1/ Lots of talk today about Eastern European "buffer" rhetoric. Here are a few thoughts about that, contingent whiteness, and ethnic cleansing. 🧵 2/ Standing against imperialism in all instances is important. But speaking about imperialism in broad strokes helps no one. My read is that there's a war over the boundaries of whiteness within Eastern Europe happening here that is worth unpacking a bit.

In honor of #AAPIHeritageMonth,* let's talk about 1) why Asian Americans should be invested in advocating for Critical Race Theory (CRT) as a tool of racial liberation and 2) why this moment provides an opportunity for building deep and healing coalitions. 🧵 1/n #CRT began as a critique of the failures of the civil rights movement in the works of brilliant scholars including Derrick Bell, @sandylocks, and Charles Lawrence III. It has two major tenets: 1) "colorblind" laws have failed and 2) we should aspire to true equity. 2/n

On reasons BIPOC scholars don't get tenured/promoted is because they're treated as crisis management teams. They aren't lazy or stupid. They're cleaning up messes. This is why white people have to learn to *see* and be *proactive.* Every crisis burns *days* of writing. + Thoughtless and careless behavior has consequences. Anxious white people aren't charming. Happy-go-lucky white people aren't charming. "Rigorous" white people aren't charming. They're dangerous.

WHITE PEOPLE MUST BE AGITATORS. THE CALL MUST COME FROM INSIDE THE HOUSE. +

Managing #academic transitions in a time of #COVID19, a long ass, compiled thread focused on preparation, not panic, particularly for #TeamRhetoric and #CommunicationSoWhite folks: 1. Repeat after me: ASYNCHRONOUS DIGITAL MINIMALISM, WITH VIDEO LECTURES OPTIONAL. @AimiHamraie, who is an expert in cultivating care, is right to push us to think more correspondence courses less classrooms. Social justice and digital infrastructures demand the former.