Ep 198: Painful Truths and Opportunities for Change from the Perspectives of “The Token” Crystal Byrd Farmer's new book + a gratitude session

This week on #fofcpod we have an insightful conversation about relationships and diversity with educator, organizer and speaker Crystal Byrd Farmer, she focuses on cohousing, Black, and polyamorous communities. Crystal is a Black, queer, autistic woman whose opinions and ambitions find her in a variety of communities where she is the only one with a particular intersection of identities. This “token” status is one Crystal does not shy away from, but instead uses it to speak up and invite change in the communities she chooses.

Crystal shares some of her experiences, and tells us about her book, The Token: Common Sense Ideas for Increasing Diversity in Your Organization. We'll also hear about Gastonia Freedom School, the Agile Learning Center (a type of Self-directed Education center, that Crystal founded to offer support in her North Carolina community.

“This is the book that is going to save you from theory and guilt trips disguised as training or solutions to issues of equity and diversity. Crystal has brilliantly highlighted her personal experiences as means of examining and learning how biases affect some Black women in particular, and many intentional communities across age and gender, among other differences. She then brings in the history and pattern of anti-Black racism in particular, and offers resources and conversation prompts to work through what she brings up in these pages. I found this book refreshing in its departure from scholarly research over real-life experiences, feelings that words often fail, and so much more in terms of nuance and layers. I loved this and I'm grateful to Crystal for adding her perspectives to the conversation about relationships and diversity without apology, and with no problem being dynamic and human in her approach. Read this book!”

- Akilah S. Richards’s review.

“The book touches key points like reality of bias, privilege and microaggressions, what marginalized people experience and what they might need to feel safe and comfortable in order to succeed. Crystal acts as the bridge between majority white organizations that are dedicated to social justice and "diverse" people in the community.”

Gastonia Freedom School is a self-directed learning center focused on children with disabilities, the support is one-to-one depending on their interests, they work on the development of social skills respecting their agency and independence. Crystal talks about how they’re managing this SDE space since COVID started, the challenges and also the perks of it.

Akilah also took some time to share her appreciation to the Fare Of The Free Child Community and invites to continue on this deschooling journey of healing and liberation work.

LIBERATION WALK

• Here’s Crystal talking abo

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