So I'm utterly excited.
No, I haven't gotten a new a job or leash on life. Nothing that serious! But I am excited because next week I get to see THE Michelle Norris in my hometown next week all thanks to one of my best buds who secured tickets for me (thanks Cathy!).
If you don't know who Michelle Norris is then it's time to learn. She is this amazing woman who is a host on NPR and the author of one of my favorite reads, The Grace of Silence: A Memoir. There is obviously a lot fascinating stuff in her book but since she is so awesome, I am going to leave it to my readers to find out more and read it on their own ;).
I am excited to see Michelle Norris coming to my hometown mainly because she is going to talk about something that never seems to cease tongues wagging: race. Yup, the big "R" word in the room. In fact, the title of the talk/event is called Eavesdropping on America's Conversation About Race. While I'm not 100% sure about all that will be discussed, I am certain it will be an evening of enlightened thought, and also maybe somethings that will draw the public's attention back in from where it once waned.
What I think I am most excited about is that Michelle Norris is an example of a woman of African-American background, who has utilized her education not only to excel in her career, but also to take the time out to educate others. Whenever, I see someone like her, I am reminded that yes, even at the ripe old age of 28 (shhh...) it's still ok to have heroines, people to aspire to. Not to mimic their accomplishments in any fashion or sort but to say, yes she is like me, she is someone who has done the very thing I am striving to do. If she can do this I can.
Furthermore, I love that she is speaking about something that has generally been relegated to African-American males scholars to dissect, critique, decipher, and lecture upon. Not to say that there hasn't been women such as Melissa Harris-Perry, Dr. Julianne Malveaux, and bell hooks, that have lectured on the subject or brought it to the forefront. It just seems that largely, the mere topic of race and racism has been something reserved for the male mind and dialogue as if women of color have in fact been less impacted.
What I am hoping is to learn more about maybe a hidden(?) conversation about race in America. In some ways I am hoping to be proved wrong about things being just as structured and ridiculous as they were 50 years ago. I am hoping more than anything that I am given some insight to take home with me that I can perhaps touch upon when I feel like I need to.
But again, I am just really excited to actually see Michelle Norris. I'm a nerd...so what! :)
