Browse our Current Fall 2024 Issue (#117)
Cultural Appreciation in Schools: An Exploration of Power
Cultural Appreciation Series #1
By Masumi Hayashi-Smith, Aiyana Masla, and Joaquin Muñoz
We at Alma Partners have noted that many teachers are carrying similar questions and concerns about sharing elements of culture in their classrooms and schools. Some are holding themselves back from taking risks that could lead to growth, afraid that they will cause harm or that they have already caused harm, and concerned with how to move forward. Some teachers have heard the term “cultural appropriation” but don’t know exactly what it is or how it relates to their work. Some teachers feel overwhelmed by the task of sharing songs or stories from outside their own culture. We hope to offer support, structure, and resources for teachers to authentically deepen their inquiry and expand their offerings.
In this article, the first of a three-part series, we will begin by sharing guidance for identifying cultural appropriation, deepening our understanding of why and how it is harmful. From here, we will share two additional articles in upcoming issues of the magazine that will focus on practices and practical tools that teachers can engage with to counter this harm. Our hope is that, by working with these practices and continuing to deepen our collective understanding, we will be able to offer our students and families respectful, authentic portrayals of the beautiful and diverse world in which we live.
Deepening Community: Preserving Farm Legacy through the Farmland Commons
Another summer growing season has peaked and faded away, and, once again, small farms across North America worked tirelessly to tie their local communities to the wellness and spirit of the landscape. These dedicated stewards fed families, supported biodiversity, sequestered carbon, and maintained the vitality of their farm organisms through keen observation, the development of dynamic systems, and the cultivation of a loving relationship with the land. These relationships can take years to fully form, as farmers must experience the variabilities of the natural world through the lens of their unique microclimates, and some of the healthiest farm organisms today are stewarded by our wisest elders.
Bean to Bar: The True Value of Chocolate
When I was four years old and wouldn’t drink milk, my mother wrote a note to my kindergarten teacher asking her to give me chocolate milk. Astounded that the chocolate I loved to eat could enhance milk, I wanted to know more: Where does chocolate come from, who makes it and how, and why don’t we put it in everything? My lifelong study of chocolate began.
Globally beloved chocolate, health-rich and heart-warming, made from the seed of the fruit of the cacao tree, has always seemed to me to be one of the most valuable foods, beverages, or experiences on the planet. The Aztec, Maya, Olmec, and other peoples knew and know cacao’s health benefits, ecosystem contributions, and power to support vitality. Cacao opens the heart, focuses the mind, and enriches the earth. Today, a focus on the monetary value of commoditized cacao threatens to overshadow the human rights abuses and environmental degradation in the corporate-run cacao and chocolate industry. Over-financialization also obscures solutions that are already as close at hand as my childhood carton of chocolate milk.
The LILIPOH Collector’s Package includes your personalized selection of 20 individual back-issues at a Special Price!
