In 2012, I was lucky enough to attend a remarkable weekend-long Class Action Train-the-Trainers mega-workshop. I did not attend to learn techniques to raise awareness about class and classism but instead to improve my skills as a trainer on the topic of communications and marketing. While the focus of the Class Action workshop was, of course, on social class […]
Teaching about class
Oh No He Didn’t!
Check biased behavior before it keeps your holidays from being merry and bright. As I thought last week about Thanksgiving dinner and hosting my extended family, it dawned on me that I should also think about – and be prepared for – the many ways that the dinner conversation could take an unpleasant turn. The […]
Teacher sanctioned for challenging welfare stereotype
“Ladies, keep your legs crossed and your minds opened,” wrote a 58 year old undergraduate student who works in college admissions and recruitment in an online post in my sociology class. She said the economy was being destroyed by welfare mothers who have more babies for more welfare with many different men and that society […]
The Power of Storytelling
I’ve long been interested in the complicated processes of crossing class barriers, especially when that crossing is navigated through success in school. With British sociologist Diane Reay, I believe that we learn a great deal about class when we learn more about the experiences of “the ones who got away”. One way to learn more […]
Exhilarating discoveries at anti-racist conference
I’m entranced with the White Privilege Conference’s culture and community. I was a first-time attender at the 14th annual conference in Seattle last week, and the experience was a series of exhilarating discoveries. What most buoyed my spirits seemed to buoy others too: seeing about 1,500 white people who are so committed to ending racism […]
Reflections on the West Coast Class Action Training of Trainers
For two and a half days, a cross-class, multi-racial group of folks from all across the gender spectrum and the country met in Oakland to talk about class and learn tools for dismantling classism. The Class Action Training of Trainers gave us the chance to explore our own and each other’s class experiences. Through exercises […]
Inciting critical thinking in 8th graders: An inspiring ‘Created Equal’ story
“The learning process is something you can incite, literally incite, like a riot. And then, just possibly, hopefully, it goes on.” — Audre Lorde A deep conversation about equal opportunity was incited recently in a group of Latino 8th graders participating in a summer program in a Boston public school. I and another Class Action intern, Anna Rodriguez, […]
