Black.Man.Teach.

Dennis Ibude

“I’m an educator full time, working with students that look like me in underserved neighborhoods. Being an educator has allowed me to witness firsthand how we are not preparing our youth to be the voices/leaders of the future but rather criminals. As a former charter school student, I wanted good grades, so I cheated most of my high school career instead of learning the skills to be able to apply what I learned outside of my classroom’s four walls. Now as an educator, I am witnessing scholars, just like me, practicing these same bad habits but unable to pull themselves out of the already deep hole they’ve dug for themselves. I teach because I want them to know at least person is still standing by their side. I teach because I want them to know that they are not a finished product. I teach because I want my students to know that they can do it, even if they have to be the one to do it. I teach because my old boss who was my former principal told me that she knew my graduating class was not college ready but felt comfortable enough passing us on. I teach because more than half of my brother’s graduating class dropped out of college after only one semester. I could go on and on about why I teach, but I teach because representation really matters.”

Aaron J. Griffen, Ph.D.

“I teach because "I Too, Am America". Every day I am charged with teaching others like me (by Race, by Social Class, by Lived Experience) that We Too, Are America. I became a teacher in 1999 specifically because one, teaching came easy to me and secondly, I knew I could reach young minds. Therefore, I chose middle school in a high poverty district and school in order to educate young minds like mine. I chose to only work in schools where I could relate to the students because I was them and they are me. We come from similar trauma, struggle, and worries. Therefore, to reach them I needed to teach them about me so that they can see the connection. After 7 years, I became an assistant principal at the same school so that I could begin to teach adults who did not look like, sound like, or share the same experience as me. I used my platform as an assistant principal to be a voice for students who were like me. I began to provide culturally responsive and relevant professional development disguised as positive behavior and intervention supports to convince staff to build relationships with students and not focus on controlling their classrooms. Control is the antithesis of learning. When we build in relationships and supports to parallel with scaffolds, culturally relevant, and deeply engaging learning opportunities, our students will eventually soar. After 8 years as an assistant principal (15 total years at the same school), I moved to another state to be a high school principal for four years. I was the principal of a school with students like me. We shared similar upbringing, background and experiences. When I looked at my students, I saw my younger brother and my best friends from Stillman and Summers in Corpus Christi. I saw my mother and my neighbors in my parents. Therefore, as principal, I taught my staff to develop relationships through Cultural Competency by first knowing themselves and the biases they hold in order to work through the conflicts with students and families. Currently, as the Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in a larger public charter, I still teach. Although I have not been in the classroom for over 13 years, I am still a teacher. I remain a teacher through developmental sessions with staff and students inside and outside my network because I must teach until all students and families are seen as America. I look forward to the day that we no longer have to tell people, “I Too, Am America”. Yet, I recognize that such a day may never come in my lifetime. I teach because I have to educate others on the differences in America and that those differences are WHAT makes us America. We just have a different and unique way of showing that We, Too, are America.”

Dhiyaa-Ud-Deen Abdullah

“I teach because I believe that all scholars have the potential to succeed in all areas of life. It’s our job as educators to ensure that we meet scholars where they are and provide them with the tools they need to evolve into their best selves. Since entering into the education field in 2015, I realize that all scholars are different and the uniqueness of meeting the needs of all scholars represents the true the art and skills required to be an effective educator. As an African-American male, I’ve chosen to devote my life work in underserved communities because the experiences I’ve been through are similar, if not the same as many of the scholars I serve. Like many scholars today, the odds of breaking through generational injustices like poverty and the lack of educational opportunities was stacked up against me, but with grit, determination, and a supportive family, I was able to beat the odds. Being the first in my family to earn a Master’s degree, I strive to relay the importance of education and how we can change our life trajectory, regardless of where we come from and what we have. When I reflect on the years I’ve taught, I am proud of the fact that my scholars were able to develop ownership of their learning. For me, the true measurement of the work I do is when scholars come to me below grade level in Reading and Math yet throughout the school year they overcome these challenges by meeting their proficiency and growth goals. I teach because I believe that every child, regardless of the obstacles that they may face, has the potential to succeed in life. The great Nelson Mandela, stated that “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world,” which sums up my lifework.”

