Equity and Access: How to Bring All Voices to the Table

Recently, I was asked to assess the climate of a local school in preparation for the leadership team’s implementation of professional development that would have profound impact on the pedagogical and technological environment of learning. I walked the campus, spent time with the teachers, observed lessons and students and most importantly, I listened to the language being used. What was the word choice of the adults, what beliefs did it carry about learning and more importantly the students they were serving?

There was love present to be sure, in the humorous jostling of students who were late, the ones who were sleepy and wanted to take a nap and in general between the students and teachers there was little hostility. Until the lesson on social media came up and then the tone shifted. Teachers and teacher-aides were condescending of student use of social media. The adults chided the students for not knowing how to communicate anymore, for being attached to their devices, more importantly, conversation stopped and communication became one-way as teachers became the dominant voice in the classroom and students silently sat taking in the obviously biased view of them as incompetent in communication.

Communication is key to strong human relationships. And with the rise of social media and technology communication has shifted drastically for everyone.

Technology is the perfect amplifier that has uncovered many voices, even those we hope to keep quiet and in the dark. The voices of our deepest fears and our most guarded secrets have now been exposed to the light. We’ve seen this in particular with social media. In 2013 when the first Hunger Games movie came out and one of the most beloved characters, Rue, was cast as a young black girl, social media went wild. Tweets flooded the internet decrying, “why does rue have to be black not gonna lie kinda ruined the movie” and “Kk call me racist but when I found out rue was black her death wasn’t as sad” and on and on.

These sentiments have always existed, just underground and unexposed. To say social media or

technology is why this is happening is to defer the attention from the real, hard issues we are facing in society, in this case racism. These are issues that have never been dealt with well and with meaningful dialogue in public spaces. Technology is changing this and bringing up opportunities for difficult conversations. Stepping up to this opportunity will create profound shifts in our society; doing this globally is a challenge.

Education is no exception to this shift in culture. Schools are shapers of culture and in an ever advancing civilization, this shift is both profound and deeply challenging. Schools not only react to the cultural shifts happening around them, they actively drive the culture forward.

In an attempt to embrace the profound shifts happening in society, education is making technology one of its central players in learning. This also inadvertently brings in all the issues society is trying to grapple, by amplifying these voices in the classroom. This, in turn, brings up the issue of access and voice - who gets technology and whose voices are heard? The discussion on access is broad and long with many players and entry points. In this article, my focus will be on providing access through a lens of equity. How do we address access with equity in mind?

Addressing access requires a two-pronged approach focused on technical and cultural change. Both of these require a new mindset where we question our preconceived notions, adapt our perceptions, and reexamine our biases.

Questions we need to ask are: When we work with students who are low income, do we see their lack of resources as  a deficit and their families unable to provide for them? When we work with students of color, how do sub-conscious biases show up in our expectation of student learning and behavior?

For example, with Asian students, is there an assumption they’ll be good at math? Black students disruptive? Native American students environmentally conscious? How do our perceptions of different student groups get in the way of serving our students equitably? Are our assumptions of their use of devices congruent with our biases?

Do we draw unfair conclusions about students of a particular socioeconomic status or ethnicity or family structure -- and do these conclusions impede our ability to act fairly and effectively to increase access? Whereas if they were not low income, might we perceive them as school ready with greater access to resources? If they were not a student of color, might our biases about them not inhibit their educational experience (i.e. Asian students are naturally good at math and computer science, African-American students disproportionately being placed in special education, etc.)? How does any of this impact access to technology?

Biases and perceptions drive decision-making. They impact the opportunities we give our students to engage with technology, inhibiting how we prepare them with skills for the 21st century.

For those of us in education checking our perceptions is key; we hold the lives of children in our hands. Often, in working with districts, I am told that the population they serve is low-income, and therefore there is no way they can afford to buy their students devices or get high-speed internet connectivity. Again, perceptions drive behavior and decision making.

I come from a strong communal immigrant background on my father’s side of the family. I remember when one of my cousins needed something for school my aunt would call my father who would then call my uncle and so on, until all the adults had been consulted and it was agreed who would contribute what. Whatever it was that my cousin needed, it was purchased by everyone. Surely, my family was below the poverty line, but it didn’t matter. Education was a priority and when something was needed, the family (and community) would come together. While my family was perceived as unable to pay for educational materials, they found a way, because they understood the urgency and the need behind the materials that were needed for my cousin’s education. Had the school invited my family to the decision making table about materials students will need and why they will need them, they would find that low income families are more than willing to step up to the opportunity to participate and support schools in the decision making process. We continue to miss these opportunities in education because of our perceptions and biases.   

