Moguldom • 31st March 2023

Staying Woke Amid White Noise: Conservative White Nationalists Complain Of Wokeness Again But Not Of Racism

This month, the Silicon Valley Bank (SVB) collapsed, the largest bank collapse since 2008, as a result of investing short-term deposits into long-term bonds. When interest rates rose, the value of the bonds fell, wiping out the equity of the bank. Yet somehow, non-white men are to blame. According to Andy Kessler for the Wall Street Journal, SVB’s collapse might have to do more with a focus on meeting equity demands with respect to its leadership. A quote from Kessler’s piece was shared on Twi

Education Next • 29th March 2023

Before Governors’ Push on School Breakfast, Black Panthers Were Feeding Kids

Free school breakfast has been in the news recently, with the Governor of Minnesota, Tim Walz, signing a bill to provide meals to all students, and the governor of Pennsylvania, Josh Shapiro, announcing, “we’re going to provide universal free breakfast in our schools.” In a chapter of my new book, I tell the story of the breakfast program’s beginnings. Participation in the federally funded School Breakfast Program has slowly but steadily grown over the years: 1970: 0.5 million children; 1980:

AAIHS • 27th March 2023

Slavery and Rebellion in Eighteenth-Century New Jersey

Slavery and Rebellion in Eighteenth-Century New Jersey Chattel enslavement was introduced into the colony of New Jersey in the seventeenth century, shortly after the Dutch first settled in the colony. While a port existed in Camden to the southwest, Perth Amboy was the major port of entry for trafficking enslaved persons in the state due to its close proximity to New York City. From 1737 up until 1800, the slave population went from just under 4,000 to well over 12,000, with the highest concentration

Philly's 7th Ward • 26th March 2023

While Current Events Have Their Place in Teaching, A Social Justice Pedagogical Rooting Is Needed

A decade ago, when new to the teaching profession, the real world interrupted the classroom with the murder of Trayvon Martin. The very next time we had class after his murder, I spent the entire day wrestling with what happened with all my classes. It was a day well spent—where we discussed all the various circumstances surrounding the murder: racial profiling, racism, law-enforcement and the history of these. We also discussed what solutions were necessary and how young people could get invol

Edutopia • 20th March 2023

How to Teach Black Resistance Beyond Black History Month

History is a complex bag full of triumphs and tragedies. History teachers are charged with breaking down intricate details in a way in which students understand the pathways to success and to sin. This is all done in an attempt to learn from the past so that society can strategically chart toward the future. This requires students to be open to learning, teachers to be brave in order to confront hard truths, and communities to be willing to trust teachers to teach and students to learn.

The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC • 17th March 2023

Ja Morant was suspended from the NBA for a gun video. Yet people in Congress do the same thing | Opinion

Ja Morant of the Memphis Grizzlies looks on during the third quarter against the Philadelphia 76ers at Wells Fargo Center on Feb. 23, 2023, in Philadelphia. Read more In 2018, I saw Ja Morant play for the first time when he was a student at Murray State. What I remember most was the high-flying dunks that were forceful yet graceful. More than just a dunker, Morant was the unquestioned leader and chief facilitator of his team, guiding them to the NCAA tournament round of 32. Now the Memphis Gri

Moguldom • 10th March 2023

Opinion: Know Your Audience, Never Assume That A White Person Is Familiar With Black Governance Language

When I was in grad school, made the mistake of calling a white professor I was reaching out to for advisement “Doc.” He was less than happy. He said that my “tone” was unprofessional and not the way a student should refer to a professor… and I was wrong… wrong for assuming this white man was familiar with Black governance speak, where referencing one as “Doc” was a compliment—particularly for those without a doctoral degree of some sort. … Because Black folks understand, historically speaking,

Moguldom • 3rd March 2023

Opinion: Blackness Can’t Enter The Transfer Portal

Football Coach Deion Sanders departed Jackson State University (JSU) for “greener” pastures at the University of Colorado (UC). It was his right and prerogative to make that career decision. With him came the players and coaches of his choosing. While coaches can come and go as they please with respect to employment, the players came to UC by way of the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) transfer portal, whether from JSU or any other school. The transfer portal is a compliance tool

Moguldom • 24th February 2023

Opinion: If DeSantis Knew History, He'd Know His Crusade Won't Work

If Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis knew history, he’d realize that his crusade against teaching Black history in schools won’t work. However, since he is ignorant of it, he’ll continue working to fight against Black humanity. Failure to learn Black history has DeSantis unaware of the reality that where there is oppression, there is resistance. And where white supremacy abounds, Black resistance abounds much more. Historian Dr. Herbert Aptheker, in his research, speaks of eight forms of Black resistance

ASCD • 22nd February 2023

How and Why to Teach Black Resistance in U.S. History

After Florida's decision to block the APAAS course, the College Board announced the removal of several topics from the curriculum, including the Black Lives Matter movement, intersectionality, and Black feminist thought. The board has maintained that the changes were part of an internal revision process that had started before the Florida dispute and were not related. What's clear is that, despite the political noise, equity-oriented educators must take determined steps to emphasize the education

