Recording of Ijeoma Oluo's Presentation at Green River College
Too often the response to racial progress has been, “Wait, it's not the right time!” But the expectation that Black Americans should wait for the rest of America to educate themselves and get on board is a racist act itself. Please join in this presentation centered around why we can’t wait, and how you may be hindering the movement with your patience.
This workshop engages with Oluo’s discussion of privilege by tracing the origins of racial constructions and identifying how they have become institutionalized in US society, conferring privileges on White people and exclusions and oppression on BIPOC communities. Space will be provided to discuss various ways to use White privilege to recognize, disrupt and dismantle racial inequities and contribute to structural change.
This talk examines how current U.S. policies create a narrative that minor and young adults from disadvantaged backgrounds will become incarcerated. In fact, it is these increasingly harsh school, state, and federal policies that have created a large influx of minority school aged children in the prison system. Now, experts are talking about how these educational inequalities contribute to the growing violence in American cities.
Polite (without talking back). Hard-working (with little complaint). Smart, driven, and successful (without being aggressive or taking lead roles). New to America (despite migration waves from the 1800s).
In So You Want to Talk about Race, Ijeoma Oluo opens a window into a narrative of Asians and Asian-Americans told to a White and Western world that is alternatingly welcoming and threatening. Join the AAA Caucus in a panel event where several Asian and Asian-American faculty and staff will reflect on the narratives that have shaped their movement both past and present through society broadly and higher education more specifically.
"Note from Amanda (panelist): During the panel, I misspoke and named Murakami Haruki - the author - rather than Murakami Takashi - the artist - when I was talking about my studio art days as a high school student. I blame my public speaking haze for that blunder! Both creators are amazing, and I encourage you to check them out. One of Murakami Haruki's more recent novels that we have at Holman Library is 1Q84. And you can see some of Murakami Takashi's work in various online exhibition collections and previews, such as Perrotin!"
Image Credit: Oluo, Ijeoma. "Media Kit." Ijeoma Oluo, www.ijeomaoluo.com/press. Accessed 30 June 2021.
Current GRC students may get a free copy of our One Book, So You Want to Talk about Race!
For your free copy, come by the circulation desk on the first floor of Holman Library or if you're not on campus, email us and we will mail you a copy.
Prefer to borrow a copy, read an ebook version, or listen to the audiobook?
