It is not light that is needed, but fire.

Frederick Douglass

More and more I am convinced that the most powerful lever for change is our schools and our teachers. Systemic change can be catalyzed through the actions of teachers and students as they attempt to shape the world into one of peace, justice, and love. But first, how to foster an environment for students to share their brilliance and to work together to identify systemic injustice, describe it, and then dismantle it?

In the book, Not Light, But Fire: How to Lead Meaningful Race Conversations in the Classroom, the author, Matthew R. Kay, helps paint the picture for how to create the environment, foster the practices, and cultivate the mindset for discussing race in the classroom in order to create a better world outside of the classroom.

In this episode of the podcast, I am joined by Shimikqua Ellis as we discuss Not Light, But Fire. Shimikqua is an English teacher educator and current doctoral student at the University of Mississippi. Shimikqua also facilitated a series of discussions around the book for the University of Mississippi School of Education.

Enjoy!

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Links

Not Light, But Fire: How to Lead Meaningful Race Conversations in the Classroom by Matthew R. Kay

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