Often in education we solve problems through the dominant culture of our schools. In the United States, this is predominantly a white middle-class lens. But when applied to situations where communities solve problems differently, that lens may give a distorted picture. What looks like a below-the-poverty-line income in one family, is actually not when all family members ally forces as mine did. Every community is unique and it's important to make sure we check our perceptions at the door, and include them in the decision making process.

If families and students continue to be perceived through our biases, they may not be given the opportunity to use technology and thus participate effectively in these conversations, and we need everyone at the table to grapple with these most profound and painful elements of our society. We

cannot afford to continue shaming students in their use of technology and social media, derailing their education with punitive measures that only drive the behavior underground - lives are at stake. We need to shift our belief system and truly follow our motto: every student matters.  

We cannot afford to miss these opportunities for empowering student voices and their families in schools. We must learn to have brave conversations about race, gender, income disparities and the false perceptions we carry about each other. Where else should we have these conversations but in our schools where learning is core to its existence?

Creating equity in access isn’t monetary; at its core, it’s a belief.

John Muir: How A Single Story Can Diminish All Other Stories

I recently had an opportunity to read student essays that were being judged for a county competition. I came across an essay about the story of John Muir, renowned as an adventurer, environmentalist and botanist. As I read his story, I learned that he was an immigrant from Scotland in 1849 and after working on a farm, studying at the University about botany, he began working at a warehouse. After a year he decided he was done and he was going to respond to his true calling of being an explorer and the study of botany.

John Muir often called his explorations wanderings and it was at this point that I got irritated.

As I reflected on John Muir and the option he had to wander after feeling that he wanted to follow his truth, I thought of all my indigenous ancestors who did not have that option in 1849. In fact, it was the opposite. See their truth had been to follow the traditional way of their ancestors and to wander in rhythm with nature and move according to her seasons. Western anthropologists call this a nomadic lifestyle. I call it, being in tune with nature and following her rhythm to provide for their families and community. No matter what we call it, as reported in 1850 by the Daily Alta California, "Whites are becoming impressed with the belief that it will be absolutely necessary to exterminate the savages before they can labor much longer in the mines with security." And with that, state sanctioned killings of entire villages took place. The Pomo tribe experienced 800 of its members killed in what became known as Bloody Island. 

In Yosemite, one of the most prized areas often associated with John Muir in 1850 was beginning the Mariposa War where the Ahwahneechees and Chowchillas traditionally lived and were being systematically removed so that miners could mine for gold "safely". They were not allowed to continue their traditional way of living, if they chose to wander they could be killed. Nevermind the wealth of information they carried of the land and all of the gifts the natural plant life had to offer. 

Mass burial at Wounded Knee

And what of the plains tribes? In 1849 Crazy Horse from the Oglala Lakota was a child being raised in the traditional ways of his people. That would soon change as land across the plains was being divided and divvied up among the white settlers, displacing entire tribes from their ancestral land with force, indescribable violence and mass killings. For those, like Crazy Horse who would grow up to hold onto the traditional way of his people and as chief of his band live according to the seasons of the plains, their fate was very different than that of the Scottish immigrant. Unlike John Muir, they were not called wanderers, nor were his people being hailed as environmentalists who understood botany on a very intimate level, they were called Wild Indians and if they did not acquiesce to confinement on reservations where their travel and movement was limited to the confines of the reservation, they would be massacred. 

And what of the Black community? In 1849 maybe one of them thought they too were tired of working in the fields and wanted to follow their truth and wander across these lands to explore and discover. And yet had they done this, they would be a fugitive, killed or if they didn't work, called lazy and ignorant. 

And these quick reflections of mine does not begin to touch on the struggles of Mexicans who were caught between governments fighting for land, with pillaging and raping of their towns and villages. And the all too common stigma of lazy Mexican is one to reflect on in light of a European immigrant who wandered these United States, often not working and just taking in the solace that nature provides. 

So why be concerned? 

Because the only story told in our classrooms is that of John Muir and how his wanderings led him to "discover" the beauty of our land and the riches she has to offer. How his wanderings allowed for him to advocate for national land and protection of our natural heritage. That is all wonderful. 

But it negates that people of color have been doing this long before John Muir and were systematically massacred and silenced. 

Three Lakota boys

Those that survived were again cut from any of their ancestral heritage and wisdom by forcibly being placed in boarding schools that have been revealed to have been wrought with dehumanizing conditions and constant abuse. Tsianina Lomawaima, head of the American Indian Studies program at the University of Arizona, says from the start, the government's objective was to "erase and replace" Indian culture, part of a larger strategy to conquer Indians.

