With particular focus on the first-hand narratives of two desegregation pioneers—their stories, sufferings, and pedagogy of survival—this book gives voice to unsung heroes and the often overlooked view of the adolescent perspective to address the question of how one can endure and thrive in the midst of hardship and tragedy. While enduring her own personal trauma, the author wrestled with the question, “How will I survive?” The answer, she discovered, was in the actual act of surviving and in the navigational strategies she employed and witnessed in the lives of others.
In Pedagogy of Survival, the author uses the narratives of ordinary people to highlight extraordinary lessons of perseverance. The integration of historical and present-day change agents challenges readers to examine their own lives and see that they, too, have the ability to not merely withstand trials, but to become agents of change. Everyone has a story that matters and can serve as a lesson for someone else. So what is your story?
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The book also includes narratives from Harvey Gantt who speaks to his experiences as a desegregation pioneer and other activists who were also connected to Millicent Brown, a public school administrator who references the power of word and a student who compels us to listen to the young adult voice.
This book includes an interview with john a. powell, internationally recognized expert and director of the Haas Institute, who shares his expertise on implicit bias.
The book's Foreword was written by Michael Gurian, New York Times bestselling author of twenty-eight books, social philosopher and founder of the Gurian Institute.