D.C. Area Black Lives Matter at School Curriculum Fair
Dr. Enid Lee was the Keynote Speaker at the D.C. Area Black Lives Matter at School Curriculum Fair. She reflected on the progress made and emphasized the ongoing commitment to ensuring that all Black lives matter in educational settings. She noted the importance of personal and community histories, affirming their role in liberating spirits. Dr. Lee motivated the audience to focus on making history that reflects the collective principle of including the lives, experiences, and work of ALL Black lives. She stressed the need to expand curriculum content to address both the systems that have allowed communities to thrive AND those that have been omitted or remain unequal. YET, we must acknowledge the unfinished business ahead, affirming our commitment to undertake it. The three words—All, And, Yet—guided her message, emphasizing the importance of inclusivity, acknowledgment of existing systems, and commitment to unfinished business. In her call to action, Dr. Lee urged educators to use their time purposefully in making history that fosters justice, joy, and generosity for all Black lives.
Participants noted in their evaluation:
Dr. Enid is an amazing, brilliant woman! In her response to “what keeps her going/brings her joy,” she stated that she writes down every day about racist actions that are going on and then writes what is being done in response/repair. That sits with me so deeply, as a white masculine educator, on how to be an active participant in anti-racism work and not just a spectator and supporter. There are so many brilliant Black women here in this group creating actual change and sharing resources with others!
The three focus words – All, And, Yet – and the discussion around them. I also liked the question/answer: “What Keeps you joyful in the resistance?” This is such an important consideration because the work is always there, always in your face, sometimes discouraging and we need to find joy in our efforts, colleagues, and camaraderie.
Dr. Lee spoke about the importance of keeping daily notes on racist systems and the resistance of those systems. This was inspiring to me because it is a good reminder that it is important to understand the truth of systematic oppression and if we learn and support the resistance of these systems we can be part of creating a different reality free from these systems. Her message was one of urgency and hope. It felt like it grounded us in celebration and collaborative spirit.
Hearing Dr. Lee was such a beautiful grounding for the day. Everything today was grounded in hope and faith, and that was something I desperately needed in our current situation. Her words inspired me to enter this planning phase with the same amount of joy, positivity, and faith.