Read on Twitter
During my summer break I’ve been reading to learn more abt history, politics, activism, BLM and education, & I thought maybe the #TAPUW community might appreciate some recommendations — here’s a thread of books + my thoughts (I’ll add as I continue reading through summer):
1. “Nobody” by @marclamonthill — This book discusses what it means to be “Nobody” in this country +the vulnerability that comes w that label. 1 of the most educational, insightful, &critical books I’ve ever read. It’s the first book I suggest when someone asks me abt what to read
1 (cont). Hill discusses several police brut. cases, starting w the murder of Michael Brown in 2014 &the protests in Ferguson after. Discusses our legal &”justice” (justice for whom, exactly?) system & how prosecutors wield a scary amt of power + the prison industrial complex
1 (cont.) There is a v interesting section abt the privatization of our gov, resulting in prioritization of corporate profits & efficiency over public good/safety/wellbeing. Hill explains the water crisis in Flint (I’ve heard abt it but never understood how it was caused).
1 (conclusion) Really recommend reading this book if, like me, you have questions abt everything going on &Why. Hill does a great synthesis &analysis of current events &tying them to the “bigger picture” (our gov, politics, institutions) to show how the whole system has to change
1 (Add’l) “13th” by @ava on Netflix talks more abt ideas from “Nobody” + the prison industrial complex/mass incarceration as a form of legal slavery under the 13th amend. Definitely recommend watching!
It’s also avail on YouTube(!!):
It’s also avail on YouTube(!!):
2. “So You Want to Talk About Race” by @IjeomaOluo. An engaging, &helpful guidebook abt how to discuss issues such as affirmative action, checking privilege & intersectionality. Infused w Oluo’s funny & heartbreaking personal stories
2 (cont) I remember in our last classes in spring when ppl asked how to address racist comments. A tip I thought was helpful from Oluo: point out the problematic comment but then go further & explain how it perpetuates systemic racism (tie to “bigger picture”)
3. “Bad Feminist” by @rgay
I finished it in 2 days (would’ve been 1 if I didn’t exercise self-restraint)! This book is a collection of essays organized into sections such as gender& sexuality, race &entertainment, politics/gender& race, + two sections abt her own experiences.
I finished it in 2 days (would’ve been 1 if I didn’t exercise self-restraint)! This book is a collection of essays organized into sections such as gender& sexuality, race &entertainment, politics/gender& race, + two sections abt her own experiences.
3 (cont) One of my fave essays was “Typical First Year Professor”, mainly because it is a funny, intimate, and honest account of Gay’s experience as a professor — it made me think a lot about TAPUW and what I myself might go through as a teacher in the future.
3 (cont) I really enjoyed essays analyzing portrayals of race in media (such a fascinating topic!), esp popular movies such as movies like “The Help” (now trending on Netflix)& “Django”, both of which I’ve viewed but never as critically as Gay &I appreciate her insight + critique
3(cont) I learned abt the “Politics of Respectability”, a term also in “Nobody” (#1 on this thread). I never knew there was an actual term for something that I, &many around me (esp in academia) experience; unspoken rules set by dominant group that must be obeyed to be respected
3 (conclusion) I thoroughly enjoyed Gay’s open, vulnerable, &thoughtful writing on these topics. Her profound conclusion that she’d rather be a “bad feminist” instead of not a feminist at all is crucial for me as a young woman trying to figure out what I stand for.
