At a recent Big Questions Institute professional development workshop for educational leaders, one of the participants honestly reflected that she felt uncomfortable using the word “radical,” even if it was stated in the context of “radical kindness,” “radical acceptance,” or “radical empathy” at school. “The connotations seem too strong and polarizing,” she said.
We get it. Our media and political leaders have built massive audiences sparking fear of so many “radicals,” like “radical Islam,” or “radical fringe groups.” This weaponized language, however, has been deeply hurtful, whether you’re one of the millions of Muslims striving for peace and faith, or millions of Black families speaking out about crumbling schools, mass incarceration, lead in the water, and inadequate, unequal healthcare.
Our popular culture has used the adjective to polarize and instill fear, rather than solve the very problems that create the othering – and we have lost the meaning of the word.
As the corona virus rages on, and calls for social justice globally become louder, clearer, and more universal, why do we remain so afraid of being radical? Are the things that matter most to us mutually exclusive of radical acts, or might it be the reverse? In order to realize what’s vital: justice, equity, relationships, stewardship, community, creativity, joy – perhaps thinking radically is precisely what we need?
Radical: Grasping at the Root
In our work we are constantly looking to the etymology of words to get to the root of messages and excavate the stories. “Radical” is a good case in point. The Latin origin of the word “radical” refers to “proceeding from a root.” This reference continues in math, where radical, symbolized by √, denotes a square root, cube root, etc.
As UCLA’s Distinguished Professor Emerita, Angela Davis, who embodies “radical,” in whatever way you interpret the word, explained, “Radical simply means grasping at the root.” And: “You have to act as if it were possible to radically transform the world. And you have to do it all the time.”
Thinking radically helps us imagine a new world, but if it’s overwhelming to begin imagining globally, then “radical” also helps us begin at the roots, or locally. And we get to do it over and over and over again (“do it all the time”), because iteration is a key to trying, adjusting, failing, starting again, taking a risk, and continuously learning.
Beginning at the roots allows us to construct a new foundation, so we are not building upon crumbling structures. If you could set aside all the add-ons and go to the root, or the heart of what mattered most, where would you begin?
This orientation makes us question efforts at reform and even re-imagining – they don’t go deep enough. Thanks to the scholarship of Dr. Bettina Love, we are questioning our use of the term “re-imagining,” as that term, like the word “empowerment,” seems nice enough, until they are looked at from an anti-racist, abolitionist lens. As Dr. Love explained: “I don’t want to re-imagine slavery.” So, we will use “radical imagination” to dream something new, just, and inclusive. And with empowerment – that implies you can empower someone else, that you have the power to give them. Nope – we/our students possess inherent powers and capacities and education’s job is to excavate, uncover and release. So before using “empowerment,” even with the best intent, pause to consider the impact, if you really want to talk about the power your students might unleash.
“Radical” As a Transformative Descriptor
Adding the word “radical” to terms like “kindness” and “hospitality” helps transform the meaning of an otherwise polite, nice or gentle idea. For example, going from hospitality, defined as “the friendly and generous reception and entertainment of guests, visitors, or strangers,” to radical hospitality turns that nice idea into one that can transform people and communities. Experiences of radical hospitality include former leading white nationalist Derek Black, who, after a few meals at a Jewish classmate’s apartment, experienced a complete transformation in his worldview, toward justice and equality; or Philadelphia’s Broad Street Ministry, where feeding the hungry is not seen as one-sided charity but as an act of reciprocity, a partnership that builds community and humanity.
So, imagine what it might be like to practice the following “radicals.” How does the meaning of each word get amplified or transformed? What might this look like in your personal life or in your school? What other “radicals” would you add to this growing list?
- Radical Kindness
- Radical Candor
- Radical Inquiry
- Radical Empathy
- Radical Inclusion
- Radical Belonging
- Radical Hope
- Radical Wellness
- Radical Self-care
- Radical Hospitality
- Radical Collaboration
- Radical Imagination
A Radical Lens
Imagine applying a radical lens to each priority on our school-making agendas. For example, if we went line-by-line on the budget from a lens of radical inclusion or radical belonging, how might critical financial decisions be impacted? In the altered state of school during pandemic, if we radically imagine the school’s partnership with parents, how might parents’ role be re-assessed from a lens of radical wellness or radical kindness?
Applying the “radical” lens can start off as an exercise in unsticking our minds, as we imagine new approaches to replace tired, expired structures. Try it with your colleagues. If you could dream, where would your dreams go? If you could remove one element of incoherence, what might it be and what could result? You will learn a lot about each other, and once you start to imagine, you can begin to construct reality from your thoughts.
Our BIG Question: What would it take for you to practice radical acts of education?
Homa and Will
