Review
"Whether you are at the beginning of your social justice journey or a seasoned activist, VITAL is a transformative guide that gives readers the knowledge, tools, and confidence to effectively integrate social justice into their everyday lives. The book can only be described as a labor of love, a fastidiously researched and thoughtfully illustrated framework that will serve as an invaluable resource for students, educators, administrators, and professionals across multiple disciplines."
-- T.M. Mosley, Ph.D., NCC, Associate Dean of Students, Agnes Scott College & Professor, Spelman College/Georgia State University
"What Kyle and Aeriel have accomplished in their new release VITAL is to remind some of us, educate others, and awaken the rest of us to take a critical look at how we think and why we think the way we do about social justice. I encourage anyone who works with people (that's a lot of us!) to use VITAL as a tool to communicate, challenge and/or potentially change your social justice perception, perspective and practice."
-- Dr. Verna Cornelia Price, Best Selling Author, The Power of People: Four Kinds of People Who Can Change Your Life & Founder of Girls in Action
"Rooted in a philosophy of practicing vulnerability, Aeriel and Kyle take risks in this book; they draw on their own dominant and subordinated identities to engage readers in their VITAL approach to social justice education. Readers will be left with personal stories and strategies that illustrate the process of social justice learning and be invited to reflect deeply on their own identities. Most importantly, Aeriel and Kyle are committed to continuously growing and learning as social justice educators."
-- Dr. Stephen John Quaye, Associate Professor at Miami University
"Kyle and Aeriel Ashlee have consistently provided me timely and pertinent insight as I've pursued my own personal education around issues of diversity. Read this book."
-- Ryan Bannan, 2015-2016 President of the National Student Nurses Association
From the Back Cover
Our world is wracked with division and differences. Racial tension and social injustices plague our communities. Conversations about diversity, identity, and social justice are at a momentous tipping point. Too often people feel overwhelmed, angry, and uncertain about how to respond.
What if instead there was a way to feel completely empowered? What if instead of being railroaded by guilt there was a way to find courage in vulnerability. What if instead of getting shut down by triggers and tip-toeing around issues we could find strength in storysharing and authentic dialogue?
VITAL - Vulnerability, Identity, Trust, Authorship, and Liberation - the five core principles of this book, will give readers the tools and confidence they need to effectively integrate social justice into their everyday lives.
About the Author
Aeriel and Kyle Ashlee are married partners, award-winning authors, and social justice educators. As Co-Founders of Ashlee Consulting, they foster brave space for bold conversations. They live in Cincinnati, Ohio with their cat Valentina.
