even our surname is distinctly Scandinavian and difficult for most people to pronounce or spell down here.

But today, I’m thinking about Margaret and her story. She and her little sister were stolen from their mob as children, never to see their mother or family again. The two girls were separated, and Margaret never saw her sister again. Her name, her culture, her teachings — all stolen. She was forced to 'forget' everything about her heritage and was taught how to ‘be white.’

Margaret was indoctrinated into Christianity and later became a house slave for a white family in Sydney. She married a white man — a convict sent to Australia — who was also a slave. When her husband passed, she bought a burial plot to ensure she could rest beside him. But when Margaret died, she wasn’t allowed to be buried there because she was black. Instead, she was placed in an unmarked grave, and to this day, no one knows where.

Everything was stolen from her, even in death.

In World War II, my nan’s father was white-passing. He hid his heritage to secure better work opportunities, something many felt forced to do at the time. He kept this a secret his entire life, only revealing the truth before his death when he returned from the War.

Margaret’s story isn’t unique. It's one of countless others that form the fabric of Australian history. Stories of stolen culture, destroyed families, and enduring pain that echoes across generations.

That’s why I believe Australia Day shouldn’t be a celebration. Instead, it should be a day of remembrance and respect for the resilience of the Indigenous people whose lives and legacies were forever altered by nothing but pure cruelty.

🖤💛♥️

[inazumaeleven-headcanon-space]

SO!

I decided to make 3 parts of those headcanons.

1. Character sheets for the parents

2. History

3. Stories about them.

MOTHER

Name: Ichirouta Misaki (橘 美咲)

Age: 42

Gender: Female

Birthday: March 21

Height: 168cm.

Occupation: Nurse in a kids section at the hospital

Appearance

Misaki is chubby with big tighs and has long, wavy blue hair often tied into a low ponytail, with soft bangs framing her warm brown eyes. Her complexion is fair, and she carries a gentle yet confident presence. She dresses in a practical yet elegant style, often wearing comfortable dresses or nurse scrubs

paired with subtle jewelry

Personality

1. Gentle

2. Caring and empathetic

3. Works well under stress

4. Resilient

Likes

1. Cooking meals that bring her family together.

2. Gardening, especially growing flowers in her garden and eating breakfasts on a bench Kouta Sakuma and Kazemaru made her.

3. Spending quiet evenings with her husband.

4. Watching her sons play soccer, cheering them on from the sidelines.

Dislikes:

1. Dishonesty or secrecy within the family.

2. Seeing her children or husband overwork

themselves.

3. Messy or chaotic environments-she loves order and cleanliness.

Background

Early Life: Misaki grew up in a small town,where she developed a close friendship with Sakuma's father, Tachibana Kouta. They were inseparable during childhood but eventually drifted apart as life took them in different directions

Becoming a Mother: Misaki had Kazemaru with an abusive man and raised him on her own after he left. Despite the challenges, she poured her love and energy into raising Kazemaru, teaching him values like discipline, kindness, and determination.

Marriage to Kouta: Years later, Misaki reunited with Kouta when she was briefly working in his office. He was now a widower raising Sakuma. Their friendship rekindled into love, and they got married when Kazemaru was six and Sakuma 5.

Dynamics

With Kazemaru: Misaki and Kazemaru share a deep bond. As his primary caregiver during his early years, she is both his protector and confidante. She encouraged his passion for soccer, even sewing his first pair of cleats when she couldn't buy his any.

With Sakuma: Misaki embraced Sakuma as her own from the moment they met. Understanding the grief of losing his mother, she never forced him to call her "Mom" but showed her love through actions, like packing his favorite lunches and being there for his school events. Over time, Sakuma naturally began to see her as his mother.

With Kouta: Misaki and Kouta have a supportive relationship. She admires his calm demeanor and strategic mind while he values her warmth and compassion. Together, they create a balanced and loving household.

INTREST

Cooking and Baking: Misaki often experiments with new recipes, especially ones her kids want to try.

Volunteering: She frequently helps out at the local community center, offering free counseling sessions for troubled teens.

Fitness: Inspired by Kazemaru's athleticism, she enjoys light jogging and yoga to stay active.

Scrapbooking: Misaki keeps a detailed

scrapbook filled with photos and mementos of her family's milestones, from Kazemaru's first soccer game to Sakuma's graduation.

Quirks

1. Misaki's laugh is infectious, often lifting the mood in the household.

2. She's known to hum softly while cooking or cleaning, a habit Kazemaru picked up when he was young

3. Despite her nurturing demeanor, she can be surprisingly competitive during board games or family activities

Dad

Name: Jirou Kouta (橘 幸太)

Age: 45

Gender: Male

Birthday: August 10

Height: 183 cm

Occupation: Classical and contemporary musician (pianist and composer)

Appearance: Kouta is a well-built man with

short, well-kept black hair with streaks of gray

at the temples. His sharp features are softened by his kind brown eyes, and he is always impeccably dressed, favoring tailored suits or casual yet stylish attire. He carries an air of calm confidence that complements his artistic nature

Personality

1. Charming

2. Sensitive

3. Dedicated

Likes

1. Playing piano to unwind after a long day.

2. Spending quality time with Misaki and the boys.

3. Hosting small gatherings where he can cook and entertain.

4. Exploring music genres beyond classical, like jazz and experimental sounds.

Dislikes:

1. Gossip or rumors, especially those targeting his family.

2. Disharmony within the household.

3. Excessive attention or intrusion into his private life.

Background

Early Life: Kouta grew up in a well-off family and was considered a prodigy from a young age, mastering the piano by the time he was 12. Despite his privileged upbringing, he was humble and hardworking, valuing genuine connections over superficial ones.

First Marriage: Kouta's first marriage was arranged through family connections. While they were cordial, there was no real love or compatibility. When his wife passed away, Kouta was mostly indifferent, though he grieved for Sakuma, who was deeply affected by the loss.

Reconnecting with Misaki: Meeting Misaki again was a turning point in his life. Her warmth and resilience reminded him of what truly mattered, and their shared history made it easy to build trust. Though society questioned their union, Kouta's love for Misaki and her son, Kazemaru, was genuine.