Curtis F. Lawrence, Jr.

“College happened a long time ago, but I clearly remember when I graduated from college, there were over 50 members of my family there cheering and screaming my name as I walked across that college stage to receive my degree. As I look back, I ask why was it such a big deal? Was it because I was the son of a father who was a farmer and never finished middle school? Was it because I was the first male on either side of my family to attend and graduate from college?

In middle school, I recall during graduation practice, the Assistant Principal called several names of Black and Latino males, and told them to stand up. Then, in front of everyone, he told them to get out because they were not graduating.  In high school (a well-known high performing high school in NYC) I applied to about 12 different colleges, and my college counselor told me that college wasn’t for me. She told me that I would not get into the colleges I applied to so I should consider getting a job after high school because I wasn’t college material. Despite this, I was accepted to multiple colleges and attended Syracuse University. I didn’t stop there, and after college I went back to school for two Master’s degrees, one from Southern Illinois University on full scholarship, and one from Baruch College in New York City. As a result, many doors opened for me that as an African American male would have never opened.  

Had I not gone to college, I would have not become a teacher and would not have had a student named B.D. whom I still mentor today. He grew up never knowing his father, and his mother was a drug dealer that died when he was in 5th grade. He bounced from house to house and was even homeless in 7th grade. Well, Darren with support from me, and from the school, went on to a boarding day school via A Better Chance, received a full scholarship to Stanford University and a law degree from Harvard.  This is why I teach.

Had I not gone to college, I would not have had the opportunity to teach and mentor RDX, whose parents migrated from D.R. and only spoke Spanish, and grew up in extreme poverty.  RDX got a full scholarship to Harvard and became a business mogul and then retired his father and bought his Dad his own grocery store. This is why I teach.

Had I not gone to college, I would not have had the opportunity to teach, mentor and empower BG who grew up poor in NYC. She had been told that she would be and could be nothing at her previous schools. Today she is in her third year of medical school at Brown University. THIS IS WHY I TEACH!”

Tyler Baker

“They say it takes a tribe to raise a child. My tribe consists of my loving family, wise mentors, challenging coaches, and intellectually diverse peers. The time that they invested in my life has helped me become the well-rounded individual I am today. My tribe has helped me develop love for music, sports, cooking, family, and reading. I am fortunate to be able to list 25 mentor-educators and speak to the meaningful lessons that each has taught me. As a young Black Man, I believe that this reality is rare.

I teach out of respect for those who taught me. If my tribe would not have seen qualities in me that I hadn’t seen in myself, then I wouldn’t be the passionate, creative, intelligent person that I am today. I carry their experiences with me. I lead; I teach to create other leaders. The knowledge that has been entrusted to me won’t end with me. I teach to learn.

The teachers who I admired taught well, and learned from their students also. Learning doesn’t stop when school ends. I teach to shift perspectives. I want to be the strong, positive, encouraging Black teacher who I wanted see as a young student. I teach to inform students that their possibilities are endless. I am thankful for those who’ve opened my eyes to doors that I hadn’t seen. They’ve also taught me life skills in and out of the classroom.

I teach to speak life into the minds of those who doubt know their own worth. A countless many spoke life into this once naive and doubtful mind. I intend on doing the same.”

Kevin Coleman

“I think about all of the days I used to wake up to teach. I thought about why was I getting up to give my time and energy to my kids. It was as simple as this…. when I was a kid this was all I had to look forward to. When I was 9 years old I lost everything, I barely had clothes on back with nowhere to go and no place to live. At 9 I thought about some real realistic things, like what are the things that can’t be taken from me. The only thing I was left with is what I had in my head. What I had learned from years of school or just in life could not be taken away from me. I learned a lot in school and even after school. I’ve had life changing people come into my life through school that have shaped my thoughts, kept me away from negative things that I could have definitely easily have fallen into. I think about the very few black males that I’ve seen teaching. Most taught physical education class or in after school programs I attended. That doesn’t take away from the knowledge they gave me that I still hold onto today.

