“Those of us who stand outside the circle of this society’s definition of acceptable women; those of us who have been forged in the crucibles of difference — those of us who are poor, who are lesbians, who are Black, who are older — know that survival is not an academic skill. It is learning how to take our differences and make them strengths. For the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house. ” ― Audre Lorde

Today in Racial Injustice: Doddsville, MS (click to learn more at EJI.org)

Today we feature the work of Audre Lorde. A writer, feminist, queer Black woman, and civil rights activist, Lorde’s poetry, prose, and personhood embody much of the foundation of intersectional feminism.

You can read about Lorde’s life, and then check out some of her poetry and prose. You might also enjoy this Poetry Foundation podcast, “The Uses of Anger”, featuring audio of Lorde reading her own work, along with commentary from scholar and poet Lavelle Porter on Lorde’s influence:

Lastly today, we conclude with the story of fearless musician, educator and TED Fellow Stanford Thompson, who is the founder of Play on Philly!, an after-school program for children in Philadelphia:

If you’d like to support arts and education in Black communities, please consider donating to the following organizations:

• The United Negro College Fund
• The National Society of Black Physicists
• The Black Academy of Arts and Letters