The Monumental Value of Ethical Studies

 

Christine Sleeter argues that Ethnic Studies is not just a curriculum, but a necessity and essential knowledge in this life. The study of ethics is a liberatory and transformative practice that enables students, especially those from historically marginalized communities, to see themselves not just as shadows in someone else's history, but as central, powerful protagonists of their own life story. In her words, “Ethnic studies help students become more academically engaged, develop a stronger sense of self, and think more critically about society” This one quote speaks volumes as  a direct challenge to a system that has, for too long, centered upper class whiteness as the measure of knowledge and success.

Main Argument (Thesis):

 This author, Christine Sleeter, argues that Ethnic Studies is not merely an academic subject, but a transformative and necessary tool for justice that empowers marginalized students to reclaim their narratives, deepen their self-worth, and critically engage with the world around them. She challenges the dominance of Eurocentric curricula and calls us to reimagine education as a liberatory space where all students, especially those historically silenced, can thrive, resist, and lead with truth.

Three Talking Points That Moved Me

1.       Academic Engagement and Identity Development

“Students who took ethnic studies courses developed a stronger sense of academic efficacy and motivation to learn” -Christine Sleeter

Sleeter’s research validates the improvement rooted in academic outcomes for students of color due to the insight of values woven in the study of ethics. It debunks the idea this awareness and perspective gives those of color a “free pass” to have ease during the transitions of life, but to finally give people who look like me and have my experience something authentic and resonating to connect and grow with. How can we expect a student to thrive in a classroom where their story has been erased or rewritten? Where their ancestors are footnotes or villains, and their daily lived experiences are dismissed as irrelevant or too political? You can’t inspire learners by denying their truth. Classrooms thrive in diversity, culture, history, and innovation. As leaders, we are responsible to ensure that every student from every walk of life is given the opportunity to feel appreciated, seen, understood, and motivated as they reach to meet their milestones and sharpen their crafts and skills. Sleeter’s research gives breath and validation to what so many students of color have long known in their bones. She stresses that identity is not a distraction from education…it is central to it. When students see their cultures reflected, their ancestors honored, and their lived experiences taken seriously, they come alive in the classroom. How can we expect a child to flourish when their story has been erased, their heroes villainized, and their voice framed as “too political”? You cannot light the fire of learning while denying the core of who a student is.

Personal Reflection: Classrooms must become sanctuaries of truth, not sites of silence. How can I ensure every student I encounter feels seen, heard, and powerful in their own narrative?

2.       Social Awareness and Civic Responsibility

“Ethnic studies has been found to increase students’ understanding of inequality and strengthen their commitment to social justice” -Christine Sleeter

To be the change we wish to see in this world, we must be aware of all that is occurring right under our noses. Ethnic Studies is more than a history lesson or class subject. It  cultivates compassion, critical consciousness, and civic courage for the inequalities and injustices that are faced by minority groups all throughout our nation. It is a spiritual and civic awakening. It invites students to see beyond the surface, to ask the hard questions, and to hold space for the injustice that too often defines the lived realities of marginalized communities. There is such peace and meaning knowing that there is an avenue, place of rest and belonging, where we can learn and become educated on matters that feed our soul, recognize our significance, and erect a banner for reformation and renewal. How can we claim to build the “leaders of tomorrow” if we’re too afraid to let them confront the injustices of today? How can we call ourselves educators or healers, yet silence the stories that pulse through the minds and hearts of the students we serve?

Question to hold: How can we call ourselves educators, nurses, or leaders if we silence the very truths that our students carry in their bodies and histories? How can we build “leaders of tomorrow” while censoring the injustices they are called to confront today?

3.       Reclaiming Narratives and Resisting Erasure

“curricula that reflect dominant group perspectives alone can alienate students and reproduce societal inequalities” -Christine Sleeter

The standards and system of this society can be so contradictory and bewildering. We are a nation that preaches about liberty and justice, but fear facing the truths or have the difficult conversations/interactions that are necessary for development and change.  We are the same society to celebrate and market holidays/events, such as Cinco de Mayo, equipped with our abundance of tacos and tequila. In the same breath, however, we have law makers attempting to ban the study of ethics in the classrooms. There is a picking and choosing of which parts of our culture and being are palatable and beneficial enough for the standards of those in the “dominant’ social group. When students only see whiteness as power, intelligence, and beauty, they begin to internalize a devastating lie about their own worth and existence. Ethnic Studies dares to reclaim what dominant culture has tried to silence. It challenges the lie that upper class whiteness is the only lens through which knowledge, brilliance, or beauty can be seen. When students are fed this lie, either explicitly or subtly, they begin to internalize it. And that internalization becomes a wound they carry for life.

