Thanks for Supporting Notes from an Aspiring Humanitarian (N.A.H.)

N.A.H. Rewind: The Best of 2014

Thanks for Supporting Notes from an Aspiring Humanitarian (N.A.H.)

The year is quickly coming to a close, and I’ve decided to take a break.  I’ll be back at it in January.

For my last note of the year, I look back to share links to the top 20 most visited Notes in 2014.

Most Visited Notes in 2014

20. A Collection of Narratives for Reflecting on Police Brutality, #Ferguson and Beyond: #BlackLivesMatter

“One of the ways I’ve been getting and giving support is through sharing my own, and learning from the narratives of others both on and offline. No one can do it by themselves.

I haven’t been in the mood to write much lately, but there are so many heartfelt narratives out there.

I’ve decided to create an ongoing list of links to them…”


19. A Social Justice Lens: A Teaching Resource Guide

“We all have lenses through which we approach our work. No matter what we do, our thoughts, experiences, and belief systems impact our actions.

Being intentional about critically examining those things can be helpful towards making sure our actions align with our values and intentions…”


18. Talking About Microaggressions

“We are harmed at times, and we also harm others. There is room for everyone in the work to repair what’s been broken.

The Powerpoint presentation below contains quotes that were procured by myself and a friend from Microaggressions.com that I use to spark dialogue about microaggressions and themes of intent vs. impact as they relate to our interactions with others. Especially useful when unpacking issues related to the social climate on college campuses, in work environments, communities, etc. Good for social justice educators, advocates, social workers, counselors, and other helpers…”


17. It’ll Be Alright In The Morning

“I still remember that moment as if it were yesterday. I’d passed the initial stages and was set to proceed to the next level. However, when the time came for me to articulate why this particular opportunity was important to me, and what things I would be able to bring to the situation to make it better, my mind went blank….”


16. 3 Messages that Can Be Used to Shut Down People of Color When Talking About Race, and 3 Reminders for People Who Are Tired of Those Messages

“Sometimes a tactic for derailing conversations can be found in focusing on tone instead of listening to the message.

I think we can have a tendency to believe that education isn’t supposed to bite, but I agree with whoever said that the truth will set us free, right after it makes us angry (and sometimes, defensive of our old programming)…”


15. 3 Ideas for What Men Who Work With Boys and Other Men Can Do to Help Them Challenge Sexism

“Here are 3 ideas I feel can be helpful to men who work with boys and other men to help them challenge sexism…”


14. Zero to Hero: WordPress Series Offers Tips For Bloggers

“A good resource for self-identified beginners,  novices, and “experts”. Check it out for yourself…”


13. Best of N.A.H.

“Whether you’re a new visitor, or a long-time supporter, consider these as “Must Have” staple posts for fans of Notes from an Aspiring Humanitarian…”


12. A Valuable Resource: What White Children Need to Know About Race

“Written by Ali Michael and Elenora Bartoli, “What White Children Need to Know About Race” explores the role of schools in white racial socialization, and list skills that can be helpful in fostering anti-racist identities among students who are white…”


11. From Huffpost: When the Media Treats White Suspects and Killers Better Than Black Victims


10. You Still Can’t Touch My Hair

“Curious or not among other factors, the random reaching, grabbing and touching connects to a history that can be lost by some, but never forgotten by others; a history of being set up on the auction block, grabbed, inspected like animals, and sold off …”


9. 2 Articles Written Specifically for White People to Foster Anti-Racist Allyhood

“Written by Derrick Clifton, these two articles regarding conversations about race connect common themes of denial and give people who are white an opportunity to take in information to become active anti-racists, if they are willing to shut up and listen…”


8. An Open Letter of Love to Black Students: #BlackLivesMatter

The message here was definitely one that resonated with me, so it was an honor to be able to lend my support to an initiative that lets black students know that they are loved and they that their lives matter in a world that seems hell-bent on showing them (and us, the writers and signers) otherwise.

We Love You, We See You…”


7. 3 Examples of Structural Racism in Action

“These three short clips highlight real examples of structural racism in action, making connections to the criminal justice system, education, and more…”


6. Bloggers for Social Justice: Promote Yourself, Your Blog Here

“Whether you’re recently starting, or have been working at it for quite some time, whether you’re a friend to N.A.H. already, or someone who is only recently discovering this blog, share your links here…”


5. 6 Questions for Social Workers, 6 Answers for Social Work Students

“If you’re a Social Worker, I hope you think of your own answers, and either share them here or elsewhere…”


4. Racism Makes You Question Everything

“I showed this report to a group of Social Work students in my Foundations for Multicultural Social Work Practice class last night to help demonstrate examples of institutional racism. It’s called “True Colors: Racial Discrimination in Everyday Life”…”


3. Man I Need You to Name It: Why The Delivery of The My Brother’s Keeper Initiative Put a Bad Taste in My Mouth

“Naming how the problem manifests itself, without acknowledging the source is not empowering. Naming the manifestation of the problem without acknowledging its source, but instead naming the manifestation itself as being the problem is pathologizing…”


2. Chronic Illness Bingo

“This bingo card from the blog Pins & Procrastination captures several responses that can be invalidating to people who have chronic illnesses…”


1. For Social Workers: 6 Sources of Advice

“Thinking of becoming a Social Worker? Check out these 6 sources of advice…”


Time Tested Favorites: Top 5 Visited Notes from Previous Years in 2014

5. 4 Ways to Stay Mindful of Social Justice Issues in Group Work Practice

4. Barely Scratching the Surface: Thoughts on Social Identities, Power, Privilege, & Oppression

3. Re: “Can I Touch It?” The Fascination With Natural, African American Hair

2. Treat Others How They Want to be Treated

1. “How Does It Feel To Be A Problem?”


Whether you’re new to this blog, or have been with me from the very beginning, thanks for reading, listening, sharing and supporting.

New Notes coming in 2015.  There’s plenty of archived content here to keep you busy until then.

Ubuntu,

From Aspiring Humanitarian, Relando Thompkins-Jones, MSW, LLMSW

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Written by

I'm a Social Justice Educator and Aspiring Humanitarian who is interested in conflict resolution, improving intergroup relations, and building more equitable and inclusive communities. "Notes from an Aspiring Humanitarian" is my blog, where I write about issues of diversity, inclusion, equity, and social justice. By exploring social identities through written word, film & video, and other forms of media, I hope to continue to expand and enrich conversations about social issues that face our society, and to find ways to take social action while encouraging others to do so as well in their own ways.

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