Begin at the Beginning

Allen Johnson helps us think about what culture is, and provides a framework for thinking about values, beliefs, norms and attitudes in Culture: The Stuff of Life.

The Four I’s of Oppression is a useful grassroots framework for thinking about where issues of power, oppression and opportunities for liberation are situated. We have talked about this document in our discussion and this reading provides a snapshot of the framework.

Beverly Tatum is a psychologist and child expert most widely known for her seminal work Why Are All the Black Kids Sitting Together in the Cafeteria. We will look at her racial identity development model, which seeks to understand the process by which we become aware or race and our own personal racial identity. If you like your info short and sweet you can look at the steps of racial identity development here. Want to dig deep? Here is the full text of Beverly Tatum’s Racial Identity Development Model