By being shut out from this narrative, people of color once again look as if they have not really accomplished anything. In this narrative of John Muir's that we tell in our classrooms it is only John Muir who is celebrated for following his truth and "saving" our environmental heritage. 

As a student of color you don't see yourself in this narrative, as a matter of fact, the only time you see yourself is as the defeated tribes who lived in the wild or enslaved people born of nowhere, working on plantations, or a strange people who came across the water only to work on railroads and mines with no families allowed, or a people who are strangers in their own land known to be lazy and violent. You see no other storyline in our schools and for all students this creates a false perception of divisiveness and notions of superiority and inferiority.

I am not talking about the need for a special class on ethnic heritage or a special series of books about certain chiefs or leaders of color for children to read about. Although these are noble attempts, they do not legitimize the voices of the people of color who have equal weight in knowledge and understanding - if not more - than the white person that has been chosen in their stead. In this case, an immigrant from Scotland. Would not Chief Joseph or any medicine man or woman from his tribe known more than an immigrant from Scotland and have been able to contribute meaningfully to the learning and discourse John Muir was having about the flora, fauna and geology of this beautiful country? 

The dominant discourse in this country on icons like John Muir is able to ignore the rampant injustices that were happening to the people from the same land John Muir was hailing, because the people being displaced from these soon to be National Parks were not seen with the same value as white Europeans. Had the 800 Pomo Indians massacred on Trinity Lake, a lake later hailed in John Muir's journals for its beauty, been Scottish, John Muir would not be talking about the lake!

The sting in all of this, is after systematically trying to dehumanize and destroy people of color and their contributions to the story of humanity, we today quote many of those chiefs and leaders we were so willing to destroy. 

It is not enough to say, "that is the past" or "I didn't do that" when we continue to perpetuate only one story of our shared history. This is not about making any one group a villain. It is about telling the whole story and when we do, sometimes the truth can be ugly. But if we are willing to walk through the pain together, hear how today the choices of our white ancestors gave an unfair advantage to people like John Muir and their descendants, who today may have a long standing history of education and financial gain and security because of the choices afforded their ancestors. And when you understand the entire picture and you realize that while many people of color may have wanted to pursue an education, start a business or wander these United States, they were unable to because they were facing massive persecution, incarceration, and systematic destruction of their people, then maybe we can ask ourselves - how do we heal and support one another to reach our true capacity as one people? 

If we are to truly embrace one another in brotherhood as one human family, we have to be willing to tell all stories. To not only hear other narratives, but to open up the discourse to other experiences and truths. 

In the end, I am grateful to John Muir, and like all of us this call to truth is important and can be hard to follow. But I have to say, it is not to him I look to for hope or strength or vision or even truth. I look to my ancestors who struggled to keep the truth of their vision alive, no matter the sacrifices, especially when powerful forces waged against them. To Wascar from the Quechua people, to Crazy Horse of the Oglala Lakota, to Nelson Mandela of the Thembu tribe to Malcolm X to my Nana Mitchell and Mama Cruzesa. These leaders are part of my narrative for they continued to dig in deep to find their connection to a greater source of power and with that understanding of themselves as noble beings, they pushed back against an oppressive and destructive system that would have them believe otherwise. 

This sustains me today and it is what I hope to share with students and teachers across the globe, that they may find many powerful stories in their heritage that sustain them in the face of oppression or even in just feeling forgotten. 

I see you. You are not forgotten.

Cuba: De aqui, para alla...a week's journey with my teenage son

To educate is to give man the keys to the world, which are independence and love, and to give him strength to journey on his own, light of step, a spontaneous and free being

- Jose Marti

Hijita, when you arrive do not compare, just look and see what the revolution has brought. Experience the people, enjoy and accept them.

As we prepared for Cuba, these words from my father was the best advice we received. Never before had a trip stirred such controversy, as did our trip to Cuba. Albeit, it was under pretty fascinating circumstances:

• The U.S. just elected a new president after a pretty contentious campaign season
• We were leaving on inauguration day 
• My 17-year-old son and I co-wrote an academic paper and were presenting at an international conference
• Restrictions to Cuba had just been relaxed in over 60 years with the U.S.
• And it's Cuba...a socialist country able to sustain itself despite inciting ire in it's powerful neighbor 

The only billboards we saw in Cuba

What is it that brings on this ire? It is a question that many have tried to answer and understand in the larger discourse of politics and power, especially between Cuba and the United States. I was more interested in the discourse of the people we met, in the rhythm of the country and in their ability as a country to maintain such a strong sense of unity as a people, despite their long history of colonization by diverse Western powers.

