The truth is, however, that the oppressed are not “marginals” are not people living “outside” society. They have always been “inside” – inside the structure which made them “beings for others.” (p. 47)
Yet only through communication can human life hold meaning. The teachers thinking is authenticated only by the authenticity of the students thinking. (p. 50)
Problem posing education is revolutionary futurity. (P. 53)
This piece is written in response to the question of race and social justice, being led by the above writings.
If being people living on the ‘margins’ and the ‘outside’ of society is of an ethnic minority, then I am to be counted as one of ‘them’. My grandfather’s journey from the village of Pholriwal, district Jalandhar, Punjab, India, to the UK in the 1960’s, to me having the privilege of going to university is a milestone. My visible presence and engagement as part of the higher education establishment has often felt on practical levels to integrate into a system that is oppressive. The reality is having gone through the process of being an undergraduate to a graduate, then to a practising designer, then to becoming a senior lecturer, educator and practitioner is where now my positionality exists. I am all too aware that where I do not demonstrate humility to my students through love, and where I may let pride in, I am susceptible to making any one of my students feel like the ‘other’.
With all my life experience to date, what I bring to the fashion studios is my authentic self. My joy, my tears, the colour of my skin, my experiences of being who I am being reflected in a positive light, through the textures of faith, hope and love, to nurture and share knowledge to my students, so they in turn can begin to explore who they are as artists. Helping them celebrate who they are, building confidence in their skills, through identifying strengths and developing weaknesses. My role is to serve them, learning from how I was an ‘outsider’ undergraduate and now an ‘insider’ as a lecturer.
The very core of being a Conscious Fashion Creative-Educator is to ‘problem solve’ for today and the future. Helping my students understand that their responsibility for societal change for the betterment of humanity, is that we through love and respect for one another, have the privilege to bring forth awareness, educate and explore creativity to inspire human craft, so consumers can embrace to live a more fulfilled life. This may sound deeply philosophical, yet the reality is having the opportunity to be ethical creatives of integrity, where all people involved in the life cycle of a product are treated with dignity, uplifted, and celebrated for their contribution acknowledging each other’s value with the highest esteem.
Ofcourse, we live in a broken world. My positionality + intersectionalities, of being British-Asian, Indian, Punjabi, a Christian, I’m a minority of a minority. So there are implications of me being a male of Indian heritage, in lived experiences, which shape my perspectives of peoples + unconscious biases. My world view is not to fit in, but to be at peace to love others. It’s challenging. What I have learnt through the process of this unit is that I must challenge myself to stand up for injustices I see and simultaneously seek allyship. For racism in our institute is in the hearts and minds of people that we work with and creating interventions to positively fight this is to in love educate one another. If problem solving is at the core of a Creatives heart, then the driver to challenge and fight for social injustice is no different, if we choose to prioritise it in our lives.
Bibliography
Freire, P. 1970, 1993, Pedagogy of the Oppressed. First published by The Continuum Publishing Company 1970, Published in Penguin Classics 2017.