Call to action: We cannot let education become a tool of erasure. We must fight to protect the sacred truth that every story deserves to be heard, honored, and taught.

Final Reflections:

Christine Sleeter reminds us that Ethnic Studies is not about exclusion, but about expansion. Not about guilt, but about growth and unity. It was a reminder that a society riddled with systemic inequity is one of the few educational tools brave enough to demand that we confront reality, not deny it. It is a resounding call to remember that education, at its most powerful, does not sanitize or simplify. It liberates! It makes room for every voice, every story, every struggle that has been silenced in the margins. Ethnic Studies is not elective, it is a foundational standard. A curriculum of courage, reclamation, and healing. In a world that too often asks us to forget, it dares us to remember. To remember who we are, where we come from, and what we are capable of when we see ourselves fully reflected in the pages of history.

America...Land of Oxymorons and Contradictions

All quotes derived from the article on https://civilrights.org/resource/anti-deia-eos/, ideas also supported by https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-illegal-discrimination-and-restoring-merit-based-opportunity/  and https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/01/ending-radical-and-wasteful-government-dei-programs-and-preferencing/

“Federal programs should serve everyone equally. The federal workforce is best able to serve our country if it reflects the full range of available talent. If the Trump administration fully implements these EOs, they will erect new barriers to federal programs and employment, making the federal government less able to meet the needs of the nation”. 

This country can be such an oxymoron. How can the leader of a nation that is deemed as the “land of the free and home of the brave” or the “melting pot” of nationalities, cultures, capabilities, dreams, passions, and pride create an order that is purposed to revoke, cease, and end values such as diversity, equal opportunity acts, and environmental justice while promoting the dismissal and disregard of race, sex/sexual preference, religion, national origin/culture, and accessibility? How does this even make sense?! How is this legal or constitutional? This country is supposed to be built on promise, inclusion, and welcoming of all people to create the powerhouse that we are to call America. But HOW?! Why should we have to fathom a reality where all are not considered, honored, or prioritized? How can people live this life through one pair of lenses? How can you be so blind? Inconsiderate? Unaware? Numb to the privilege, power, and OXYMORON of what this country has become?

As I read the order, I was slapped with the one-sided rhetoric of the common 1%, white picket fence, middle class gab of “merit”, “scholarship”, and “patriotism”. The further I got in the reading the less familiar it became….I was confused and frustrated trying to position myself in a place where I could imagine consistently “belonging” or feeling safe with these edicts. I reflected on my family, friends, patients, students, and like-minded people who may not be as fortunate to have access and awareness to achieve stability, education, therapy, assistance, acceptance, vital sustenance, or optimal health and wellness due to the disparities, injustices, and bias that is upheld and flaunted within the system that was made for only a designated class of individuals. The gag is: WE ARE NOT THE SAME! WE DO NOT WALK THE SAME WALK! TALK THE SAME TALK! SEE THE SAME THINGS! FEEL THE SAME FEELINGS! THERE IS A DIFFERENCE, DIVIDE, AND DYSFUNCTION THAT THOSE IN THE “DOMINANT” SECTOR CAN AND MAY NEVER BE ABLE TO COMPREHEND! We are not asking for standards that will further seclude, diminish, or misunderstand us. ALL WE NEED IS THE HUMILITY AND SELF AWARENESS TO BRING A CHANGE THAT WILL CAUSE US ALL TO RISE IN THE CAPACITY WE WERE CREATED TO!

 “While the number of Black people with college degrees has increased over the last two decades, Black people remain relegated to lower wage jobs and less lucrative industries compared to white people with similar levels of education, and Black women experience some of the largest pay gaps. Black people and other people of color in the United States suffer disproportionately from preventable disease and premature deaths, including high rates of maternal mortality, despite living in a country with one of the most advanced medical systems in the world–racial disparities that persist even when accounting for socioeconomic status, lifestyle, insurance coverage, and other risk factors. These racial inequities hurt the American economy as a whole”.

How can one question why Blacks may have a higher rate of mortality that is related to poor health care, nutrition, exercise, and stress management? Well…when there are massive wage gaps between racial/gender groups, communities that lack markets that sell AFFORDABLE fresh and organic produce, meats, and snacks, an absence of comprehensive, patient-centered medical facilities that offer functional and WHOLElistic care to all people, races, genders, and beliefs, or educational institutions that are not equipped to meet the needs and realities of all students that yearn for more in life, even with all the hardwork, dedication, and drive that one may have, how can you expect us not to succumb to woes and turmoil of an untimely death or perpetuating mental captivity?