Dynamics

With Misaki: Kouta is deeply in love with Misaki and sees her as his emotional anchor. He admires her strength and nurturing nature, often calling her his "greatest inspiration." Their relationship is built on mutual respect and partnership.

With Sakuma: Their relationship is very complicated. Sakuma hates playing piano, which in the past caused a lot of fights between them since Kouta didn't understand why his son wanted to play football. But after Kouta married again, Misaki made them go to therapy to work it all out. Kouta is very proud of Sakuma's achievements (even tho he still doesn't get football) and offers quiet support, allowing him to grow at his own pace.

With Kazemaru: Kouta wholeheartedly accepted Kazemaru as his son, treating him no differently than Sakuma. He encourages Kazemaru's athletic pursuits and enjoys teaching him piano as a hobby. Kazemaru started caling him dad pretty quickly, so it was never a problem.

Interests

Music: Beyond his professional career, Kouta loves composing personal pieces for his family.

Cooking: An unexpected talent, Kouta enjoys experimenting with new recipes and often collaborates with Misaki in the kitchen.

Traveling: He loves visiting places with rich cultural histories and taking his family on trips whenever possible

Reading: Kouta has a soft spot for philosophy and literature, finding solace in the written word.

Quirks

1. Kouta keeps a small notebook of melodies that remind him of specific family moments, such as Kazemaru scoring a goal or a quiet evening with Misaki.

2. He has a habit of unconsciously humming while cooking or working

3. Despite his wealth, Kouta prefers modest and meaningful gestures over lavish displays, much to the surprise of his fans.

AND THATS IT FOR NOW

Byeee

[resiliencebeast]

Equity Education and Mutual Justice Resources: The Book List

Anti-Racism and Intersectionality How to Be an Antiracist by Ibram X. Kendi

Darkwater: Voices from Within the Veil by W.E.B. Du Bois On Critical Race Theory: Why It Matters & Why You Should Care by Victor Ray

You Are Your Best Thing: Vulnerability, Shame Resilience, and the Black Experience by Tarana Burke (Editor) Brené Brown (Editor) Stamped from the Beginning: The Definitive History of Racist Ideas in America by Ibram X. Kendi

So You Want to Talk About Race By Ijeoma Oluo

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates

I'm Still Here: Black Dignity in a World Made for Whiteness by Austin Channing Brown

Sister Outsider: Essays and Speeches by Audre Lorde

Raising White Kids: Bringing Up Children in a Racially Unjust America by Jennifer Harvey

Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People about Race by Reni Eddo-Lodge

The Undocumented Americans by Karla Cornejo Villavicencio

Mutual Aid, Direct Action, Organizing, and Community Building

Let This Radicalize You: Organizing and the Revolution of Reciprocal Care by Mariame Kaba and Kelly Hayes

Just Action: How to Challenge Segregation Enacted Under the Color of Law by Richard Rothstein and Leah Rothstein

Mutual Aid: Building Solidarity During This Crisis (and the Next) by Dean Spade

Mutual Aid: A Factor of Evolution by Pyotr Kropotkin

Living at the Edges of Capitalism: Adventures in Exile and Mutual Aid by Andrej Grubačić

Viral Justice: How We Grow the World We Want by Ruha Benjamin

We Do This 'til We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice by Mariame Kaba

Practicing Cooperation: Mutual Aid beyond Capitalism by Andrew Zitcer

Practicing New Worlds: Abolition and Emergent Strategies by Andrea Ritchie

Freedom Is a Constant Struggle: Ferguson, Palestine, and the Foundations of a Movement by Angela Y. Davis Anti-Capitalist and Anti-Colonialism Education

The Poverty of Growth by Olivier De Schutter

Becoming Abolitionists: Police, Protests, and the Pursuit of Freedom by Derecka Purnell, Karen Chilton, et al.

The Future Is Degrowth: A Guide to a World Beyond Capitalism by Aaron Vansintjan, Matthias Schmelzer, and Andrea Vetter

Except for Palestine: The Limits of Progressive Politics by Marc Lamont Hill, Mitchell Plitnick, et al.

Anthropocene or Capitalocene? Nature, History, and the Crisis of Capitalism by Elmar Altvater (Author), Eileen C. Crist (Author), Donna J. Haraway (Author), Daniel Hartley (Author), Christian Parenti (Author), Justin McBrien (Author), Jason W. Moore (Editor) (Also available as a PDF online)

Dying for Capitalism: How Big Money Fuels Extinction and What We Can Do About It by Charles Derber, Suren Moodliar

On Tyranny: Twenty Lessons from the Twentieth Century by Timothy Snyder History and Political Science

A People's History of the United States by Howard Zinn

Black Marxism, Revised and Updated Third Edition: The Making of the Black Radical Tradition by Cedric J. Robinson

The Color of Law: A Forgotten History of How Our Government Segregated America by Richard Rothstein

Palestine: A Socialist Introduction by Sumaya Awad (Editor) and Brian Bean (Editor)

The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness by Michelle Alexander (this technical book also has an organizing guide and study guide)

1491: New Revelations of the Americas Before Columbus by Charles C. Mann

Time's Monster: How History Makes History by Priya Satia

We Refuse: A Forceful History of Black Resistance by Kellie Carter Jackson

How Fascism Works: The Politics of Us and Them by Jason Stanley

Indigenous Knowledge

Braiding Sweetgrass: Indigenous Wisdom, Scientific Knowledge and the Teachings of Plants by Robin Wall Kimmerer (there is also a version of Braiding Sweetgrass for young adults)

Becoming Kin: An Indigenous Call to Unforgetting the Past and Reimagining Our Future by Patty Krawec

Indian Givers: How Native Americans Transformed the World by Jack Weatherford

Tending the Wild: Native American Knowledge and the Management of California's Natural Resources by Kat Anderson

Fresh Banana Leaves: Healing Indigenous Landscapes Through Indigenous Science by Jessica Hernandez Disability Education and Rights Demystifying Disability: What to Know, What to Say, and How to Be an Ally by Emily Ladau Black Disability Politics by Sami Schalk

Crip Kinship: The Disability Justice & Art Activism of Sins Invalid by Shayda Kafai

Pandemic Solidarity: Mutual Aid during the Coronavirus Crisis by Marina Sitrin (Editor), Rebecca Solnit (Editor)

