A Social Justice Newsletter for Educators

Now seems like a good time to listen.

Not gonna lie. These are trying times. As I said probably a year ago and probably 6 months before that: Trying times. Which for me means that I’m not sure what to say anymore. Because talk is cheap. I keep saying things while watching situations deteriorate (i.e., Covid death toll & mass disabling; the move from Black Lives Matter protests in 2020 to book banning and anti-antiracism legislation in 2022). In a nutshell, social justice may be held up in many organization as a priority while also serving as a target for those who stand in direct opposition to its principles.

All that said, it feels necessary to begin by addressing concerns around the Russian invasion of Ukraine (respectfully, not the Ukraine). Rather than pontificate, I want to point to resources I have found helpful in navigating the firehose of information on unfolding events.

• Our reliance on social media platforms for news has made judging the accuracy of our sources a genuine challenge. Mike Caulfield has been working in the field of information literacy for years and offers a straightforward 4-step method, SIFT, to steer students (and other online information seekers) towards reliable and verifiable sources. His recent Twitter thread specifically on following news of the Russia-Ukraine Conflict is also helpful.

• Another pair of authors, Jared Holt and Sam Thielman, who engage in the public service of guiding readers towards fact checkers and reliable on the ground sources in the Ukraine, offer this list of resources in their newsletter.

• And as a reminder of how to talk to children about troubling and frightening news, this article by Anya Kamenetz and CoryTurner from 2019 provides useful hints aimed at parents and no doubt useful for educators, as well.

I’ve been thinking a lot about how we prepare for our community members who may be directly affected by this conflict. The best I’ve been able to come up with so far is that we make space and do whatever we can to make sure that all of our students feel safe, cared for, and heard. Listening is never a mistake.

Spotlight on Asian Women Writers

March 8th is International Women’s Day and the whole month stands in honor of women’s history. This year I want to highlight some Asian women authors whose works of fiction and non-fiction have so much to say to us, whatever our background.

• I highly recommend this interview with children’s book author, Grace Lin, which appeared on Edutopia. Listen:

“I want to create books that become part of a person, books that are like a friend that you can turn to anytime. I hope that when kids read my books, they feel a sense of acceptance and belonging. And that my books give them a sense of home. Because that’s what my favorite books did for me when I was young.”

• Nicole Chung describes the pain of deciding how to talk to her teen daughter about “the racism, misogyny, cruelty, and greed built into our institutions and systems” and how they are connected to patterns of violence faced by Asian-American women. Take time for “We All Deserve To Be Safe.”

• Dr. Betina Hsieh offers specific steps educators can take to counter Asian-American invisibility in schools which are still deeply applicable in our international school context where many harmful stereotypes persist.

• And please read Minor Feelings, A Reckoning on Race and the Asian Condition by Cathy Park Hong! You’ll thank me.

• For a wider selection of fiction and poetry by Asian women, consult this extraordinary list by Margaret Rhee, author of the poetry collection, Love, Robot.

As we process unfolding events while showing up for the students in front of us, let’s remember to step back and reflect from time to time. To take some moments to check in with ourselves as well as with students and colleagues. Let’s be present for each other in the best ways that we are able.

With you,

Sherri