 “Diversity, equity, and inclusion policies and programs help organizations comply with civil rights laws by ensuring that all people are on an equal footing in the workplace and in educational and medical settings… They are strategies to equalize opportunities for groups of people who are unfairly disadvantaged, such as: engaging in broader outreach and recruitment measures to expand a college applicant pool; adopting a policy to focus on necessary skills and qualifications in hiring; providing training to ensure that healthcare providers can effectively treat patients of all backgrounds; among others. At the end of the day, a successful diversity, equity, and inclusion program strives to ensure that no one feels excluded or treated unfairly. The federal government should encourage these programs, not limit them” 

My mind flashed to the many situations where my family and I were able to survive and meet our very basic needs as we navigated through the hussle and bussle of hardwork, diligence, and resilience, trying to make a name and  future for us to thrive and excel in America . Provisions within DEI and DEIA, such as WIC, food stamps and pantries, public inclusive workforce programs, behavioral modifications/special needs accommodations, trauma-informed interactions, gender-affirming outlets, cultural inclusion, educational grants and financial assistance, and so much more, granted us the time and space to focus and prepare for a greater significance to our existence. We overcame obstacles and standards of statistics that were created to subdue and oppress us, now be able to stand in rooms, credentialed, learned, and fruitful, alongside those who may have doubted that we would ever get there. These programs and aids helped guide us along a path that would allow us to stand tall with our heads high, unashamed of where we came from to serve as a blessing and testimony to those around us, helping them as they make it along their own path of victory. Within our school systems I have seen programs put in place that offer students with free meals, some of which are not able to get at home, vouchers for clothing and other essentials, and extra assistance and aid for those of other cultures, languages, backgrounds, and mental/developmental capacities that have truly made such a difference in their progression and success. There is so much more than learning how to read and write. Students need comfort, nourishment, peace at home, clean clothing, accommodations, and so many other aspects outside of the classroom that will ultimately reflect in their academics. Many children have all the intellect and capability in this world to be trailblazers and world changers, but lack the resources and chance to be able to propel in their aspirations and potential due to the barriers and boundaries of an unfair and faulted system. To eradicate the systems that have been put in place to allow us to feel seen, heard, included, and considered, completely eliminates an entire culture of multiple people who desperately deserve the blessing and privilege to reach for the stars in the ways that fit them best. 

Many who may not relate or understand these truths can mistake these types of aids as a “free pass” or “crutch”. And don’t get me wrong, there are some that may take advantage of the benefits that come with the assistance.  However,  we cannot ignore the bigger picture…the massive polka dot elephant that is standing in the middle of the White House. We need to grasp the truth and fact that not all people have the same experiences and truth. We all have different triumphs and failures, strengths and weaknesses, needs and comforts that all make us the complex and precious human beings we all are. To stand and judge my fellow brother or sister because they may not be able to cash flow their children through college, afford to feed their family on their weekly check while trying to satisfy other bills, or find a substantial  job without a push or network that can illuminate their potential, completely diminishes their humanity and wholeness. Our struggles, insecurities, traumas, differences, and failures are some of the elements that create the most influential, successful, capable, and beautiful human beings we are blessed to experience. No one person is  exempt from facing hardship, injustice, pain, or trial in some way, shape, or form in this life. To grow in abundance, unity, freedom, and holism is to stand hand in hand, uplifting one another if we fall, outstretching a hand to someone in need, raising awareness and creating access to opportunities for those who may never have the chance to experience them, and having empathy and compassion for those around us, knowing that the only thing that is guaranteed to ALL people in this life is death. We owe this to ourselves, families, peers, colleagues, patients, students, and all those we encounter.  Let’s make the best of this wonderful life we have been given…TOGETHER AS ONE…

Please enjoy this TED Talk with Nathaniel Rouse, Director of Equity, Race, & Cultural Diversity, explaining the positive impact of DEI and DEIA programs in schools: https://youtu.be/QuU4sm59rGw?feature=shared

Additionally take a look at this reel that I found on Instagram that highlights the disparities and truths that hide amongst the crevices of privilege, power, and difference: https://www.instagram.com/reel/DKQkLCYgx1h/?igsh=MTFuMDI5ZWNsaWF2

 

 

Sounding Truths Fostered in the Classroom

This reading stirred such an ache, a fire and call to examine the often invisible dynamics that shape our classrooms and, by extension, our communities. In Other People’s Children, author Lisa Delpit speaks directly to the painful disconnect between some educators’ intentions and the lived realities of the children they serve. As someone who knows what it means to be misjudged, unheard, and overlooked in systems never built for me, I felt her words resonate on a soul level. Delpit doesn’t tiptoe around the truth…blatantly names and proclaims exactly where the issues lie. She reminds us that love, care, and intention are not enough when power, privilege, and cultural assumptions remain unexamined. In this season of my life where healing, justice, and advocacy guide my every step, her work reaffirms the urgency of showing up differently and purposefully, for our children, patients, and selves.

