A young Black woman documents the systemic racism in her high school diary and calls for justice and educational reform. The prevalence of anti-Black racism and its many faces, from racial profiling to police brutality, in North America is indisputable. How do we stop racist ideas and violence if the very foundation of our society is built upon white supremacy? How do we end systemic racism if the majority do not experience it or question its existence? Do our schools instill children with the ideals of equality and tolerance, or do they reinforce differences and teach children of colour that they don't belong? # BlackInSchool is Habiba Cooper Diallo's high school journal, in which she documents, processes, and resists the systemic racism, microaggressions, stereotypes, and outright racism she experienced while being Black in school in Canada. Powerful and eye-opening, Cooper Diallo illustrates how our schools reinforce rather than erode racism: the handcuffing and frisking of students of colour by police at school; one-dimensional, tokenistic curricula portraying Black people; and the constant barrage of overt racism from students and staff alike. She shows how systemic racism works, how it alienates and seeks to destroys a child's sense of self. She shows how our institutions work to erase the lived experiences of Black youth and try to erase Black youth themselves. Cooper Diallo's words will resonate with some, but should shock, appall, and animate a great many more into action towards a society that is truly equitable for all.
Habiba Cooper Diallo was a finalist in the 2020 Bristol Short Story Prize, the 2019 Writers' Union of Canada Short Prose Competition, and the 2018 London Book Fair Pitch Competition. Habiba lives in Halifax, Nova Scotia, and is an advocate and activist in support of women's maternal health.
CONTENTS Foreword: Narrating the Black Body in High Schools: Put Your Ears to the Ground and Listen! by Dr. Awad Ibrahim Acknowledgements Introduction PART I #BlackInSchool #HighSchoolAndTheBlackBody #ToBeABlackStudent That English class was f*cked!" The Worst Countries to Live In Are Uganda, Sudan, and Congo... #OnRacismAgain PART II Pon di Dancehall #EquatorPeople Bouna Traore and Zyed Benna: #MortsPourRien "Light people cannot survive in Africa" #BiologyClass #BiologyClassAgain #Guidance "I said it is my business deh" On Posters in School A Walk for Water #CognitiveDissonance On School Spirit Days #ElevatorUseAgain Just Another Reflection About School The Grad House Incident Appreciate the Unfortunate Black Students: An Economy Overlooked "Tu viens d'ou?" Epistemic Violence Through Selected Texts for English Courses Obstetric Fistula: A Black Woman's Burden? On Remembrance Day Assemblies #MyEmailToTheMinister PART III On Wearing the Kente Sash My ib Graduation and the Black Burden On the Edge: A Black Girl's Pursuit of Quality Hair Care "I don't think there will be anything for us" On the "Fist Pump" On the Name Game Graduation deh! #BeingAWarrior The Academic Elite Social Entrepreneurship and Black Youth #Legacies #MikeBrown #Ferguson #Halifax CONCLUSION I Am Done deh!
"A critical perspective on anti-black racism in the education system from the people we need to hear from most on this matter -- Black students." -- Jael Richardson "Vivid, candid, and courageous. A must-read for all educators." -- Dolana Mogadime, Brock University "A powerful, 'must read' accounting of the lived experiences of Blacknesses and anti-Black racism in schools It is a call for action from the forces of power to address the cancer of racism and anti-racist violence meted on Black bodies and the African humanity." -- George J Sefa Dei, Director, Centre for Integrative Anti-Racism Studies, University of Toronto