Disability Intimacy: Essays on Love, Care, and Desire by Alice Wong

The Future Is Disabled: Prophecies, Love Notes, and Mourning Songs by Leah Lakshmi Piepzna-Samarasinha

Refusing to Be Made Whole: Disability in Black Women's Writing by Anna Laquawn Hinton

Unmasking Autism: Discovering the New Faces of Neurodiversity by Devon Price (this author also has a guide on the same topic)

Queer Issues

We Are Everywhere: Protest, Power, and Pride in the History of Queer Liberation Hardcover by Matthew Riemer and Leighton Brown Transgender History: The Roots of Today's Revolution by Susan Stryker

Transgender Warriors: Making History from Joan of Arc to Dennis Rodman by Leslie Feinberg

Stonewall: The Definitive Story of the LGBTQ Rights Uprising That Changed America by Martin Duberman

Beyond the Gender Binary by Alok Vaid-Menon

Gender Queer: A Memoir by Maia Kobabe (graphic novel) Refusing Compulsory Sexuality: A Black Asexual Lens on Our Sex-Obsessed Culture by Sherronda J Brown

A Queer History of the United States by Michael Bronski

The Gay Agenda: A Modern Queer History & Handbook by Ashley Molesso and Chessie Needham

They/Them/Their: A Guide to Nonbinary and Genderqueer Identities by Eris Young

Gender Outlaws: The Next Generation by Kate Bornstein and S. Bear Bergman

This Book Is Gay by Juno Dawson (Author) and David Levithan (Contributor)

Nonbinary For Beginners: Everything you’ve been afraid to ask about gender, pronouns, being an ally, and black & white thinking by Ocean Atlas

All Boys Aren't Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto by George M. Johnson

Gender: A Graphic Guide by Meg-John Barker and Jules Scheele (Illustrator)

Resources for Kids and Parents

The Every Body Book: The LGBTQ+ Inclusive Guide for Kids about Sex, Gender, Bodies, and Families by Rachel E. Simon (Author) and Noah Grigni (Illustrator)

This Is a Book for Parents of Gay Kids: A Question & Answer Guide to Everyday Life by Dan Owens-Reid and Kristin Russo This Book Is Feminist: An Intersectional Primer for Next-Gen Changemakers by Jamia Wilson and Aurelia Durand (Illustrator)

Unlearning White Supremacy and Colonialist Culture

The Body Is Not an Apology: The Power of Radical Self-Love by Sonya Renee Taylor

Rest Is Resistance: A Manifesto by Tricia Hersey

White Fragility: Why It's So Hard for White People to Talk about Racism by Robin Diangelo

Black Rage by William H. Grier and Price M. Cobbs

White Rage: The Unspoken Truth of Our Racial Divide by Carol Anderson

How to Understand Your Gender: A Practical Guide for Exploring Who You Are by Alex Iantaffi and Meg-John Barker

This Book Is Anti-Racist: 20 Lessons on How to Wake Up, Take Action, and Do the Work by Tiffany Jewell (Author) and Aurelia Durand (Illustrator)

Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love & So Much More by Janet Mock

Gender Trauma: Healing Cultural, Social, and Historical Gendered Trauma by Alex Iantaffi

The Politics of Trauma: Somatics, Healing, and Social Justice by Staci Haines

Brainwashed: Challenging the Myth of Black Inferiority by Tom Burrell

Me and White Supremacy: Combat Racism, Change the World, and Become a Good Ancestor by Layla F. Saad

Articles and Online Resources (Including Research Articles)

White Supremacy Culture by Tema Okun, at dRworks (This is a list of characteristics of white supremacy culture that show up in our organizations and workplaces.)

Reflections on Agroecology and Social Justice in Malwa-Nimar by Caroline E. Fazli

Mutual Aid Toolbox by Big Door Brigade Mutual Aid Resources by Mutual Aid Disaster Relief No body is expendable: Medical rationing and disability justice during the COVID-19 pandemic by Andrews, Ayers, Brown, Dunn, & Pilarski (2021)

A Marxist Theory of Extinction by Troy Vettese

Intersectionality Research for Transgender Health Justice: A Theory-Driven Conceptual Framework for Structural Analysis of Transgender Health Inequities by Linda M. Wesp, Lorraine Halinka Malcoe, Ayana Elliott, and Tonia Poteat Know Your Rights Guide to Surviving COVID-19 Triage Protocols by NoBody is Disposable

Finally Feeling Comfortable: The Necessity of Trans-Affirming, Trauma-Informed Care by Alex Petkanas (on TransLash Media)

'Are you ready to heal?': Nonbinary activist Alok Vaid-Menon deconstructs gender by Jo Yurcaba

Gender-affirming Care Saves Lives by Kareen M. Matouk and Melina Wald

What It Takes to Heal: How Transforming Ourselves Can Change the World by Prentis Hemphill

Note from the curator: Please use your local libraries when possible! Be #ResiliencePunk.

[mariacallous]

Jade S. Sasser has been studying reproductive choices in the context of climate change for a quarter century. Her 2018 book, Infertile Ground, explored how population growth in the Global South has been misguidedly framed as a crisis—a perspective that Sasser argues had its roots in long-standing racial stereotypes about sexuality and promiscuity.

But during the Covid-19 pandemic, Sasser, an environmental scientist who teaches at UC Riverside, started asking different questions, this time about reproductive choices in the Global North. In an era in which the planet is getting hotter by the day, she wondered, is it morally, ethically or practically sound to bring children into the world? And do such factors as climate anxiety, race, and socioeconomic status shape who decides to have kids and who doesn’t?

The result is her latest book, Climate Anxiety and the Kid Question, published last month by the University of California Press, which centers on a range of issues that are part of a broader conversation among those who try to practice climate-conscious decisionmaking.

From the outset, Sasser cautions that her work does not attempt to draw any conclusions about what the future might hold or how concerns about global warming might affect population growth going forward.

“This book is not predictive,” Sasser said in a recent interview with Inside Climate News. “It’s too soon to be able to say, ‘OK, these are going to be the trends. These people are not going to have children, or are going to have fewer children or this many, that many.’ We’re at the beginning of witnessing what could be a significant trend.”

Sasser said that one of the most compelling findings of her research was how survey results showed that women of color were the demographic cohort that reported that they were most likely to have at least one child fewer than what they actually want because of climate change. “No other group in that survey responded that way,” Sasser said.

