November 22, 2015 - 16:55
We had a very small class this week in our Thursday's group. Four of the women who were often in our class had left the facility and gone home. I don't know why but my first reaction at that second was unbelievable that I felt I would miss their faces and voices in this class. Then I suddenly felt so sorry for how selfish that feeling was and I blamed myself for temporarily forgotten how they were struggling in this place and always longing for release. A similar upsetting feeling emerged again at the end of our class when we were asked to say one word about our current feelings that I almost wanted to say "homesick". I miss China, I miss Shenzhen, I miss home. But to think from another perspective, how privileged I am having the choice to study abroad and can afford round trip tickets every semester. And this quote from a TED talk by Michael Kimmel has been haunting me recently, "Privilege is invisible for those who have it". It's my own choice and privilege to be here. So I have to do everything here responsibly all the time.
Wait, but if it is not their choice to be in there.....
Realizing personal responsibilities through different approaches seems to be a crucial step toward a hopeful future.
But what should the approaches be like?
And since there is no one single approach that fits everyone, what should educators do to make the education in prison inclusive?