As part of a daylong Diversity Seminar, Cumberland Valley School District’s Diversity Committee will host renowned author Debby Irving for a community presentation on Thursday, May 18.
Irving’s presentation, “I’m a Good Person! Isn’t That Enough?” will begin at 7:30 p.m. in the Cumberland Valley High School Performing Arts Center. This community program is open to the public.
Using historical and media images, Irving will lead discussions regarding self-analysis, how individuals engage amongst diverse members of the community, and the desire to be perceived as good people. The presentation includes pauses for reflection, dialogue, and questions and answers.
Irving, the author of Waking Up White, and Finding Myself in the Story of Race, said this is the book she wishes someone had handed her decades ago. By sharing her sometimes cringe-worthy struggle to understand racism and racial tensions, she offers a fresh perspective on bias, stereotypes, manners, and tolerance. As she unpacks her own long-held beliefs about colorblindness, being a good person, and wanting to help people of color, she reveals how each of these well-intentioned mindsets actually perpetuated her ill-conceived ideas about race. She also explains why and how she’s changed the way she talks about racism, works in racially mixed groups, and understands the racial justice movement as a whole.
Cumberland Valley School District’s Diversity Committee was formed in the Spring of 2016 as a cross section of teachers, administrators, and parents in order to thoughtfully explore issues surrounding diversity. Together, the district and the committee are committed to engaging in healthy conversation about growing diversity within our community.
Please visit
http://www.debbyirving.com/ to learn more about Irving.