Kimberle Crenshaw coined the term “intersectionality” in 1989. But before there was a word for it, women of color have juggled aspects of identity that remain steeped in oppression due to a misogynist, white supremacist society (and dare I say, world). While Betty Friedan wrote about “the problem with no name”, Black and Brown women were raising white children and cleaning the houses of whites. That book was not meant for them. The rallies and marches that followed were not meant for them.  Crenshaw later dubbed the term “interlocking” oppressions to describe the nexus of racial, class and gendered oppressions; the same horrid trifecta that Black women have dealt with since slavery.

These were just some of my thoughts as I read the article “Hashtag Feminism…”. Loza thoroughly excavates the reasons for and against hashtag feminism in general as well as the viral hashtag “Solidarityisforwhitewomen” particularly. The power of the hashtag lies with the ability for users to share experiences and call out hypocritical practices in real time. My only critique of the hashtag is that it conflates ‘solidarity’ with ‘feminism’. Kendall is really saying that feminism as it currently operates mostly benefits white women. It was for this reason that Alice Walker created the term womanism; as it was another attempt to bring the margin to the center.

Speaking of the margins, people of color have never been appreciated for the work we produce. We are overwhelmed with labor for which we are not paid. And yet, the expectation remains that we will work for “exposure” or out of the goodness of our hearts. This holds especially true if one is a woman of color. Dr. Lee’s story in Scientific American underscores this. Would Ofeke have dared to call a man or a white woman an “urban whore”? Dr. Lee’s choice to publish the emails and video response allowed her to simultaneously shame Ofeke, but more importantly, give sound advice to those who may find themselves in similar situations. Our time and energy is limited. Our skills are important and the use of them is worth compensation. Since when has anyone been able to pay bills with “exposure” and the promise of future goodwill? Also, slavery is over. And Black women are entitled to anger when insulted, caricatures and racist stereotypes aside.

Questions:

What are your thoughts of and/or experiences with hashtag activism?

In what ways can we work together to create true solidarity for the purposes of authentic equity?

In what ways can this week’s readings serve us pedagogically?

It seems that this week’s readings focus on digital pedagogy but even more so on tips for real-world pedagogical practices in the classroom and online.

For instance, I was quite pleased to read the recommendations in “Two Roads Diverged in a Wood” by Joseph Ugoretz. In the classroom, time is limited and digressions can be viewed as distractions. In fact, sometimes students use them for that very reason if they find themselves in class unprepared. However, while I do not teach online courses (yet), I have used discussion boards on WordPress. The great thing about online sites is that it also acts as a record of the thread; one can return to the ideas discussed in a way that is not quite possible in an active classroom discussion.

Just the same, I’ve noticed that digressions in class discussions can definitely be used as tools that allow students to think through material by forming their own relationship with it. It can be quite a challenge to bring a class back from particularly juicy digressions but in the end, it is worth letting the students explore their own ideas and make their own connections. This way, they truly take ownership of the material. Pelz speaks to this in his article regarding student-led discussions. This can also create mental threads that are maintained in the classroom throughout the semester. So, if I have a particularly interesting topic, I may start with the writing exercises in order to allow extra time for possible digressions. Sometimes a topic leads us to unexpected but awesome digressions. In this case, I make a deal with the students that will allow us to follow the thread, but only if we make a schedule (usually a combination of homework and/or extra writing the next class session) to assure that we stay on track.

Lastly, Dr. Smale’s and Dr. Regalado’s article, “Commuter Students Using Technology”, speaks to the very real circumstances surrounding the lack of tech devices for CUNY students. I really like the author’s idea to create e-reader/tablet loan programs across the CUNY campuses, as well as strengthening wi-fi networks. As a CUNY alumna, I remember the joy of realizing I could upload PDF’s to my Kindle. The subway became my portable office. For this reason, I used a responsive WordPress theme for my first semester of ENG 111 and uploaded all the readings on the site. This made it so easy for the students to read the articles, no matter where they were, as most of them had smartphones.

Questions:

How do you handle digressions in your classrooms?

Have you altered some of your teaching methods to accommodate a lack of access to technology?

How do you incorporate student-led discussions into your lesson plans?

Do you believe a hippocratic oath for ed. tech is necessary? If no, why not? If so, what would you include in it?