Illuminated Reflections on 57
While on my return flight from Baltimore to Sacramento, I reflected on this year’s ABPsi conference. From the writing bootcamp to my daily workouts, the liberating libations, and more, I enjoyed the Association of Black Psychologists’ 57th Annual International Convention. This year’s theme, The Illumination: Freeing the African Spirit, loosened the shackles on my spiritual […]
Disability Pride and Collective Justice
Black people with disabilities are capable of mental, physical, and spiritual feats. Although multiple sclerosis put Brad Lomax in a wheelchair, he joined the Black Panther Party and founded the Center for Independent Living. Lois Curtis, an artist and activist with schizophrenia, protested segregated housing practices and won a landmark case to support improved independent […]
Freedom is Everybody’s Business
While Juneteenth recognizes the end of chattel slavery in the United States, some of our brothers and sisters remain enslaved. They may occupy cell blocks in prisons, seats in classrooms, or rooms in our homes. Regardless of their location, the psychological, physical, and spiritual remnants of slavery prevail. Professionals in various fields play a role […]
May’s Manifesting Student Success
May is the month when we celebrate graduates across the educational spectrum. From kindergarten to graduate school, students will finish curricula and start their next educational journeys. For Black/African students in higher education, graduation can mean much more than earning a degree or certificate. Convocation represents the accumulation of struggles endured and dreams deferred. Before […]
An Ubuntu Power Base
The South African Zulu philosophy of Ubuntu emphasizes collective thoughts and actions. Ubuntu happens when “I am, because we are” is transformed from a phrase into a therapeutic way of living. When we consider recent tragedies in Virginia and Louisiana, alongside the health disparities impacting Black/African people, the call for change reverberates. In Fairfax, Virginia, […]
Intentional Illumination
Intentional individuals and institutions committed to African-centered education play a crucial role in building self-love among Black/African students. When I taught the African-Brazilian martial art of capoeira at an African-centered social justice school in Chicago, the students repeated, “If it’s going to be, it’s up to me! Harambee, harambee, harambee!” to culminate weekly assemblies. The […]
Black Love and Black History
Black Love guided Dr. Carter Godwin Woodson’s scholarship and activism. In 1926, Dr. Woodson established Negro History Week; through collaborative efforts, it evolved into Black History Month. One hundred years later, we acknowledge Woodson’s labors of love by celebrating Black history and pursuing collective actions to improve schools and our community year-round. At the Umoja Community Education Foundation (UCEF), we place Black Love at the center of our services, programs, and […]
An African-centered Education Remedy
Too often, American schools pour Eurocentric values into the minds of Black students through curricula, culture, and policies. Dr. Carter G. Woodson recognized the education system’s shortcomings in 1926 and created Negro History Week. One week of highlighting Black achievement evolved into Black History Month. Next month, we commemorate 100 years of Black history celebrations, […]
Umoja Reflections, Porch Talks, and Kujichagulia Forward
Reflection is a powerful tool for fostering self-love and restoring power to our minds. It offers us an opportunity to appreciate progress, express gratitude, explore mistakes, and identify areas for improvement. In the spirit of reflection and in honor of our Ancestors, I offer this reflection on a visit to a college campus with the […]
Gratitude for Blackness
We live in an anti-Black/African society. Every week, we learn of cuts to educational services in the US and conflicts throughout the diaspora that threaten our existence. Despite challenges, we must remain grateful for Blackness. From the textures of our hair to the soles of our feet, being Black is beautiful. The lights our souls […]