I learned both at 9, and again as a young adult, that there are things we can lose and things that can be destroyed every day. You can never let anyone destroy your mind. It’s the one thing that keeps you from doing right or wrong. Even today, I sometimes even hear the voices of my previous teachers in my head. They meant it when they said “I want you to succeed”.

I remember I was a part of an after school program called Big Buddy. It was a very inspiring program that I was extremely proud to have been a part of. I will never forget Mr. Joe and Mr. D. I was steady trying to get girls to like me but I would act out just like in school because I thought that girls liked the “bad boy” type. I remember Mr. Joe and Mr. D telling me that the kind or person you are will attract certain people. If you are bad and acting out you will attract negativity. If you want to attract positive people, people that will appreciate you, then you have to be smart. In simpler terms I heard, “don’t no girl want a dummy for a boyfriend.” So it’s things like that, the little wisdom that people people gave me that helped me get through life. That’s what I want to give and share with those I teach.”

Labert Twiggs

“I remember growing up and hearing how people would always say the school district next to mine had better education then the school district I was in. People would move into that school district or use other people’s addresses so that their children could attend school in that “better” district. My thought process was, shouldn’t we all be able to receive quality education no matter where you live. Then I remember when I first got to college and I felt so unprepared for it, not knowing how to study, not knowing time management, or even fully understanding office hours. This is when I knew I needed to be a teacher. To help give quality education to students no matter what zip code they live. To help prepare students for college and remind them of the greatness inside of them. I teach so that students can enter the real world with the best chance of success possible.  I teach so my students will never forget how powerful they are. I teach so they can help create a brighter and better future. I teach so that I can be a light to my students and help them recognize the light inside of each of them.”

Mason Ceasar

“I’m Mason Ceasar and the reason I teach is a simple one. First let me explain what the term teacher means to me. It means being an educator and/or a life coach. Because being a teacher is more than just what you do and who you are in the classroom. It’s who you are as a person outside of the classroom and your ability to bring that identify into the classroom. Living your life and being able to show others that they too can live the lives they want to live. I encourage my students to believe that nothing should be able to hold them back. They shouldn’t be judged and defined based on their past. It’s about who they want to become. I share with them what I’ve learned and show how it’s relevant and how it pertains to their lives. Doing this allows a teacher to coach their students through any obstacles in life.

While I live my life outside of the school walls, I learn, I ball, I motivate, I experience, I assist, I love, and most importantly I live. Living my authentic allows me to be the type of classroom educator that gives my best self to students, and brings them a new dynamic not only as their teacher but as a person. I feel being called a teacher or professor is only the title given to an individual who is placed inside the classroom but what about those individuals who are outside the classroom educating the next man? As an educator I I believe that it is a gift to be able to reach and communicate with different types of people, ethnicity’s, cultures and even age groups. So why do I teach, coach, and call myself an educator? Because I’m just crazy enough to believe I have that gift. And if you believe you have a gift or talent at something to not just potentially be good but great, wouldn’t you want to use it?”

Vince Vance

“I teach because I see it as a continuation of some of the work I was doing in college with multicultural studies and justice work. Teaching is a great space within the social justice movement and I see it as a crucial part of that movement. If we can combat toxic behaviors and problematic patterns from an earlier age, we can give kids tools that I didn't have access to until college. We can give them means to confront and healthily live with mental health situations, we can empower women (especially young women of color) to take up more space and be more confident and teach them to support each other. I have also had some pretty great teachers in my life and so I want to act as a mirror reflecting the light they shed on me. I also just really like youth culture and think I can act as an intermediary to bring more culturally and identity relevant pedagogy into school. Ultimately it also helps me to stay active and sharp with my own journey for knowledge.”

