It may seem unusual to some that an Asian American woman would be a leading figure in Black liberation movements, but Grace Lee Boggs embodied the understanding of our shared struggle. On this episode of Justice Above All, Dr. Kesha Moore, Thurgood Marshall Institute Research Manager, explores with listeners how Grace’s legacy of scholarship and organizing offers a rich and robust framework for those working in social justice movements.
Guests:
Dr. Rachel Kuo, University of Illinois
Jin Hee Lee, Legal Defense Fund
Emma Lu, Harvard College
She's made more contributions to the Black struggle than most Black people.
Grace Lee Boggs was an organizer and philosopher who came into prominence during the Civil Rights and Black Power movements in the 1960s. But before she became a titan of organizing power and political theory, she was a university librarian living in Hyde Park neighborhood in Chicago, Illinois. Her praxis as a philosopher and activist has much to offer modern social justice movements. Learn more about Grace Boggs’ early life as a philosopher and her evolution into one of the most effective organizers of the 20th century.
#Asians4BlackLives pic.twitter.com/YEfCBpn29c
— Grace Lee Boggs (@GraceLeeBoggs) June 2, 2020
Modern movements can learn a lot from Grace Lee Boggs’ work. As the United States once again finds itself in the battle over race-conscious admissions and states field attacks on diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives, it is more important than ever that we center intersectionality and multicultural coalitions in our work to advance social justice. As Grace’s legacy teaches us, relationship building and solidarity are critical factors in creating a multi-racial, multi-ethnic democracy that can truly serve all people.
Grace Lee Boggs. Photo via Kyle McDonald via Wikimedia Commons And so, progress is not a straight line, she says. But it's through work and through deeds that we create new contradictions and, in that process, create this kind of world-building practice.