At 3:09 AM on the morning of November 9th I woke up to take a bathroom break. Outside my open bathroom window there was dead silence, the kind of silence you do not hear in my Harlem neighborhood. I knew then that Donald J. Trump was our newly-elected president of the United States. I am in complete… Continue reading The Trump Hurricane: A Harlem Mom Reflects on Her Community’s Loss
Here I am again, tip-tapping away in a corridor of KIPP Infinity Elementary Charter School (KIES) in Harlem, throwing up peace signs and greetings to students and staff alike. I know it’s been awhile since I’ve blogged and, to tell you the truth, I’ve missed it. Let’s go back to the beginning, my first blog,… Continue reading Learning With My Son At A NYC Charter School with Zest, Grit, and Determination
Here I am again in the corner of a hallway at KIPP Infinity Charter School in Harlem, tip-tapping away. As I look into the eyes of the children passing by, throwing up the peace sign to me and each other, I get flushed because their innocence is being passed over by forces that threaten us.… Continue reading I Just Saw “Birth of a Nation” and Realized We Are Still Fighting to Be Free
As I sit in the corner of a corridor in KIPP Infinity Elementary School, a heaviness consumes me. A KIPP parent’s life has been taken senselessly because he was described as a “bad dude.” Can anyone tell me what a “bad dude” looks like? Terence Crutcher was a black man, a father of four, one… Continue reading “At Ten Years Old,” Said My Son, “I Know that Our Justice System is Not Just”
Let me explain. I am a single mom raising an intelligent radical-thinking boy. For me there were two factors in choosing the best school for my son. The first was location and the second was resources and supportive services. In 2011 the UFT and charter schools, let’s just say to my understanding at the time, were… Continue reading Why Did I Choose KIPP Infinity Elementary School in Harlem?