Antoine King

“I teach because I recognize the disparities in education across African American communities in the United States. As a kid, I lived in many different low-income neighborhoods where the education system was inadequately funded, schools had limited resources, and the teaching staff lacked male presence. All of these factors contribute to many African American males feeling trapped with no way out of their situation, unless they play sports. They lack the confidence in being able to use their mental capacity as a way to get out of their environment and develop ways to return and influence their community in the future. I am a teacher to serve as living proof that education is a way out, and that you too, can make a difference.  I truly believe I get to change the world every day that I am in front of children guiding their thinking.

In addition, when I was growing up I did not have a father figure around. I think this shaped part of who I am. I want students to have a positive male influence in their lives. I am often a substitute for a dad and the rapport I have with students is one of the main reasons I stay in education. I want to continue to be a father figure to those that need it.

Most importantly, I teach because I am saddened by the inequities in education. Just because students are black, Latino, or have a disability, it does not mean they cannot achieve high expectations. As a teacher on the south side of Chicago, I have managed to create a culture with high student engagement, rigor, and academic growth accountability. The students have managed to grow 300% in one academic year in reading. This is why I teach! African American males need to see their own in a different context to gain a sense of self-worth and believe that people that look like them can be successful!”

Omari Davis

“I never imagined myself teaching. My first career goal was to become an attorney. I grew up in a predominantly white suburb of Chicago, where black teachers were nonexistent. My freshman year of high school, I had my first black female teacher. It was refreshing to see an educator with skin like mine. She seemed out of place among all the white faces. Years passed before I was to encounter another African American instructor. The time finally came in my sophomore year of college; I encountered my first African American male teacher. His zeal and original style of teaching engulfed my attention. He ignited a passion and drive that I didn’t know existed. It wasn’t long before I changed my major to education. I graduated college and began teaching at the very high school I attended as a teen. From there, I went on to teach in the inner city of Chicago. It was then, that I began to truly feel that my teaching was making an impact. 

One thing that I have learned working in education is the effect home life can have on a student’s academic success. Some life circumstances can be severe for students; violence in the community, the absence of a father or father figure, impoverished living conditions, being in foster care, the lack of food in the home, being surrounded by dilapidated buildings, and so much more, can all help create disparity in youth. It was that realization that brought me to understand the impact a teacher has on a child. We can do more than just advocate, we can inspire! We are mentors for those that seek guidance. Seeing a positive black male leading a classroom can offer inspiration and hope to the next generation.  

Although teaching is rewarding for me, there was urgency inside me to do more for children. Which is why I started the non-profit organization, Get Out And Learn Something Inc. (G.O.A.L.S.).  Our goal is to equip children socially, culturally, emotionally, and academically through traveling the world, local excursions, the introduction of foreign language and creative expression through the arts. Via mentorship and social-emotional interactions we will build confidence and self-esteem that will allow our G.O.A.L.S. kids to flourish. Without knowledge of what the world has to offer, how can one aspire for more?”​

Jonathon Pulliam

“My parents instilled in my siblings and me a love of learning that carried each of us throughout elementary, middle, high school, and then well into college. I fell in love with reading at an early age and with the way authors were able to effortlessly string together a story. I wanted to create more stories that reflected me and my peers, so I began writing. This process of finding my own voice through my English classes and the books we read made me understand both the importance of one’s voice and the power that a story has to make a change.

Growing up, I never had a black male teacher, something that I don’t ever remember questioning, and passively accepted it as the norm. For the longest time, I didn’t see myself ever entering a classroom as anything other than a student eager to learn. I graduated from a predominantly white high school in northern Alabama near the top of my class and was headed to Tuskegee University, a historically black institution, where I majored in English. It was not until I came to Tuskegee that I began to see the lasting effects of having black teachers. I’d had great teachers before, but this was the first time that I had teachers who not only pushed me to excel inside of their classroom, but mentored and guided me in areas outside of their classroom. My teachers felt like an extension of my family and although I didn't know it then, they were grooming me and my peers to go far beyond our campus. My HBCU experience and the teachers who have shaped it have taught me that education is not a question, but both a necessary and vital tool for me as an African American aspiring toward success.

