Wobbling

These are exciting times even if you’re just watching from the sidelines as the world seems to be crashing down upon us. And witnessing is an important part of the struggle, for sure. We need people who will document the stories for us. That said, The Wobble v 20.20 is not here to merely witness.

In their book, Pose Wobble Flow: A Culturally Proactive Approach to Literacy Instruction, Antero García and Cindy O’Donnell-Allen quote Bob Fecho to explain “wobble as a calling to attention, a provocation of response” (pages 5-6). Wobbles are unexpected; hence, they knock us off-kilter. Also, we can expect to wobble at any given point since life is ever-changing. We wish for wobbles, in fact! Change happens as a result of wobbles. Wobbles can either push people to avoid the challenge and retreat back to their comfort zone, or it can push us to learn, reflect, and grow (page 6). In order to move forward to a more equitable world, we must wobble so that we can topple what oppresses and marginalizes us. Without the wobbles, therefore, we can’t expect change to happen.

The Wobble v 20.20 expects nothing less from its comrades. We are happy to be thrown out of our comfort zone. Can we say that there’s ever been a comfortable zone for black and brown folks, though? Time immemorial has shown us that there are always oppressors looking to lord over others. Colonialism, patriarchy and capitalism lull us into a drugged state of perceived comfort, but there’s no going back once the veil is lifted. We must decolonize ourselves if we hope for a new society that allows everyone the access to resources that leads to a truly happy existence.

We’ve all heard the rebuttals that there’s no such thing as a utopian society, and I think we can all agree that’s true. On the other hand, there are plenty of examples from our indigenous ancestors of communal, collective societies that prospered and allowed for everyone to have a seat at the table. That is why we wobble; that is why we will not stay quiet; that is why we will push and pull till all of us are wobbling to a better future that includes a setting for every single one of us at the table of life.

Seek the wobble!

Citation:

García, Antero and Cindy O’Donnell-Allen. Pose Wobble Flow: A Culturally Proactive Approach to Literacy Instruction. Teachers College Press, 2015.