4 Ways to Have Healthy Conversations About Race | Afrika Afeni Mills | TED

譯者: Lilian Chiu 審譯者: Helen Chang

My name is Afrika Afeni.

我是艾芙莉卡‧艾菲妮。

Afrika, spelled with a K, and Afeni, after Afeni Shakur,

卡的拼音是用 K，

艾菲妮是來自艾菲妮‧夏庫爾，

a member of the Black Panther Party and mother of Tupac Shakur.

她是黑豹黨的成員，

也是圖帕克‧夏庫爾的母親。

As you might imagine, I grew up talking about race with my family.

各位可以想像，我從小 就和家人談論種族。

My father built bookshelves

我父親在我們布魯克林的 公寓客廳裡放了書架，

in the living room of our Brooklyn apartment,

and my parents filled those shelves with the books of Black authors

我父母在書架上放滿了 黑人作家寫的書，

whose words we were unfortunately unlikely to encounter outside of our home.

很不幸，很少能在我們家以外的 地方聽到這些作家的言論。

I have Alex Haley's autograph.

我有艾力克斯‧海利的簽名。

Alex Haley, writer of "Roots,"

艾力克斯‧海利是《根源》的作者，

and transcriber of "The Autobiography of Malcolm X."

負責《麥爾坎‧X 自傳》的抄寫。

As you can see in the picture,

從照片上可以看到，

Alex Haley referred to me as his “little sister.”

艾力克斯‧海利 稱我為他的「小妹妹」。

Talking and reading with my family about race was commonplace,

和我的家人討論和一起閱讀 關於種族的議題是家常便飯，

and many of the children in my community

我的社區裡的許多孩子

and students in my schools look just like me.

及我的學校裡的學生 外表都像我一樣。

Even though my parents taught me as much as they could about race,

雖然我的父母盡可能 教我關於種族的事，

I had not experienced having these conversations

我卻沒有和跟我不同種族的人 進行這類談話的經驗。

with people who were racially different from me.

When I went away to a predominantly white college,

當我去讀一所白人為主的大學時，

I was not prepared for the emotions that I experienced

對於這類談話帶給我的情緒， 我完全沒有準備。

when having these conversations.

For example, when another student asked,

比如，另一位學生問：

"Why do you need a Black History Month

「為什麼需要有黑人歷史月？

and why isn't there a White History Month,"

為什麼沒有白人歷史月？」

I found myself feeling very frustrated.

我非常有挫折感。

Learning to have conversations with people about race

學習和不同種族的人談論種族議題

across racial difference

has been a part of my own deepening learning journey.

一直是我個人 深入學習旅程的一部分。

Though it can be hard, let me encourage you.

雖然可能不容易，但讓我鼓勵大家。

Having conversations about race is just another hard thing we can learn to do.

談論種族雖然很困難， 但我們能夠學會。

I know this because I'm an educator.

我會知道是因為我是教育工作者。

I have been for over 20 years.

我有至少二十年的經驗。

I have supported teachers and students around the country

我支援全國各地的老師和學生

to teach and learn in ways that honor the dignity and worth of all people.

用能夠尊重所有人尊嚴 和價值的方式來教學和學習。

In this work, it is clear that having conversations about race,

在這份工作中，很顯然談論種族，

particularly with our students,

特別是和我們的學生談論， 並不是在享受，而是必要的。

is not a luxury but a necessity.

And there's no better place to begin having these conversations

要談論這些議題，最好的 起始點就是和我們的學生談。

than with our students.

It's not that adults can't learn to have healthy conversations about race,

並不是說成人無法 用健康的方式談論種族，

but the minds of children are more malleable.

而是孩子的心智更有可塑性。

This is why it's easier to learn to do challenging things

這就是為什麼若要比較容易 學會做有挑戰性的事，如：

like play an instrument, ride a bike, play a sport

演奏樂器、騎腳踏車、 參與體育運動，

or to become fluent in a new language when we're young.

或把新語言說到流利， 最好是在年輕的時期。

If we teach children to be comfortable talking about race from the beginning,

如果我們打從一開始就教導 孩子很舒適自在地談論種族，

they will likely have fewer falls and missteps, less baggage,

他們可能會遇到的失敗 和錯誤會比較少，

比較沒有包袱，需改掉的習慣較少，

less to unlearn, and biased ideas will be less likely to take hold.

有偏見的觀念也比較不會根深蒂固。

We can then imagine a future where we can have productive dialogue

那麼我們可以想見在未來，

我們就能跨越我們的差異， 展開有生產力的談話和討論。

and discussions across our differences.

