Booth Family Inspiration Speaks: Ibram X. Kendi

BOOTH FAMILY INSPIRATION SPEAKS

Each year St. Anne's-Belfield hosts a community speaker to promote lifelong learning and prompt us to rigorously reconsider some of our personal and intellectual understandings. I hope you will consider attending this year's speaker, Professor Ibram X. Kendi, on Tuesday, Nov. 17, at 7 p.m. via Zoom.

Professor Kendi, as many know, started talking about the idea of being an antiracist several years ago. As an African-American man, he was very clear that he himself had some racist tendencies, including against other black people. The central argument of his various works is that it's not good enough to be to say, "I'm not a racist," but it's necessary to continuously strive towards being an "antiracist."

I am excited to say that I am co-leading an evening book club for Upper School students with humanities teacher Jordan Taylor. We're diving into Professor Kendi's book, "How To Be An Antiracist," to figure out what we agree with, what we disagree with, and what resonates with us in our own lives. Those students will then formulate questions and they are the ones who will interview the author during the Zoom.

To me, this interactive experience between our students and Professor Kendi really ties to our core purpose. This is a moment for our students to practice becoming exemplary citizens: Questioning; being curious; disagreeing in a respectful way; caring about your impact; and utilizing your agency. We are going to practice all of those values with our students, and I hope many of you will choose to participate as well.

"This is a moment for our students to practice becoming exemplary citizens: Questioning; being curious; disagreeing in a respectful way; caring about your impact; and utilizing your agency." ? Dr. Autumn A. Graves

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