“The Journey to Justice: A Critical Race Theory Primer”—a joint initiative between Ms. magazine, the National Women’s Studies Association (NWSA) and the Karson Institute for Race, Peace & Social Justice—includes articles, essays and lesson plans that address teaching critical race theory from kindergarten to college settings.
Author: Karsonya Wise Whitehead
Karsonya (Kaye) Wise Whitehead, Ph.D., professor of communication and African and African American studies, is a three-time New York Emmy-nominated documentary filmmaker and the award-winning radio host of Today with Dr. Kaye on WEAA 88.9 FM. Her scholarship examines the ways race, class and gender coalesce in American classrooms, as well as in political and social environments. She also serves as the president of the National Women's Studies Association.
The Road to May 3: How a Growing Coalition of Feminists and Activists Are Fighting the Right’s Anti-Woke Agenda
Educators—from pre-kindergarten to college—are planning a teach-in on May 3, to stand in unity across the U.S. against coordinated right-wing attacks on academic freedom. Join us.
How Feminists and Academics Are Fighting the Right’s ‘Anti-Woke’ Agenda
There are now 28 states that either limit how teachers can discuss issues about race and gender, or are considering passing legislation. Feminist teachers and academics have been viewing with increased alarm, anger and frustration these legislative efforts by Republicans to limit our academic freedom, censor the teaching of African American and gender studies, and place us in an untenable situation where we are forced to defend ourselves and our livelihood. The attack is personal. It is rooted in anti-Black racism, patriarchy, transphobia, whiteness and xenophobia—a propagandistic argument designed to whitewash our collective history. It is not simply a debate about curriculum; it is a fight about the direction of this country. It will not stop unless we stop it.
Join our teach-in at 12 p.m. ET on May 3.
It’s Mourning in America: Feminists Reflect on the Incredible Loss of Our Sista bell hooks
The National Women’s Studies Association mourns the passing of Dr. Gloria Jean Watkins, Ph.D./bell hooks—genius, scholar, cultural critic, author, professor, truth speaker, a lover of words and of us. She challenged us, taught us, spoke to and sometimes for us. She gave us the words to say and the courage to say them. bell hooks never gave up. She never gave in. She was more than we could have asked for and gave us more than we could have ever imagined. As someone said, our heroes are dying, and our enemies are in power.
As NWSA marks this moment, I reached out and asked some of our former presidents to join with me and share their reflections and stories to add their voices to our collective of love.