​A Better Place MOTAL Aspires to Inspire Change

MOTAL Aspires to Inspire Change
The original meaning of museum comes from ancient Greek, “a place of contemplation.” Today we invite you, our readers, to think about how these sad and chaotic times can inspire us all to be better than we were; to do better. Perhaps keep promises once made, but forgotten in the busy-ness of daily life in this nation long haunted by racism.


Many beautiful statements have been published by leaders from a wide variety of realms, but today we offer no lofty words. Instead, here are a few simple ideas for you to contemplate. Food for thought, if you will. These suggestions relate to learning about being Black in the United States and how to expand in empathy for people who have been treated unjustly, often cruelly.

LISTEN
Oh, how important it is--whether in a marriage, a classroom, or a city--to listen and be able to repeat what has been said--without arguing back or jumping in to do the talking. Even when it is uncomfortable. Even when you find it hard to feel empathy. We know that students are supposed to listen, but teachers don’t always model that behavior. Nor do parents.


And what about spouses? When there is conflict, real empathy, according to Dr. John Gottman, involves “I understand how upset you are. It really hurts me that I’m messing up this way, and I’ve got to take some action.” It is our stance that advice for individuals can be expanded to groups and institutions.

READ
Wonderful books and articles related to social justice and understanding the experiences of people of color are available throughout today’s digital and print media. This organization endorses the publication called Teaching Tolerance that goes out to educators across the nation and we invite you to explore the work of its parent organization, the Southern Poverty Law Center. They use donations to fight hate and bigotry. Their publications present current data related to the horrific hate crimes perpetuated in our nation.


We also recommend reviewing classic works of Black literature. If you have never read Mildred Taylor’s book Roll of Thunder, Hear My Cry, do join the many thousands of upper-grade students in our nation who have walked in the shoes of the young characters. Maya Angelou has written many works; we suggest I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings. It is a nonfiction autobiography. And just one more suggestion: The Autobiography of Malcolm X written by Malcolm X and Alex Haley. A search for “Black Literature Classics” will help you find many, many more.


In addition, here are three current recommendations from Dyan Venters, our emerita board member who now lives in Minneapolis. You will want to explore Carol Anderson’s White Rage and One Person, No Vote and How to Be an Anti-Racist by Ibram X. Kendi.

HOW TO HELP
Many of our supporters are able to reach out with their time and money to assist others in need. Several trustworthy sites can be found by searching “How to Help Black Lives Matter.”
Another thought for those in Orange County, the physical home of The Museum of Teaching and Learning, is to support businesses that are run by black individuals. Thanks to our intern, Caitlin Spencer, we can provide the following link:
Black-Owned Businesses in OC
However, if you reside in another part of the country, there are listings available—just search for “Black-owned businesses.”
This is the end of today’s message. As promised, we’ve kept it rather simple. Sometimes that is the best way to communicate.


And, as always, we encourage you to write back with YOUR thoughts.


Sincerely,
Greta Nagel
PhD in Multicultural Education