Those survey results, Sasser said, underscores the prevalence of climate anxiety among communities of color. A Yale study published last year found that Hispanic Americans were five times as likely to experience feelings of climate change anxiety when compared to their white counterparts; Black Americans were twice as likely to have those feelings.

“There is a really large assumption that we don’t experience climate anxiety,” said Sasser, who is African American. “And we do. How could we not? We experience most of the climate impacts first and worst. And the few surveys that have been done around people of color and climate emotions showed that Black and Latinx people feel more worry and more concerned about climate change than other groups.”

Sasser, who also produced a seven-episode podcast as part of the project, said that she hopes her work can help fill what she sees as a void in the public’s awareness of climate anxiety in communities of color.

“Every single thing I was reading just didn’t include us in the discussion at all,” Sasser said. “I found myself in conversations with people who were not people of color and they were saying, ‘Well, I think people of color are just more resilient and don’t feel climate anxiety. And this doesn’t factor into their reproductive lives.’ That’s just simply not true. But how would we know that without the research to tell us? But now I’ve started down that road, and I really, really hope that other researchers will take up the mantle and continue studying these questions in the context of race in the future.”

Sasser recently sat down with Inside Climate News to talk about the book and how she uses her research to show how climate emotions land hardest on marginalized groups, people of color, and low-income groups. This interview has been edited for clarity and length.

[dcstinieshq]

﹟𝙁𝙇𝘼𝙈𝙀𝙎𝙏𝙑 — hightower d, marina moschen, 30, cis woman, she / her. welcome darliessa hightower to king’s landing. the knight of oldtown is known to all as a dedicated, responsible individual. however, amidst the chaos of the realm, they find themselves becoming more blunt and judgmental. visions of exhilaration and magic tingling through their veins as one wields a magnificent sword, ; desperately biting back ones tongue ; holding steadfast to morals and honor, hiding a hurt by disguising it as hatred haunt the dreams of dragons, who emerge murmuring of their support for the heir. we do hope that whatever happens, they play the game wisely.

♛   BASIC.

↳ FULL NAME; darliessa hightower ↳ GENDER / PRONOUNS; cis woman , she/her ↳ AGE; twenty eight ↳ ORIENTATION; heterosexual. ↳ MARITAL STATUS / CHILDREN; single ↳ RELIGION; faith of the seven ↳ TITLE; ser of oldtown ↳ LOYALTY; house hightower

♛   PHYSICAL APPEARANCE

↳ HEIGHT; 168cm ↳ EYE COLOR; midnight black ↳ HAIR COLOR; dark brown. ↳ DISTINGUISHING MARKS; a burnt white scar on her left forearm ↳ FACE CLAIM;  marina moschen ↳ FUN PHYSICAL FACT; she's ambidextrous

♛   PERSONALITY

↳ ALIGNMENT; tba. ↳ STAR SIGN; tba. ↳ POSITIVES; dedicated, responsible, enterprising, resourceful, resilient, loving, pragmatic ↳ NEGATIVES; over-protective, secretive, extremely blunt, judgmental, strong-willed, adventurous ↳ INSPO; “Black Alys” , Mulan, Jo March, Wylla Manderly, Elizabeth from the Swiss Family Robinson, Poppy Bridgerton, Brienne of Tarth, Arya Stark

♛   ABOUT

TL;DR she’s a warrior-esque sort of girl, tomboy mulan vibes but extremely responsible older sister, straighforward but also warm and can be down for jolly fun times with friends & family every now and then. very morally upright & can hold grudges for a long time .

she grew intrigued with the art of sword-fighting as a little girl when she witnessed a friendly sword fighting competition at a family event. her intrigue then grew to one of fascination when she watched her brother and older male cousins being trained by their master-at-arms on a daily basis. it culminated with her begging her father to let her train to fight as well. it took a bit of time, but finally her amused father relented to the apple of his eye, thinking that she would grow tired of it soon enough and return to her embroidery and baking lessons, both of which were also of her hobbies and main interests at that time.

darliessa didn’t grow weary of it. in fact, her fascination expanded to learning about all sorts of weaponry, their history, their tricks, and how to best use them in battle as well as self-defense. learning archery, sword-fighting, axe-swinging, dagger art-play, she swallowed everything the master-at-arms had to teach her as well until in the end, the student became the master, even besting her own father at the age of 15. all thanks to her relentless spirit in training hard, an innate talent and open-minded to making mistakes & learning new things every single day in order to nurture her passion to the fullest. her father growing increasingly proud of his daughter, also had early on taught her the art of horse-riding and jousting as soon as she declared that her ambition was to be a knight.

when one of her closest male cousins came of age, she pleaded to be allowed to tag along with him in his touring and travels to dorne and essos . her request was eventually granted. it was during this time & at this places, where darliessa further enhanced her combative skills by learning new forms of fighting from different cultures, bringing her to further revere the art of fighting. it was also at this period of time where her dream goal was finally realized when Darliessa finally got knighted after she managed to demonstrate her exceptional skills and prowness in a battle and saving the life of an old but legendary Westerosi knight ( adventurous event to be futher detailed soon )

after finally returning home from her travels, she took about her other duties seriously due to the fact that she was next in line of succession after her father who is the current heir.

[trc-magazine]

The Ethical Teaching of History: Why It Matters

Musings Shadows

History is meant to teach us about the past, to help us understand the world we live in today. But what happens when history is told in a way that robs us of our dignity, manipulates our identity, and leaves us feeling cheated?

Growing up in Mozambique, I always loved reading history books. I wanted to learn, to understand. But instead of feeling enlightened, I often found myself feeling wounded, betrayed, and manipulated by what I read. It felt like history was being told in a way that was not just incomplete—but harmful.

Take a simple example: a family dinner. Imagine four people at the table—two grandparents from the Gaza tribe and two granddaughters, who are of mixed tribal heritage, including Inhambane. The conversation turns to history, and suddenly, old tensions surface. The Gaza elders recall how a man from Inhambane once betrayed the people, revealing a secret that led to Ngungunhane’s capture and exile in Lisbon. As a result, the Portuguese labeled Inhambane "terra de boa gente" (land of good people), a title that still sticks today. But was that really a compliment? Or was it a manipulation tactic—one designed to divide, to make one group feel superior while isolating another?

