Mother Love: My Mother Excerpts from a Feminist Diary

In this work I write of mother love, of mothering, of a love of family and community,the nurturing of self-reliance, bold and enterprising spirits and pure hearts. I am presenting this work from a Black feminist or womanist, reflective standpoint even though I was cautioned as a child not to be too or so “womanish” in my behaviour.I was cautioned to not act as though I were older than I actually was; not to rushto grow up “before my time.” I am not conscious of rebelling, but from an early ageemulated my mother’s strong will, her determination and her resourcefulness—herwill to survive poverty and contest exploitation and oppression. Black folk who livein racist, ethnocentric, sexist and patriarchal societies where white and ‘light’ skin is privileged and given supremacy, need to tell their own stories—stories that resonate with love and laughter even as they may be poignant and heart wrenching. It is important that we put a human face to poverty and oppression, to let others whoquestion our origins know that like all beings we come from some place and bringmuch of value with us to where we now stand

The Continued Relevance Of Teaching To Transgress: Education As The Practice Of Freedom

In 1994, bell hooks work, Teaching to Transgress - Education as the Practice of Freedom was first published and this work re-examines it for its intent to counter the devaluation of teaching and on the basis that it addresses the urgent need for changes in teaching practices. Because of the intransience of racism and the various isms that are part of our everyday culture, hooks work remains relevant, particularly for those who find themselves in the position of the lone soldier in the war to effect equitable system change forever conspiring and scheming in order to accomplish equity in education. This re-examination of hooks work is also offered to those who face disempowered collective backlash (p.31) - backtracking, ostracization and belittlement designed to dissuade paradigm shifts. It is offered to individuals who are seeking freedom individuals who are seeking to define and contextualize their experiences, their struggle, and to those trying to cope with a society eager to return to an age of narrow nationalism, isolationisms and xenophobia (p.28). And finally, this work is for those who are seeking to teach their children, their students, how to transgress - how to confront a culture of domination with a lack of meaningful access to truth (p.29) and which necessarily promotes an addiction to lying and denial (p.29).Teaching to Transgress is a strategy that suggests revolution and speaks to ones determination, strength and commitment. It is a strategy that casts the teacher and the student recipient of the teachings, in the role of revolutionaries - agents of change. Education as the Practice of Freedom speaks to the need to pursue, as a professional business, the job of freeing oneself from oppression - one should practice or work at critically examining our world and our experiences on a local and global level.[AU1] I was asked about bell hooks name and sent my response with an attachment about the scholar and her work to your journal. bell hooks name is NOT capitalized. Thank you