Jul 3The “black” brand vs my BlacknessSociety branded the invisible words “black” on my back the moment I arrived in this world and out of the womb of Jacqueline Louise Ward. I, in my heavily melanin-induced state, apparently latched on quickly to my mother’s breast and was greedy for her nutrients to fortify me against the…Black Women4 min readBlack Women4 min read
Jan 27Black Women- Paid In FullOne of my favorite movies is Robert Townsend’s classic cult hit, Hollywood Shuffle. There is a scene where Robert imagines he runs an acting school and begins with a group of enslaved people running toward their freedom. The “Harriet Tubman-like” Black woman in the opening scene turns to a Black…Black Women4 min readBlack Women4 min read
Dec 25, 2022The Radical Academic Embraces Black Wisdom- Will you?We exist in a system in the U.S. suffocated by the belief in a hierarchy of human value based on race where associations are made between inferiority and phenotypical characteristics around darker skin, and expressions of Blackness. It is the heaviness of suffocation that allows many of us in the…Acadmedia5 min readAcadmedia5 min read
Aug 3, 2022Stop this Illusion of Inclusion and Elevate Black parent voices in Parent and Family Engagement CouncilsImagine what it feels like for a teacher to listen and respond to you, for a school leader to listen deeply to you, and to be receptive to you as you tell them about the brilliance of Black children. Imagine what that space would feel like when a teacher turns…Education4 min readEducation4 min read
Jun 3, 2022When Our Schools Become the Wild, Wild WestI thought the headline reading, “Two states aim to arm teachers despite opposition from educators and experts” was a satirical joke yet after reading the article, I was quickly reminded of the persistent and egregious abuse of political weight happening in the U.S. …Gun Violence3 min readGun Violence3 min read
Sep 8, 2021Black Grief is Never FairThe recent shootings of two Black boys in North Carolina opened memories of my time in school, from elementary to high school, and the violence I witnessed. …Violence4 min readViolence4 min read
Aug 5, 2021If I were to give this a title…The movement against CRT is just dirty painI have tried to withstand the need to respond to the movement against Critical Race Theory and the movement against teaching the truth about racism in this country. I thought to myself, surely so many other scholars will step in and come with the counterargument, the reason for rejecting such…Racism5 min readRacism5 min read
May 15, 2020Name, Reframe, Act (NRA): I called this NRA for a reason…I had the honor of having two parents, though divorced, who practiced their own form of positive racial socialization. A quick definition, positive racial socialization involves exposing children to adults, messages, and symbols that communicate positive regard, pride for, and identification with one’s racial group. For me, this socialization took…Racism5 min readRacism5 min read
Apr 2, 2020Sense of Community and Anti-Racism Amidst COVID-19I, like everyone or at least most people in the United States, seem to catch the latest updates on COVID-19 while parenting, working from home. The timeline is quite blurred, but I remember the feeling of urgency and anxiousness taking place as we moved closer and further into March. …Covid-193 min readCovid-193 min read
Mar 29, 2020A Random Moment in the Midst of COVID-19The challenges associated with my ability to remember events, moments, and words with accuracy is quite real. I wonder in ten years, what will this mean for me when I transition into my mid-50s where there is the likelihood of early dementia developing. …Covid-194 min readCovid-194 min read