Many people have asked about our impressions of Cuba since we have returned...there are many to be sure, but one feeling stands out above all else: Peace.

I read the world through the emotional window that opens in the center of my being, right above my belly button. I have always experienced the world as a deeply sentient being, connected to all things of the earth and very aware of my connection...I had a father who constantly reminded me of this tradition Tus antepasados viven en ti y estan conectados por Pachamama. So when asked about Cuba, how did I experience Cuba? Through this mystical portal that absorbs all energy in front of me; that's how!

My son and I on Trinidad's beach in Cuba

Our journey started in June when I asked my son to co-write an academic paper for this linguistic conference. He was surprised, but being a risk-taker and trusting in experiences that often unfold in front of him he accepted. He was in Mexico at that time spending a month with his grandfather and cousins. Amidst traveling through villages and towns in Mexico with limited wi-fi he co-wrote the paper with me on a shared google doc on his phone, while I was on the other end in the United States. We also used WhatsApp to share ideas and resources through recorded messages, articles we researched and notes we took. It was fabulous and we laughed often at the intensity of crossing ideas through time and space, hoping to meet our deadline with a finely tuned paper! We did, submitted it just before the midnight deadline and high-fived across international borders! 

Life continued at its rapid pace and between conference presentations, swift-blowing life experiences that often brought us to our knees and regular days of quiet hum, we heard a response two months later. Our paper was accepted and we were being invited to present in Cuba!! I love this story because it blows away all false dichotomies and belief systems that we must reach certain accomplishments before participating in the global discourse: Have a PhD, Be a published author, Have an expertise sanctioned by Western standards, even have a high school diploma. I'm a big believer in youth and the importance of hearing their voices now impact and participate in the global discourse - they have much to say and to offer new ideas untethered to political ideologies and allegiances. 

Horse drawn buggy and old cars on Cuban highway

When we finally landed in Cuba our first impressions...it doesn't differ much from other Latin American countries we have lived in and traveled through extensively. Many people expressed concern when we left that the poverty would impact us or shock us. Both my son and I felt it was similar to our travels through Mexico, Bolivia, Peru, Colombia, etc. none of which we feel are in dire circumstances. Our emotions ran strong in two directions: Transportation and People.

The transportation was the largest obstacle to hurdle, which brought the most adventure and submission of faith. When we landed in Habana we had to get across the island, a 16 hour travel by car - planes and buses all sold out. It was a true adventure as we bartered our way across the island from one taxi driver to another to finally a bus that could take us the rest of the way! 

70 cuc para los dos de Habana a Trinidad

140 cuc de Trinidad a Camaguey - es mucho - nadie va para Santiago de Cuba - pero no lo puede bajar - es que nadie va para ese lado, yo la llevo a medio camino

35 cuc en viazul de Camaguey para Santiago a las 4pm - yes!

The people...always the gift of any pueblo.

Stopping for gas!

First taxi driver - not a big Fidel fan. Che - nosotros lo Cubanos pensamos que es un adventurero...ni es Cubano! Si Cuba nunca nego a los Estado Unidos, ellos nos negaron. Pero eso si, hay que ver de todo lo bueno y lo malo en las cosas - Socialismo nos trajo excelente educacion y aseguranza medica...gratis, todo gratis! Y Trump...eso se va poner fuerte ahorita en Norte America. Nos queria Obama. Ahora, vamos a ver. 

Second taxi driver - A government run taxi, no position politically...just focused on principle - Es que mira, si yo soy tu vecino a mi que me importa lo que esta pasando adentro de tu casa. Tengo que ser decente contigo y tu conmigo y ya. Si al final, todos somos una sola gente...porque tenemos que pelear porque no te gusta como manejo mi casa? Debemos ayudarnos y cuando hay un desacuerdo, tratar de entendernos. Digan lo que digan de Cuba...nosotros si tenemos excelente educacion y cubierto medico!

Everyone seemed to agree - if nothing else, the revolution brought an excellent educational system that is tuition free, including the university and free, universal healthcare that is considered among the best in the world!

Fruit stand on side of highway

On the third day of our journey I noticed something...I felt a deep peace surrounding me, a calm. It was then I noticed I had not seen a single billboard announcing a new product I needed to buy, the latest car on the market, the biggest homes I can buy, the newest shoes I need, the body size I should have...there was not this blaring consumerism  we are bombarded with in the U. S. There were political slogans, even those were few and their messages general in nature of standing together as a people. This calm, was a welcomed surprise for me. 

