I Hope My Black Students Will Become Educators Too

This is the note. This is the note. Mr. Walters, my middle school choir teacher, took his love of music and teaching music seriously. He…

Will All the Black Teachers Please Stand Up?

Education remains one of the Black community’s most enduring values. It is sustained by the belief that freedom and education go hand in hand, that…

White Women Like Me Dominate the Teaching Profession. Here’s Why That’s a Problem

I can name the Black educators I had growing up on one hand.  One. Hand.  And if I add the ones I had in college…

At Freedom School Literacy Academy, Black Pride and Academic Achievement Go Hand-in-Hand

Erika Asikoye is the Director of the Freedom School Literacy Academy (FSLA) at The Center for Black Educator Development in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. The FSLA, for…

Black Principals Can Serve as a Bridge To Get More Black Teachers Into the Classroom

The research is clear on the impact of Black teachers on Black student achievement. Black students who have had at least one Black teacher are…

A Leaky Pipeline Loses Teachers of Color

Despite the benefits of a diverse teaching force, prospective teachers of color fall out of our leaky preparation pipeline at every stage: preparation, hiring, induction…

Inside the Decade-Long Plan to Recruit, Hire and Retain 9,000 Black Educators Across the Country

Across the entire United States, there aren’t nearly enough Black teachers inside classrooms.  According to the National Center for Education Statistics, less than 7% of…

Will Your Black Teachers Still Matter When Black History Month Is Over?

The protests and activism that took place last year had an impact on schools. School districts are adding diversity, equity, and inclusion roles and stating…

A Chicago Principal Dies Fighting to Give His Students the Best Education Possible

What if every teacher approached his or her work with legacy in mind? What if all educators viewed the future of other people’s children—i.e., their…

VIDEO: My Mom Overcame Her Drug Addiction and Gave Me a Chance at a Real Education

I grew up in a home with my mom and two younger siblings. My mother spent most of my childhood in the throes of drugs…