UPDATE - thanks to the good people at BLOC (Brothers Liberating Our Community), we now have access to a full video of the panel discussion. Click here to view it.
When you look at statistics on achievement that are broken down by race and gender, a stark fact of our society is that Black & Brown boys and men lag significantly behind. As the Center School District works to improve racial equity throughout our community, we have been examining the root causes of the disparity for Black and Brown boys and seeking ways to improve our abilities to help them learn.
Center Superintendent, Dr. Yolanda Cargile, has hosted a series of community conversations around this topic during the current school year. The culminating event for the series was a panel discussion featuring a group of Black & Brown men and boys who have defied the odds and are highly successful. The discussion, moderated by Mr. Cornell Ellis, featured their stories of growing up Black & Brown in Kansas City (and especially in the Center School District). About 50 community members attended and listened to stories from :
- Dr. Vashawn Smith, Grandview Middle School Principal
- Manny Abarca, Jackson County Legislator
- Garrett Webster, Youth Guidance Executive Director
- Dr. Troy Nash, Financial Analyst and Urban Planner
- Center High School Senior Malikhi Edwards
- Center High School Junior Kelechi Okoro
- Center High School Junior Bryson Watts
Their stories were inspiring, emotional, and disturbing. Comments from the panelists included:
- Living as a Black or Brown male is not the same for each individual - their stories and experiences are each unique and different.
- Garrett Webster shared a story from a trip to Ghana. After a couple of days, he realized how relaxed he felt in an environment with he was part of the dominant race, not a minority. When he returned to the US the tension immediately returned - he realized that each and every day he has to decide which "mask" he needs to wear based on who he will be meeting and what he will be doing.
- When talking about the most influential educator in their lives, the roles varied, but the impact was largely the same. Sometimes it takes only one person to truly believe in your abilities to make a difference in the trajectory of your life (hint - we should all strive to be that person for someone else).
- While low academic performance for Black & Brown boys in very concerning, it has NOTHING to do with the potential for any individual to succeed, as demonstrated by the participants on the panel.
- Advice that panelists would share with their 8-year-old selves - be gentle on yourself, be confident in who you are, commit to making a difference in the world, and don't allow the negativity to affect your personal mindset.
- Do one positive thing every day!
- Talking together is important.
- Spend more time with your children.
Thanks to all our panelists for their honesty and willingness to share their personal stories. Special thanks to our facilitator, Mr. Cornell Ellis.