January Volunteer Hours: 402 |
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School Year to Date: 3970
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"This is a call to everyone, inside and outside the academy, to study the history of
Black Americans’ responses to establish safe spaces, where Black life can be
sustained, fortified and respected."
~Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH)
on this year's Black History Theme: Black Resistance
Ideally, we would take time every day to reflect on what privileges we might have and translate that into action that creates a more equitable playing field for underserved and underrepresented communities. However, let's be honest, with the quotidian demands of our busy lives, we may not always feel like we have the time and energy to do as much as we'd like.
Black History Month offers an opportunity to be intentional about how we engage with the world and whether we are actively working to dismantle racism, which is both an uncomfortable and monumental task. As Abraham X Kendi puts it in his book How to be an Antiracist: "being an antiracist requires persistent self-awareness, constant self-criticism, and regular self-examination.” We have seen the relationships you have built with our students, and we know you would not have chosen this work if you did not have these strengths.
This year's Black History Month theme is Black Resistance, which for many brings to mind images of Malcolm X and Martin Luther King, Jr. While these individuals were indeed trailblazers in the Civil Rights Movement, the list of "Black people who have sought ways to nurture and protect Black lives, and for autonomy of their physical and intellectual bodies through armed resistance, voluntary emigration, nonviolence, education, literature, sports, media, and legislation/politics" is endless (ASALH). In fact, choosing a mere seven individuals to include in the above collage as the faces of Black Resistance was close to impossible!
If you are white, it may seem daunting at times to say and do the right things to be an ally to the Black community. So what can you do? For starters, as you can see in the below Courageous Conversations piece, centering Black voices is critical. Whether by following simple adages like listen more, talk less, educating yourself by reading books and articles by and about Black History, confronting racism when you encounter it, supporting Black-owned businesses, or sharing and celebrating positive media portrayals of Black individuals, you too can contribute to a society "where Black life can be sustained, fortified, and respected."
In community,
Liz Wurster
Communications Coordinator
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Clockwise from top left of above photo: Thurgood Marshall, Rosa Parks, Colin Powell, Viola Davis, Barack Obama, Serena Williams, Patrisse Cullors.
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For those of you who attended Minnesota Literacy Council's training last Friday, "Solidarity Not Charity: Challenging White Saviorism with Learning Partnerships", you may have noticed how many of the names in the webinar chat box had "Literacy Source, Seattle" next to them when the presenters asked participants to introduce themselves! It was certainly a wonderful turnout, and we're so pleased so many members of our staff and volunteer team took the time to participate.
For those who were unable to attend, we thought to fill you in on (some of) what you missed! We also thought the webinar was a perfect fit for our monthly Courageous Conversations piece as these topics certainly require courage and a willingness to sit in discomfort. Whether highlighting how the white savior complex has shown up over the years (for example, in such movies as Glory, Dances with Wolves, and To Kill a Mockingbird) or sharing ways in which our own teaching styles or programs could be inadvertently centering our own perspective rather than creating a platform for our students' voices, there were definitely courageous conversations happening during this training.
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So how can we as educators adopt practices that challenge this White Savior Complex? The good news is that partnership building is at the core of Literacy Source's mission, so you all have started out on the right foot in terms of understanding the importance of relationship building in fostering trust and a successful learning partnership.
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We know that the learning partnerships you've developed with your students foster growth on both sides. In fact, we frequently hear from our tutors and teachers that they learn as much - if not more! - from their students as they teach. We are thankful to be of a community that recognizes the value in lifelong learning, and is willing to have the courageous conversations that make the world a better place for us all.
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New Watercolor Art at the Center |
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We are thrilled to have fresh art on the walls at Literacy Source!
Cathe Gill, a new volunteer in the Conversation Class, and accomplished local artist, is exhibiting some of her beautiful landscape watercolors, all painted in situ. Stop by and take a look, they are for sale.
To meet Cathe and see some of her work check out her website: https://catherinegill.com/
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Congratulations - and thank you! - to the following volunteers for reaching a year of service with Literacy Source!
- Jack Clemens
- Jordyn Vandeleur
- Karen Gardner
- Kathleen Connor
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We have one new citizen this month: from Eritrea. Congratulations!
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Staff Reads and Recommendations: Black History Month Focus |
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Staff: Cory Ihrig Goldhaber
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Thursday, February 16, 6-7:30pm (Northwest African American Museum, FREE with museum admission)
Join us as we celebrate Black History Month. NAAM will hold an in-person riveting conversation with Dr. Damion Thomas, Smithsonian’s National Museum of African American History and Culture Curator of Sports. Be inspired, informed, and ignited for action.
Saturday, February 18, Noon (Edmonds Theater, FREE)
Free films on themes related to diversity, inclusion, and equity on the third Saturday of every month. As a CODA (Child of Deaf Adults), Ruby is the only hearing person in her deaf family. When the family’s fishing business is threatened, Ruby finds herself torn between pursuing her passion at Berklee College of Music and her fear of abandoning her parents. Go to webpage to watch film and trailer.
Saturdays in February: 4, 11, 18, 25, 9am-3pm (Black Coffee Northwest)
Support Black-owned businesses while picking up your daily cuppa. This Shoreline coffee shop hosts a marketplace pop-up every Saturday from 9am–3pm. Vendors may rotate, so come back every week for a different selection of products.
Tuesday, February 28, 7-8:30pm (MOHAI, Free with $10 suggested donation)
Three generations of Black architects from the Pacific Northwest lead a panel discussion about succeeding in a historically white-dominated field, serving underrepresented communities with their work, and the changing nature of their industry.
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Please help us spread the word!
Our next New Volunteer Orientation (via Zoom) will be on March 1 at either 1pm or 7pm. Potential volunteers are invited to register online here.
There will be no NVO in April.
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Winter Term runs from January 17th – March 16th 2023.
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Miss any of our past volunteer newsletters? You can access archived newsletters at the bottom of the Volunteer Resources of our webpage.
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Literacy Source acknowledges that we are on the unceded ancestral land of the Coast Salish people, the land which touches the shared waters of all tribes and bands within the Suquamish, Tulalip, Duwamish and Muckleshoot nations. Indigenous people are still here and continue to honor and bring light to their lived histories. We affirm Native American sovereignty and acknowledge the sacrifices and contributions of Indigenous people of Puget Sound. We acknowledge the ongoing disparities, racism, and political erasure they face today and pledge to donate, promote resources, and educate about the struggles of the Coast Salish tribes. We raise our hands to honor Chief Seattle’s Duwamish tribe of Indigenous peoples past, present, and future. |
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Literacy Source | 206-782-2050 | 3200 NE 125th St. Seattle, WA 98125 | www.literacysource.org |
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