Main Argument (Thesis):
This author, Lisa Delpit, argues that educational inequities persist when white, middle-class teachers fail to recognize the cultural strengths, language styles, and learning needs of children of color. True progress requires humility, self-awareness, and a commitment to shifting the power dynamics within our classrooms.

Three Talking Points That Moved Me:

1. Power Shapes the Conversation Even When We Don’t See It 

“Those with power are frequently least aware of or least willing to acknowledge its existence. Those of less power are often most aware of its existence”- Lisa Delprit 

This quote reminded me that awareness is the foundation of justice. I've lived through systems where my voice was misread or silenced, not out of malice, but because someone in power assumed they already knew better. That assumption is harm cloaked in good intent. We must learn to hear what we’ve been trained to ignore.

Question to sit with:  When have I mistaken my perspective as universal truth?

2. Equity Means Caring for All Children Equally

“I want the same thing for everyone else's children as I want for mine.” — Lisa Delpit

This quote struck me deeply. It calls us to extend care and commitment beyond our own circles, demanding that every child receives the same dedication, respect, and opportunity. As a holistic nurse and minority woman, I see how systems often favor some while neglecting others. Delpit’s words remind me that true justice requires holding all children to the same high standard without limitations or exceptions

Personal reflection: Change comes when we expand our compassion and act with accountability, ensuring no child is left behind. This is the call I carry in my healing and advocacy work. How can I live out this commitment daily to uplift every child as if they were my own?

 Communication Styles Matter: Cultural Misunderstandings in the Classroom
“It’s really a shame but she (that Black teacher upstairs) seems to be so authoritarian, so focused on skills and so teacher-directed. Those poor kids never seem to be allowed to really express their creativity (and she even yells at them).” — Lisa Delpit

This quote reflects a common and harmful misinterpretation rooted in cultural misunderstanding. Delpit explains that Black educators often use a more direct and explicit communication style, grounded in cultural norms where clear commands are a sign of care, structure, and high expectations. In contrast, white educators often use indirect, suggestive language, assuming this approach nurtures independence and creativity. Delpit writes, “White children tend to respond to indirect statements and Black children to direct ones.” This mismatch in language and expectation can cause Black teachers to be unfairly labeled as harsh, and Black students to be misunderstood or disciplined for noncompliance.

Personal reflection: As a Caribbean woman and nurse leader, I know that clarity in communication is not domination. It is all spoken out of protection, culture, intention, and love. Understanding how culture shapes expression is essential to equity in both education and healthcare. What must I unlearn to serve more fully, more justly?

Final Reflection:

Lisa Delpit’s work is the sounding truth that is needed in our classrooms today. Her words are a mirror and a roadmap that pave paths of healing, education, and justice to students all throughout the world.  We cannot transform systems we are unwilling to examine. Let us listen deeply, teach courageously, and lead with hearts wide open.

Do ALL lives truly 1matter? What about my BLACK life?

As I reflect on the events that have coined significance to the term “Black Lives Matter”, I grow frustrated at the fact that we even must make a reminder to honor and respect the lives and dignity of those that may be considered a “minority” or darker shade. This phrase would never hold such weight and depth, if there was not a massive cry and need for change in relation to the treatment that many minority groups have endured in both past and current history, especially those within the African American community. We have borne witness to senseless deaths and abuse within this culture at the hands of those who deem themselves “dominant” or “superior”. We have laid to rest many bright and promising souls that have suffered at the hands of injustice, including individuals such as George Floyd, Philando Castile, Breonna Taylor, Sean Bell, Trayvon Martin, and so many more. Men and women who are simply doing their best to live amongst the reality of a system that is not in their favor, succumbing to the grips of racism, prejudice, colorblindness, and privilege. Does every human life matter? This was never the question as all lives should be honored and appreciated, hence the confusion as there seems to be an issue when this is in reference to those within the minority classes. However, because of the persistent, senseless, and blatant disregard, desensitization, dishonoring, and mishandling of the lives of black/brown human beings, there must be an emphasis…an edict…a battle cry that chants the importance of BLACK LIVES, recognizing, remembering, revering, and revolutionizing them  amongst our nation and society. Although it may seem that including ALL lives may promote inclusion and entirety, it is actually a subtle and passive aggressive attempt to again diminish and belittle the grave experiences of inhumane bias that many minorities are experiencing on a day-to-day basis.

