At the height of the pandemic, I stumbled upon Toni Morrison’s 1998 interview with Michael Silverblatt called The Writing Life. During their conversation, she explored the question of love under duress more specifically “How are we able to love under duress and, when we … [Read more...]
Affective Statements and the Adultification of Black Girls in Schools
Every time I facilitate restorative practices trainings for schools, I almost always know where the pushback will begin. I am able to get through the Social Discipline Window and talk through the two paradigms (Punitive vs. Restorative) with little to no challenging. I … [Read more...]
The Talking Piece: Strategies for Helping Our Students Honor It
Here’s the Good News You’re not crazy. Children of all ages (and adults too) sometimes have trouble honoring the talking piece. Even when they’ve agreed to its principles and deeply appreciate the permission it gives them to speak and to be listened to, they call out … [Read more...]
We Owe Black Girls Their Innocence: Four Ways We Can Give It Back- Part 2
In Part 1, we discussed the process by which Black girl innocence is stolen. Here are some personal and practical ways to give it back: Crown Them Children Black children are children. Black girl children are children. And if that concept strikes you as strange, if it … [Read more...]
We Owe Black Girls Their Innocence: Four Ways We Can Give It Back- Part 1
By Andria Nacina Cole In June of 2017, the Center on Poverty and Inequality at Georgetown Law published the first study focused on the “adultification” of Black girls. The study, “Girlhood Interrupted: The Erasure of Black Girls’ Childhood” reveals data indicating … [Read more...]
