Meet Gina Womack, A powerful advocate for Juvenile Justice reform

Gina Womack, the executive director of Families and Friends of Louisiana’s Incarcerated Children (FFLIC) went on to lead the campaign to close the country’s most notorious juvenile prison and continues to fight for services and treatment for Louisiana’s children. This video is about families who were looking for help for their children and being unable to find the help they so desperately needed.
Parents Who Teach- Two Everyday Moms Who Stopped Their Kids’ School from Closing

Latoya Douglas and Dana Wade refused to sit idly by and allow test scores and hasty community/political leaders to decide the fate of their kids’ school. Without prior training, these two mothers organized and mobilized what is today called the ‘Parent Advocators’. This group was not only successful in keeping their kids’ “failing” New Orleans charter school from closing, they also led the charge to improve its letter grade and the overall… Read More
Can Black Men Afford to Teach? We Can’t Afford for Them Not To.

For the record, I’m not certain teachers can really afford to teach if speaking in terms of financial compensation. After spending so much time criticizing the limited representation of teachers of color, especially males (1.81% nationally), in New Orleans schools, I’ve had to seriously question whether or not teaching is even a career that would allow black men to adequately take care of their families, as society subscribes men to do. A… Read More
Holding the Highest Political Office Doesn’t Give You the Right to Disrespect Black Women

When the President of the United States rudely attacks and attempts to belittle three tenured White House correspondents, who happen to all be Black Women, then we have a problem. He lashed out at two of the women for asking professional and reputable questions. He disrespectfully called a question by Abby Phillip, the CNN White House correspondent, stupid. At the same question and answer session, he brought up a long time and… Read More
Take it From a Parent: Here Are 5 Ways To Engage Me in My Child’s Education

What we haven’t done is to figure out how to not just engage but to empower the people whose children are being impacted by the work we do. -Dr. Howard Fuller Parents, regardless of their financial situation or social status, want the best for their children, particularly when it comes to education. They also want to help their children at home with homework and projects. I know personally that, as a parent,… Read More
Immigration and Social Movements: What’s at Stake?

Truth be told, I’m rooting for the migrant caravan that is making its way to the U.S. border in defiance of our country’s administration and border policies. I feel like I’m cheering on the underdog team in the World Cup or the Resistance in Star Wars. There is something critical about these seemingly small battles that ultimately weaken the empire. I am enjoying the challenge it presents because it offers another opportunity… Read More
Black Women, our vote matters!

Black Women can change the world, which means we can change elections outcomes too. With that power comes significant responsibility, and we should take that work seriously as the election of 2018 approaches. Since the conceptualization of this country, black women have played an important role in every major American milestone. We have allowed the strength of the nation to be built on our endurance without regard to our aptitude, and now… Read More
Why aren’t schools safe spaces anymore?

On a bathroom stall a racially charged note was found. The note suggested that black students were, “taking over the school.” Then, the most striking and violent part, just two words: “shoot em.” The school is Metairie Park Country Day. Country Day is a predominately white private school in Metairie, Louisiana, a suburb of New Orleans. Making matters worse, the school’s headmaster, Matt Neely, didn’t cancel school on that day. He didn’t… Read More