Matthea et al, You are absolutely correct, one person can not end oppression. Oppression is systemic and it feeds on itself. I never proposed to end oppression in the schools only to help bring about a real and true discussion about oppression coupled with effective training on how to be an ally, how to recognize privilege, and how to begin a process to lessen the effects of oppression in our school systemj.
I am not proposing a rehash of the old Multi-Cultural Gender Fair Disability Aware Shtick. I am specifically talking about partnering with, for example, the People's Institute North which has a specific curriculum that they teach about how to be an ally, not simply someone who spouts rhetoritic. I would propose one: A core team of five trainers from each school, beginning with the high schools. These five persons will go through the People's Institute or comparable training (the Peace Development Fund also does an excellent anti-racism training AND often times provides funding for the trainings as they are also a foundation. I have personal contacts at PDF, and I have used them in the past). With a core base of 35 persons trained, they would then return to their high schools charged with creating a task force that will review training initiatives for each school. I would work with the Peace Development Fund, Babcock Foundation, Princess Diana Fund and other private foundations to secure the funding for this project. I mentioned in my open letter regarding my candidacy that we need folks on the board who also understand fundraising, and that is something I am committed to doing in addition to my policy work. I would work closely with the Minneapolis Public Schools Foundation to identify other potential funding sources for this particular program. The program may not work, but I have seen its model be extremely effective used by the NC Lambda Youth Network. I am positive that there are staff in the school district that believe in ending oppression, but belief is not action. We have been trained in a multitude of ways to use and access our privilege subconsciously...we must be consciously trained to not use it. This program would teach HOW to be an ally, how to be anti-racist and not just stating that racism is bad. We know that racism and other forms of oppression are "bad." We now need to provide real and viable curriculum and tools to dismantle oppression. You see, I am a community organizer by training. And I know without a doubt that I do NOT have to do this alone. Working to make radical change in any system needs many voices, and thank goodness we have many dedicated hands and voices that will be wiling to work to create the change. I will provide my vision and knowledge to help that change come about. -Brandon 9-4 -----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] On Behalf Of M Smith Sent: Thursday, March 07, 2002 9:23 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: Re: [Mpls] oppression and the schools Brandon: Ending oppression is a valiant effort and one of my personal visions, but I would like to know more of the specifics on how you would do it. You spoke of one agency, but there have been many, many organizations with ending system oppression as their mission and the oppression still exists. There are and have been people of color not only on the School Board but on the staff of the Minneapolis Public Schools, and in organizations like the Urban League and the NAACP that I know personally and I know them to be: 1) very capable and 2) ideologically believe in ending oppression. I believe you are talking about systems oppression and how would you, one person, purpose to end it, or begin to end it in the Minneapolis Public Schools. Rhetoric is something that we all tire of in political races. I really would liek to see a plan that you are able to show you have the capacity to work if elected to the school board. Privilege, by definition, is something that those that oppress, are totally unaware of their adverse behavior of those without the prvililege. Privilege is one of the largest hurdles systems change activists work to address, because it is very difficult to get, otherwise "very nice" people to understand that their behavior or lack of of activity, is hurting another individual or group of individuals. Again, I would be very interested in the specifics and where you would plan to get the money to address the issues in light of the huge cuts the School District has had to make. Matthea Little Smith Powderhorn Park 9-4 ===== Matthea Little Smith "Those who profess to favor freedom and yet depreciate agitation are people who want crops without plowing the ground; they want rain without thunder and lightning; they want the ocean without the roar of its many waters. The struggle may be a moral one, or it may be a physical one, or it may be both. But it must be a struggle. Power concedes nothing without a demand: it never has and it never will." -- Frederick Douglas __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? 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