The Stand
By Violet Lazarus
Karsonya Wise Whitehead is an associate professor of communication and African and African American Studies at Loyola University, the founder and director of the Karson Institute for Race, Peace & Social Justice, and affectionately known by her students as Dr. K.
Dr. K spoke at Le Moyne College Feb. 17 as part of the school’s celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day and Black History Month. The talk comes months after the country was flooded with Black Lives Matter protests sparked by the murder of George Floyd and in the middle of a global pandemic that is disproportionately affecting Black Americans.
“I stand here today as a Black woman, who is in the middle of what I call a twindemic, dealing with the reality of Black Lives Matter, having to try to convince a world, convince a society, convince a nation that my ancestors helped to build from the ground up, trying to convince them that my life — and more importantly the lives of my sons — matter … that it actually matters,” Dr. K said.
Dr. K spoke at length about the history of Black oppression and bravery in America, and gave tips on how to continue the legacy of leaders like Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, Mary McLeod, Ida B. Wells and Dr. Dorothy I. Height.
She also shared she gets a little offended this time of year. Dr. K said her dad used to treat Black History Month like a month-long Christmas celebration, but would always tell her that when she grew up, there would be no need for a Black History Month.
“Well I’ve grown up, and now my sons are growing up,” Dr. K said. “We’re still having to celebrate Black History Month knowing that there are still places in this country that if it did not come down from the White House, they would not celebrate it at all. They wouldn’t talk about Black history being American history, therefore it is everyone’s history.”
Although the talk featured many historically significant events, including the Kerner Commission, the history of medical abuse experienced by the Black community and the days of slavery, Dr. K was focused on using that knowledge to move forward.
“America is quick to talk about forgiveness,” she said. “We are quick to talk about reconciliation, without talking about accountability, without talking about reparations.”
Dr. K left listeners with three concrete tips to actively practice anti-racism in their everyday lives: To learn what racism is and how it has evolved, critically analyze a person’s understanding of race and where certain beliefs stem and to be bold.
She stressed, one can’t be quietly anti-racist.
Dr. K encouraged those who enjoyed her talk to go to the Karson Institute for Race, Peace & Social Justice for additional resources. She specifically pointed out the COMloqium series, a free collection of videos released monthly in which Dr. K has a one-on-one conversation with an informed figure regarding social justice. As part of the series, Dr. K got the opportunity to speak with Dr. Anthony Fauci about the disproportionate impact COVID-19 has had on communities of color.
“Every conversation is a conversation about race,” Dr. K said. “Because conversations about race are not about race, but about people.”
Violet Lazarus is a senior studying journalism at the Newhouse School
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