Hey Advocates,

This week has been struck with much tragedy, especially in the Asian community surrounding Lunar New Year in California; I hope you are still finding ways to find hope and light as we process the violence. Take care of yourselves. 

This week my newsfeed was bombarded with Florida's Governor Ron DeSantis' policy decisions to remove conversations about race and gender from Floridian schools. This is not the first of DeSantis' ways of limiting race discussion. As Abené Clayton, a columnist from The Guardian, reports in "Ron DeSantis bans African American studies class from Florida high schools." Previously last April, "he signed the Stop Woke Act, which severely limits 'race-based' discussions at schools." He argues that "the [Advanced Placement African American Studies] course violates state law and 'lacks educational value." Lacks educational value!? Are you freaking kidding me!

The AP course was announced last summer by the College Board as...

Hey Advocates,

I hope you all had a great ending to 2022 and are looking forward to what the new year has in store for us. Here’s to 2023 bringing us an abundance of blessings and joy! 

With that being said, I don’t know about you. But, I found myself being on social media a lot, distracting myself with TikToks and Instagram, and I couldn’t help but wonder how much my kids and other young teenagers get caught up in social media. 

A recent research article published by the College of Arts and Sciences at the University of North Carolina(UNC) - Chapel Hill, “Study shows habitual checking of social media may impact young adolescents’ brain development,” shows there are differences in how adolescents’ brains respond to what is happening around them. The study first asked participants (169 middle school students from rural North Carolina) how often they checked Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat and also had participants undergo brain...

Hey Advocates, 

We are getting closer to 2023, and I hope you all take the time to rest and be surrounded by loved ones. Happy Holidays! 

As I look at my calendar for the next couple of months, I look forward to working with schools and organizations in various capacities. I'm also excited about the upcoming events hosted by the Leading Equity Center.

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Last week another disturbing video went viral. The video shows a Black Winston-Salem State student being arrested by university police over an argument with her professor about an assignment. Leila Hamoud, the student, was arrested and charged with disorderly contact. According to this Insider Higher Ed article by Scott Jaschik, “Arrest of Student in Class Roils Winston-Salem State,” professor Cynthia Villagomez gave Hamoud a choice. “Either apologize to her or leave the classroom. Hamoud said she refused and was soon arrested.” 

Jaschik also...

Hey Advocates, 

This week the world was impacted by the sudden passing of Stephen "tWitch" Boss. As we remember his legacy through the laughter and joy he brought us with his charm and dance moves on "So You Think You Can Dance" and "The Ellen Show," please ensure you check in with yourselves. His death reminds us that we never know what folks are battling with and what help they may need. We cannot continue to pour into our communities and loved ones without also pouring into ourselves. If you are looking for resources in the US, here are some mental health resources from Mental Health First Aid.

Now let's get into this week's topic.

A TikTok of Muslim students interrupted during their prayer by their teacher in Florida has gone viral. I hadn't even had a chance to see the video before my text messages and Instagram DMs were full of friends circulating this People article, "Florida Teacher Fired for Allegedly Disrupting Muslim Students...

Hey Advocates, 

I was excited to learn that Brittney Griner arrived back in the US a few hours ago. Brittney is a WNBA star who was held for months in Russian prisons on drug charges. 

I worked with EnCorps STEM Teachers Program and Worchester Public Schools this week. I'd love to work with you and your organization. Book a FREE 30-minute consultation with me, and let's chat! You can find all of the Leading Equity Center's services here.

Let's get to this week's topic.

A teacher from my kid's school sent me this NPR Education article, "School principals say culture wars made last year' rough as hell" by Corey Turner. Over this past summer, researchers from the Institute for Democracy, Education and Access at UCLA and the Civic Engagement Research Group at UC Riverside surveyed almost 700 high school principals about their 2021-2022 academic school year. What came up in the survey will for sure grab your attention. 

"Something needs to change or we...

Hey Advocates, 

I hope you all could rest and spend time with loved ones last week. Though we focus on being thankful in November for Thanksgiving, every day is a moment to express gratitude for each other. 

This week, I was honored to speak to the Cal State University - East Bay EduCorps Group. My topic was "How Do I Make STEM..."

I'd love to work with you and your organization. Here's a list of the Leading Equity Center's services.

Last week we spoke about how New York City students viewed school newspapers, whether it was for a career or activism. As Bronx Teacher David Fulco said, "They [students] see a newspaper as an agent of change, even more so than a student council."

This week, I found an interesting Motherboard Tech by Vice article, "It Only Takes One Parent to Get All The Graphic Novels Removed From a School Library," written by Claire Woodcock. The report takes a closer look into the Owasso school district in Oklahoma, where Tim Reiland, a parent,...

Hey Advocates,

Let me start by recognizing Native American Heritage Day in the US; here's an article that you may find interesting regarding Thanksgiving.

I'm also sad, and my heart goes out to the families impacted by the senseless shooting at an LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs, CO.

This week, I was in Anaheim, CA, speaking at the NCTE Conference of English Leadership. What a great audience!

You can catch a snippet of my #CEL22 journey on my Instagram.

I'd love to come to your school/organization's next event; let's chat!

What folks are saying about my keynotes

Let's get to today's topic.

As I was reading the news today, I came across this Chalkboard New York Article, “73% of NYC high schools don’t have a newspaper. Efforts are growing to fill in the gaps” by Alex Zimmerman. Zimmerman highlights how school newspapers in NYC are unequally distributed throughout the five boroughs. High schools in boroughs like Queens and Staten...

Hey Advocates, 

I'm headed to Anaheim, CA, for the 2022 CEL (Conference on English Leadership) Convention tomorrow. I'll be one of the keynote speakers. If you are planning to attend, let me know!

With gun violence in the United States this week affecting the University of Virginia school community, I hope you are all taking some time to rest and process. My heart is with their community as they navigate these difficult times. During these times of tragedy, it is essential to give yourself grace as the things that happen, regardless of proximity, around us do impact us in big and small ways. 

This week, as I was glancing through the news on my phone, I found "U.K. Tells Schools They Can't Ban Afro Hairstyles" by Emma Bubola. Bubola looks closely at Ruby William's case, then 14 years old, with her former school, the Urswick School in Hackney, where a teacher sent her home after her Afro was too big, "recommending some chemicals straighten her hair." Ruby was told she...