Black Resistance: Blackness is Beautiful and Magical

Each year, the Association for the Study of African American Life and History (ASALH) selects a Black History Month theme. ASALH is regarded as an authority on the topic of Black History and the source for themes for the month for many educational and public institutions. This year’s theme is “Black Resistance.”

Black Resistance is the collective and individual struggle of Black people of the diaspora against anti-Black racism. Specifically, in the United States, this resistance was born out of the lasting legacy of the transatlantic slave trade. Although chattel slavery has ended in the US, Black people still experience violence, systematic disenfranchisement, and exclusion from health care, education, and economic, political, and social life. At its core, Black Resistance is about the fight for justice, equity, inclusion, and freedom in all its varied forms. Read more about Black Resistance on ASALH’s web page.

This month, we’re talking to EL Education students and educators about what Black Resistance means to them and how it plays a role in education.

We spoke to Ashley Goggins, EL Education’s Director of Partnership Staff Development, about her Black Resistance journey, particularly regarding education, teaching, and learning. Here’s what she had to say:

Growing up, I was tracked.

This meant that I was in remedial classes where 100% of the student population was Black, while students in advanced courses were in a separate building and were either White, Latinx, or Asian.

I could have internalized that my classmates and I were not worthy of a rigorous education. My family and some of my teachers encouraged me to resist that false narrative, though. Instead, I learned that my voice and mind are powerful and that I come from a long line of ancestors who have triumphed, soared, created, invented, and were unstoppable.

It gives me immense pride to be Black.

So, what is my advice to those beginning their own journey of Black Resistance?

Learn everything you can about being Black in this country and celebrate the magnificence that Black folx bring to the table; the culture we set and the beauty we create daily. It is magical to be Black. My Black Resistance is the recitation of my daily mantra; Blackness is beautiful and magical.

Disclaimer: EL Education is proud to host diverse voices and offer a platform for dialogue on topics impacting educators and students. Views of guest bloggers are their own and may differ from the views of EL Education.