Turning a page and closing a chapter

With the end of 2023, this blog comes to a close. Thank you for following Daughters of the Dream.

I hope new information was revealed, you were prompted to reflect on the world from a different vantage point, and you have chosen to change how you see others and how you show up in this racially diverse world. We need your voice and we need you to act. Remember: reveal, reflect, recalibrate.

Stay tuned.  My voice may show up again from time to time.

REVEALED released 11/16/23

 

As you may know, reveal, reflect, recalibrate is how I frame my racial justice work. It is my mantra. For some time, I’ve been working on this project to capture that philosophy in a succinct, easy to follow format. Today — my mother’s birthday — it’s ready to be released.

REVEALED is intended as a yearlong, once-a week, reading to educate (reveal), to serve as a prompt for group discussion and reflection among a family, a colleague group, a board, a committee, or wherever folks gather (reflect) and as a catalyst for action (recalibrate). Released in time for you, and whomever you share this with, to begin this once-a-week reading and learning practice with the first month of the New Year.

Below is a brief summary of the book and a short piece from Howard Ross’s very gracious and moving Foreword.  And, while it is in the book, I want to give a public shout out to Rayhart, the artist who generously allowed me to use one of his paintings as REVEALED’s cover.

I hope  you find this book to be meaningful and impactful. Please encourage your friends, family, and colleagues to use the entries as prompts for important conversations and as catalysts for action.

About the Book

From the perspective of a Black woman, Copeland reveals lessons about history, the invisibility of racism, and the insidiousness of prejudice and bias. In this collection curated from her almost 100 ‘Daughters of the Dream’ blog posts, Copeland presents 52 with new introductions and reflections in a monthly themed reading, emphasizing critical points in racial justice. Revealed is a resource for those committed to better understanding racism, prejudice, and bias. This tool will aid those who have been through racial equity training and want to continue their learning journey in a structured, proactive way. Not only does it offer critical information, it prompts deep reflection and encourages action.

As noted social justice advocate Howard Ross said in the book’s Foreword:

“Each of the weekly ‘reads’ is, in and of itself, a lesson in our understanding of the dynamics of race. It calls for us to stop, listen, think, and digest in a way that the modern reader can easily absorb and get meaning from.”

About the Author

Tamara Lucas Copeland offers this about herself and racism: “As a Black woman with education and professional experience in public policy, how was it possible that I fully understood individual racism, prejudice, and bias but didn’t see structural racism and didn’t understand its perniciousness, depth, and impact? Because the system, the political, social, and cultural system of our country has been built on bias and racism from its inception.” Copeland wrote REVEALED to open the eyes of others and to prompt actions for racial justice.

If the links above don’t work, here you go …

For Barnes and Noble, click here.

Here’s the link for Amazon.

Click here for Books a Million.

Here’s the link for Indie Bound.

For bulk orders, contact Adducent, the publisher, here.

One more thing — while intended to be read, one entry, once a week, throughout a year, REVEALED can certainly be read straight through. The impact will be different. Can’t wait to hear your reaction; so please review.

Almost ready

Over the years, I’ve written a great deal about what I’ve called the racial equity/racial justice learning journey, always framing it as a lifelong commitment.  What I will share next month is intended to aid you in forming a practice of continuous learning, unlearning, and action for racial justice.

In my racial justice work, my mantra has been, and still is, REVEAL, REFLECT, RECALIBRATE.

I offer revelations of my racial reality.

I try to encourage deep reflection. Who is achieving the promise of America? Who isn’t? Why not?

Lastly, I hope to prompt readers to personally recalibrate, to change, to see and act on your role in making America racially just.

Seeing and understanding racial injustice takes  sharpened sensibilities, eyes, head and heart keenly focused and open to new realities/perspectives. I invite you to join me in learning, unlearning, and doing all that it takes to achieve racial justice.

Summer Break

Thank you for being a regular reader of Daughters of the Dream.

There won’t be entries this summer as I use this time to work on other projects.

Stay tuned and have a wonderful summer.