This is a hard book for me to review. Not because I didn't like it, on the contrary, but because I'm still digesting it and will be for quite some time. It spoke to me on many levels and I'm still letting a lot of it percolate to see what comes out. This was definitely the right time in my life for this book to enter it as it spoke to many things that I've been coming to realize about our connectivity to each other and our communities, about listening and how powerful that is, about our individual power to change ourselves and our world if we stop first and reach out but yet being mindful of our inner selves. I've recently become involved with a truly amazing group of women, one of whom started the project Street Listening. I have been so inspired by her and the group and while I have not yet had an opportunity to join them, to then read this book and see so many of those same things being echoed was extremely motivating and moving.
I would definitely recommend this book to basically everyone.
Page count: 337p/2,270p ytd/294,291p lifetime
Showing posts with label self-discovery. Show all posts
Showing posts with label self-discovery. Show all posts
Sunday, March 25, 2018
Thursday, October 26, 2017
85:120 ...But I'm Not Racist! Tools for Well-Meaning Whites by Kathy Obear
Dr. Obear has been working to be an agent for racial justice so it was quite the surprise when a person of color came up to her at a workshop and told her that something she said was racist. It hit home in a very personal way and she holed up, afraid to misspeak and be called out again. What happened then was a transformation in the way she approached her calling. Here, she teaches through personal examples how to open your heart and mind to being an agent for racial justice and how to approach it with more mindfulness.
I admit, I have always been open about wanting racial justice but until the last couple of years I hadn't really thought about what that meant or how to go about affecting any change. Heck, it was only maybe two years ago that I did anything more than say I was color blind and raising my children that way. I started waking up about that time to the suffering around me and the privilege to which I had and realized that I needed to do better, both as a person but also as a parent to educate my children to their own privilege and how we need to work to bring equality to all. I'm still learning and I have so very much to learn but this was a helpful book and I appreciated it. Much of it was geared towards how to facilitate racial justice in group environments which at the moment is not super relevant to me but is good to know. A lot of it is techniques for how to engage, meaningfully and purposefully with those that are using racist language in the hopes of opening a dialogue for them to see the hurt they are causing. I found those things very helpful and plan to keep rereading some of those passages so I can learn to not be silent when it comes up. I need to work harder to find my voice to say that these things are not right and I hope that the tools she has given here will help me to do so.
Page count: 118p/17,451p ytd/288,583p lifetime
I admit, I have always been open about wanting racial justice but until the last couple of years I hadn't really thought about what that meant or how to go about affecting any change. Heck, it was only maybe two years ago that I did anything more than say I was color blind and raising my children that way. I started waking up about that time to the suffering around me and the privilege to which I had and realized that I needed to do better, both as a person but also as a parent to educate my children to their own privilege and how we need to work to bring equality to all. I'm still learning and I have so very much to learn but this was a helpful book and I appreciated it. Much of it was geared towards how to facilitate racial justice in group environments which at the moment is not super relevant to me but is good to know. A lot of it is techniques for how to engage, meaningfully and purposefully with those that are using racist language in the hopes of opening a dialogue for them to see the hurt they are causing. I found those things very helpful and plan to keep rereading some of those passages so I can learn to not be silent when it comes up. I need to work harder to find my voice to say that these things are not right and I hope that the tools she has given here will help me to do so.
Page count: 118p/17,451p ytd/288,583p lifetime
Sunday, January 24, 2016
6:120 Aristotle & Dante Discover the Secrets of the Universe by Benjamin Alire Saenz
It's summer between Aristotle's junior and senior year and he can't figure out what to do with himself. He's bored so decides to head to the swimming pool even though he can't swim. There he meets Dante who volunteers to teach him to swim. Dante who seems to be the complete opposite of himself. Dante who is self-assured, calm, has a great relationship with his parents, saves animals, hates shoes, thinks deep thoughts, draws, and reads poetry. Aristotle does none of these things being withdrawn, taciturn, and thinking mostly of his imprisoned brother whom nobody talks about except to tell him not to end up like that.
Then Dante happens and Aristotle finds himself with a best friend without ever really knowing how it happened. When Dante leaves for the school year with his parents, Aristotle is left trying to figure out his life without Dante and realizing it doesn't really add up. He finds his voice in some respects but it isn't until Dante comes back that he truly learns some of the secrets of the universe.
A lovely tale of growing up and discovery. Simple written but more powerful for that as we are in the mind of an angry and disillusioned teenager struggling to know himself and his place in the universe.
Page count: 359p/2,267p ytd/252,562p lifetime
Then Dante happens and Aristotle finds himself with a best friend without ever really knowing how it happened. When Dante leaves for the school year with his parents, Aristotle is left trying to figure out his life without Dante and realizing it doesn't really add up. He finds his voice in some respects but it isn't until Dante comes back that he truly learns some of the secrets of the universe.
A lovely tale of growing up and discovery. Simple written but more powerful for that as we are in the mind of an angry and disillusioned teenager struggling to know himself and his place in the universe.
Page count: 359p/2,267p ytd/252,562p lifetime
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