“The only way to undo racism is to consistently identify it and describe it–and then dismantle it.”
–Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, How to Be an Antiracist (2019)
From History to Psychology, from Arts to the Sciences, there is a significant body of courses and disciplines that address the issues of racial inequality, racism, injustice and discrimination. At John Jay College Teaching and Learning Center, there is an education movement toward social justice education wherein faculty and students are able to intervene, discuss and understand the fight for justice and the promotion of equity for people of color. However, more must be done!
For many years, faculty have experienced challenges in teaching the content on “racial injustice” effectively. In order to assist faculty members and students on the discussion of racism that is more prevalent today, there are four categories below that shows a collection of resources for faculty members and students to introduce the discussion to the classrooms.
RESOURCES FOR TEACHING AND LEARNING RACIAL JUSTICE
In this time of outrage and injustice and grief, we are responsible to our students for teaching racial justice both through content and practice. The following resources represent a few of those we feel are focused on truth, empowerment, and change in the ongoing efforts to create and achieve racial justice.
- Racial Equity Resource Guide: “These resources focused on racial equity include journal entries, books, magazines, videos, and more.”
- Teaching Tolerance/Teaching about Race, Racism, and Police Violence: “These resources can spur much-needed discussion around implicit bias and systemic racism, but they can also empower your students to enact the changes that will create a more just society.”
- Vanderbilt University Center for Teaching/Teaching Race: Pedagogy and Practice: “this guide summarizes some of the common challenges instructors may encounter and offers five broad pedagogical principles for teaching racial justice, and three possible strategies for implementing each strategy in the classroom.”
- “Teaching for Black Lives”: a handbook to fight America’s ferocious racism in (virtual or face-to-face) classrooms: “a collection of writings that helps educators humanize blacks in curriculum, teaching and policy and connect lessons to young people’s lives.”
- “The Syllabus: 21-Day Racial Challenge Equity Habit-Building Challenge :The invites participants to complete a syllabus of 21 short assignments (typically taking 15-30 minutes), over 21 consecutive days, that include readings, videos or podcasts. It has been intentionally crafted to focus on the Black American experience. The assignments seek to expose participants to perspectives on elements of Black history, identity and culture, and to the Black community’s experience of racism in America.”
Anti-Asian Violence
Reaffirmation of CCNY’s Stand Against Anti-Asian Violence
Confronting Anti-Asian Attacks, Violence, and Rhetoric (A Message from John Jay President Karol Mason)
Unacceptable Acts of Hate and Intolerance
CUNY Graduate Center (A Message from the CUNY Graduate Center President)
https://www.gc.cuny.edu/News/All-News/Detail?id=59374
CUNY Compliance and Diversity Office
https://gc.cuny.edu/About-the-GC/Administrative-Services/Compliance-and-Diversity
STATEMENTS BY CUNY AND JOHN JAY COLLEGE
- John Jay Student Council Statement Regarding Racial Injustice Amidst COVID-19 Global Pandemic Across the Nation and New York City
- Joint Statement from the Departments of Africana Studies and Latin American and Latinx Studies
- Gender Studies Statement of Solidarity with AFR, LLS, and BSU (attachment)
- Statement of Concerned Chairs to Fellow Faculty, Students, and Administration (attachment)
- Statement from President Karol V. Mason during this time of unrest
- Center for International Human Rights (CIHR) Statement
- PSC Statement on the Murder of George Floyd
- CUNY Chancellor Félix V. Matos Rodríguez Statement on the death of George Floyd
- Statement from the Department of Global History (attachment)
- Statement from the Department of Interdisciplinary Studies