To me, success is the point at which opportunity and preparation meet. I unknowingly had the tools I needed, but it wasn’t until I was standing in front of a group of ambitious fifth graders that saw me as “Mr. Pulliam” that the weight of this profession came fully into view. As a teacher, I accept the responsibility of giving my students the tools they need to be successful. However, as a black male teacher, there is so much more work to be done. I have seen the impact that my presence in the classroom has on my students and I owe it to them to be socially conscious and expect the best from them. I teach so that my students understand the power of their own story and of their own voice and to make my classroom a place where both are valid.”

Tawan Downs

“I’m a strong believer in our students becoming the next doctor, nurse, or president in the near future. With knowing where our students are coming from regarding problems at home or peer pressure, I found it right to apply for a position in which I would have the opportunity to mentor and help strengthen the minds of our young talents here in Little Rock, Arkansas.

A few years ago, I was in their shoes.  I remember my struggles as a youth and that’s one thing I keep in mind every day I walk into our school. I see myself when I was a former high school student when I look at the students at McClellan High School. I always think about the “what-ifs?” This is why I work hard. I want to pass on information and advice while talking to our students because it was something I wished I had when I was in school.”  

Gregory Stewart

“As a student, I’ve always loved learning. I honestly thought learning new things was just so cool. Even though this may have been more so due to the fact that beyond learning, I liked knowing things – yes I was a know-it-all – I can never give enough credit to the teachers who made learning and being in school an enjoyable and valuable experience. You truly never forget a good teacher and if you do, you never forget the in-the-moment feeling of having that good teacher. 

Teaching has definitely taught me to be more introspective and mindful of my own educational experiences. However, my journey to teaching did not begin with my love for learning growing up. My first year of college, I took a course titled, Empowering Youth: Insight from Research on Urban Adolescents, taught by one of my favorite professors at Brown. The course covered some of the systemic violence low-income students of color face within educational institutions.  Moreover, it connected these truths with the realities of race and class in America. I left the course a bit overwhelmed, but challenged to think through solutions to many of the issues within modern education. Ultimately, the course unlocked an inner desire to give back to the world in a way I thought was really fundamental.  

Since then my understanding of the dynamics at play in education has become a lot more rigorous. The vision I see for myself in the future in terms of what kind of work matters to me has also become more complete. I’ve also become a lot more politically-oriented and specifically able to frame issues in terms of how society treats low income people of color. Two things in particular, the content we inculcate students with, as well as how educators themselves are taught to educate and relate to students, have become increasingly important to me. The content we teach students, especially students of color, has implications for student engagement, student empowerment, and ultimately the kind of future leaders we want to create. How educators are trained can mean a wide variety of things, from whether students fall through the cracks to whether they are inspired to and do even up making it to college.  Both of these matters are deeply embedded in teaching, but they also go far beyond just teaching. All educators should be concerned with issues of culturally-responsive curriculums and culturally sensitive professional development.

Good teachers have this tough love attitude with which they push and support their students because they care deeply about them. I thank each and every one of my teachers who served this role in my life, especially the black women who have historically done this work with little recognition or acknowledgement. That being said, doing this work as a black man is particularly meaningful. I can only commit to education in the hopes that my work will inspire tomorrow’s leaders, complement the work of today’s leaders, and improve the scope of today’s fight for black humanity.”  

Christian Walkes

"I teach because I want to be an active participant in the change I envision that needs to happen in our school systems. Being a student in the METCO program, I grew up in an urban community but attended school in a predominately Caucasian suburban town. The mission of the METCO program is to diversify public school districts and in effect reduce racial isolation. Although the program sustains a noble mission, I cannot ignore the racial and social isolation that I often endured in the classroom. Often times being the only person of color in a large classroom I began to realize that many of my experiences were not shared with my peers nor any of my teachers. Without having anyone to relate to in the classroom I began to feel as though I did not belong in many discussions that took place. As a consequence, I made the choice to silence my presence and my voice in the classroom.  

