anti-racism
George Floyd's Death Was Murder, Plain and Simple
As part of my job as an educator, I have, at times, had to restrain teenagers. I was trained to do so. It is my least favorite part of my job. It feels scary and sad, and it stays with you for a long...
student achievement
I’m a Black Woman on My Way to Becoming a Doctor Because I Never Gave Up
I grew up believing that excellence is not an option, but rather an obligation. I breezed through high school. I didn’t have to study hard to do well on a test. I just got it. [pullquote]School came...
equity
With a Little Radical Imagination, We Can Prepare Our Students to Become Leaders
Early in the school year, after our daily Pledge of Allegiance, my fifth grader, Cassandra, asked, “Why are people mad when Colin Kaepernick kneels during the national anthem?” It was a thoughtful...
California
For My Family, Seeing Their First-Gen Latina Daughter Walk Across the Stage Would Have Been Everything
If I were a magician for a day, I would strike my wand and eliminate the memory of the coronavirus as well as its impact. Instead, I am a high school senior adjusting to life during a pandemic that...
Special Education
Reopening Schools While Coronavirus Is Still on the Loose Is Ass-Backward
I swear this country is ass-backward. In last week’s Senate hearing, Dr. Anthony Fauci—the nation’s leading expert on the coronavirus pandemic—said outright, “... states will face serious...
equity
When You Say ‘We’re All in This Together,’ Black People Know You’re Lying
He has traveled the world advocating for Black people. From the communities inhabited by poor Black people in Durham, North Carolina to the bush of Mozambique, and throughout his beloved city of...