Truly, I’ve been in your shoes. Well maybe not your exact shoes, but I’ve seen some difficult times.
I’ve seen gun violence riddle my students’ neighborhoods.
I’ve helped youth lead protests for change in their community.
Unfortunately, I’ve gone to funerals for 11 of my students in just one year.
I’ve had to bring in psychological first aid care and trauma response services for my school community
I’ve had to talk about the hard stuff—at school and at home.
And throughout the most uncertain times, I’ve created a sense of safety, trust, and belonging. Here’s what helped to set up strong systems:
➡️ Take this 5 Question Quiz [Quiz Downloadable]. Perhaps it’s time to reset?
In this challenging landscape, you are the guide.
YOU create a safe space for dialogue.
YOU help build new perspectives.
YOU lead and live out the mission.
YOU inspire others to see the future.
YOU groom the leaders that will respond to our world’s multicultural needs.
Therefore, YOU must push yourself and commit to teaching our future to:
use their voice for good,
express their feelings to create change, and
question leadership choices that aren’t serving others.
When we open space to talk about the hard stuff, our kids will be better equipped to ask questions or handle situations as they grow, especially with the ever-present racism, bigotry, and oppression we see in the world today.
I understand it’s easier said than done. I’m here for you.
The evening the world learned about Uvalde, I had “The Talk” with my two school-aged children. Just a few weeks before, we talked about Buffalo, New York. There’s been a mass shooting almost every day in America since then. It’s all so sad and frustrating.
Yet after Uvalde, my 6-year-old expressed fear and sadness. She asked if she should still go to school. It was such a wise question to ask, I thought.
Truthfully, I had thoughts of keeping her home, but instead of placing my own fears onto her, I told her that school was generally safe, because it was.
My daughter acknowledged that her teacher was an all-star 🥰, and that she believed her school would keep her safe. However, we did talk about how important it was to pay close attention and to take those emergency practice drills seriously.
We then prayed together. She initiated the prayer. It made us both feel better to give our fears to a higher power.
I don't know if that talk landed perfectly. I do know The Talk was necessary.
I’ve been in your shoes and I’m here to support your journey and to share what I’ve learned along the way.
My maternal missteps and leadership growing pains have helped more than 100 leaders, like yourself, become culturally immersed BIPOC experiences and take action.
Truly POC® programs and plug-and-play communication plans help parents and educators buck dated systems and reboot their lives.
As a first step toward change in your community, take this quiz. In return, you'll get a practical and doable action step you can take right away.
✅ You're with youth self-advocacy.
✅ You already believe in creating spaces for students to practice using their voices.
✅ You know that students of color, in particular, must be taught how to argue for their needs, while also remaining conscious of life’s consequences when practiced in the real world.
✅ You see the importance of marginalized students being seen and heard.
But did you know this all begins by talking about the hard stuff?
It does.
Don’t wait any longer. Take this quiz today because when you have your first action step outlined for you, there’s less fear in your way. I’ll talk more about fear in the next email.
