Cashan

Representation is vital because if you do not see it, you do not always believe it is possible, especially in society today where young people are so visual. Representation in education is such a strong and meaningful mantra to all those that you work for or with, not because it is tokenistic but is truly reflective of society, nationally and globally. The consummation of information is overwhelming and young people need safe places where they are exploring information, concepts, and ideologies. In my opinion, it is a disservice to those that we are educating if we do not explore values pertaining to varied subsections of society e.g. race, racism, religion, identity, culture, economy, society and locality and the depictions placed upon people but to name a few. Yes, it is difficult and can be decisive and no, as educators we may not always have the answers but that is okay because exploration is an important part of learning.

However, I do not think it should just be for those that fall into those subsections of society or those in the inner city to provide all the information, or to always be spearheading the conversations. Allyship in and outside of education is vital and I think that George Floyd’s murder highlighted that. Fighting for equality has always been at the forefront for so many, it was just that many others were blind and are now willing to see, hear and participate. 

In many cases those in more rural or less diverse areas need to immerse themselves in the importance of representation. So that those they are educating have a rich and broad understanding of multiculturalism or the innate advantages of white privilege and understand the deep-rooted impact of systemic racism. The premise of educators is to ensure those you teach are well balanced, thoughtful, productive members of society and by refusing to acknowledge representation in all its forms is providing a disservice.