Conference committee

Arriving in Santiago de Cuba, our home for the week at an Airbnb we secured from the United States we settled into a rhythm with the conference schedule and our own interests. After many communications through email we finally connected with our conference organizer - Leonel - he must be the epitome of the Cuban experience of people...he immediately reached out in a huge hug to both of us and said, Ymasumac y David, por fin, que alegria ya llegaron! Bienvenidos, que bueno ya estan aqui!  

Leonel introduced us to a wonderful doctor from Guantanamo who shared with us her work: a pioneer in understanding and treating alcoholism and addiction she has spoken internationally, including in the United States.

Dra. from Guantanamo

She said, yes, este es un pueblo where the child of a campesino can become a doctor for free, but there is still struggle. And with that she shared with us her struggles as a young Black Cuban pushing through stigmas and barriers coming from one of the poorest communities in Cuba to become a doctor. Life is about struggles and hard-won rewards, but all of them guided by an invisible hand of God - never despair! She then turned to Misak David and asked him to come back when he was in college and to learn with her over summer or winter break. 

We had a few days until we presented so we moved from one experience to another: workshops from this global learning community focusing on language and culture, nightly dancing with our conference fellows, Cuban poet Jose Marti and Fidel's gravesite, swimming in the warm Cuban ocean, food in homes where their backyards were converted into restaurants, old cars breaking down requiring a good ole' push by many willing bodies that were around - aqui todos somos Cubanos y todos nos ayudamos.

My son and I preparing to present our paper

The day of our presentation arrived, we were ready! We presented in Spanish and English on the courageous voices that are stressing the dominant culture in the United States using technology as a platform to amplify other ideas, creating impact and changing policy! Misak David spoke about Chance the Rapper and his use of technology and social media to push out his work as an artist. Eventually, through his constant stressing of the dominant culture of the Grammy's Chance the Rapper was able to push through their archaic policy that didn't allow for independent artists streaming on multiple free platforms to be eligible for a Grammy nomination. 

Misak David in discourse on Chance the Rapper

This domination of one voice and one view from the Western perspective is one that prevails...including in our preparations to Cuba. With a perception of poverty and oppression, many cautioned us to not be shocked by the conditions of Cuba. Our experience did not support this belief system at all - Cuba was a society that was thriving, changing dynamically, reflecting deeply on world issues as we all are and ever focused on developing an educated and healthy populace!

Our return was on a 16-hour ride back on a bus from hard-won tickets that took 3 hours of waiting in line and a bit of haggling to keep our position in line. More great conversation with Cubans who loved their way of life...nosotros pasamos el tiempo bien aqui, vamos a casa de un amigo y hacemos una parrillada y esa misma noche bailamos y gozamos...la vida es buena aqui y la educacion y el sistema medico gratis...no es asi en Norte America?

Art work by a local Cuban artist

Our final taxi driver to the airport was a true historical bible of the revolution whose grandparents fought in the revolution. He shared stories his grandparents told him: struggle is good for a people it keeps them strong and united, we may not have all the materialism that you have in the U.S. but we have espiritu y eso, eso es algo que les falta a los Estados Unidos...aqui todos somos Cubanos y todos, no importa el color, sabemos que el avanze depende de cada uno de nosotros ayudando el uno al otro...Norte America, todavia no sabe eso y eso es su debilidad.

Oye, y eso de Trump...'sta loco! Eso se va poner candela, eh. Se va poner caliente alli!

Cuban sunset

So what did I take away from my trip to Cuba...understanding the oneness of humanity it appears will not come without deep struggle for our people as a global nation...and for those of us in the United States, so long as we continue to measure everything to economic value and success, we will fall short of finding a lasting peace, because material goods and values are not permanent...it is like building a house on sand. 

You cannot legislate this kind of morality, we have to be willing to find it together. For a people, like the Cubans who have experienced such profound struggles to still have peace and joy...is a true measure of success...I for one, am willing to learn from them. 

Moving away from a dichotomous world to a vision of wholeness

If a man has ten good qualities and one bad one,  look at the ten and forget the one; and if a man has ten bad qualities and one good one, look at the one and forget the ten.  ‘Abdu’l-Bahá

What we focus on will come alive.

