Critical Self-Reflection on the Topic of Racial Identity: Modeling Introspection for Our Children | Interview With Lisa Dominguez Abraham | Episode 84
For this episode, Lisa Dominguez Abraham joins us to discuss some of the racial disparities in public education that have been highlighted by coronavirus and social unrest. She invites all of us to consider how our position and privileges impact the people around us, recognizing that this might be a particular challenge for white parents who haven’t previously considered themselves what Robin DiAngelo calls “part of a racially socialized group.”
“I was taught to recognize racism only in individual acts of meanness by members of my group, never in invisible systems conferring unsought racial dominance on my group from birth.”
- Peggy McIntosh, White Privilege: Unpacking the Invisible Knapsack, 1989
Although she’s not an expert on these issues, Lisa shares her perspectives as a mom, community college English professor and Professional Development Coordinator. She believes parents help children locate themselves in terms of their relationships to their families, their communities, and the natural world, and that part of this awareness should include a consideration of their racial identity and privileges. While these topics might feel uncomfortable, parents can model for their children the way understanding oneself is a continual journey of personal growth and evolution.
This episode is vulnerable and far from perfect, but we want to share more of these important conversations with you. If you have any feedback or questions about this episode, we would love to connect with you to further the conversation.
Resources From This Episode:
Lisa Dominguez Abraham: https://www.lisadominguezabraham.com/
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Lisa Dominguez Abraham is an English professor at Cosumnes River College, a school that has been noted as one of the 10 most diverse community colleges in the nation. She currently serves as the Professional Development Coordinator at CRC. Her poetry collection Mata Hari Blows a Kiss won the 2016 Swan Scythe Chapbook Contest, and her full-length book of poetry, Coyote Logic, came out from Blue Oak Press in 2019.
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