Black male educator, Dr. Marc McMillan, is sharing with his Black boys. “We are Kings”, a phrase often used by Dr. McMillan as an affirmation for his Black male students. We are kings! We don’t have to wear pants below our waist, be unable to express our emotions, continue vicious cycles and end up in prison or dead. I want…
Tag: Black boys
We Don’t Give a [email protected] About Equity Initiatives Without Intentional Investment in Black Kids!
Closed mouths don’t get fed. That’s why fellow Chicago activist, Natasha Dunn, and I recently demanded that Chicago Public Schools adopt our Black Student Achievement Task Force to serve as a liaison between the district and our community—a thought partner and accountability arm in addressing and effectively mitigating obstacles facing our kids in schools. And guess what? After meeting with the Chief…
Humanizing Black Boys is a Huge Step Towards Progress
On top of the social injustices that reinforce a false narrative that it’s okay to dehumanize Black boys, this school year has impacted Black boys socially and emotionally in ways that the average eye can’t begin to imagine. Black males throughout decades, from slavery, Emmett Till, the Atlanta Child Murders, Trayvon Martin, and most recently, Elijah McCain show how Black…
We’re Carrying the Torch of Civil Rights in the Next Generation!
I don’t take it lightly growing up in Atlanta which is coined as the home of the Civil Rights Movement. A movement centered on nonviolence demonstrations to eradicate racial prejudices and acts of hatred toward citizens of color. One Civil Rights Activist, W.E.B DuBois, who taught at the University Center (AUC) in the 1930s would also say to his students,…
Male Educators of Color Are Bringing Much Needed Change to Communities and Classrooms.
I’m excited about sharing the story of Thomas Murphy. Thomas is a community leader turned teacher. After witnessing first hand the work being produced by Profound Gentlemen, he took encouraging other males to lead youth in community programs and classrooms. He’s a great example of how men can be leaders in communities and classrooms. Male educators of color are bringing…
Grave Improvements Required to Manage Distance Learning for Black Students Struggling with Literacy
COVID-19 has done more than cause a health pandemic, economic scare and new adaptation to our social norms. It has also uncovered the unreasonable and unrealistic ideals we have for children and parents matriculating through the public education system. The educational system needs to be reformed drastically. COVID-19 has shown us that education is not exempt from racial and socioeconomic…
Let’s Stop Talking About Improving the Academic Data of Black Boys and Support Black Male Teachers Making the Change.
My Black male students look up to me. They seek accountability, positive affirmations and a strong, Black male role model. However, Black boys don’t wake up seeing a teacher as a job that brings in money or clout. So instead of striving to be like the males they may see as teachers, Black boys turn to what they see most.…