Reading the Vox article on “All Lives Matter” pierced me in a way that was both familiar and painful. It reminded me of how exhausting it is to constantly explain why my life, why Black lives, matter. It reminded me of how often truth is repackaged into something more palatable for the privileged to digest. “All Lives Matter” might sound compassionate on the surface. However,  in reality, this is a loud, unflinching refusal to confront the specific violence, trauma, and erasure that minorities endure. The article illustrated this best , noting that‘All Lives Matter’ in response to ‘Black Lives Matter’ is essentially a dismissal...a way of diminishing the specific grievances of Black people.

As a black, Caribbean-born  woman in America, I carry this disregard deep within my mind, body, and spirit. As a holistic nurse, I’ve seen this bias in healthcare settings, where my voice as a provider is questioned and where patients of color are consistently treated as afterthoughts. I’ve felt it in conversations where colleagues grow uncomfortable the moment  we acknowledge any form of racism, prejudice, or privilege. I’ve witnessed it in moments of collective tragedy or misfortune against African American individuals where, instead of lamenting, honoring, or signifying  the “black” death, the privilege and avoidant argue questions such as,  “But what about all lives?” Again, not one person has ever said that other lives do not matter. However, let’s think of it like this:  When a house is on fire, does the fire department water the entire neighborhood to subdue the fire that is ablaze or do that respond to the one house that is engulfed in flames? This metaphor is so simple, and yet so profound as it  reveals how the statement “All Lives Matter” can become a convenient escape hatch from accountability…a means to look away from the burning building as it combusts and crumbles to the ground.

The pain rooted in “Black Lives Matter” is historical, spiritual, and generational. It is tied to events of displacement, brutality, and silence. “All Lives Matter”  strips that pain of its specificity and significance, erasing the struggles and triumph that we as minorities have faced for years on end . It conveniently tries to make our present reality universal in a world that has never treated us equally. Vox explains that this phrase is used to “derail conversations about the disproportionate risks that Black Americans face.” This is not awareness…it is dangerous denial. Dangerous when used to justify why a Black man is senselessly shot during a traffic stop on his way home from work. Hazardous when we ignore the disparities in maternal mortality for Black women. Compromising when policy is shaped by the idea that “everyone” has the same access to safety, education, and opportunity when we don’t and never had!  

As a holistic nurse, I am trained to treat the whole person—body, mind, and soul. That means I cannot look at my Black, White, Asian, Hispanic, or Biracial patients and pretend that race doesn’t matter. I see how racism has ravaged their health, strained their mental wellness, and stolen their loved ones in more ways than one. When people say, “I don’t see color” or “All Lives Matter,” they are choosing ignorance over empathy. They are refusing to see what’s right in front of their eyes, and more importantly subscribing to be a part of the issue. The phrase “Black Lives Matter” is not divisive. It  is a declaration of existence and being. It is a cry for justice in a system that has too often met us with indifference and nonchalance. To respond to that with “All Lives Matter” is to ignore the wound, dismiss the bleeding, and silence the scream. As a woman, a healer, and an advocate, I refuse to stand silently by while that happens. Because if I do, I become part of the problem. And I was born to be the solution.

This is a poem/spoken word delivered by a 14-year-old young man named Royce Mann who spoke on the truths of privilege and the dangers of “All Lives Matter”. Listen to his piece, “All Lives Matter, But..” here : https://youtu.be/NzhBdqkO4BY?feature=shared.  There is also a link to the official “Black Lives Matter” website where you continue to learn more, raise awareness, and see ways that you can take action in being apart of something much greater than yourselves! Home - Black Lives Matter 

 

Are you blind to color? What do you see when you see me?

Reading Colorblindness is the New Racism by Armstrong and Wildman felt as though I am standing in front of a mirror that didn’t flatter me. This article is a pinnacle of hard truth that could be difficult for many to accept and digest. This truth is  raw and uncomfortable,  but necessary for the progression of our society. As I read each page, I could feel my foundation shift within me, hindering me from returning to business as usual. As a Caribbean, foreign-born, holistic nurse and woman of color, I embraced this article for ALL that it possessed. The author did not just speak volumes to my mind but allowed cries to be heard from the depths of my soul without even having to utter a word. Their work reminded me that neutrality and complacency in the face of injustice is an unvirtuous complicity dressed up in silence and acceptance. No matter how it is phrased or “justified” this silence and avoidance IS a part of such a massive problem.

