Shana, did you really mean to say "inner city and _other_
disadvantaged children"?
Do you assume that it is a _disadvantage_ to live in the
inner city? I went to school in the Bronx and then in
Manhattan. The disadvantages I experienced in such an urban
situation included the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the
Museum of Modern Art, the American Museum of Natural
History, the New York Botanical Gardens, the Brooklyn
Botanical Gardens, the Brooklyn Children's Museum, the
Museum of the City of New York, free tours led by Urban Park
Rangers in each borough, the Bronx Zoo, the Central Park
Zoo, Riverside Park, Central Park, Van Cortlandt Park,
Prospect Park, the New York Aquarium, and Columbia
University.
We need to be careful with our language sometimes, so that
we do not marginalize children or anyone we serve.
"Disadvantaged" children are sometimes rural, with less
cultural resources available to them. "Disadvantaged"
children are sometimes in the inner city, unaware that
such resources abound around them. I recommend that we
try to use language which is specific, replacing terms which
describe the children (e.g."disadvantaged" or "at risk kid")
with specifics which describe the environment of the
audience we are reaching, such as "children from low income
families" or "children at risk of failing in school" or
"children at risk of experiencing violence in their
community" or "children from populations which are
underserved by my institution." I do not mean to split
hairs, but it is a sensitive issue which I think deserves
careful thought. Risk is inherent to all of our lives,
including severe depression experienced by high achievers.
I know too many inner-city people of color who are sick of
being labelled "at risk." At risk of what? Being
marginalized by those of us with the best intents?
Kellyx Nelson
[log in to unmask]
Opinions are my own and all other requisite disclaimers.
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