A “Collective Agreement” or “Covenant”

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  WHY THIS COVENANT/COLLECTIVE AGREEMENT? In the midst of absolutely the most difficult summer in at least a generation, about twenty of our incredible graduate students signed up for a course called Rhetoric and Race (syllabus). In other words, as the world erupted in a global uprising against police brutality in the wake of the brutal murder of George Floyd and Breanna Taylor, smack dab in the middle of an unprecedented a conversation about race and racism unlike anyone had ever seen . . . this group of dedicated MA and PhD students chose to take up the current moment through assigned books like Critical Race Theory: An Introduction and Ersula J. Ore’s Lynching, Violence, Rhetoric and American Identity (2019). It was an incredible, lively, challenging, powerful five weeks for all of us. I learned so much. The conversations we had together were difficult, yet the support and generosity and good will shown by all these students to one another and the work we have before us . . . a model for all of us.

  In preparation for our collective work together, I asked everyone to take up a “collective agreement” or a “covenant” that would guide the conversations before us. I invited them to add to these suggestions. A few did. What follows is the one I’m putting forward for future classes, a project that will continue to evolve in the coming years as new groups of students revise and amend it to fit the ever changing now.

  I framed the covenant this way for my Rhetoric and Race group (see below). I ask you to keep this in mind as we press forward.

  I have no doubt you need a reminder not to be a jerk. These conversations are/can be tough, and lots of people having them out the world (inasmuch as we can call them “conversations”) are SUCH JERKS. However, YOU GUYS? Shoot, I’m pretty certain anyone taking a course with a title like “Rhetoric and Race” gets that more than many out there unwilling to get into these uncomfortable, vital discussions.  The goal is not to get you to promise not to be a jerk. You’ll do that anyway. 

  INSTEAD, THE/OUR COVENANT IS my acknowledgment to you that . . . 

  • I know these conversations are going to be as difficult as they are important, especially now and especially online and especially if you don’t know your classmates well (or at all). 
  • Your classmates “get” it. They’ll ensure this space won’t be a game of hunting out racists or, especially, proving to one another how “not racist” we are. This is a safe space. Your classmates how vital that is. None of us will treat our time together as competition for the “least racist person in the room/world” trophy or “ally cookie.” Oh boy, I’ve been around enough of that. I’m sure you’ve seen/experienced it, as well. That’s not why we’re here, and I know you already know that. But you may not know that your classmates already know that. So this is their opportunity to communicate that fact and their solidarity with you in plowing forward into this challenging waters ahead.

  • Finally, I thought of one more to add. AGAIN, THIS ONE YOU GUYS GET, BUT LET’S GET IT OUT IN THE OPEN UP FRONT SO WE ALL KNOW WHERE EVERYONE ELSE IS COMING FROM: This “covenant” is not a “White People Agreement” to tread carefully around conversations about race and racism because people of color (or, BIPOC, i.e. “black, Indigenous and people of color” are having these conversations alongside/with us. Instead, it’s a collective promise not only to keep this space safe but also to let our BIPOC classmates know they’re not being hired on as our “consultants” about race and racism. This is OUR collective project, where we’ll explore tough ideas rarely discussed TOGETHER. We promise not to let white guilt get in the way of doing the WORK, nor contribute to racial battle fatigue among our BIPOC classmates by continually turning to them to speak on their personal experiences BIPOC (though space will definitely be made to LISTEN (see #4). Also we don’t/won’t rely on our BIPOC classmates to speak on THE BIPOC experience in general (again, the consultant angle). We recognize our BIPOC classmates are humans with individual, separate experiences like all other humans–albeit the former with all the structural racism and systemic injustice limiting opportunities (. The difference key difference: BIPOC’s every everyday lived experiences our BIPOC classmates limited and shaped within/by structural racism and systemic oppression.   I like the way this comic communicates what I’m trying to get at here, as well as this–one of about a zillion–article on this and related topics: “I’m your black friend, but I won’t educate you about racism. That’s on you” (Washington Post, June 2020).
  • Importantly, this covenant also reminds us to LISTEN to voices silenced by structural racism. Giving space and and openness for our BIPOC classmates to speak and our promise we’ll LISTEN, without interruption. This is the project of counterstoryteeling that will be such a significant part of our collective project. The HEART of Critical Race Theory. 
  • Our collective project is not RACISM IN THE ABSTRACT, individual racists, or even (entirely) how the entirety of racism in America makes us feel. We’re not here for ally cookies, a pat on the back for recognizing the harm systemic racism has caused, nor a way to assuage white guilt. RACISM IS A WICKED PROBLEM. Tackling it requires heavy lifting because this work has to be done. However, our collective project also leaves room for and acknowledges the need for of our BIPOC classmates to take a breather from time to time. No announcement necessary. Whereas our BIPOC classmates never get a break from the injustice society places upon BIPOC in the world, the rest of us know we have a choice and can rest up anytime we choose. 

  In a post, please (a) briefly summarize what you understand the covenant to be asking of you/us, and (b) speculate as to why we might want/need one before powering through these challenging conversations to come over our next several weeks together. (c) Next, WHAT ELSE does our covenant need to include? We’ll discuss and add. This will be an evolving document, as will be/should be most things. (d) Finally, indicate that you’re ready and willing and able to abide by this “covenant.”