“Ain’t I a woman?”

This phrase was a quote as well as a title of a popular book on second wave feminism. The quote was uttered by the recently departed, yet ever memorable, Gloria Watkins, once a Stanford Professor. Gloria, a second wave feminist, took a pen name, bel hooks, in honor of a relative. I believe the esteemed relative was her grandmother!

I have been trying to write a blog about bel hooks ever since 1/30/2022. “My bad when it comes to the delay, though I must admit that idiotic dehumanizers have robbed me of my free time.”

Below is why bel hook’s critical thinking guides my classroom practice:

Progressive professors [must] teach [students] that they should oppose domination [and oppression and othering]. Students [can arrive at] these positions via their own capacity to think critically and assess the world they live in…realizing the goals of democracy in [their] ways that are awesome.

C’est dommage. That means what a pity in France. No worries; I am back in Chicago and am doing my best to set boundaries with many in my life.

Only time will shed light on whether I can set boundaries, but I am pretty confident! My first step in establishing boundaries would be to modify bel’s quote (“ain’t I a woman”)–perhaps phrase it as “ain’t I a human?”

For those of you who know me, I am a fairly confident person. Yet, folks are wondering if I can continue to dig myself out of unexpected circumstances, including the cancellation of IMSA’s and CGCC’s Kids Climate Summit (previously scheduled for April of 2022). These unexpected events have left me bruised–yup banged up–although today, I just feel mugged by the reality of the aborted summit, given profound evidence of terrible tactics by those who had the power to empower K-9 students.

Yup– these alleged perpetrators continue to fail to protect and respect children. And, even though I view myself as a privileged white woman with my fair share of resources and power, there is nothing I can do but listen to the children and try to give them a platform for expression. And that is what pains me the most; my former organization had received nearly 300 submissions–from students of all ages–who aimed to participate in the Kids Climate Summit (you may find earlier summit accomplishments on the website of the Chicago Gifted Community Center; see https://www.chicagogiftedcommunity.org/KCS-2021 or https://www.chicagogiftedcommunity.org/2020-projects.

So Rhonda—I talk to myself once in awhile–the beginning of 2022 sucked, but it might improve.

I must keep going and be faithful to bel’s message:

Put simply, “pleasure in the classroom” is feared by authoritarian teachers and others.

Well, thank goodness not everyone–i.e., Maxine Greene–thinks differently.
Maxine admires folks who respect and don’t other “others.” So, I will continue my day with affirmations from Greene and hooks.