In the text we learn, Colorblindness creates a false sense of sameness, a comfort for those in power, while erasing the identities and systemic struggles of marginalized people. The depth of this statement alone has the power to dismantle the current societal standards and realities within our world today. How can we not recognize the massive elephant in the room? Although we all may be humans attempting to succeed in this concept we call life, can we truly say or believe that we are all having the same experience in this world? If we are unable to acknowledge and address the differences amongst us that relate to race, class, sex, age, etc., we allow the issue to fester and infect many parts of our life’s experience. Although we are all humans, there are structural and societal pillars that are erected amongst us that contribute to the oppression, privilege, discrimination, and  hardship that many of us are bound to experiencing. How can we not see color? Even though you may personally choose to turn a blind eye, rest assured that the world around us definitely sees and categorizes us based on the color of our skin.

For a woman of color, who has fell victim to such marginalization, I MUST see color. The color of my skin IS me. It is a part of my history, character, and morale.  When someone says, “I don’t see color,” I hear “I don’t see you.” They don’t see the layers that make up my story…my history…my life’s experience. When you ignore or diminish one’s color, you miss the rich tapestry of our roots, accent, skin, scars, and victories. This attempt of avoiding conflict or making others uncomfortable with hard conversation is not unity or peace…it is erasure.

This article brought me right back to Allan Johnson’s Privilege, Power, and Difference, which left a lasting mark on my heart. Johnson says, “Privilege exists when one group has something of value that is denied to others simply because of the groups they belong to.” That “invisible backpack” of privilege isn’t just theoretical to me…it is our reality. It’s the reason I may have  to work twice as hard to be seen as qualified, or why I’ve walked into rooms where my presence was questioned before I even spoke a word, or even why some patients who may look like me often receive second-rated, subpar care that is if they are able to receive any substantial care at all.

I think back to a patient who walked into the clinic with a roofing nail lodged deep in his hand. The man was bleeding, in pain, and in need of immediate assistance. However, because of his low socioeconomic status, inability to communicate efficiently in English, along with him not being familiar with the medical process and system, he was turned away to fend for himself. The system did not see this man’s humanity. They were more concerned with his status and means of payment and access. I could remember standing there fighting with administrative staff and doctors, even offering to assess and cleanse his wound or pay for his visit myself just to see rest and relief come to this very desperate and anxious man. All my attempts to treat him like the human being he was were all deemed as “inappropriate” and “unnecessary” as there were “plenty” of facilities that could be of help for “someone in his situation”. I watched that man leave in tears, still confused about what to do and where he would be able to go and feel accepted and cared for.

This moment haunts me to this day. I wasn’t allowed to help, even though everything in me knew that I could. This wasn’t just policy, it was privilege doing its dirty work. Why must we even go through all these steps and hoops just to be able to receive the care that we openly deserve? How does this system account for people like this patient, myself, or many others who may not be as fortunate, learned, or privileged?  I often sit and ponder on whether things would be different if that patient presented looking and speaking in a different way. Would they have found a means to even offer him a normal saline wash or clean gauze to walk outside with even if we were unable to officially treat him?  Just like Johnson says, “People make systems happen through their choices and behaviors, but they are also shaped by those systems.” This colorblind system didn’t just fail this man, it broke him. As a witness and victim to it myself, it also broke me.

“Colorblindness supports institutional racism by refusing to name or address it.” The power within this one sentence hit me like a tidal wave. If people are uncomfortable to even utter the work “racism”, how do we ever expect to combat it? It is the most delusional sense of denial, a delay tactic, that elongates the chance of justice each time we engage in it. Armstrong and Wildman are sure to emphasize that colorblindness is not an act of maturity or kindness. We cannot ignore a blazing fire that was meant to destroy everything within its path, making all that is left useless and unrecognizable. Colorblindness is a barrier and means to shut down conversations before they even begin. It allows people, especially those in dominant racial groups, to remain comfortable, disconnected, and untouched by the realities people of color endure every day. It gives people a pass to allow the constructs of our depraved society to continue to build amongst the generations. It counteracts the healing  presence, accountability, and advocacy that is needed for a better tomorrow for ALL.

