Everyday Dignity (2023)

This fall, the incredible film maker Ida Does presented her new film 'Everyday Dignity'. The documentary follows Philomena Essed. Essed, whom I deeply admire, published a groundbreaking book on everyday forms of racism in the Netherlands, forty years ago. Despite the controversy it stirred up and the backlash she faced, it has since become the most important reference for anti-racism in the Netherlands.

I had the immense privilege of documenting the meeting between Philomena Essed and Shona, Lakiescha and Veronika - students in their early twenties spearheading the initiative 'Zet Je In' to address racism and discrimination in education. Additionally, I had the pleasure of working alongside Isabelle Brito, Camille Parker and Jesse de Abreu at the Black Archives office, listening to their powerful voices. Grateful for these experiences.

Philomena Essed is a distinguished professor at Antioch University's Graduate School of Leadership and Change, specializing in Critical Race, Gender, and Leadership Studies. Born in Utrecht to Surinamese parents, her father, Max Essed, was a pediatrician, and her mother, Ine Corsten, played a significant social and leadership role within the Roman Catholic community while raising a large family. Essed's childhood was marked by alternating stays in Suriname and the Netherlands, instilling in her a deep understanding of both cultures. At fourteen, she moved to Nijmegen and later, in 1974, to Amsterdam. Her eldest brother, Gerard Essed, became a gynecologist and professor at Maastricht University, while her other brother, Hugo Essed, is a prominent lawyer who has represented the families of the victims of the December Murders in Suriname.

Essed earned her master's degree in cultural anthropology from the University of Amsterdam in 1983 and completed her PhD in social sciences there cum laude in 1990, under the mentorship of Chris Mullard. She also holds honorary doctorates from the University of Pretoria (2011) and Umeå University (2015).

Her research and teaching span national, cultural, and disciplinary boundaries, making significant contributions to understanding racism and gendered racism. She introduced groundbreaking concepts such as everyday racism and social and cultural cloning, and more recently, entitlement racism and racism knowledge.

Essed's work has had a global impact, applied in countries including the US, Canada, South Africa, Sweden, Finland, Germany, France, Russia, the UK, Switzerland, and Australia. She has lectured widely, from Germany to Brazil and South Africa to Canada. Her publications, written in both English and Dutch, have been translated into multiple languages, including French, German, Italian, Swedish, Portuguese, Chinese, and Arabic. Her seminal works include "Everyday Racism: Reports from Women of Two Cultures" (1990) and "Understanding Everyday Racism: An Interdisciplinary Theory" (1991). Other notable books include "Diversity: Gender, Color, and Culture" and several co-edited volumes such as "Race Critical Theories," "Refugees and the Transformation of Societies," "A Companion to Gender Studies," and "Dutch Racism."

A lifelong advocate for social justice, Essed currently focuses on dignity and ethics of care as essential components of leading change. She has served as an advisor to numerous governmental and non-governmental organizations globally. In the Netherlands, she was a member of the state Selection Commission for the Judiciary (2003-2010) and a Deputy Member of The Netherlands Institute for Human Rights (2004-2016), where she participated in hearings on structural discrimination, including race, gender, religion, age, sexual orientation, and disability.

As an expert witness on race, gender, and racism in Europe, Essed has presented at prestigious forums such as the European Parliament, the United Nations Economic and Social Council, the House of Representatives of the States-General in the Netherlands, the United States Helsinki Commission, and the EU Parliament hearing on Afrophobia. She is a founding faculty member of the internationally renowned Black Europe Summer School, where she teaches courses on "Racism and Xenophobia: Causes and Consequences" in Amsterdam.

In recognition of her exceptional contributions, Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands honored Essed with a Knighthood in 2011.

Philomena Essed and the Black Atlantic

Philomena Essed’s work is a profound reflection of the Black Atlantic framework, which explores the cultural and historical exchanges across the Atlantic that have shaped Black identities. Her research, which includes concepts like everyday racism and entitlement racism, aligns with the themes of Black empowerment and the call for reparations. Essed’s scholarship not only addresses the systemic injustices faced by Black communities but also amplifies their voices on a global scale.

Her efforts to challenge Eurocentric norms and advocate for racial justice are integral to the ongoing dialogue about Black liberation. By connecting historical injustices with contemporary struggles, Essed’s work exemplifies the enduring impact of the Black Atlantic and the need for continued solidarity and reparations for Black communities worldwide.