Five Commitments for Antiracist Educators By Sonja Cherry-Paul

Here’s the truth. Our good intentions as educators do not necessarily amount to teaching that is antiracist. Antiracist teaching is a commitment to iterative, messy, necessary work toward the goal of equity, justice, and liberation that requires personal and professional actions by educators.

Do The work BEFORE the Work?

It is critical to confront our own biases and racist ideas to prevent causing harm to our students. This involves reflecting on our own racial identities and interrogating what we’ve come to understand about racial groups and how we’ve acquired this knowledge.

Protect BIPOC Students?

Cultivate antiracist classrooms by taking actions to minimize harm toward BIPOC students. Establish agreements and protocols where safe, productive conversations that are intersectional can occur. Avoid causing racial trauma with violent images and misguided, dehumanizing activities do not belong in the classroom.

Affirm BIPOC Identities??

Historically curriculum and teaching has not made BIPOC students feel welcomed, valued, or loved at school. This continues today when curriculum includes Black and Brown communities in limited ways or erases them altogether.? Instead, teach in ways that center the humanity and brilliance of BIPOC.

Raise Awareness?

Acknowledge that racism exists and help students understand that racism is more than isolated acts of hate; that it functions systemically.? Discuss issues and experiences in students’ local context as well as those spotlighted nationally to help them recognize racism in various forms and in all institutions. Books can be used as tools that help students acquire racial literacy.

Keep Hope at the Core?

Help students maintain hope in an antiracist future. This includes looking across movements for human liberation and recognizing solidarity as a constant. While “there is no such thing as antiracist fairy dust we can sprinkle that can magically transform society,” (Cherry-Paul, 20224) we each can utilize our powers of ongoing commitment and action toward love and liberation for all humanity.?