The concept of living a dichotomous life is one that I have been reflecting on lately. I grew up a blended story: Always the rhythm of my father's culture beating in my veins. Always the inquisitive call of my mother's people pulling me forward. Between my Anglican and Quechua roots I was always in motion, even if I was still. Always seeking, dancing, feeling, moving between the different chords of sounds, tastes and visions my parents' cultures gave me. So the idea of choosing one, emphasizing one, is not something I ever felt impelled to do. If you saw me, spoke with me, engaged in a little time with me, my father's culture would initially jump out. I remember consciously nurturing this culture within me and seeking it out - primarily because living in a society whose dominant culture is White middle class, my mother's New England culture was not hard to find or grasp. It was my father's culture, that kept eluding me as I tried to find it in the world around me. But when others looked at me, immediately I was pegged: Latina. 

The author, Ymasumac

I remember once sharing this struggle with both my mother and aunt, who were born and raised deep in the heart of New England in the Northeast corner of the United States. I felt this struggle strongly; every syllable I shared held the emotion of this tension within me. My aunt, in an effort to soften my feelings said, "But Yma, you're White." I immediately shot back and said, "Aunt J, nobody looks at me and thinks White girl!" I didn't mean to be so direct, but that was it. The world defined me by my appearance and nothing else. So I was of one hue.

There have been many moments that define my position of not choosing sides; this was definitely one of them. My aunt was right. I was a White girl from European-ancestry-some blue blood-some gypsy  and very much a Latina-Indigenous-Daughter of an immigrant girl as well. So I have embraced both and move through them consistently and with purpose, grateful I have a walk that refuses to choose sides. This has permeated my world view and all that connects to it. 

It is for this reason I was pretty excited when I saw that Hampshire College has chosen to move away from one of the most stressful, isolating and often expensive experiences of moving into higher education: standardized tests. In the article I read from the Washington Post it states that Hampshire College has decided to refuse to accept the SAT or ACT as part of their admission process! Priceless!

Commons area of Hampshire College

These tests carry such a narrow scope of reality and thinly slice a student's learning into one small point. Most universities state this is only "one" facet of the entire application they look at...but if as a society we are known to view things from a dichotomous position, how can it not narrow our vision when we see a high, or worse, a low score? All else becomes a blur. Like me, everything else about me falls away if all I say is, I'm Latina or White, which I'm not allowed to anyway because of my physical appearance...another illusion - it dismisses the Quechua in me that held such strength and courage, it ignores the curious and inquisitive nature of my European ancestors and the countless amazing women on both sides who held life together in a strand of love when the world told them they were of lesser value.
We are all a make-up of our ancestors. We cannot slice them into bits and dismiss those parts that are not part of the physical illusion of who we are. What the eye can see is not always true. We have to dig deeper and perceive the wholeness in all things.

Hampshire confirmed this idea that every time we focus on one area with too much emphasis, others can become minimized. According to Hampshire College, when they no longer had the SAT or ACT to filter the student's application through, "...every other detail of the student’s application became more vivid."

Learning is this way too. We cannot slice learning into parts and say because of one slice being deficient, the whole will not succeed. I have watched my youngest son, a boy of incessant curiosity, who excels in all endeavors that interest him - academically, sports, piano - as well as carry a spirit of service in these efforts, struggle intensely during standardized tests. They demoralize and handicap his thinking about his potential because he is not able to demonstrate the breadth of his learning. We work with him continuously to continue to look at the whole. This is difficult when society, and especially our educational structures that reflect society, look at the world in parts and give value and weight to these parts differently. For example, we give an A for excellence. But what does this mean exactly? Excellent in what?  Does excellence have an end?  Do we finish the quest for excellence? How can we quantify something when it is a continuous expression and acknowledgment of growth in areas of exploration? This also opens up the discussion of whose filter are we looking through that determines "excellence"?  Suffice it to say that when it comes to the dominant culture in our society, the filter of our educational system is most always White middle class, eliminating whole swaths of humanity.

Children are born naturally as active agents of their own learning; we cannot continue as a society to stifle this natural desire in them to explore the world they live in. It is not enough to blame the educational system, when as parents we direct so much of the learning as well in our own home learning environments. Or as a society we build the structures and spaces for engagement and innovation. Blame will not bring about the exploration and change we desire. We need to rethink what learning looks like and how we will quantify learning - at school, home and in our working environments.

When a respected institution, like Hampshire College, takes a bold step to eliminate such an archaic form of assessing learning and success, such as the SAT and ACT in their application process - we must ask ourselves, how will we respond to these forces around us and support the outliers who are creating change and new avenues of thinking?

I for one will continue to reflect on my own learning environment that I co-create with others. I will also encourage my son to apply to Hampshire College and be a part of innovative change, as is the desire of his heart.

