Episode 11: Darnell Fine - "Freedom Work is Healing Work."
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion.
Those three words seems to have been dominating the landscape this year as industries and organizations have been re-examining racism and exclusion within their own ecosystems. And if you are part of the international education scene, you’ll know international schools haven’t been immune from the conversation, either. Educators and alumni, especially those of color have been asking for more accountability on a range of issues including hiring more diverse staff, addressing racism with these educational communities and decolonizing school curriculums.
Singapore-based Darnell Fine is an instructional coach and classroom teacher who applies radical imagination to the profession of teaching. He has facilitated creative writing seminars and social justice workshops in the U.S. and abroad. He is an instructional coach and classroom teacher who applies radical imagination to the profession of teaching. He has facilitated creative writing seminars and social justice workshops in the U.S. and abroad. In this episode, Darnell and Amanda have a frank discussion on the power of gatekeeping, the need to understand systemic oppression and the challenge in pushing the diversity conversation forward, especially abroad.
You can find his work here: www.darnellfineinstructionalcoach.com.
High Need to Over-resourced Schools
There was a lot of guilt about that, knowing that I wasn’t in my community, in Atlanta. And coming from an activist and organizing background, there was a sense of shame. Moving on from my school in Atlanta to these different schools that were over resourced that made me feel guilty. But at the same time, I come from those neighborhoods that are under-resourced. That are over-exploited. That are ignored and folks are marginalized, and when I looked at my students I thought, “What would I want for them?” It’s for them to feel uninhibited where they are not immobilized in very concrete ways. Where they can do whatever they wish to do in life. I would want that for them. And I would want that for myself, knowing that’s where I’d come from.
One of the Few
I understand how the game goes. I benefit from being one of the token in these different institutions because I know I would not be as sought after if there were more people who looked like me. I also know that because I’ve assimilated into White culture and enculturated myself to the standards of Whiteness - an Ivy League degree, being able to speak like this, being able to be culturally competent in white culture --has given me the privilege of being able to gain access and navigate these institutions.
Examining Biases
The bias you come across in the media can really influence perception. And that can happen with any place. Your lens is often filtered through those different perspectives from the outside. But you create your own narrative, your own experiences when you move to different places.
To hear the full episode, click below or listen wherever you get your podcasts or listen on The Black Expat YouTube account.