Page 24 - Reflections on the Danger of a Single Story

Stephina Fisher cont...
I began consciously identifying as a white woman after attending workshops where I learned about intersectionality and identity. In safe spaces, I learned about how I was projecting a false narrative onto students, especially in how I had ZERO clue about their lived experiences.
Through this process of learning about my own racial identity in the US context has led me to undergo an ongoing process to undo the single story that I was raised to believe. I appreciate Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie expressing the feeling of shame, because this process over the course of years, has certainly brought a feeling of, “Dang, I can’t believe I fell for the single story about myself which led me to false beliefs about everyone else.”
And yet, in a society built in ideas of white supremacy -- shout out to John Locke! -- it makes sense that white people are educated in this way. White educators, including myself, must continuously learn how to undo this single story internally AND throughout the professional environment and the content curricula. This work is imperative if white educators intend to establish equitable learning experiences for all students.
To be continued!
STEPHINA FISHER