Consumerism as Opium to the Human Soul

True prosperity, the fruit of a dynamic coherence between the material and spiritual requirements of life, will recede further and further out of reach as long as consumerism continues to act as opium to the human soul; that justice, as a faculty of the soul, enables the individual to distinguish truth from falsehood and guides the investigation of reality.  - Baha'i Teachings

I've been reflecting on this quote a lot lately and I suppose it's no coincidence that as we enter a season of vast materialism, consumerism comes blaring to the front of my social media. It's

disheartening to find this intense drive and focus on areas of so little worth, when the soul of our country has been ripped into pieces and discarded along the side of our collective conscious.

When I think of consumerism acting as opium to the human soul, I think of the choice word opium. Some thoughts on opium are:

"Although the side effects of opium that are felt short-term such as euphoria or sedation may be comforting, as tolerance develops, even these side effects will diminish and the negative aspects of the opium use will quickly begin to set in."

And what about the impact to the soul?

"Reason showeth that smoking opium is a kind of insanity...opium fasteneth on the soul, so that the user’s conscience dieth, his mind is blotted away, his perceptions are eroded. It turneth the living into the dead. It quencheth the natural heat"- 'Abdu'l-Bahá

Performance art by the BuyMoreStuff Campaign on Black Friday

These both seem like apt descriptions of consumerism, in particular in the United States and most definitely during the time of November and December. Though at every turn, there seems to be an opportunity to exploit more celebrations in the name of consumerism.

To me opium is equivalent to any substitute than a willingness to experience the fullness of one's humanity: all of it! We have just been through a thoroughly painful election period in our country where people were placed in two camps: Good-Bad, Right-Wrong, Democratic-Republican, Moral-Immoral. In Western society we have a tendency to separate our world into dichotomous categories that seemingly cannot co-exist. So after a sundry of events that left the nation feeling spent as a whole - what do we do to create some space for understanding...we continue the parade of us against them and look to materialism to give validation. After all, this is how we view success in many cultures - the level of financial wealth and the show of material prominence. It is hard not to - this material world is a world of illusions and it begs to be seen.

So how do we move forward when feeling so tired?

Whether you feel tired individually or collectively: breathe. So many ancient traditions remind us the power of breathe to center and calm the heart. And from this centered space, seek oneness. Cross divides, reach out to our seemingly opposites and find our mirrored selves. Until we attain unity, peace will not be ours. We see this aspect of unity in the micro to the macro. At the most microscopic level, we see nature demonstrate perfect unity and oneness in its interactions and absolute reliance on each other. The plant's reliance on the sun to create the opportunity for photosynthesis and our reliance on photosynthesis for oxygen...a needed element for our survival.

At another micro level we see this aspect of unity in our own personal healing work. The healing of the body to that of the spirit. Fortunately, many non-Western traditions do the exact opposite than create false dichotomies in healing - they seek a unified vision to help make a holistic diagnosis and prescription. We know we are of dual nature while on this planet...we have a physical self and an animating force that brings life to this physical self. The relationship between these two is intimate and cannot be discounted. There is much to be said about the impact of emotions on the human body which can be discussed at a later time. For the purposes discussed here, we are beginning to see in Western society the incorporation of traditional healing practices like meditation and song as part of a prescriptive response to illness.

Everyone has a song. God gives each of us a song. That's how we know who we are. 

Charlie Knight, Ute

So on a macro level, we too cannot discount the importance of seeking unity to move forward as a people. To ignore the anger and rage being expressed on social media during and after the elections on a macro level is equivalent to ignoring these being expressed within ourselves on a micro level. If our response on a micro level is get over it than this too will be our response on a macro level. Unfortunately, for the short term what this will do is stifle emotions...but it will not bring healing and peace: either on a micro or macro level.

So what to do? Seek justice. In the true sense of justice. Seek truth. Investigate the truth of our reality. Again, on a micro level what is the truth of my reality? How do I participate in the division of us as a people? How do I avoid feeling my emotions, whereas if I did, I could allow them to pass so I can come back to the truth of who I am? And ask these same questions on a macro level.

This exploration of justice may just be more important than that sale on black Friday...or any day for that matter.

In a world driven by love Part II

I have been reflecting on love for the past few years...so many moments in which love has been stressed in my life - almost like the strength of love was being tested. How is love tested? In my experience love is tested by those you give yourself over most completely to. For me, this happened first with my children, husband and sister. And when you give yourself over to love, it is leaving your heart open forever. This is a powerful decision. I remember once hearing Elizabeth Stone reflect this out loud so perfectly: "Making the decision to have a child - it is momentous. It is to decide forever to have your heart go walking around outside your body." This mirrored my sentiments exactly after having my children, especially once they grew up into young adults and I watched them exercise the power of choice.

