Clarissa Sligh

[slighrose-blog]

ZUN LEE: FATHER FIGURE

"For one person -- after the surprise revelation that his own biological father was an African American and dealing with years of resentment and unanswered questions -- insight, understanding and awareness came to him via a personal photographic project. Enter Zun Lee and “Father Figure.”"

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Today I watched a GREAT discussion between bell hooks and Melissa Harris-Perry, hosted by The New School. They discussed some great topics centered on Black women’s voices and experiences. I live tweeted the event, which is now in a Storify. To view the event (about an hour and fifteen minutes long), check Ustream. Also The Melissa Harris-Perry Show website should be adding the video soon.

Good stuff. Must watch!

[slighrose-blog]

Ferguson On My Mind

It’s awkward, to say the least, for a privileged white woman like me to even attempt to touch the subject of racism; yet we are sometimes the women who knows its effects most intimately. Read more at SallieBingham.com ...

[slighrose-blog]

What My Bike Has Taught Me About White Privilege

The phrase “white privilege” is one that rubs a lot of white people the wrong way. It can trigger something in them that shuts down conversation or at least makes them very defensive. (Especially t...

[slighrose-blog]

Letterpress Bootcamp: Penland Workshop

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“Some people they just walked away, some people pushed the camera into the cameraman’s face, or they put a cent in front of my foot and said have a nice flight back home.” -  Mo Asumang discussing her interactions with people who believe so strongly in white supremacy that protesting and demonstrating against people of color are a routine part of their lives.

In learning about her documentary, I was struck most at how different white supremacy sounded in Germany versus America. The Germans were outright with their racism while a member of a Ku Klux Klan in full regalia told Asumang, through his pointed white hood, “I am not a racist.”

I am eager to see this documentary as I think it will highlight some important issues in battling racism – in America, I find it very hard to discuss issues of race because our culture and language is constructed in such a way that someone could literally be wearing an outfit designed to instill fear in people of color and uplift white supremacy and still utter the words, “I am not a racist.” In America, the words, “I am not a racist” seem to be some sort of mystical incantation one can chant to deflect personal responsibility for ones actions. There is a disconnect in our culture between actions and words – you can act on the most oppressive beliefs, but as long as you don’t voice them, you are generally free from intense backlash.

Take for instance, Donald Sterling. Donald Sterling has been racist in practice for decades. He has upheld the tenants of white supremacy and enacted pain and suffering on many families of color (as well as the elderly and families with children) through unfair and discriminatory housing practices and yet there was no uproar, no public backlash until he was caught voicing his thoughts. There is a reason why this happens and I want to dig deeper. There is a reason why someone can say, “I’m not racist, but” and still feel that they are free of bigotry by the time they reach the end of their sentence.

I think the way we use language in America is key to how systems of oppression are created and upheld in our country. If you have any thoughts on this, please share – how has language affected you? Has anyone ever said something you felt was oppressive? Have you noticed anything about the way we use language in terms of race, gender and sexuality?

[whitepeoplemadatthings]

Supervisor threatens to hang worker for drinking from 'white people' fountain

A white supervisor threatens to hang a black employee for drinking water from a “white people” fountain.

But we’re post-racial, right guys? Right?