“Uh huh, But How Do it Free Us?” Interrupting the JEDI with One Poet’s Story on the Power of the Arts and Social Justice” (Part One)

In the inaugural episode of Interrupt the Narrative, Pam
interviews Ama Codjoe (a poet, educator, and social justice facilitator) about her
experience working with organizations seeking to become anti-racist. Ama’s experience
helps us begin to interrupt the narrative that short-term, DEI trainings can mitigate
micro- and macro-aggressions.

Ama’s bio

Ama Codjoe is the former director of the Dreamyard Art Center in the South
Bronx where she taught and directed arts and social justice programming for
young people as well as professional development for educators and
administrators. She has conducted anti-racism, anti-oppression, anti-bias,
organizational culture, and leadership trainings for the National Guild for
Community Arts Education, The New School, New York University, Bard Graduate
Center, Columbia University, University of Maryland, The Met Museum, Queen’s
Museum, Cleveland Arts Education Consortium, Groundswell Mural Arts Project,
Community MusicWorks, the National League of American Orchestras, and
numerous other educator, arts, and administrative groups. As a writer, she has
received support from Cave Canem Foundation and elsewhere. Her recent awards
include a 2020 BRIO Award from the Bronx Council on the Arts, a 2020 NYFA
Fellowship, and a 2021 Jerome Hill Artist Fellowship.

Finer Points of the Episode. 

• Building relationships is part-and-parcel of the work of anti-oppression facilitators.
• Being guided by integrity is key when cultivating the disposition of an anti-oppression facilitator.
• Anti-oppression facilitation and joy are not mutually exclusive.
• To do this work in earnest, the facilitator and the organization should come to a point of consensus.
• Organizations that are most ready to engage the work of anti-oppression have conscious leaders as their guides.
• Creativity and the artistic spirit can further facilitate the work of anti-oppression.
• If this work doesn’t free us, we shouldn't be doing it.

Mentioned In This Episode
Information on “Uh Huh, But How Do It Free Us?” [a Play by Sonia
Sanchez]

Ama Codjoe (Poetry)

bell hooks (Bone Black)

“Towards a More Conscious Leader” (Ama’s Article for the National Guild)

Eduardo Bonilla-Silva (Racism Without Racists)

Michael Dumas (2014) [“School as a Site of Black Suffering”]

Maxine Greene

Derald Wing Sue PhD

Sweet Honey in the Rock’s “We Who Believe in Freedom Cannot Rest”

Between the World and Me

The Case for Reparations

Viewable  Script