Blog 2

 

Blog 2

Reading 1

Title: All Lives Matter

Author: German Lopez

Reading 2:

Title: Colorblindness is the New Racism

Author: Margalynne J. Armstrong and Stephanie M. Wildman

The authors of Colorblindness is the New Racism, Margalynne J. Armstrong and Stephanie M. Wildman, argue that we must accept “color insight” and dismiss the old construct of colorblindness to end racism. Colorblind is ignoring the problem and allowing racism to continue; it is pretending that racism was a thing of years ago and does not occur today when, in fact, it does.

Color insight is proposed as the solution, “Color insight contrasts with colorblindness by offering an alternative that better serves the purported goals of colorblindness: racial equality and justice" (Armstrong and Wildman, 2001). Color insight is naming white privilege and acknowledging its presence in society by white people. The authors explain the importance of using color insight and admittance of white privilege:

“Failure to examine the privileged status diverts attention from noticing and analyzing the advantages conferred by white privilege and renders any ensuing discussion of racial discrimination incomplete" (Armstrong and Wildman, 2001).

    The quote above conveys an overlapping message in Allen G. Johnson's text The Privilege, Power and Difference that to end racism, it starts with recognizing and naming the problem: whites acknowledging their privileges. Johnson goes on to state that once whites can name this privilege, then things can change because the oppressed have no power to do so, it has to come from the top, which makes complete sense. Theoretically, if someone is suffering and they had the power to change it, they would do it.

However, for whites to acknowledge the problem is the biggest issue Armstrong and Wildman claim, “Whites often do not think about race and racial justice, except when they notice people of color are present. Whites tend not to notice that they too have a race and that their own race carries social meaning and generally positive presumptions.” As a white female, I unfortunately do relate to this; I did not realize the privileges a white female had vs. a black female. I did not understand that today black people are still not getting the same opportunities as white people. It was not until the “Black Lives Matter” movement that my two colored co-workers, whom I respected and saw as equals, described their experience with racism. Since I cared for them, I felt their hurt when they told me stories of their personal experience with racism. It was then that I realized my white privilege. It hit me that things were not equal “Black Lives Matter” movement was a cry for help to be seen as an equal. The “All Lives Matter” article by Vox did a great job explaining this movement of equality and how, by responding to “Black Lives Matter” with “All Lives Matter,” it once again dismisses people of color, ignoring the problem and aligns with the colorblind theory.

To gain color insight, Armstrong and Wildman gave these four steps: 1. Considering context for any discussion about race. 2. Examining systems of privilege, 3. Unmasking perspectivelessness and white normativeness and 4. Combating stereotyping and looking the “me” in each individual. Educators can do classroom activities that align with these steps in the classroom setting.

In relation, to the classroom setting here is a link I found that discusses colorblind teachers and curriculum:

https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/fall-2009/colorblindness-the-new-racism

The link above discusses a curriculum that ignores Africa in the timeline of civilization and how teachers, who are predominantly white, need to learn the culture of their students. This was a powerful article for me because it relates colorblindness and or racism to the school setting in which I work. It is my goal as a nurse and educator to bring color insight and make all my students feel welcome.