I want to share a resource that reinforces this truth from a clinical and psychological lens. The American Psychological Association’s article on the dangers of racial colorblindness affirms that ignoring race doesn’t promote equality but  perpetuates harm. It increases bias, lowers empathy, and discourages accountability. This will never be harmony, but avoidance dressed as virtue. I was also able to come across a TED Talk, delivered by Anthony Peterson, an African American man, who speaks on the disparities of race and color as derived from conversations and experiences with his Caucasian grandchildren. You can learn more from his video on Youtube recalling all these truths: https://youtu.be/u5GCetbP7Fg?feature=shared. Additionally, Vox produced a short Youtube video that debunks all the myths of racism and challenges the idea of colorblindness within  today’s society. This can be found here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VnfKgffCZ7U

As I read this article, I found myself tearing up, feeling passionately motivated and driven. There is so much more to this life than just being and existing. We are called to make a difference, leave a stamp, and be a catalyst for change for all those we encounter. This is not just a concept of ideas and theories. These are lives at stake! This greater than just me!  It’s about my patients, family, ancestors, and future generations that deserve a life of freedom and equality.  This is for my younger self, little Schae, growing up in Brooklyn who didn’t know how to speak up when the world told her she was too foreign…too brown… too “different.” As a healer and advocate, I refuse to remain silent and turn a blind eye to what our nation is crying out for, a society that sees, hears, considers, and understands ALL people from ALL walks of life.

As a nurse, a woman of faith, and an advocate for holistic healing, I know that healing starts with truth and awareness. This article, although uncomfortable for some, was a sacred truth that needed to be told. It reminded me that healing, authentic healing, requires us to feel the pain, speak the truth, and break the silence. One may ask where do we go from here? Well,  open YOUR eyes. SEE the colors all around you. Honor and respect everyone’s identity and humanity. Make space for the voices that have been silenced, stories that have been overlooked, and pain that has been subdued. Commit not just in word, but in ACTION. SPEAK UP and SAY SOMETHING! GET UP and DO SOMETHING! This effort is not one driven by guilt, but a call for growth and prosperity. As Johnson so bravely reminded us, “Justice begins where privilege is challenged.” Let’s break the chains of privilege and colorblindness shaking the foundation with a battle that will never be forgotten.

 

 

If You Stand for Nothing...You Will Fall for Everything..

 

This reading evoked such thought and passion within me as I peeled back the truth of oppression, privilege and bias that rest within our society. To recognize, understand, and acknowledge this is one aspect of the fight. However, what are we doing to hold ourselves and those around us accountable to be catalysts for change for generations to come. In this season of my life, where healing, justice, advocacy, and transformation are the driving force behind much of what I do, I found Privilege, Power, and Difference by Allan Johnson to be deeply affirming and sharply eye-opening. As a foreign ,minority  woman, and holistic nurse leader, I bared witness to how systems are established in ways that uplift certain populations, while others are neglected and left behind.  Allen Johnson did not shy away from this sounding truth, and neither should we.

This excerpt reminded me that silence and standing aside is not neutrality….its active participation. You make a choice to either make a stand or watch things crumble and fall. Some may believe that silence, avoiding confrontations/conflicts, or remaining neutral keeps peace and allows the issues to dissipate. Unfortunately, this is not the case. In any event, this approach tends to delay the chances of reaching a true resolution. In a world so deeply divided by race, gender, class, and more, I am not only called to speak up, but to also take action on issues that divide and destroy us as humans. I am reminded that advocacy must start with awareness, and that awareness must lead to accountability. This accountability should ignite the fire within each and every one of us to set ablaze a revolution to tear down the barriers of privilege and discrimination.

Main Argument (Thesis)
This author, Allan Johnson, argues that systems of privilege and oppression are maintained not just by overt discrimination, but by the everyday choices, silence, and inaction of individuals, especially those in dominant, “superior” groups. Many within these groups are must recognize their role and position within society, in order to take responsibility for meaningful and lasting change.

Three Talking Points That Moved Me

1. Privilege Is Real, Even When It's Seems Invisible
“Privilege exists when one group has something of value that is denied to others simply because of the groups they belong to, rather than because of anything they’ve done or failed to do.” — Allan Johnson

As someone who has had to fight for every inch of space I occupy in this life, I know how heavy the weight of systemic inequity can be. As a foreigner, I have always felt ostracized, isolated, and inferior, in a constant fight to prove that I belong and am capable even if I may not have American blood running through my veins. I have been denied opportunities and positions just because I did not have the patriotic status that those who were much less qualified than I was. The fight to try to “fit in” and “belong” just to be able to walk the streets of this country with respect, dignity, and peace was one that I would never forget. This quote felt like a mirror to what I’ve seen growing up in Brooklyn, attending schools, working in hospitals, and just viewing what occurs in the world at large. It is unfair that privilege, opportunity, success, and prosperity, is not always earned, but is just present and available for some, just based off who they are, what they look like, where they live, or who they know. This is a standard that needs an immense and aggressive challenge and reformation.

