The racial equity tools website was blocked on my school computer so I explored the other resource and read the "facilitating critical conversations with students" publication, which I saved for use with preservice teachers (and for my own later use!). I appreciated the sections on the appropriate terms to use and the authors' directive to spend time completing certain activities prior to beginning the conversations. Self-exploration and reflection are key to bridging chasms caused by personal and institutional racism. The self-ratings for comfort levels helped to identify why certain topics are more uncomfortable than others and how to push yourself to grow in these areas, since all areas are critical for our students. The "destigmatizing privilege" excerpt was interesting because I do feel that in order to grow, we must learn to be aware of our own emotions and experiences and learn to feel more comfortable with the work that needs to be done. Overwhelming guilt could potentially prevent an individual from addressing their own issues.