This is the kind of history we inherit, not just in books but in the way people talk, in the way identities are shaped. But the problem isn’t just how history is remembered—it’s how it’s taught.

The Flaws in Our History Education

I grew up learning nothing about the fight for freedom.

Nothing about what existed before Vasco da Gama.

Nothing about the events that led to FRELIMO’s formation.

It was always just a short paragraph, as if it didn’t really matter. But what did matter? The lessons we were constantly given:

We were slaves.

We were oppressed.

The colonizer assimilated us to become “proper” laborers.

That was the narrative. Not the resilience, not the resistance, not the power we had before colonization. And when that is the only story we tell, what does that do to young black children? What does that tell them about who they are?

I remember learning this in the fourth grade, sitting in a classroom where black children and white children shared space. And I wondered—what was I supposed to feel? Were we being pushed to see each other as enemies? Were we supposed to feel like descendants of a failed nation?

If history is taught without care, it creates division, resentment, and self-hatred. And I saw this firsthand in my own family.

"Colonialism Didn’t Just Steal Land—It Stole Identity "

My grandfather is a fully black man, yet he often refers to himself as white. Not because he’s confused about his heritage, but because, to him, white means educated, emotionally stable, financially secure, well-cultured—all the good things. And black? Well, you can imagine the adjectives that come with that.

This mindset didn’t come from nowhere. It came from a history that was told in a way that erased our greatness and glorified our oppressors. It came from decades of psychological conditioning that made blackness something to escape, rather than something to embrace.

That is why ethical history education is urgent. Because this damage doesn’t just exist in the past—it’s alive today.

What Ethical History Teaching Should Look Like

If we want to break these cycles, we need to change the way history is taught. Ethical history is not about romanticizing the past or avoiding painful truths, but about presenting them in a way that is honest, empowering, and constructive.

Imagine if Mozambican children learned about:

Pre-colonial civilizations – The great kingdoms and trading networks that thrived before the Portuguese arrived. The fact that Vasco da Gama discovered nothing—he encountered societies that already existed.

The resistance movements – The people who fought for freedom, the strategies they used, the victories they won. Not just a dry paragraph about FRELIMO, but real stories that show the power of the people.

How colonialism manipulated identity – Understanding that labels like "boa gente" were not innocent but were tactics used to divide and control.

Post-colonial realities and the way forward – Teaching young people how to heal, how to reclaim their identity, and how to build something better.

This is the kind of history that builds people instead of breaking them.

A Call for Change

Right now, this kind of history isn’t widely taught in Mozambican schools. But that doesn’t mean it can’t be. If the education system won’t change overnight, then maybe the conversation needs to start elsewhere—in books, in community initiatives, in online spaces like this.

We have to reclaim our stories.

We have to tell history in a way that does justice to those who came before us.

We have to teach history in a way that empowers those who come after us.

Because if we don’t, we risk repeating the same psychological chains that were placed on our ancestors.

History should not just tell us where we’ve been—it should help us decide where we’re going.

[ask-milsiril]

Hey, so, we don't teach Shroomy magic because he's in his rebellious teen phase. We all came together and decided that it would be dangerous to give him the ability to learn magic. At one point he wanted to do alchemy which involved him making black powder to blow up things. And he hasn't ever given us a real reasonable answer on why he wants to learn magic (that wouldn't completely backfire and have disasters consequences).

None of us trust him to do magic because we don't want him to become a (bigger) threat to society.

Am I missing anything @puckpattichils or @realcourtjester?

-- @askmarcille

Oh... I appreciate your concern for him- but it really is important to let children do what they want. You may obstruct his sense of self and autonomy otherwise. Perhaps if you did the magic and alchemy with him?

I really did not want Kabru to join a squad or start swordsmanship- but it was who he was, so I had to.... He ultimately proved himself, even when I threw training full force at him. Children are resilient, Shroomy may surprise you. Just be by his side as a guide instead of a leash.

[reasoningdaily]

Arkansas appears to be trying to compete against Florida and Texas in the White and Fragile Red State Olympics, and, specifically, the sport of stifling Black history.

Earlier this month, we reported that the Arkansas Department of Education just up and decided two days before classes started that it would not recognize a new Advanced Placement course on African American history for course credit for the 2023-24 school year. Now, the department is demanding that every K-12 school in a six-district radius turn over all of their African American studies materials so they can be scanned for violations of the state’s anti-critical race theory law.

MORE: The Importance Of African American Studies

Related Stories

Here’s another way to put that: Arkansas and its governor, Sarah Huckabee Sanders, are out here confiscating Black history because it might violate anti-CRT standards they propagandized into anti-CRT legislation. It’s basically iron sharpening iron if both blades of iron are actually white supremacy.

But seriously, is government officials using anti-“woke” propaganda as a green light to invade places of learning and demand educational materials be turned over for inspection not exactly the kind of thing that links right-wingers to fascism? Please tell me the same people who boast that the government would have to pry their guns from their “cold dead hands”—despite no notable effort by government officials to confiscate citizens’ guns anywhere in America—are not going to stand for history books being taken by way of government overreach. (Yes, I understand that they’re public schools. No, that doesn’t make the optics any less Orwellian, not to mention racist AF.)

Ok, but let’s be fair here. After all, maybe the department has some reason to believe dangerous messages are being spread to indoctrinated school students. Perhaps schools are teaching step-by-step “kill whitey” instructions or, as conservatives often suggest, teaching Black kids to hate America and white kids ot hate themselves.

Let’s just take a look at what they’re so concerned about.

“Given some of the themes included in the pilot, including ‘intersections of identity’ and ‘resistance and resilience,’ the Department is concerned the pilot may not comply with Arkansas law, which does not permit teaching that would indoctrinate students with ideologies, such as Critical Race Theory (CRT), (See Ark. Code Ann. § 6-16-156, as amended by Section 16 of the LEARNS Act),” the letter sent out to the superintendents of the districts reads.

“To assist public school employees, representatives, and guest speakers at your district in complying with the law, please submit all materials, including but not limited to the syllabus, textbooks, teacher resources, student resources, rubrics, and training materials, to the Department by 12:00 pm on September 8, 2023, along with your statement of assurance that the teaching of these materials will not violate Arkansas law or rule. Items can be scanned and emailed to ade.commissioner@ade.arkanasas.gov.”