Question to sit with: How can we use our privilege,  in whatever form it takes, to make room for someone else?

2. Silence Is the Loudest Accomplice: “Guilty by association”
“We are always participating in something larger than ourselves.” — Allan Johnson

This quote hit home for me. It made me pause and ask myself: when have I been silent or complacent? When have I chosen comfort over confrontation? When did I allow fear to overcome me to the point where I neglected what I knew was right to do or say? Too often, we think we’re doing enough by simply “not being the problem”. However, Johnson makes it plain that SILENCE is part of the issue!

Personal reflection: As a nurse, a Caribbean woman, and a spiritual being, I know that my voice is powerful. And when I use it to challenge injustice, I am answering the call of my life.

3. It’s Bigger Than Me…It’s the System
“People make systems happen through their choices and behaviors, but they are also shaped by those systems.” — Allan Johnson

This reminds me of what I see in healthcare every day. The faulted system that we work in isn’t designed for equity. To believe this is to walk this earth being unaware and naïve. Even within the medical system, privilege is erected and present, built to serve some, and to exclude others. You will see this occur once you learn of a patient’s insurance status. God forbid a patient who is in desperate need comes to the urgent care with no insurance or means of paying for their care. Regardless of if this person is on their last breath, prior to even getting this person’s care established, the first thing that is asked of the patient is, “Do you have insurance?/ What type of insurance do you have?” I have watched patients come into the walk-in, with their hand impaled by a steel nail from a roofing job and was turned away because he had no insurance or means of payment. The amount of pain and risk that was inflicted on this patient broke my heart and angered me as I was forbidden to even offer to clean his wound prior to leaving our facility. We forget about the humanity of this patient because of his lack or socioeconomic status. WE MUST BE THE CHANGE WE WISH TO SEE! WE HAVE TO DISMANTLE THE SYSTEM! Johnson challenges us not just to do “the work” internally, but to recognize how we participate in upholding systems that harm us.

Personal reflection:  Whether it’s in emergency, psychiatric , primary, or school care, I’ve witnessed how policies and structures fail our most vulnerable. We need to unlearn and rebuild the detrimental systems that we live and work in.

Final Thoughts:
This excerpt isn’t a comfortable read at all. However, is growth or change ever really comfortable? Johnson’s Privilege, Power, and Difference motivated me to dig deeper, to recognize where I stand, and to re-commit to standing for those who have been pushed aside and forgotten. As I step further into my role as a healer, leader, and advocate, I carry this lesson with me: privilege doesn’t disappear when ignored…justice begins when it’s challenged.

Welcome to the World of Schae

 My name is Schae Karla Lewis BSN, RN. I was born on April 13th, 1993. I am of Vincentian decent, bred from the beautiful island of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. I was raised in the trenches of Brooklyn, NY. I am the 4th of 6 children, one being my identical twin sister. Being a twin to such a beautiful soul has been the pinnacle of my entire existence. Without my twin, Sashi, I have no clue what this life would look like. To my very best friend, my heart and soul, I love you dearly. 

Along with being a twin, I am also a proud and devote believer in Jesus Christ. I came to the faith very young, at the age of 9. My twin and I had recently relocated to the town of Canarsie, Brooklyn, finding a large group of youth at a local church near our new home. Not only did we find long lasting friendships that we still engage in and cherish to this day, but we found the greatest hope, love, peace, and joy in the arms of Christ our Lord. 

In this life, I have been called to be a healer and advocate. I have been a nurse for the past 8 years, gaining my Bachelor's of Science from the College of Mount Saint Vincent in May 2015.  I became licensed in 2017 (trust there was a fight to get there but we made it!) and was propelled into the world of emergency care and triage. I am currently in school at UCONN working on my graduate degree in Holistic Nursing and Leadership. I hope to one day be a Holistic Nurse DNP, certified in Midwifery, Leadership, and Patient Advocacy, in the hope of providing a means of care for all those in need that breaks the boundaries of what the conventional healthcare system stands for today. For years, I worked as the main source of assistance at urgent, primary, ambulatory, surgical, and emergency care departments. In 2020, I was moved to the sector of mental/behavioral health, imparting gems into the lives of some of the most precious populations of Rhode Island as the lead nurse at a children's group home, formerly known as Saint Mary's Home for Children.  I spent 4 years there until its closure in 2024. While working at the group home, my passion for child care was undeniable, leading into the arms of Southside Elementary Charter School/Community Preparatory School. This has been such an amazing, fulfilling, and life-changing experience working as school nurse.