Today, I'm going to share with you four steps you can take

今天我要分享四個步驟， 幫助大家去做有挑戰性的事，

to do challenging things,

特別是談論種族相關議題。

particularly having conversations about race:

identify your challenge;

辨識出挑戰是什麼；

find your support network; prepare; and begin.

找出支持網；

準備；

然後開始做。

In my work with educators around the country,

我的工作會和全國各地的 教育工作者合作，

when we explore what's challenging

當我們去探究和學生談 種族議題時會遇到什麼挑戰，

about having conversations with students about race,

they often say things like,

他們通常會這樣說：

"I don't have the resources to have these conversations."

「我沒有資源可以進行這類談話。」

In fact, in EdWeek Research Center's 2020 special report,

事實上，根據艾德維克 研究中心的 2020 年特別報告

"Big Ideas for Confronting Racism in Education,"

《在教育中應對 種族主義的重要想法》，

though 81 percent of the more than 800 educators surveyed

參與調查的八百多位 教育工作者中雖然有 81%

identified as anti-racist educators,

自認為是反種族主義的教育工作者，

only 14 percent of them said that they had both the training and the resources

但卻只有 14% 說

自己有受過訓練且有資源，

to have these conversations with students.

能和學生討論這類議題。

Though this statistic holds true,

雖然這個統計數字是真的，

there are several organizations that provide free instructional resources

但有數個組織提供免費的教學資源，

that support lessons and dialogue with students about race.

協助教授與種族相關的課程 及與學生進行相關談話。

So access to instructional resources isn't the true challenge.

所以取得教學資源 並不是真正的挑戰。

If we're honest with ourselves,

如果我們不要欺騙自己，

it's easier to identify external factors as challenges

事實是，比較容易的做法 是將外部因子視為挑戰，

than it is for us to accept responsibility

難的是我們自己扛起責任，

to influence what is within our locus of control.

在我們能控制的範圍內 去發揮影響力。

When I go deeper with educators,

當我與教育工作者 談得更深時，他們分享說，

they share that the underlying challenge is actually fear.

藏在背後的挑戰其實是恐懼。

They're afraid of saying the wrong thing

他們怕說錯話，

or doing harm when talking with students about race.

或在和學生談論種族時造成傷害。

This is understandable, especially considering the history

這是可以理解的，

特別是考量到歷史 以及目前在這個國家

and current manifestations

of substantial racial harm in this country.

可以看到的大量種族傷害。

But when we identify the true challenge,

但當我們能承認真正的挑戰

not the school or the lack of resources, but fear,

不是學校或缺乏資源，而是恐懼，

is an essential first step.

就是踏出了重要的第一步。

Once we can name what's at the heart of our challenge,

一旦我們能說出挑戰的核心是什麼，

we can begin to overcome it with the next step:

就可以開始用下一個步驟來克服它：

finding our support network.

找到支持網。

Too often attempts to begin having conversations

通常，試圖開始和學生談論 種族議題之所以會失敗，

with students about race fail

because the fear of making mistakes takes over.

是因為害怕犯錯的恐懼 接管了主導權。

When we try to do this work on our own and we face a challenge,

當我們試著靠自己去進行 這類談話，接著碰上了挑戰，

say, for example, a student says something

比如，學生說了某句話

or asks a question that we're not prepared to address or answer,

或問了某個問題，而我們 尚未準備好處理或應答，

in our minds, we can say things like, "Oh, this is uncomfortable.

我們在腦海中可能會說：

「喔，這好不舒服。

I don't like being uncomfortable.

我不喜歡不舒服的感覺。

I don't think I want to do this anymore."

我不想繼續做下去了。」

It's important for us to be surrounded by a community of people

很重要的是，我們身邊要有一群人，

who are committed to doing this work.

一群承諾投入去做這項工作的人。

我的同事珍娜‧錢德勒—沃德

My colleague Jenna Chandler-Ward,

a white woman and cofounder of “Teaching While White,”

是白種女性，「以白人 身分教學」的共同創辦人；

facilitates racial accountability spaces.

她就在推動種族責任的空間。

She regularly hears from white teachers and students

她常常聽到白人老師和學生說他們

that they are afraid to say the wrong thing.

害怕說錯話。

She shares with them that she herself has remained silent

她和他們分享，她自己曾經保持沉默

to avoid conflict and for fear of making things worse.