It was humbling and it was then I realized the power of love. Love is stronger than any force I can imagine for it can contain and hold together when everything else fails and yet, it is tender and gentle. What a power love is!

So naturally, I was excited to see one of the keynotes at my favorite conferences - ISTE (International Society for Technology in Education) not only be a personal friend of mine, but speak on love in the context of technology, equity and education - good stuff!

Ruha Benjamin, in her keynote Set phasers to Love Me elevated the conversation around technology asking educators in the audience to think more critically about the vast changes we are experiencing as a society and to reimagine the drive behind the design of our society. When we reimagine our learning spaces as laboratories where equity is the norm, then every child's unique qualities are realized.

Unfortunately, children today live in parallel realities where some are crushed and others are realized. So where do we start in our effort to create change?

Imagine According to Ruha, there are competing imaginaries. So how do we empower all voices to participate at the table when decisions are being made? As Alex Rivera says, The battle of real power tomorrow, begins with the struggle of who gets to dream today. This is why I am such a strong believer of ensuring diversity is always present at the table - every table:

• The table of administrators who decide what is important to carry forward in a classroom and who set the goals and vision for schools
• The district office table that decides what is needed to focus on in schools to ensure all students are successful 
• The table at the county and state education offices where policy is created that will impact teachers and students' learning spaces 

If the only people at these tables are from the dominant culture, then only the needs envisioned through the filter of this culture will be viewed. If all students are to be served, then we need a diversity of voices and cultures at the tables of decision making.

Ruha reflected out the importance of considering design by who and for what end she would ask. Of course the question of design, is not one to consider just in education - though it's important to ask who are policies serving and who is creating them?

The design of any creation is filtered through the belief system of the creator. The example Ruha gave was of the design of benches. Who designed them and to serve who? In many cases, they are designed to deter transients from laying down on them.

So how do we hack into the default settings that were created as tools to hold and control people in place? For example, the code of rape: We train women in these "Please don't rape me" trainings as if it were their job to not get raped! As Ruha reminded us, racism and sexism are coded into our society and instead of code switching - we need to just rewrite the code!

Too often in education we do not want to have the conversation about the racism our students or teachers of color experience because of fear that people will be offended. Who will be offended? In many cases, those who will be offended are either Anglo-Americans or those who believe in the dominant culture and believe racism no longer exists. We are also not comfortable with conversations that bring up strong emotions. As a Western society, we are not good at understanding emotions. This is a discussion for another post, though it's important to note as part of why we hesitate to have these crucial conversations.
Jesse Williams gave a powerful speech at the BET Awards in which he stressed, "the burden of the brutalized is not to comfort the bystander". We cannot sacrifice our students - all students - because we are afraid the bystander will be offended. When one student is sacrificed, all students are sacrificed. The Mayan have an expression that sums up the belief of who we are: In Lak'Ech: Tu eres mi otro yo - You are my other me. We are one body of energy as a people, when one person or group of people are stifled, we all are stifled. The right hand will feel the effects of the left hand being cut off.

We are in a society in which racism has become institutionalized and is coded in the very fiber of our society: There is research showing the amount of negative images of people of color vs white people, women naked vs men in media, etc. and the impact this has on our values and belief system as a society.

Ruha raised this issue and how it shows up in technology when you do a Google search of three Black youth vs. three White youth. The difference in images that come up are called algorithmic discrimination. This can be fixed, but takes time and we are not very good nor thoughtful in our society of taking this time. Again, we need to look at the design behind these algorithms and who they serve. These images, this story serves the dominant culture.

It is important we tell our own story and those in the dominant culture give space for all stories to be heard. Until that time, we need to continue to retell our stories again and again to keep stressing the dominant culture. In her final thoughts Ruha shared a quote from the Baha'i Writings that give us cause to pause and reflect on where we are headed and how we are getting there:

"Children are the most precious treasure a community can possess. They bear the seeds of the character of future society...They are a trust no community can neglect with impunity...Love demands discipline, the courage to accustom children to hardship, not to indulge their whims or to leave them entirely to their own devices. An atmosphere needs to be maintained in which children feel that they belong to the community and share in its purpose."

So what will drive our story? What has always driven our story: Love.

As my father told me when I was fifteen...Don't you know hijita why your grandmothers sacrificed and never gave up even though the conquistadores raped them and sold their children to slavery? For you hijita, so that you would be here. 

Now that's love.