Words of Wisdom - Shawn Copeland

Shawn Copeland

"To be a serious thinking margin means to take up a critical cognitive praxis. The phrase cognitive praxis denotes the dynamic activity of knowing: questioning patterns and the sometimes jagged-edge of experience (including biological, psychological, social, religious, cultural, aesthetic); testing and probing possible answers; marshaling evidence and weighing it against cultural codes and signs, against imperious and subjugated truths; risking judgment; taking up the struggle. Such knowledge roots its accountability, its authoritative control of meaning and value in the cognitive, moral, and religious authenticity of the identity of poor, excluded, and despised Black women." (Shawn Copeland, "A Thinking Margin," in Deeper Shades of Purple, Stacey Floyd-Thomas, ed., p. 227)

This year, the Misogynoir to Mishpat (M2M) Research Network has been working with the theme, "Power on the Margins: Open the Gates!" The theme acknowledges that Black, African descended women are especially vulnerable when it comes to religious leadership within activism, academic scholarship and religious leadership within places of worship. As such, we have considered that we are not victims because we have power on the margins.

While we consider that we have a responsibility to use our power on the margins, we simultaneously recognize that this means being accountable to others. We are able to open the gates to leadership by locating the gaps and filling those gaps together. If higher education is resistant to seeing women like us as producers of knowledge, then we amplify those voices. If there is a resistance to hiring us as lecturers and professors, we are not limited - we can work as independent scholars. Copeland's observation about being a "thinking margin" fits well within those goals. The critical cognitive praxis that she describes is central to our own performativity as clergy, as academics and as activists. We hope you will re-read and consider her words of wisdom.

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