With the semester really underway now, but with the end still fast approaching, the question comes up a lot of what exactly we all can do back home with the information, knowledge, and experiences we’re gaining here. This goes for all of us of course as we’re learning so much about the respective fields we’re interested in and having related experiences which help us in so many ways, sometimes in unanticipated ways. It’s very exciting for sure!, but still - how do we take it all back home?
We’re all engaged in various fields - education, healthcare, legal advocacy, etc. With everything everyone is learning in all these different fields, I’m sure we’ll all be able to contribute greatly back home. For me, the work of organizations and individuals that are focused on racism has grabbed my interest and attention the most. I have had many conversations with people of all backgrounds who focus on this; they have taught me tons and so I am in a bit of learning process right now when it comes to the details of Cape slavery and colonial racism and how each led to the current situation in society. When it comes to what I want to do back home with what I’m learning/seeing here, I am definitely and absolutely interested in joining organizations which address racism.
For the time being, I am getting a lot out of meeting often with Lucy Campbell, who organizes tours of Cape Town addressing its history of slavery and racism. Further, from our class with Prof. Marita McComiskey we’ve been reading powerful literature on racism in America. The authors we’ve read include Robert Jensen and Tim Wise, who present the history and nature of racism in compelling language, instilling a sense of responsibility in the reader.
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