Enjoy this stand-out entry from the January JBT essay contest.
Prompt: Why are Black male educators important?
To be a Black male educator
Is to be regarded as everything but
To be a Black male educator is to be
Uncommon
Rare
2%
A unicorn
The justification for valuing diversity
The reason for you to boast about having a Black
colleague
An outlet for you to have the Black perspective
The opportunity for you to try out Black-centric
colloquialisms
To be a Black male educator is to be seen as all of these,
but never seen as a Black male educator
To be a Black man in education Is to disrupt the lens that weaponizes our existence
To have the audacity to show Black kids that
Even through multiple attempts of erasure
Their existence is resilient
Their creativity is through the genius of their ancestors
Their rhythm is from the movements of sustaining our
culture
Whether it was on a dance floor or on the steps of the
nation’s capitol
Their hair, a symbol of pride fit for any crown
Their skin, a target of jealousy, yet the very standard of
beauty
To be a Black man in education means
To teach complex concepts
While teaching Black students their existence is not an
inconvenience
To make sure the mind and the heart of rising Black scholars are protected And not easily manipulated by the oppressor
To know the classroom cannot dictate their worth
And to help create a world where their excellence is
recognized
And their Blackness is loved
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Born from a lineage of African, Creole, and Indigenous ancestry, Kevin was raised in the Historic Westside of Las Vegas, NV with Louisiana southern values with the love and labor of multiple Black womxn. Dr. Wright currently serves as a Racial Equity Consultant, where he is responsible for serving as a voice for the voiceless. Wright's commitment to racial justice, equity, and inclusion is guided by his approach to dismantling systems rooted in White supremacy while advocating for individuals with historically marginalized identities. After over a decade of ghostwriting, Kevin decided to claim his own voice and thoughts by sharing who he is through the gift of poetry. This would not be possible without the care, guidance, and mentorship of other poets and artists in the Las Vegas community.
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