Exploring Awareness Through Race-Based Epistemologies

Awareness is the ultimate goal of a truth-seeking individual. Some reach that stage early on in life; however, some of us never quite get there. Yet, can full awareness ever be reached? Is it an illusion or a mirage of the human mind? This is something I cannot answer. It is up to an individual to decide what awareness or truth is and means to them and when they’ve reached that point (Ladson-Billings and Tate 1995) if they ever do. Nevertheless, awareness or truth is not definite or a set destination, but rather a dynamic, evolving and open-ended process that occurs throughout life. It is a process of decolonization of the mind, heart and soul (Henrichs 2020) that allows us to reframe our perspectives (Tuhiwai Smith, 1999) and leads us to discovery, understanding, and transformation (Freire 1970).