Comments on: “That” Moment of Clarity

By: Matt

Matt — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 02:23:24 +0000

I cant say I have ever had a moment of clarity. I had a moment of retrospect as I have read your blogs, Takami. I think back to when I was about ten and poverty was used against me as a tool of social domination. Something that I had no power to change was used to define who I was, and was used to control what I could do and who I could be. Of course, I hesitate, because I cannot say it is the same as race. But it is this retrospective moment that ignites a passion and an empathy, however misguided.

By: Matthew Salesses

Matthew Salesses — Sun, 04 Sep 2016 04:33:23 +0000

Very glad that essay spoke to you!!

By: Deon Claiborne

Deon Claiborne — Sat, 03 Sep 2016 15:27:57 +0000

In 1987, I was hired as an HIV peer educator and started talking about HIV prevention in jails, drug treatment programs, schools, and handing out bleach and condoms in the streets. I was forced, then, through the urgency of the work I did, to confront (and be confronted) by the fact that I was neither HIV positive, nor a person of color.

Further, as a case manager, I had clients who were homeless and/or mentally ill. More than once, they accused me of making money off the backs of people with HIV (nevermind that, financially, I could qualify for the same programs). My clients came from all walks of life: from all income levels; gay, straight, transgender, wealthy, poor, homeless, sex workers, drug addicts, incarcerated, elderly, and young. HIV, in its devastation, did not, does not discriminate, though the services, institutions, and public often did. I learned a great deal about my place in the world and my own biases through the people I was honored to work for and with–and the many friends I lost as well. They taught me courage in the face of great challenge, adaptability, and resilience. I am forever grateful to them. Fighting, for twenty-one years to help eradicate HIV/AIDS made me into a social justice warrior. I paused in the fight to attend grad school and as soon as this darn dissertation is done, I’ll be back on the front lines.

By: Ryan

Ryan — Sat, 03 Sep 2016 01:05:53 +0000

Hi Takami. Well, it wasn’t actually the academic discussions, but what was going on all around that brought it out. That moment for me did not happen during any grad seminars–although it may have started to happen when I read Brodkin, Sarah Kendzior, and so many others who were discussing race and racism inside and beyond anthropology. This includes the posts from one of our regular commenters here at SM during that time, who was known as “Discuss White Privilege.” She was definitely one person who pushed me to think about these issues more–who sort of forced me to stop looking away and pay attention. There was so much going on at the time, and the connections were hard to ignore. I started writing more about race and racism here on SM around that time, but it wasn’t enough. There has to be more because while I can sit comfortably and write about this stuff whenever I want, others are out there dealing with the continuing effects of racism day in and out. So it’s good when people speak out, when they push others to think about issues they might not want to see or pay attention to. Yes, pushback and resistance comes with it, but that’s all the more reason to keep going. In my opinion, this is one subject that contemporary anthropology could really be working harder to address and speak out about.

By: Takami Delisle

Takami Delisle — Fri, 02 Sep 2016 22:52:52 +0000

Thanks for the comment Ryan, you saved me from the world’s tiniest violin! It would be interesting to see how many people have “that” moment IN academic discussions about racism. I tend to think “that” moment happens most likely outside classrooms, but then I may be wrong…

By: Ryan

Ryan — Thu, 01 Sep 2016 18:22:22 +0000

For me “that” moment was grad school, when I finally had the realization that taking (or teaching) that one class (or, perhaps more accurately, that ONE section of ONE class) about race and racism simply wasn’t enough. It wasn’t even close to enough. I think this happens in anthropology a lot–we “cover” race and racism like subjects that just need to be checked off a list, and assume that since we did that we’re good. I reached a point where I realized that I needed to think more about these issues, pay attention, read more…and listen what people have to say. This realization was sparked, in large part, by the experiences of my fellow colleagues in anthropology…and then everything that was going on around the US at that time (2009-2012). In terms of specific works, Karen Brodkin’s article on anthropology as “white public space” was particularly important in making me rethink race, racism, and anthropology.

Thanks for this post, Takami.