The main goals being
to get them thinking of racism in terms of systems rather than primarily interpersonal feelings/beliefs/actions
to give them a sense of capacity to tackle these problems
Comments
ziq wrote (edited )
I'm always being told by USAers especially that their nation isn't an empire because it doesn't fit whatever definition is in the dictionary. It would be helpful to talk about imperialism and how it never really ended, just mutated so they could continue to evade responsibility. The history of Banana Republics would be helpful and how they've evolved today, how the military industrial complex plays its part and how capitalism's need for infinite growth means Europeans are driven to crush, conquer and destroy absolutely everything around them for profit. How democracy is used as a carrot on a stick but is too controlled by the rich and their politicians to actually be useful for poc liberation. How voting is like a a drug that gives you a fleeting high but ultimately leaves you in despair when it wears off and you notice nothing has changed.
Pop OP wrote
It would be helpful to talk about imperialism and how it never really ended
agreed. Your general points re imperialism are well-taken
in the dictionary
In this case, it would be a definition that we come up with, not a dictionary one, with a warning against using dictionary definitions (shorter than this one).
There will be some room to challenge voting and stuff, but unfortunately for the moment these will also be seen by teachers and other authority figures and we need to be careful that we don't scare them too much
will keep it implicitly anti-authoritarian and anti-capitalist for most of the time
rot wrote
call imperialism "globalism" or "global capitalism" and you'll probably get a better response.
ziq wrote
I'd get them to write it.
Pop OP wrote
I think that is preferable also
It's not an option for the moment though, so at least for now I've got to get it started
BunnyBop wrote
As someone who would probably like to read this myself (even though I'm about a decade out of high school), I think illustrating points with excerpts from books would be helpful. It would help clarify and also give a resource for further reading when the student is ready for more than 101 analysis. Also, it could feature writers, like those that can be found online and elsewhere, whose work they could follow regularly so they can keep up with the conversations happening now.
I think having a zine of this nature in high schools would itself spark conversation, so reviewing talking points and questions that students who aren't familiar with anti-racism and decolonization would ask could be helpful.
rot wrote
Some school books have open-ended discussion questions at the end. Maybe look at those and make some similar questions about decolonization
Pop OP wrote
I think illustrating points with excerpts from books would be helpful
I agree, just not sure which books
Also, it could feature writers, like those that can be found online and elsewhere, whose work they could follow regularly so they can keep up with the conversations happening now.
seems worthwhile
As someone who would probably like to read this myself
It will be made for my context, so it won't be possible to share as it will be used without doxxing myself
Pop OP wrote
Some memes I was thinking of using:
https://raddle.me/f/memer/30765/equality-vs-equity-vs-liberation
https://raddle.me/f/memer/5074/not-all-whites
https://raddle.me/f/memer/15323/not-just-america
https://raddle.me/f/memer/24795/white-veganism
https://raddle.me/f/memer/17298/being-uncomfortable-is-a-necessary-part-of-unlearning
https://raddle.me/f/memer/19619/reverse-racism
https://coinsh.red/p/pbs_twimg_com_media_Db5CZgMW4AII.jpg
https://raddle.me/f/memer/27071/part-of-the-idiocy-of-the-racist-all-lives-matter
ziq wrote
Equity would need to be explained for the first meme to work. I doubt they'd know what that means.
Out of context the second meme will prob just confuse (white) people that haven't had to put up with those sealioning types. I'm assuming the target audience is fairly privileged white people judging by one of your recent posts. It would need to be accompanied by a write up explaining the whiteness-sealioning phenomenon. Maybe the original sealioning comic would help too.
The third meme is helpful in setting up 'apolitical' privilege, but would still need accompanying text to explain in more detail why claiming to not care about politics just means you have a privileged life where the status quo that devastates marginalized people props up your wealth and comfort.
White veganism meme probably speaks for itself.
The feeling uncomfortable meme could probably be on the cover. The whole zine could refer to it at various points to remind the reader that being taken out of their comfort zone is the only way to grow.
Reverse racism meme is perfect without needing explanation, but maybe a paragraph with examples of the history of poc building things only for whites who did no work to enjoy the spoils while making policies to keep poc down in the hole so they don't have to share their ill gotten gains.
Pop OP wrote
For white students, I was also thinking of using lines from Accomplices Not Allies towards the end:
"No matter how liberated you are, if you are still occupying Indigenous lands you are still a colonizer."
"The work of an accomplice in anti-colonial struggle is to attack colonial structures & ideas."
But also try to make it a springboard for action than a pool of despair, so if there are any ways you can think of to do that, that would be good
Pop OP wrote (edited )
It'd probably be good to throw in a few definitions of words
I'm thinking:
Any others?