The Blog
Young people are leaders of the future. They will be running this country, our institutions, and our lives, and yet, here they are fighting for their lives and ours. I’m speaking about both the earth/climate change issues, but also gun control, racism, and other matters. Young people have...
One of the challenges of living in Austin, Texas is navigating the insistent gentrification taking place. It rips communities and takes your friends away. It forces potential friends to leave, too.
Roberto and I have worked hard to intentionally find and develop friendships with...
I recently read Kiese Laymon’s book Heavy. I can’t stop talking about it. It was powerful, raw, beautiful, impactful, and heavy. (Pun intended!) One of the moments he narrates is about an incident that happened to him as a college professor. He was the only Black male professor...
Too often teachers aren’t readers. Too often we want our students to read and to be intrinsically motivated to learn… but we aren’t doing it ourselves. If that’s you, then I invite you to consider changing that this summer. Deciding on what to read can be quite...
I’m from Lawrence, Massachusetts. Anyone that knows me, knows that even though I no longer live in Lawtown, I rep it to the fullest. There is much to love about Lawrence and I am proud of my city. Lawrence is a small, close-knit community. It is loud and vibrant in a way that makes you...
I was inspired to write a song called SHHH (She Hangs Her Head)! The song is based on a true story and the content is as relevant now as it was when I first penned it. For numerous reasons I never had the chance to publish this song until now, even though I have performed this song in various...
Being a teacher who is black, indigenous, or a person of color (BIPoc), can be challenging in and of itself. So many resources that come across don’t always speak to our experiences in the classroom as a teacher. There are commonalities and trends to what we experience as teachers, and...
I work toward welcoming marginalized voices into my classroom while moving my students toward a stance grounded in love and freedom. As a student, I never encountered a curriculum that did that. When I first became an educator, I struggled to find examples of curricula or lessons that effectively...
Lorena German and fellow educator, Jazmen Moore, presented at the International Literacy Association’s (ILA) conference in Austin, TX this past weekend (July 2018). They were there on behalf of the National Council of Teachers of English (NCTE). Their session:...
