This is the second blog entry in ‘Til the White Day is Done, a project by author and activist JLove Calderon. JLove can be considered an authority on the presence of racism, white privilege and persistent white supremacy in our society, and we think sharing her expertise in this space will create a great dialogue among the World Up community. Please stay tuned and see what she has to say, as well as the gripping celebrity interviews she has gathered on her journey.

Racism sucks!
The question is what are we doing about it? Such a complex and deeply embedded
system can only be brought down by a similarly complex plan. What might that plan
look like? I have some ideas, and I hope you’ll add yours in the comments. We need our
collective wisdom, power, and love to bring about change!

Educate and Agitate!
It’s time to go toe-to-toe with the mis-education of America. We’ve all been brought up
under systematic lies that cause our superiority and inferiority complexes run amuck.
Our job is to overcome the stereotypes that we’re taught, and teach truth. Only when
people acknowledge that racism, white supremacy, and white privilege exist and have a
devastating and lasting impact on all of us, will we truly be able to force a paradigm shift.

One Step…
My very good friend Marcella Runell Hall and I are both activists and educators. We
are also both white. We also hate racism. So it was a no-brainer to come together to
figure out ways that we can impact racism in a meaningful way. One late night, coffee
addiction satisfied, we thought of Love, Race, and Liberation; ‘Til the White Day is
Done. We gathered a team of dedicated educators to create original activities, and
exclusive interviews I had been collecting from cultural icons. We are using the power
of information to agitate, educate and unite those who are willing to challenge the
unjust system in which we live. We recognize that this is just one step, and we hope it
encourages you to find the footing to take a step, too.

Introducing Love, Race & Liberation: ‘Til the White Day is Done
The title of this book gives a nod to the famous Langston Hughes. “‘Til the White Day
is Done” is a line from the 1926 poem Dream Variations. In the daytime universe of
the poem the narrator dreams of flinging his arms wide in the face of the sun—an act of
protest and resistance, of joy and celebration. ‘Til the White Day Is Done represents a
commitment to end oppression in all forms, to eliminate the current “White Day.” White
people are the world’s minority, yet white supremacy and racism are the scaffolding
on which the American political and socioeconomic systems are built. This book
strives to bring the important elements of love and liberation to all conversations about
race. Marcella Runell Hall and I brought our goals together into the curriculum, in an
effort to put action steps behind anti-racist rhetoric, in a move toward being truly and
unapologetically pro-liberation.

Within the pages you will find love letters written to educators by some of the leading
voices on contemporary issues of race and racism. There are also over twenty lesson
plans, which range from the social construction of race and the racialization of social
media, to the prison industrial complex. This book is meant to catapult us to action,
prompt dialogue, stimulate our minds and hearts, and provide educators with profound
yet practical tools for creating social justice.

Here’s a taste of some of the lesson plans you’ll find:
Ain’t I an American? Exploring US Immigration History & Citizenship
Appropriate or Appreciate? A Reflection on Cultural Appropriation
Why are all the Black Kids Posting Together On MySpace? Racial Identity & Social
Networking Sites

Writers Include:
Piper Anderson, Tanesha Barnes, Andrea Dre Domingue, and Samantha Shapses
Wertheim

Love Letter Writers Include:
Kahlil Almustafa, Esther Armah, Hector Calderón, Richard Chavolla, Suheir Hammad,
Ariel Luckey, Peggy McIntosh, Pedro Noguera, Sofia Quintero, and Tim Wise

Exclusive Interviews Subjects Include:
Talib Kweli and his father Dr. Perry Greene, M1, Sonia Sanchez, Danny Hoch, and MC
Serch

We hope you stick with us through the ‘Til the White Day is Done blogging series, and
get with Jlove’s mission of love and justice for all. Hit up the comment section to share
your ideas for creating a better world.