tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3804257678562112660.post28553939862886125..comments2023-08-10T04:26:14.930-06:00Comments on Celebrating All Families: Race YaUnknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3804257678562112660.post-3340440650247582572008-08-13T20:31:00.000-06:002008-08-13T20:31:00.000-06:00I really like Beth's list. We've been stru...I really like Beth's list.<BR/> <BR/>We've been struggling with this a bit, too. We have chosen our home city, and we are happy with it in most ways. But there doesn't seem to be a black intellectual/afro-centric/black progressive activist community here. As progressive activists who mostly make our own community among same, and who imagine our children might grow up to do this as well, this is a frustration. And one that no general percentages can change.<BR/> <BR/>Our own street is probably slightly higher black than white, but very close to 50/50. It makes a huge difference to us that the two "block mothers" on our street (women who know everyone and everything going on at all times and are very friendly and welcoming) are a 60s-ish black woman and 40s-ish white woman with a biracial teenage daughter. <BR/><BR/>Educationally, we plan to homeschool. Which is fraught with issues of its own, especially around providing diverse role models. There's an awesome (as schools go) bilingual program at the neighborhood school that definitely has black (& hispanic) teachers and black (&h) kids with black (&h) parents. We haven't completely ruled it out, due to that draw. I very much understand your sense of being pulled in multiple directions by your priorities.<BR/><BR/>Maybe a strong black community IS the most important thing. A place where the black kids have majority-black (or well mixed) good schools. I've heard Atlanta has a huge middle-class black population.<BR/><BR/>Our local friends who're raising two AA boys chose the almost-all-white liberal private school because they saw a good education as the top priority (one of their kids is special needs, and they have had to fight for him to get the services he needs). They also took on the burden of educating the parents and staff of the school about racism and pushing (hard) for the school to do more about diversity, etc. So, there's that angle. <BR/><BR/>Really hard choices. None of us have easy answers.fostermamahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09892654110641448023noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3804257678562112660.post-888224918396813412008-08-01T13:50:00.000-06:002008-08-01T13:50:00.000-06:00We think about this all the time. I guess for me, ...We think about this all the time. I guess for me, the question "Is this neighborhood (or church, or school) diverse enough" requires lookingat a couple of factors:<BR/><BR/>1. Are there enough different Black people around that our daughter will see more than one "way" to be Black -- will she meet neighborhood kids skipping rope, attorneys, day care teachers, artists and all kinds of other people who are Black? Will she be exposed to different Black opinions about everything from hairstyles to politics to religion?<BR/><BR/>2. In our overall daily life, will we, the white parents, be in the racial minority while she is in the majority, at least some of the time?<BR/><BR/>3. Are the other white people we will be around accustomed enough to racial differences that they won't constantly be asking us questions about parenting a Black child? Can folks accept the makeup of our family as part of the normal, expected range of human diversity?<BR/><BR/>There's probably no "magic number," but I bet you can find a neighborhood you feel good about for the kids, where you also have access to an excellent school.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3804257678562112660.post-55944696695433682772008-07-30T22:42:00.000-06:002008-07-30T22:42:00.000-06:00Perhaps you're asking the wrong question. Are you...Perhaps you're asking the wrong question. Are you willing to sacrifice your children's education so you aren't using 'white privilege'? Or so they have enough black people around them? What does it mean to be black? <BR/><BR/>I know I don't have a good answer for that, as I'm white, grew up in a very white area, and didn't spend much time around many people of any color. But one of my closest friends is black, raised in white suburbia. Her extended family lives in louisiana and they make fun of her family for not being black because she listens to country music and dates white girls primarily. So in a sense, she is more 'white'. <BR/><BR/>On the flip side my wife grew up dirt poor as one of the few white kids in the ghetto. In some ways you could consider her more black than my black friend - but I think that's defining black culture very narrowly.<BR/><BR/>I know you've thought about this all a ton more than many other people, so this isn't new. Just hoping to bring the perspective back where it belongs. Education is very important. If they don't know tons of black people, does that matter? I agree that it's important for them to have role models and understand their heritage, but really, their culture is your culture and life. <BR/><BR/>Basically, you're doing your best. Just find a place that feels right. Screw percentages. If it feels right, it'll be right, no matter what the demographics say. Maybe others will follow your lead and they'll tip in the direction you want anyway :-D<BR/><BR/>Good luck!Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3804257678562112660.post-22200641710939248782008-07-30T18:26:00.000-06:002008-07-30T18:26:00.000-06:00I have ZERO compunction about using my white privi...I have ZERO compunction about using my white privilege to my African American daughter's advantage.<BR/>ina, not anon.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com