Dear COE faculty and staff,
Self-care is so critical for those in education as we face current social justice issues. The individual and collective trauma and stress of racial violence, daily microaggressions, and health disparities for Black, indigenous, and other people of color takes a heavy toll. Further, white faculty, teachers, counselors, and staff have questions and concerns about how to be a supportive ally while facing their own issues of privilege. In his article titled, Self-care Can Be Social Justice, Jamilah Pitts writes, “Those of us who see education, particularly teaching, as a vehicle for resistance and liberation must realize that if we are silent and do not resist, then we are complicit, passive, and aid in perpetuating the systems of domination and oppression that do exist in schools.” We need to commit to making deep sustaining changes, no matter how challenging, and we must engage in self-care as an ongoing, daily practice to manage the stress that is a part of this work and a part of our lives. Read more at
https://www.learningforjustice.org/magazine/selfcare-can-be-social-justice
For a list of self-care options, please see our COE self-care website for resources for faculty, staff, students, and the community at:
https://www.csun.edu/eisner-education/self-care/articles-information-self-care
As you engage in the social justice work ahead of us, please remember to take care of yourselves.
Warmly,
Shari