Well, there you have it, good people. The Arkansas Department of Education has important work to do here! The school districts in this great state simply cannot be left to their own devices lest the children—the precious, impressionable children—be insidiously indoctrinated by horrific lessons on—God, I can hardly even say it—”intersections of identity” and “resistance and resilience.”

Again, Arkansas wants to be Florida so bad. The Sunshine (or sundown) state is requiring lessons about enslaved people benefiting from slavery, and accepting “educational” materials from PragerU, a demonstrably racist organization that teaches children that Frederick Douglass would agree slavery was a necessary evil to preserve America. Now, Arkansas is picking up the white nationalist indoctrination tiki torch by eliminating Black studies materials that teach about the “resistance” and the “resilience” of oppressed people.

This is white supremacy at work. This is exactly what critical race theory was created to examine.

SEE ALSO:

Florida Approves Teaching Students That Slaves Benefited From Slavery

Florida’s New Black History Curriculum Whitewashes Slavery, Victim-Shames African Americans, Critics Say

[webtoon-related-tournaments]

Who's Starlight Flower?

Star is one of the few children (if not the only one) shown playing Chrono Life, the webtoon's VR Game world where the story takes place. [spoiler blacked out by poll runner]. Starlight logged into the game to meet people, make friends and have fun, reason why she chose to be a merchant character. She's not very good at it tho. Merchants are supposed to gain profit, yes, but she chose to be one to provide for the rest of the players. As a merchant, she gifts items to people, talks to them, helps them, and is overall the sweetest and friendliest girl someone could ever meet. She's that one player that's so nice someone might even think they're an NPC. And that's actually what she's depicted as at first. Sort of. The first time we see her in the most NPC looks anyone could have, cheap customizing, low level, not even being able to talk other than using emoji-based reactions… Though at some time she was brimming with the prettiest princess-like appearance one could make. That happened because the game requires a player to make minimal changes to their in-game appearance, and she was forced to change her appearance after being diagnosed with an almost fatal illness that changed her appearance irl. What's heartbreaking about her is that her whole character is based on a true story. It's based on a real little girl that the authors decided to immortalize and tell her story. Fiction and reality separate as she survives in the webtoon, after receiving the MC's help to pay for her surgery. Summarizing, she is sweet, kind, adorable, strong, resilient, a survivor, and a child. She deserves the world <3

Who's Pagoon?

His character summary says "A master sword fighter with a passion for heroics". Which he is. He is Siren's (deuteragonist) master and teaches him how to fight so he can protect himself in the open ocean. He's a powerful fighter. He has a mom who loves him very much. He is a swordfish boi

[nanowrimo]

30 Covers, 30 Days 2023: Day 15

And here we are with day 15! This is a Personal novel titled Out of Darkness: One Woman's Journey to Healing from DID by Eliza Glass. This cover was designed by the amazing returning designer, Victor Davila!

Out of Darkness: One Woman's Journey to Healing from DID

Eliza Glass has it all — the wonderful husband, the beautiful house, the spunky kid, the perfect job — but she's the one destroying it and she has no idea why. When she discovers that she has Dissociative Identity Disorder (DID) and there isn't just one Eliza, but dozens, she begins a journey to unveil the childhood she barely remembers. In the safe context of trauma therapy, her alternate personalities share the truth about her father and the dark cult he was a part of. Step by step, Eliza befriends her alters, listens as they share their secrets, and integrates them into a courageous new self. In this vulnerable memoir, Eliza pulls back the curtain of child abuse and cult practices happening every day in America. It's a story of resilience that unflinchingly tells the truth, no matter how dark, and proves that healing is possible for all who suffer.

About the Author

Eliza is a reader, a writer, and a steadfast pursuer of healing. She rediscovered writing in 2020 and is exploring many genres, including fantasy, short story, modern fiction, and memoir. When she’s not working out those creative muscles, she enjoys adventuring with her found family and snuggling with their rescued pup, Daisy. 

About the Designer

Victor Davila is an illustrator and designer from the Orlando, FL area, as well as an Associate Professor in the University of Central Florida’sSchool of Visual Arts and Design teaching illustration and design. He has worked on everything from character designs and storyboards for animation, to editorial illustrations, interactive games, and children’s books.

Victor is also the founder of the central Florida illustrator collective Giant Illustrators, President Emeritus of AIGA Orlando, Presidents Council Chair and on the National Board of AIGA, on the organizing committee of Creative Mornings Orlando, and an Adobe Education Leader.

Cover Design Process:

This year. we gave designers the optional prompt to explain their design process for the cover! Here's Victor's:

My process is pretty simple: Since the author tells her own story and I don’t know what the author looks like, I wanted to avoid making assumptions of her appearance by putting a figure in it. Instead, I went the typographical route. In order to capture some of the way her life may be crumbling before she discovers her DID diagnosis, I went for a crumbled paper look. So, my process is a tried and true one—I laid out the cover, printed it, crumbled it, scanned it, and inverted it. While it may seem straight forward, I did this several times with slight variations in the text, which also caused the crumbled texture to look different every time. The text is meant to seem as it’s gradually emerging from the black background.

[byoldervine]

Character Info - Layni Warden

General Info

Name: Layni Warden

Nicknames:

• Snapdragon (by Kennedy)

• Dragon (by Kennedy)

Pronouns: She/Her

Age: 24

Gender: Female

Sexuality: Lesbian

Species: Earth Elemental

Place Of Birth: Kettringham, Paracosm

Current Home: Kettringham, Paracosm

Appearance

Layni has short brown hair and warm, mid-toned skin. I’ve considered adding green streaks to her hair as well but obviously that can’t go into the Picrew too well. She has cyan eyes

Layni usually wears simple clothing under a thick apron to keep herself clean while working. She also wears gloves to protect her hands. She’ll often grow flowers in her hair for fun as well, and since they’re so well-enmeshed due to her power they’re not much of a hazard

