A Picturesque Exaltation
Climbing what used to be the confederate monument at the entrance of City Park in New Orleans, LA was more than just for a photo opportunity. It was a silent monologue that portrayed a snippet of the black woman’s struggle, the adversity we often face, and then….the exaltation we most definitely deserve. This picture goes beyond a black girl wearing all white while perched on a monument in the middle of a… Read More
Black Excellence
By Kyla Thomas “What if I fail? Oh, but what if you soar?” No matter what generation you were born into, we all have a common denominator, the fear of failure. Albert Einstein once said, “It takes seven positive influences to overcome one negative.” Due to the social media craze, negative headlines are at our fingertips every second of the day. Our future leaders, our youth are being victimized daily. It… Read More
The Cautionary Tale of a White Supremacist Principal
The story of a white supremacist principal in charge of a charter school whose student body is mostly African-American is the kind of horror story that sits with me. It’s the kind of story that requires some time and analysis to move through the layers of the question of how this happened. In the past few weeks, I’ve read through news stories and commentaries about Nicholas Dean, the principal of Crescent Leadership… Read More
Time to Burst the Bubble
Maybe we should just be honest and admit that we are kidding ourselves. We say that the election of Trump is surprising but we have seen the writing on the wall for many years now. Voter suppression, a Congress that has refused to work on behalf of the people, and a constant barrage of social injustices have left far too many Americans feeling alienated, grasping at straws and willing to throw anything… Read More
Local Heroes: Lloyd Dennis and the Silverback Society
“I will live my life as though generations depend on me, and I will teach mine to do the same.” -The Silverback Pledge Two gentlemen of New Orleans often ran into one another at community meetings and soon developed a strong mutual respect. Pastor Arthur Wardsworth and Lloyd Dennis were concerned about the effect the lack of positive male role models had on young men in their communities and agreed they were… Read More
As Parents We Ask, Who Cares for Children Anymore?
I eat, sleep and breath education nowadays. I am always contemplating what can be done to make things better for our kids in New Orleans. How can the groups that I am involved in affect parental involvement, awareness and participation? From leadership classes to town hall meetings, these thoughts of how to spark holistic growth in our schools run through my mind. One morning it wasn’t any different but as I sat… Read More