My Kawaida Cultural-Infusion-for- Educators Workshop Notes-Part 1
Because our ministry is primarily informed by the Historic Black Freedom Church tradition on the one hand and on the other by Kawaida Cultural Nationalist Philosophy for racial and social justice, we were strongly moved by the Holy Spirit to attend this important pre- NGUZO SABA 2015, day-long Roundtable Discussion held on Thursday, 24 September 2015 in the Executive Board Room of Sheraton Gateway Hotel, LA.
Synonymously named "African-Centered Teachers' Workshop and Seminar" as well as a "Seminar on African-Centered Culturally Grounded Pedagogy" the Seminar/Workshop was structured as follows: Dr. Maulana Karenga, Professor and Chair, Department of Africana Studies , CSULB; Executive Director, African American Cultural Center (Us), served as the Seminar's "Principal Instructor."
More, the Seminar's three "Associate Instructors" were as follows: Dr. Freya Rivers, Superintendent, Sankofa Shule; Director, the Genius Academy; Former Principal, Lansing School District. More still, Dr. Miranda Ra'oof, Principal of Pio Pico Middle School, LA and Ms. Assata Moore, Director, Woodlawn Campus Charter School, University of Chicago, also served the Seminar as Associate Instructors.
Below are this writer's raw Kawaida cultural infusion notes. In retrospect they form the basis of a forthcoming clarifying interview with Dr. Karenga. The correct ideas are Dr. Karenga's. The mistakes are ours.
If I understood correctly, the starting point for culturally grounded Afrocentricity education is to understand it as primarily a moral project. It is about learning to become a geru maa-a truly self-disciplined hearing, good, and learned person. This said culturally grounded education is essentially about learning to live a good life as opposed to learning how to make or earn a good living.
Culturally grounded Afrocentricity education then, involves education in the following four (4) basic areas.
First, Black education should be focused on the challenge of knowing the world. After all Black Studies is aimed at fostering critical thinking about the world in which Black people live. Said awareness begins not with an inward glance (the proverbial abstract ancient Greek "Know They self") but with an outward focus e.g. "to be other directed." It is to ask with Garvey "Who am I here?" It is to ask, says Dr. Karenga, "Who am I in this place?"
Second, culturally grounded education is about knowledge of ourselves in the world. Said knowledge "lays the basis for rightful association." The point here is that of learning to strive toward a "cosmic conception of ourselves as humans in the universe-beings of the world." Said view undergirds a much needed educational thrust towards a "species modesty."
Third, culturally grounded education is aimed toward engaging the world-divine, natural, and social (the human community). It involves knowledge of how we should assert ourselves as moral agents in the world. Here it is about choosing a vocation in and for the world both as a Black collectivity and as a Black personality.
Fourth, Black culturally grounded education is knowledge of how to direct our lives toward good and expansive ends.
An interesting thought: although one should not be paranoid (harbor delusions of Black community persecution) it is perhaps worthy of noting that Black community life is surrounded by threats to its existence. More, though Garvey may have overstated it, it is also worthy of noting half of other directed learning or education is that of knowing one's enemies, observed Dr. Karenga.
Below are this writer's raw Kawaida cultural infusion notes. In retrospect they form the basis of a forthcoming clarifying interview with Dr. Karenga. The correct ideas are Dr. Karenga's. The mistakes are ours.
If I understood correctly, the starting point for culturally grounded Afrocentricity education is to understand it as primarily a moral project. It is about learning to become a geru maa-a truly self-disciplined hearing, good, and learned person. This said culturally grounded education is essentially about learning to live a good life as opposed to learning how to make or earn a good living.
Culturally grounded Afrocentricity education then, involves education in the following four (4) basic areas.
First, Black education should be focused on the challenge of knowing the world. After all Black Studies is aimed at fostering critical thinking about the world in which Black people live. Said awareness begins not with an inward glance (the proverbial abstract ancient Greek "Know They self") but with an outward focus e.g. "to be other directed." It is to ask with Garvey "Who am I here?" It is to ask, says Dr. Karenga, "Who am I in this place?"
Second, culturally grounded education is about knowledge of ourselves in the world. Said knowledge "lays the basis for rightful association." The point here is that of learning to strive toward a "cosmic conception of ourselves as humans in the universe-beings of the world." Said view undergirds a much needed educational thrust towards a "species modesty."
Third, culturally grounded education is aimed toward engaging the world-divine, natural, and social (the human community). It involves knowledge of how we should assert ourselves as moral agents in the world. Here it is about choosing a vocation in and for the world both as a Black collectivity and as a Black personality.
Fourth, Black culturally grounded education is knowledge of how to direct our lives toward good and expansive ends.
An interesting thought: although one should not be paranoid (harbor delusions of Black community persecution) it is perhaps worthy of noting that Black community life is surrounded by threats to its existence. More, though Garvey may have overstated it, it is also worthy of noting half of other directed learning or education is that of knowing one's enemies, observed Dr. Karenga.
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