Personality

Layni is a very resilient person who works hard for the people in her life. She likes to keep herself busy and is very much a giver rather than a taker, often finding herself as the mum friend of the group, acting as the responsible one or the voice of reason. She can talk everyone through their problems except herself, and is a good listener who everyone seems to gravitate towards when they need advice or a venting session. Her biggest struggle is remembering that the reliable friend also needs others to rely on themselves

Likes:

• Pranking Connor

• Giving handmade gifts

• Black coffee

Dislikes:

• Collaborative work

• Dealing with customers

• Accepting help

Known Abilities

• Geokinesis - As an earth elemental, Layni is able to manipulate earth at will

• Florakinesis - Layni’s skills as an earth elemental have been honed to the point of attunement to flora, allowing her to grow and manipulate plants at will

• Layni is also very skilled in woodworking and carpentry

• Layni also has a history of potion-making, though it’s been a long time since she did anything of the sort

Relationships

Family:

• Connor Warden (younger brother)

• Rose Warden (mother; deceased)

• James Warden (father; deceased)

Friends/Allies:

• Kennedy (coworker, close friend)

Enemies:

• The Guardians

Backstory

While Connor only really knew Rose Warden after her illness, Layni still remembers the times before then; their mother had been one of the most excitable and optimistic people she’d ever known. She still sees so much of her in Connor, especially in their matching smiles

The children would usually stay home to look after Rose, who gave them lessons in potions as the family tried to find a cure for her illness, but once Connor was big enough to do so alone and Rose began teaching him about his own abilities, Layni spent most of her time with her father, helping him in the carpentry when things got too tough for just one person to do alone. He taught her how to use her elemental abilities to make the craft easier, and helped her develop her attunement to florakinesis

Layni was sixteen when her mother passed away. She and her father grew a Remaligo tree over her grave, letting it stand in her memory. It was around this time that Connor began to struggle with his powers, and so Layni’s time was largely split between helping her father manage the house and the business as a newly widowed man and looking after Connor and doing what little she could to help him control his powers

A year later, when Layni was seventeen and Connor was twelve, she discovered that their father had given in to his grief. She managed to keep herself together long enough to send Connor elsewhere for the day without him knowing what had happened. By the time he returned, Layni had made arrangements and the situation had been appropriately dealt with. Others in the village were there to help her very delicately break the news to Connor without giving any actual details beyond what he needed to know. Layni braced herself to answer any questions he had, but there weren’t many, and he appeared mostly satisfied with her vague explanations

From that day on, Layni was the one to look after the family business. Connor saw how hard she was working, and how she really didn’t enjoy the customer service aspect of the job, and took it upon himself to man the front desk. Layni had initially objected since she didn’t want to make it the responsibility of a child, but Connor was stubborn about it, sneaking in to beat Layni to the customers when they entered. Layni had to admit that it was helpful, and he always knew to come to her if he didn’t know how to sort out something himself. With Connor also helping to clean up around the workshop, the workload on Layni became much lighter, and by the time the two siblings were eighteen and thirteen, Connor was able to work fully independently to help his sister

Several years passed, and Connor had another, albeit now much rarer, struggle with controlling his power. Layni was doing what she could to help him until a stranger came in and was able to help with her tephrakinesis abilities. The nomad introduced herself as Kennedy, and the siblings offered her a place to stay for a while in exchange for her helping Connor with his abilities. She agreed

Layni and Kennedy got to spend a lot of time together, especially when the former discovered Kennedy’s carving hobby and offered her a role in the carpentry. The pair grew very close over time, Kennedy sharing secrets with Layni that even Connor, who Kennedy privately considered her best friend, didn’t know. They shared interests in plants and nature and carving, and bonded over all of these things

Fun Facts

• The carpentry always has a faint scent of black coffee due to how much Layni drinks. Connor and Kennedy tease her often about how she can drink it

• Layni’s love language is gift giving, but quickly learned that Kennedy wasn’t the most comfortable receiving gifts, so she began framing it as Kennedy doing her a favour by allowing her to not throw out perfectly good things. Connor has, on more than one occasion, taken the gift under the impression that it was up for grabs, only for Kennedy to get uncharacteristically possessive of it and snatch it back from him

• Layni is the only one to know Kennedy’s past, as well as some other secrets. Their favourite secret is an ongoing prank they’ve been playing on Connor for nearly a year now without his knowledge

[ecopoetry4teachers]

Teaching Current Events in the Classroom Through Ecopoetry

Last week, my students spent time viewing weather reports, watching projections and talking about Hurricane Lee. After gauging their interest in the hurricane, I decided to use short lessons that allowed them to steer the conversation. They used their experience with post tropical storm Fiona in 2022 to engage in the daily lessons. Most of my students are not yet 10, but their conversations and insights told me it is an area of interest, or perhaps concern, for them.  What can Adora Svitak teach us?

I have always felt it was important to teach current issues in an age appropriate manner. I believe students are curious about their world and want to know more about it. As a parent, I want to shelter my children from some of the harsh realities, but I also know the importance of teaching them the truth. Young educational activist Adora Svitak said:

"By bringing current events into the classroom, everyday discussion, and social media, maybe we don't need to wait for our grandchildren's questions to remind us we should have paid more attention to current events."

Adora Svitak https://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/adora_svitak_594720

Adora Svitak and Paulo Freire: What is the connection?

This young activist reminds me of Paulo Freire. Freire believed that teaching adult learners to read would help them see their own oppression. This knowledge could then transform their lives through action. Teaching current events in the classroom, can do the same. Elizabeth Lange, in her 2023 book Transformative Sustainability Education, stated that Freire’s:

"literacy process was called conscientization as adult learners become conscious of the root causes of their oppression and then took collective action to improve their lives" (Lange, 2023, pg. 76). 

This is similar to Svitak's belief that children need to understand current events, so they can begin their work toward change. To learn more about Paulo Freire’s theory of education, watch the following video.

