Dear College of Education Community,
As we continue our commitment to social justice in our College of Education, it’s important to recognize the impact that this work can have on us. Radical self-care is an essential type of self-care in the face of racism, sexism, homophobia, audism, class, and other forms of oppression. Institutionalized and interpersonal racism causes grief, pain, and exhaustion. Exhaustion can also occur from working to make changes for the better. Radical self-care involves deep reflective work that prioritizes our own inner peace and commitment to take care of ourselves first before attempting to take care of others. In a broader sense, it involves healing our hearts, our souls, and our bodies to keep going. We need to be intentional in our own care to continue our commitment to change the world around us.
The School of Arts Institute in Chicago has created a lesson on Radical self-care in their Learn and Unlearn: Anti-Racism Resource Guide. This lesson delves into the history of radical self-care, its multidimensional nature, and what radical self-care can do. Numerous references to books, articles, and podcasts are offered as a part of the lesson. To view this insightful lesson, go to https://libraryguides.saic.edu/learn_unlearn/wellness5
For a list of other self-care options, you can also go to our COE self-care website for resources for faculty, staff, students, and the community at
https://www.csun.edu/eisner-education/self-care
Radical self-care is important for all of us to practice as we continue our commitment to social justice in our work.
Warmly,
Shari