Conclusion: Afterwor(l)ding toward Imaginative Dimensions

Abstract

At the time of this writing, late August 2019, people who look like us and the contributors to this book continue to be locked up and/or murdered, to be heavily impacted by climate change, and to face physical and mental health issues, all due to White Supremacy and racism. On top of its normal levels of structural racism, the US federal government is defunding public services to create prisons for Brown children and families; deporting naturalized citizens to countries where they have never lived or haven’t lived since they were children; outlawing reproductive health care; and raiding people’s homes and jobs in the name of protecting this country. When things like this are happening in the world, Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) are still expected to go to work, be “collegial” to their colleagues and cheerful to patrons, and meet regular deadlines. As George Lipsitz puts it, “White vanity is considered more valuable than Black humanity” (2020). We, and especially Black and Indigenous peoples, are asked to be superhuman while our communities are in danger, while white folx go on living their racially supremacist, everyday lives. To that we echo Vincent Harding’s words, “We have no time for charades” (1970, 78). Do not tell us to be patient, calm, or civil. We cannot waste time, energy, or CONCLUSION: AFTERWOR(L)DING TOWARD IMAGINATIVE DIMENSIONS