Let me sit this right here…
While we constantly evaluate the best way to support our students, the one notion that we neglect and reject is that students will be supported if their parents and families are supported.
Growing up, Minister Louis Farrakhan was made out to be an extremist lunatic. It was last year, after the brutal murder of George Floyd when an episode of Minister Farrakhan began making its rounds on the internet. While this clip is dated from 1985, what the esteemed leaders was saying 35 years ago rings true today. What is probably scarier is that 35 years prior to 1985, what he said still rang true. The idea that Black students can be supported without evaluating what is needed to support the needs of their parents, is like giving a baby milk and letting the mother starve. When the mother is equipped with the right supports, provided the same opportunities, and given proper representation, you no longer have to give the baby milk, the mother has the tools she needs to provide the baby’s needs.
Dr. Crechena Wise, as an academic, a wife, a mother, and a Black woman has the understanding that in order to support the student, we must support their support system. In December 2020, her vision of support came to fruition with the inaugural meeting of the ABCUSD Black Family Circle. WHSBAA had the privilege to not only attend the meeting, but present at this first meeting as well. There was such a wealth of knowledge, information, and support that was disseminated to this meeting. There was only one problem…out of 1,856 sets of Black parents within ABC, about 60 logged on. One of the key messages from Minister Farrakhan was we are equipped to help ourselves. I want to take it a step further and say, that while we are equipped to help ourselves, we have to show up to take advantage of the tools that are being given to us.
Unfortunately, Black America is behind. After 500 years of institutionalized racism, 500 years of combatting oppression, and 500 years of attempts to eradicate our existence, we are not so far removed from the days of slavery. The work that it is going to take for us, as a collective whole, to start making gains is almost unfathomable. However, the first step and the most important step is SHOWING UP. Consistency and being present is half of the battle.
So I’mma sit this clip right here. Listen and learn…
