Welcome to the inaugural post on my new blog: “Board Matters: the Politics of Education”, a commentary on
the issues of the Buffalo Board of Education that matter. The campaign season leading up to the
election to fill three seats on the Board this May has just begun and it
appears that there will be a crowded field of candidates (11 at last count) and
a plethora of issues to discuss/debate.
If you notice the Blog owner’s profile, it references the
GTM Sisterhood. I decided to keep that
profile, with a few modifications because it is a fitting representation of the
true definition of a “sisterhood”. It
contradicts the meaning that one Buffalo Board member wants to ascribe to African
American women on the Board and staff.
He uses the term to convey his contempt for this group of Black women, and
to label us as incompetent, seeking undeserved status, negative, destructive,
clandestine and irresponsible. He tries
to mask his use of “the sisterhood” by claiming that this is the reference we
make to ourselves. However, he means
the term to be demeaning and derogatory.
Historically and presently, the “sisterhood” describes the
tradition of black women banding together, formally or informally, to create agency
(self-help), advocacy and service to members of the community (theirs as well
as the community in general). Members of
the “sisterhood” are leaders but also understand the power of “strength in
numbers”, so they collaborate and coalesce.
So, when you understand the true meaning of the “sisterhood”,
you understand why we embrace that descriptor, celebrate it and proudly call
ourselves, members!
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