An informative academic article regarding Freire's transformative learning theory can be found here:

The Ecopoetry Connection

One major current issue that faces children globally is climate change. Extreme weather events, loss of ecosystems, endangered species and species at risk, pollution, environmental disasters or social system failures are all partly the result of climate change. We need look no further than Great Thunberg to see how these issues are affecting children and young adults. Her global climate strike has mobilized millions of students throughout the world. My own students have hosted small rallies outside our school as a way to tell adults they want change. Youth do have the intelligence, willingness and creativity to take action against climate change. Young spoken word poet, Amanda Gorman, gives us a glimpse as to what youth can do:

Black eco-poets, such as Frank X Walter use their experience with oppression and resilience in his poems. Contemporary eco-poets are using their word to teach about environmental impacts to our natural world. Below is Walter's poem Love Letter to the World.

https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/8-black-eco-poets-who-inspire-us#:~:text=%E2%80%9CEco%2Dpoetics%E2%80%9D%20%20may%20be,finding%20home%20away%20from%20home.

Edinburgh Napier University Professor Sam Illingworth states that ecopoet Elise Paschen, uses her poem The Tree Agreement, to

"promote the idea of the agency people possess in protecting and preserving their local environment. These poems discuss neighborhood resistance to tree felling and challenge our need to make a mark on the world."

Eco-poetry is more than poetry about the environment. It tells a story that is meant to expand the reader's thinking and make connections between humankind and the litany of social issues that surround their lives. As Eleanor Flowerday (2021) states,

“Eco-poetry roots you in your environment both physically but also in the way we tell stories to one another. It provides that line of connection to your surroundings that is so necessary in founding a relationship with the natural world: that feeling that you actually belong there.”

As an educator, I believe eco-poetry has a role to play in helping to transform the global climate crisis. Eco-poetry has a place in every language arts curriculum because the climate crisis effects everyone. The poets, educators and activists discussed in this blog are just a few in the every growing list of climate change activists.

Reference List

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ImsBe97u3DMtBAbB4hj3N9Rt8ASKcpEYfYP6JJPUhZQ/edit

[oftravisx]

[ charlie hunnam ] – have you heard about [ travis corbin ]? [ he/him ] lives at the qz. i think they’ve lived there for [ several hours ]. they’re [ thirty-six ] yrs old and seem very [ assertive ]. i’ve also heard they can be very [ withdrawn ] as well. they’ve been assigned as a [ cord alley smuggler ]. they often daydream about [ a white picket fence and a thanksgiving dinner, his sons first steps and a sunset over southern roads ]. i’m curious to know more. | tia. gmt +1. she/her.

BASIC INFORMATION

NAME: Travis Wayon Corbin

NICKNAMES: N/A

BIRTHDAY: April 17th

AGE: 36

HOMETOWN: QZ

BIRTHPLACE: Nashville, Tennessee

RELIGION: N/A

ETHNICITY: White

JOB: Smuggler

RELATIONSHIP STATUS: Single

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

HEIGHT: 6′3

EYES: Blue

HAIR: Blonde

DISTINGUISHING MARKS: Scars across his body, tattoos on his hands, back and neck

NOTABLE FEATURES: Scar on his brow

PHYSICAL DISABILITIES: N/A

ALLERGIES: N/A

PERSONALITY & BEHAVIOR

HOBBIES: Carving sculptures out of wood, bird watching, reading, horseback riding, playing the guitar in the evening, shooting guns in an open field

LIKES: Laying out in the sun, long meaningless walks, listening to people talk about things they’re passionate about, photographs (they remind him of a different time), positive people and laughter

DISLIKES: Politics, people who are cruel to animals, people who don’t understand nuance and are very black and white, being told what to do, grass that eats other grass, empty promises. 

POSITIVE TRAITS: Reliable, resilient, resourceful, analytical   

NEGATIVE TRAITS: impatient, hot-headed, stubborn

BIOGRAPHY

Travis was born the oldest child in a rather messy family. Both his parents cared more for their vices than they did for their kids, and it was not uncommon for the two to leave their children for days and disappear. Travis learnt from young age to look after his siblings, the household, the horses. Although his grandfather was around to help, and teach the youngsters, it was predominantly left on the oldest boy to hold things together. 

He didn’t mind. It was simply what ‘normal’ looked like to Travis. He’d go to school, get home, take care of what needed taking care of and sleep. A routine was important for him. And although his routine would get messed up every time his parents would decide to return and then up and leave again. He made it work. Up until his 13th year when the whole world took a turn. At first, the news were sporadic. And then it took over everything. 

Him and his siblings were safe at first, but he never saw his parents again. The ranch had kept them isolated long enough to avoid the major chaos at the start. But this sickness swept everything in its wake and it wasn’t too long before Travis and his younger siblings and an elderly grandfather had to rush into hiding as well. 

Except there was nowhere to hide. Nowhere was safe. Not land, not the sea. And if one did not have to fear the infected, they sure had to fear the living. 

His siblings fell off, one after the other. First his youngest brother, bitten. His sister died of the infection, the grandfather disappeared in the night, and the only sibling he had left, his brother Darren, died years later during an unfortunate set of circumstances Travis could not protect him from. 

When at his lowest, he met a woman on the road. She cared for him in more ways than one and when she got pregnant, Travis thought world was giving him another chance. A part of him which failed to protect his family before, both due to young age and paranoia and distrust, was now amped up to the max. He would not lose her, and he would not lose his son.

For years, Travis, Amelia and Jamie were on their own. They lived in the outskirts of cities. Surviving on land, hunting and good timings. When winter would come along, Travis would seek out warmth of caves for them to hide. But they could not hide forever. When Jamie was about 4, they found their first settlement in Nevada and staid there until the unrest which pushed them north. On the run, Amelia was shot and although Travis did everything humanly possible to get her to the next stop in time, it was just not fast enough. Next came years on the road: Idaho, Wyoming, Nebraska, Iowa and finally Illinois. There, the boys settled for years. But the leader of a small private settlement got into some shady business with a friend of Travis’ who owed him a great deal of money. In order to make things right, Travis tried to negotiate, but his leader Roger made it clear he would have to hand in his friend or face the consequences. 

Travis refused to give in and reveal his friends location and in retaliation, Roger killed his only son. After this, Travis mostly blacked out. His body resorted to such a trauma response that he set the entire settlement on fire, killing everyone in it. He took his time with Roger though, and in the process got so beat up and messed up he was pretty much drenched in blood from head to toe when he finally emerged. 

He then walked, and walked, and walked, as far as his feet would carry him and then everything went dark. 

--- After this, unbeknownst to him, he was found by an old friend and taken to QZ where his wounds have been looked after. He’s only been in QZ for about a day or so and is just now regaining consciousness.