Philly's 7th Ward • 17th February 2023

Resistance to Gov. DeSantis Is Part of a Long-Standing Tradition

In the struggle to define how U.S. history is taught in K-12 spaces, Gov. Ron DeSantis has attacked the piloted AP course in African-American History; making it unavailable to Florida students. In response to Gov. DeSantis, three high school students have sued the state of Florida to allow for the course to be taught. In his rationale for why Florida wouldn’t make the course available for students, DeSantis said the course lacked “educational value and historical accuracy.” However, having read

Moguldom • 17th February 2023

Opinion: Black Faces In White Spaces Don't Assure Greener Pastures, Look At Tyre Nichols, Cop City

“We need a seat at the table” is a phrase commonly used to indicate how best to eradicate racial injustice. In other words, we need to be in positions of power and influence when decision-making conversations impacting Black people happen. That sounds like a reasonable strategy. Representation matters … to an extent. But those tables don’t belong to us … those tables belong to the white power structure. Those tables are institutional white spaces, meaning the formations, maintenance and promotion

Philly's 7th Ward • 16th February 2023

We’re Divided and We’re Falling

Sadly, we live in a deeply divided society. Our deep divides however do not yield individuals choices on the policy measures they want or don’t want. Deep divides lead to inaction and one of the most apparent places where inaction has had its way is school safety. Because of the deep divides in how politicians believe students ought to be protected from mass school shootings, anti-gun legislation is nowhere on the books. As a result, local districts, with the help of their communities, are taking

Education Week • 15th February 2023

Why Black Teachers Stay (Opinion)

Challenges to the teaching profession right now are numerous. Teachers are coping with the educational and psychological fallout from a pandemic that grinds on. At the same time, state legislatures around the country have restricted what teachers can say in the classroom about important contemporary issues, such as racism, sexual orientation, and gender identity. For Black teachers , though, those challenges are compounded. In addition to all the duties and concerns that come with any teaching

Moguldom • 10th February 2023

Opinion: Republicans Heckle Biden Because He Represents The Multicultural Electorate And There’s Nothing He Can Do About It

President Joe Biden’s State of the Union address was like any other. He spoke of his accomplishments and pressed the opposition party to meet his mandates for votes. This year, however, felt a bit more confrontational than usual. Biden goaded conservatives into heckling him with boos and jeers. It almost felt like a comedy club on Capitol Hill. Let Republicans tell it, and the heckling was due to Biden lumping in all Republicans with those who want to do away with Medicare and Social Security.

Follow South Jersey • 9th February 2023

A Month for Enlightenment: What Black History Is Or Is Not

Educators hear a lot of misinformation from students. Thus, one of the powers of teaching is found in the opportunities to enlighten. Black History Month provides teachers with such an opportunity to both enlighten students as well as themselves. An example is the common misnomer that Black History Month is in February because it is the shortest month of the year. Over the years, I’ve heard students say that as evidence of racism. I’ve even heard adults say this, as recent as 2023. Sadly, I use to think the same thing.

The Philadelphia Inquirer, LLC • 7th February 2023

Black history includes some ‘hard, but necessary truths.’ Teaching them is an act of resistance. | Opinion

Rann Miller poses for a photograph in his office at Camden Promise Charter School in Camden on Oct. 27, 2021. Read more Tyre Nichols is another Black man murdered at the hands of law enforcement. Sadly, I suspect he won’t be the last. But what makes this case notably different from the murders of George Floyd, Philando Castile, or Walter Wallace Jr., for example, is that the police officers who killed Nichols were all Black. As a result, Memphis, Tenn., police chief Cerelyn Davis, a Black woman

Front Runner New Jersey - Highlighting the People, Events and Causes that make South Jersey Special • 6th February 2023

Rann Miller: Rodney Sadler, Job Well Done - Front Runner New Jersey

CAMDEN — Camden, New Jersey made me who I am. One could assume that the forces of poverty, violence and criminality did much for the forging and shaping. But those who immediately trek to that assumption are without an understanding of, and respect for, the governance spaces that not only informed who I would become, but that also give the city its life. My parents heeded the “recommendation” of my grandmother to enroll me at Respond Inc. when I was a kid, where she was the head nurse for all

Philly's 7th Ward • 31st January 2023

HBCUs: Turning Dialogue Into Duty

Deion Sanders decision to leave Jackson State University (JSU) to accept the head coaching job at the University of Colorado has facilitated rich conversations, particularly amongst Black people. Much of the discourse centers on HBCUs (Historically Black Colleges and Universities); specifically whether or not Sanders did what he could to uplift JSU and HBCUs in general or if he bailed on that mission, a mission he shared was one from God. But if you really listen, you’ll hear another conversati

Moguldom • 27th January 2023

Opinion: 2023 Is The 'Jordan' Year … So What?

There is a lot we can say about Michael Jordan as a philanthropist and capitalist. As for Michael Jordan, the Hall of Fame basketball player, he remains the most iconic figure in all of professional sports. Jordan’s greatness on the court is unparalleled—particularly in his position. He is the standard by which all great NBA players who’ve come after him are measured. We, Joe Public, associate ourselves with such greatness by purchasing and wearing Jordan’s signature sneakers. It is a status s