PGCert Inclusive practice
Race blog
As a black African woman, I came from a 20-year career in the fashion industry to teach at the same art and design college that I attended in the 90’s! I can relate to many of the experiences of race shared in the resources, as a student, as an employee in industry, and as a teacher.
I found some of the resources shared in the unit, perplexing, challenging and outright overwhelming at times.
In a way, the theorising of concepts, policies and themes around race has been interesting and insightful to read, however, because of my own positionality, my understating of race, discrimination, prejudice and stereotyping has mostly been formed by my own lived experiences. It is these very personal lived experiences that shape and inform my current teaching practice in relation to race.
On my DPS* programme I prepare and support students to work and build careers in the fashion industry (during a placement year). For some students this will be their 1st experience of working in the fashion industry as a minority. In the many 1-2-1 tutorials I’ve held, I’ve experienced students of colour, asking me. “What will it be like for me working and living in Italy or France? I heard it’s quite racist there?” and “Do you think I’m not getting interviews like my classmates because I’ve mentioned how my Palestinian background influences my work?” I have also had to contend with students upset about the perceived racial discrimination they experienced in their work placements. There is not enough word count for me to go into how I manage these conversations, but what I will reflect on is the fact that these students felt not only compelled, but comfortable enough to ask me these questions. I’m not sure they would’ve done so if I were white. So, by sheer “Token” of being black, my BAME students felt they could openly ask me questions about race and racism in the industry.
Watching the short film ‘Room of Silence’ from the Rhode Island School of Design, students commented on the perceived failure of academic staff to feel confident to intervene and facilitate conversations around race, particularly when faced with either group dissent or the “Wall of silence” (a term used to describe the silence faced when students presented race related work in group crits). They noted a sense of inhibition, fear, and avoidance to address the topic or critique work with racial themes as it was a “touchy subject” and they didn’t know what to say (both fellow students and teachers alike).
for this blog, although I appreciate the resources and the theoretical papers I have read, I wanted to touch on the realities of race and discrimination that the students at RISD experienced and what I encounter when supporting my students in my current teaching practice: Their realities, collective fears, feelings and anxieties.
I see my role as a DPS tutor to mentor, advise and prepare all my students for the realities of the working world. I know that through conversations with my students, my positionality, lived experiences of being black in the fashion industry and my personal perspective can help them figure out their place in the industry. My aim is to listen actively to their insight and concerns, to encourage, to build their confidence, resilience and self-belief, and bring about a sense of belonging and knowing that there is a place for them to succeed in this industry. However, the reality is that there is a lot to be done regarding racial equality and discrimination in the fashion industry and the path is not a smooth one.
*DPS- Diploma In Professional Studies -Student industry placements and internships.
References:
Sherrid, E. (2016) The Room of Silence, Vimeo. Available at: https://vimeo.com/161259012.
Really great contribution to the subject Wende. Utilising our positionality to create comfort and openness with students of colour is one of the reasons we are so well-suited to this kind of role. It is our responsibility as educators to share with them the reality of the industries we work in, whilst also providing encouragement in the face of this. I am certain you acheive this very well!
I think it is great to recognise that reading and learning more about this subject can be challenging and overwhelming for us, as our lived experiences of racsim can compound our discomfort. Ultimately, we will engage with this material very differently to our white counterparts, but the more we learn, the more we can be of use to our students.
In that same sense, your post combines the resource material and personal experiences to speak around the subject of silence. It is interesting to see the difference in how silence operates between Room of Silence and the anecdotal experience you shared about students feeling open to ask you questions.
Keep up the good work!
Wande your writing has prompted me to think about what goes unsaid in support sessions, and the students who may not even feel like approaching me for support. Understanding my positionally as a white woman working in a similar job role is, I realise, not just about understanding how to justly serve the questions and experiences a student explicitly shares but also the experiences they may not feel / are not able to share.
The key to this strikes me to be reflecting on my own silences and omissions – something which I am learning is central to my journey to being anti-rascist. Thank you for this insight which brings it so close to home and is so connected to the work I do.
In the context of your teaching work, what support do you believe is needed to better prepare your students who will inevitably face racial inequality in the fashion industry? Personal experience clearly holds great significance in your teaching approach. How do you maintain a relationship with your students during and after their placement? It seems that these students would have a wealth of experiences to continue sharing. How can this ongoing sharing be facilitated? While you may already be implementing it, encouraging students to reflect on their own positionalities and the potential impact on their work placements could be beneficial. Applying to a design practice is challenging enough for students, and when coupled with the tragic realities of racial oppression, your efforts to drive change are clearly impactful and positive.
Thank you Will for your feedback!
It got me thinking again 🙂
I would like to believe that experiencing racial discrimination or inequality in the industry is not inevitable. But, maybe it is. I certainly didn’t manage to avoid it in my career. You know, I have met a few black people, born and bred in the UK who have said that they have never experienced racial discrimination……… They get a distinct side eye from me when they claim this. But that’s another conversation.
However, there is something in this. I don’t want to harp on at my students, listing all the incidents I have experienced. I don’t wish to send them out with a wall up ready and expecting it because actually, it may not be the case for them. I want them to be aware of the realities, but to not walk around waiting for it to happen. The most important thing I think I can do, is help them make sense of it and how to deal with discrimination if it does occur.
I hold 1-2-1 tutorials with students throughout their 2nd year as they prepare to go into industry and during their placement year. We catch up and talk about how their experience is going, what they are learning in terms of skills and the industry and most importantly what they are learning about themselves.
You are spot on to mention the wealth of experience and awareness students have on their return for final year. The placement year is transformational for many.
We hold a final year feedback session where we invite students to come and talk about their experiences on placement to the 2nd years who are getting ready to go out. This is such an important session. It is so much more valuable for students to hear about this from their peers rather than always hearing about the industry from their tutors point of view.
Hi Wande,
Thank you for sharing your honest and very interesting blog on race.
I only wanted to make a quick comment because I know the students who asked you those questions and they had asked me (white German woman) the same questions probably because I am their personal tutor, and they feel save enough.
I think you might be right in saying that your students feel comfortable to ask you such questions partly because you are a black woman. However, I also wanted to confirm that the minute I saw you online on TEAMS introducing yourself only a year ago I felt we were extremely lucky having you as a new member of our team because you express such positive and confident energy and have passion, dedication, knowledge, and kindness written all over you. So, I like to think this may have also been a reason why the students felt comfortable asking you those questions.
Thank you,
Anna-Nicole