以避免衝突，也是害怕 會讓狀況更糟糕。

珍娜說，如果我們不刻意去尋找

Jenna says if we are not intentionally seeking people

to hold up a mirror and hold us accountable,

拿著鏡子反映我們 並要求我們負責的人，

we'll end up surrounding ourselves with people who affirm our beliefs

那最後我們身邊只會留下 贊同我們信念的人，

instead of challenging us to see something more.

而沒有能挑戰我們去看到更多的人。

The more perspectives we have, the broader our understanding will be,

我們有越多觀點， 我們的理解也就會更廣闊，

especially from people who are at different points

尤其是這些觀點最好能來自各種 不同種族身分發展階段的人。

of racial identity development.

If we are part of a group of people who are doing this work together,

如果我們和一群人一起做，

we have a place to take that discomfort and work through it.

就能把這種不舒服感帶去那裡處理。

It will help us to remember that we're not alone

它能協助我們記住我們並不孤單，

and help us to feel less isolated.

也讓我們不再覺得那麼孤立。

Once we find our support network,

一旦找到了支援網，

we can prepare to have conversations with students about race.

就能開始準備和學生談論種族了。

When the student I mentioned earlier asked me

我剛才提到有位學生問我為什麼 有黑人歷史月卻沒有白人的，

why there was a Black History Month and not a White History Month,

I experienced a whole range of emotions:

我在當下感受到各種情緒：

confusion, hurt, anger.

困惑、受傷、憤怒。

Similarly, just as I experienced a range of emotions,

同樣的，就如同我會 感受到各種情緒，

so will your students and so will you.

你的學生也會，你也會。

Expect it so you can be prepared.

先有這樣的預期，你才能做好準備。

For this work to be sustainable,

要讓這項工作能永續，

it is important that we prepare to navigate these conversations

很重要的是，我們要做好準備

在我們的學習群體中引導這些談話，

in our learning communities.

我們最好能刻意去設想

We will want to intentionally envision

how these conversations will look and feel.

這類談話看起來、 感覺起來是什麼樣子的。

What emotions might the discussions bring up for our students?

這類討論可能會引發 我們學生的哪些情緒？

What agreements might we need to have in place

我們需要先有哪些共識，

before we have these discussions?

再來進行這類討論？

How will you respond to questions, comments and resistance?

你會如何回應問題、意見，和反抗？

How will you repair any harm that may be done?

你要如何修復任何可能造成的傷害？

You'll want to feel comfortable responding in the moment

若討論和你所希望的 不同，你會希望你能

instead of reacting

if the discussion doesn't go the way you hoped.

舒適地回應，而不是反擊。

Once you prepare, you'll be ready to begin.

一旦你做好準備，你就可以開始了。

Just as in starting anything new,

就如同開始做任何新事物 一樣，可能會一團糟，

it can be messy,

and you'll make mistakes because you're human.

且你會犯錯，因為你是人。

Making mistakes can feel scary, especially because our work is so public.

犯錯可能會感覺很可怕， 特別是因為我們的工作很公開。

When we push through that fear, however,

然而，當我們克服了這種恐懼，

we can teach students to have conversations about race

我們就能教導學生如何去談論種族，

and help them to unpack their misperceptions.

並協助他們理清自己的誤解。

In this work with teachers,

在與老師合作的過程中，

it feels like some people are waiting for the perfect moment

感覺好像有些人是在 等待完美的時機點，

when a racially conscious version of themselves will appear

等具有種族意識版本的自己

出現，然後再來投入這項工作。

before they begin engaging in this work.

That version of yourself has to be purposely developed and formed,

那個版本的你不會自己出現， 必須要有目地性發展和形塑，

and that moment is now.

而那個時機點就是現在。

When we engage in conversations with our students about race,

當我們能和學生談論種族議題，

we can help to expand their thinking

我們就能協助擴展他們的思想，

and equip them with the language and tools

提供他們需要的語言和工具，

that they need to see themselves clearly

幫他們看清自己，

and to recognize and value the histories, perspectives and experiences

並認識和珍視和他們不同的人

所擁有的歷史、觀點，以及經驗。

of people who are unlike them.

They'll be prepared to help us build and sustain a truly just society

他們會做好準備，在將來協助我們 建立和維護真正公正的社會，

where we all contribute to the well-being of everyone

那時，我們都能為人類大家庭 每個成員的福祉做出貢獻。

in our human family.

Remember, having conversations about race

切記，

談論種族雖然很困難， 但我們能夠學會，

is just another hard thing we can learn to do,

one courageous step at a time.

一次踏出勇敢的一步。

Thank you.

謝謝。

(Applause)

（掌聲）