In retrospect I have come to realize that the heart of the issue that I was facing was not only caused lack of diversity in the teaching profession but also a lack of pedagogical diversity. Missing in my high school’s classrooms was a figure that looked like me, cared about the same issues as me, and understood my background. This resulted in lessons and assignments that often overlooked the perspective of people of color, and other marginalized identities. Most assignments led me to the same question, “Why should I care?” because I couldn’t relate to the material. My goal as an educator is to make sure that all of my students are invested in the material and more importantly make sure they feel as though their voice and presence BELONG.   I teach because I want to be a mirror for students of color growing up in disenfranchised communities. Being in the classroom affords me the opportunity to be an active role model in the lives of these students. I strive to be the mirror that I very much needed during my primary and secondary education that could have shown me the true importance of education and its meaning to my identity. To me teaching is the most rewarding career I could pursue, demonstrating the power and value of education to the children that grow up around me. My dream as a teacher is to be able to empower urban youth, showing them that their experiences and knowledge have a place in the classroom. Making education for them and about them is my mission as it is the key to liberating many of our underserved and underrepresented children.”

Bryson Brown

“I chose to become a teacher because I believe in the value of education. I graduated from high school in 2006 in the top quarter of my class. I was a good student but I had not yet discovered my passion for learning. Instead I relied on natural ability and focused too much on my extracurricular activities to truly apply myself in the classroom. After graduating from high school I immediately enlisted in the United States Navy and departed for boot camp two months later. During my time in the military I was forced to overcome many obstacles. In the military environment, teenagers are expected to mature much faster. I was 18 serving my country, being treated as an adult and expected to uphold the military standard of conduct at all times. I was pushed to what I thought were my limits mentally, physically and emotionally. However, I found that I was able to go above and beyond what I thought I was capable of. I found that the key to success in any challenge I faced was the amount of effort I put into accomplishing that goal. I found a new confidence in myself and my abilities.

I started taking classes at University of Houston-Downtown the same day I was officially honorably discharged from the military. It was here that I found my passion for learning. I was fortunate enough to have many great professors who were brilliant and would truly stimulate an interest in learning from the students. I realized how powerful great educators are and how seemingly dull information can be made interesting and memorable. It was here that I realized that I wanted to teach. I wanted to invoke the same passion for education that I experienced in these classrooms for others. Education is how communities are uplifted and lives are changed. I hope to be a part of that change by teaching the next generation of leaders.”

Oshay Austin

"I grew up in a single mother household as the oldest of three siblings. We lived in a predominantly minority neighborhood, meaning we were underserved and underprivileged. I’ve seen many of my friends and classmates end up in jail, killed, join gangs, or drop out of school. Despite having the cards stacked against me and my siblings, my mom instilled in us at an early age that education is the key. Mom did not care what class it was, we were expected to bring home honor roll marks and have perfect attendance. I had a combination of great teachers, a stern mother, and a multitude of extracurricular activities to keep me occupied and on task. Mom always made sure when I wasn’t in school that I was in a sport or club or at church on Sunday morning, and that the kids that were with me in an organized sport or club stayed out of trouble as well.

With this in mind, outside of my family, my teachers and coaches had a huge impact on molding me into the man I am today. The reason I teach and coach is to mentor and build positive and lasting relationships with underserved youth. I have fun in the classroom teaching and showing students that learning is fun, but I can also be a big kid myself outside on the fields coaching and giving kids an outlet to go along with learning. I had great teachers and coaches that were great role models for me and I look to be a role model for kids of similar backgrounds. I know where I came from and I know that there are problems in our communities. As a young black male teacher who grew up in and around these problems, I understand the barriers that lie ahead for our youth today and I plan to make a difference in their lives as my past teachers and coaches did for me.”

"Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally" - David Frost