Let me add my voice to the call of others who lacked the
time, money, or opportunity to meet F2F with many of our
listserve family at the activity theory presession of AERA.
A sense of the dynamics of the presession as a whole, as well
as personally memorable moments, would be most appreciated.
...
Meanwhile, I'll offer a brief report of what for me was the
most moving of the AERA presentations, session 37.19,
_Paulo Friere in Memoriam_.
The session was held in one of the Marriott Hotel mega-rooms crammed with
many thousands of interested scholars. The session began with a brief address
by his widow, who described Paolo as a Friend, Teacher, and Husband.
Her words were translated, so those of us who are not Spanish speaking
had to wait to understand the cause of the good natured laughter and
bantering of the Hispanic listeners. (She promised she would censor the
last portion of her address on Paolo as a husband.)
This set the stage for what was not a mourning of the death, so much as
a celebration of the life, of this much loved liberation scholar. The
speakers, Donaldo Macedo, Linda Brodkey, Peter McLaren, Henry Giroux,
and Antonia Darder, shared personal anecdotes about Friere, and gave
brief reports on the general importance of his work to the politics of
struggle, and to their own lifes and careers. About the person, many
spoke of his love, his courage, and his personal connection to those
around him, as well as his general engagement in life: "I cannot imagine
a revolutionary who does not love good food." Some reported that many were
shocked when he remarried after the death of his first wife; but in
retrospect, nothing could be more characteristic of his belief in life
and engagement.
His work provided a vehicle to legitimate what for many educators
and scholars had been their own personal commitment to political
struggle on behalf of the poor and disenfranchised through education.
Because his was the only voice offering guidance and support at this
time, his work holds special personal significance for many educators.
Of special note was his diplomatic but firm critique of the politics
of separation of races, genders, etc. that has tended to balkanize class
struggle in the U.S.
All of the speakers spoke with deep commitment. In introducing Giroux,
Macedo shared that the order was partly dictated by the reputations of
some: McLaren had telephoned him at 2:00 AM to say: "I'm not following
Giroux." Like the others, Giroux spoke with great energy and force.
But Antonia Darder who did follow him was truly inspired. Her eloquence
gushed out from her, leaving me (and I sensed all assembled) transported
to a state of deep reflection and communion. After the formal presentations
time remained for five or six of his former friends and students to share
brief anecdotes or testimonials about Paolo. As one who has not had
occasion to study his work in depth, I felt honored and inspired to be
present for these testaments of those who did.
David Kirshner
Louisiana State University
cikirs who-is-at lsuvm.sncc.lsu.edu