Register to join the next PART Anti-racism Book Club facilitated by Professor Frankie Condon from English Language and Literature, who will be joined by Professor Vershawn Young (aka dr. vay), of Communication Arts and English Language and Literature. They'll be discussing Dr. Young's book, Your Average Nigga: Performing Race, Literacy, and Masculinity. The conversation promises to be riveting as Condon and Young delve into the book’s controversial title and its provocative argument.
Your Average Nigga is dr. vay’s autobiographical analysis of the linguistic conflict that he claims exists between Black and white language styles. dr. vay, who teaches in both the departments of Communication Arts and English Language and Literature, draws from his personal experiences to argue against language instruction that requires Black English speakers to give up their language to succeed academically.
“When Black students are forced to choose standard English, they risk alienating themselves from their Black identities, families and communities and if these students are forced to choose to retain their customary speech and behavior then they risk isolating themselves from mainstream society,” dr. vay explains. This dilemma is resolved, according to dr. vay, by integrating these languages in school rather than keeping them segregated. […]