Service Spotlight: School psych faculty build Anti-racism Accountability Calendar

Faculty in the Department of Educational Psychology’s school psychology program—Jessie Kember, lecturer; Annie Hansen-Burke, senior lecturer; and Faith Miller, associate professor—have developed a Google Calendar with weekly anti-racism activities for the full calendar year. We asked the group a few questions about how this work started, how it’s grown, and how they hope it will help its users take anti-racist actions, one week at a time.

Q: What inspired you to create the calendar?

We did not create the activities in this anti-racism calendar. Credit goes to Michelle Panchuk’s resource entitled “A Year of Anti-Racism Work.” When this resource circulated following the murder of George Floyd, we realized it wasn’t enough to bookmark on google chrome, and maybe come back to it weeks or months later (or maybe never again). As white faculty members, we wanted to hold ourselves accountable to not return to our lives months later without a constant awareness of racism that we have the privilege to learn and read about, rather than live and experience. It’s not enough to only become overwhelmed, and filled with shame, grief, guilt, rage, awe, or disgust in this moment. It’s not enough for ourselves, for our colleagues, for our students, or anyone for that matter. We (white people) have to do better. Not just when we have time, when it’s convenient, when it makes us uncomfortable, when others are watching, when someone tells us what to do, and when we feel like showing up. We have to do something every single day to combat racism. Even when we don’t know what to do, we can look at this calendar and have a concrete action.

Q: How have you been working with other faculty to build it out?

We are finding opportunities to share the calendar with other scholars. We have formed an anti-racism accountability group with nearly 40 faculty members across the U.S. in the field of school psychology. We meet monthly to share ideas about how to combat racism in higher education, in our training programs, and beyond. We have also shared the calendar with students, friends, family members, and other faculty members at the University of Minnesota.

Q: How has it helped you personally?

It has helped us grow (even just if one very small piece at a time). It has helped us to simply ask questions, reflect, and most importantly, take action. It has helped us grow as educators. And for us, growing as educators means we are growing personally. The calendar is one piece of a process in this growth.  It is not meant as a check-box to complete, but as a consistent reminder and resource to promote sustained commitment to anti-racist action. 

Q: What have you heard from others who are using it?

As many of us seek ways to take concrete action, users have shared that they appreciate the development and dissemination of this resource. But mostly, we just hope others are holding themselves accountable, and using the calendar diligently, and taking action. 

Q: What has been the most fulfilling part of building and using the calendar?

Listening, learning, and working towards a better understanding of the oppressive systems in which we need to actively disrupt (rather than participate).

Q: How can department members and friends access the calendar?

Anyone (using their U of M affiliated gmail account) can access the calendar using the link below. The calendar has one activity listed on every Monday for a full calendar year (beginning in June of 2020). You are welcome to copy the calendar to your personal gmail calendar, and modify as needed. 
https://calendar.google.com/calendar?cid=dW1uLmVkdV9saTNwZmdodDZicWI1cDZpMm10Nzlqa2VzMEBncm91cC5jYWxlbmRhci5nb29nbGUuY29t