Teachers, If You Haven’t Been Giving a Damn About Your Students, We Definitely Don’t Need You Now

Before I stroll into my routine of being a habitual line stepper, let me state my usual disclaimer. Educators, I love and appreciate y’all. I…

The Only Thing Certain About Reopening Schools Is Black and Brown Kids Will Be Screwed Again

I don’t know if y’all have noticed, but nobody knows what the hell they’re doing with this school reopening thing. And look, I don’t envy…

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…

This Student’s Story Shows Why Distance Learning Can’t Always Come First

Before we get started, I want you to really take a moment and imagine how it feels to walk in my shoes for a day:…

I Learned How to Fight for My Child When He Couldn’t Read. Now I Help Other Parents Do the Same.

Advocating for your own kid, or teaching other people—doctors, dentists, teachers, etc.—about your kid, is something you learn as you go along. Even if you…

It’s Time to Acknowledge That This Is the New Normal

To call the last few weeks hard, unprecedented and surreal feels trite. We are facing a pandemic unlike any in the last century and it…

A Letter From Brightbeam in Response to Coronavirus

Dear Friends and Fellow Activists, Our brightbeam team cares about your safety and ours.  Like you, we are closely watching the national news and government…

Our Kids Can No Longer Wait for Educational Justice, And They Shouldn’t Have To

I wanna talk about three things: movements, public education and Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s words foreshadowing what would be an ongoing and urgent fight.…

Lakisha Young Talks About How Oakland Is Tackling the Reading Crisis

Lakisha Young is the executive director of The Oakland REACH. Her work began through witnessing the disparities faced by Black and Brown students, including members…

If You’re Really Fighting for Educational Justice, You Need to Check Your Privilege

Earlier this week I was tagged in a tweet published by Carol Burris. It looked to be an attempt to negatively blast or shame my…