Tonight I watched the recording for the October 21, 2020 SABER Diversity and Inclusion series. Dr. Terrell Morton from the University of Missouri gave a talk entitled “But is it really “just” science? Engaging critical race theory to unpack racial oppression with implications for Black student science engagement. ” and describes himself as a male, black scholar activist. Morton went to NC A&T and UNC-Chapel Hill and described his positionality to start the webinar. Morton defined culture from several disciplines including anthropology, sociology, and psychology. Dr. Morton went on to describe the social-political-historical culture of science before introducing critical race theory (CRT). Morton explained that CRT is currently controversial and has tenets that include: interest convergence permanence of racism, whiteness as property, critique of liberalism and the belief in individualism and the “bootstrap mentality” (meritocracy), intersectionality, and counter-narrative. Morton eloquently explained and defined these ideas! Using a metaphor of one belly-side-up fish in a lake and asking “what’s wrong with the fish?” and a lake full of dead fish and asking instead “what is wrong with the lake?”… Morton discussed systemic and inherent racism. I appreciate how Morton described targeted DEI efforts to increase numerical racial diversity in STEM without “transforming undergirding racist structures that require a redistribution of power.” Morton mentioned that contemporary anti-Black racism in science includes structural systemic oppression with tokenism, essentialism (looking at interventions for only one group), and mirror-tocracy (who looks like us or reflects our perspectives?). Morton talked about how norms maintain stereotypes privileging assimilation and enculturation and values communicate “the need for resilience, grit, tenacity.” Morton explained that this sets the expectation that black students should almost be super human and that practices foster alienation and isolation. The psychological effects that Morton described for racism in science were racial micro- and macro-aggressions, racialized metacognition… wearing on psychosocial wellbeing from consistent “resilience.” Morton presented a model of STEM culture within an institution, department, STEM clases, labs, and research experiences. Net vulnerability depends on stress engagement, reactive coping (assimilation, accommodation, resilience, resistance… rejection), emergent identity (for example, reinforced social identity), and life stage outcome (STEM retention, degree completion… institutional departure). Morton presented a model from Powell, Demetriou, Morton, and Ellis 2020 entitled “A CRT-informed Model to Enhance Experiences and outcomes of Racially Minoritized Students” in the Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice. The model shown on a slide had three concepts in circles: explore your positionality, embrace racial realism, and raise your critical consciousness in a funnel with “take dialogic action” at the bottom. Morton ended with a quote and call to action. One of the first questions of the discussion section was how to address the trauma that students and colleagues have and continue to experience. Morton mentioned being transparent listening to students/colleagues and also sharing struggles. Morton acknowledged the danger of centering on “you” and also emphasized being an active listener to acknowledge, validate, and honor. Morton eloquently responded to this and other questions. What struck me was how there is so much to learn about this, and the repercussions of continuing to remain uninformed will (hopefully) no longer have a place on campuses.
