In my previous blog post, I reflected on the fall and a special time in my life: graduation from my doctoral program. The final part of the post shared a few final thoughts. I have brought them into this post as a quick reminder.
Decolonizing one’s thinking is not an easy journey. It requires diligence, hard work, dedication, and continued self-reflection. I know that I still have work ahead of me.
I saw a big gaping hole where I could advocate at my university. Do not stay silent. As a student, you have a voice. It is powerful! While doing your work, find ways to advocate for systematic change.
Finally, remember that learning is a lifelong journey. Always be a lifelong learner.
I bring these forward because they will serve as the basis for this post.
Learning really is a lifelong journey! I may no longer be a graduate student, but I continue to be a learner or a student of life. There is always something to learn. And when it comes to decolonizing one’s thinking, I am very much a student. That brings me to the other thought that I shared: decolonizing one’s thinking is a journey that requires diligence, hard work, dedication, and self-reflection. It is here that I will pick up.
The master's tools will never dismantle the master's house.
Audre Lorde
History
There is a lot we can learn from history. I have loved history for many, many years. And, yet, here is a problem. The history classes that I, and many of us, have experienced are coming from the perspective of the colonized. How is that going to help decolonize anyone’s thinking? In short, it’s not! So, what is one step that a person can take? Read other sources and books that were not written from the colonizer's perspective and that brought people’s stories to life. There are two books that I want to share that serve this exact purpose.
American History
Jermaine Fowler wrote the book The Humanity Archive: Recovering the Soul of Black History from a Whitewashed American Myth, which focuses on the stories of African Americans and their experiences. His book flips the paradigm and invites the reader to experience American History via the eyes of those who lived it and not through those who had the power and privilege at the time to monopolize the narrative. When I compare Jermaine’s books to a history textbook or anything I learned in school, I see the glaring inequity and how my perception of history has been shaped. We were robbed of the chance to learn multiple lived perspectives and were instead instructed to learn what we were “supposed” to know. The many who helped shape history were robbed of their role and identity. We must bring their voices to life and let them share their experiences.
Mental Health History
My background is in mental health, and my education is rooted in a Westernized perspective. No matter how much I pushed against it in my doctorate program and tried to expand my perspective, I must acknowledge its role in my life and how it influenced my learning. We learned about Jung and Cognitive Behavioral Therapy. Still, we never knew about African-centered counseling theories, nor did we learn about how prejudice, racism, and the implementation of Westernized theories impact people of color.
In Madness: Race and Insanity in a Jim Crow Asylum by Antonia Hylton, we get to read more about how segregation, racism, and prejudice cost people their lives in a Jim Crow asylum and learn more about the horrors that they experienced. Again, we have the opportunity to hear from people who were present when the asylum was open, which highlights why people of color are distrustful of the mental health system. Do current mental clinicians know their own professional history? Speaking for myself, I would say that I knew maybe 1% from what I learned in school, and that perspective is highly skewed. There is more to learn.
Final Thoughts
There are many wonderful books out there. These are just two of them that specifically focus on African Americans. There are others out there that also bring to life the experiences of Latinos/Latinas, Asian Americans, and Indigenous peoples. There is so much to learn and experience when it comes to history. What is the saying? Those who do not learn from history are doomed to repeat it. Now is the time! It’s the time to learn more about the whitewashing of history and take action.
What’s Next?
Now it’s your turn! Seek out history and learn from elders and ancestors. Find books and articles that highlight a decolonized perspective, and talk to those around you who have lived history. Capture their stories in your mind, heart, and soul.
Practical Tips and Suggestions
Make it a point to find at least one article or book that challenges the dominant perspective.
Learn about other counseling or teaching theories, such as African-centered theories in counseling. CRESTSprogram has many great opportunities!
Schedule some time to speak with elders in your community. Listen to their stories.
Embrace the opportunity for self-reflection and self-honesty about your own experiences regarding history. What can you do to expand your understanding?
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