True Social Justice & Racial Equity Is Hard Work
Dear Black Students: I want to tell you something controversial, something different from the messages most people will give you. I want you to know that simply reading books isn’t the key to academic success, nor is it the key to beating racism and White supremacy. Here’s the truth: Reading […]
As a parent of a daughter with a disability, I feel like I am in a perpetual state of learning tips from the “experts.” Having a child with special needs means I am always trying to do the right thing for her. But summer break is extra hard. During the […]
Father’s Day is a day to celebrate all the wonderful fathers in the world. However, for Black people, Father’s Day has too often turned into a day to discuss all the dysfunction with Black men—especially a lack of Black fathers. President Obama, Bill Cosby and other Black leaders often preach […]
My younger daughter is one of the greatest joys of my life. She is full of energy, gives great cuddles and has a fantastic imagination, often involving her Marvel friends Black Widow and Captain America. She also has disabilities. It has been a long, uphill battle to make sure she […]
Rich, mostly White homeowners are officially on welfare. I know. I was as surprised as you are. But millions of affluent homeowners filed their taxes this week and took advantage of changes to the home mortgage interest deduction. And this popular deduction is basically a form of welfare. In fact, […]
Since having a child diagnosed with special needs, I’ve learned so much about navigating the special-education process. First thing: the special education system is a hot mess—even for savvier parents, it’s incredibly difficult to navigate. The second thing: Early intervention can make all the difference. To give you a head start, I want […]
Like so many Black women, I was excited about the movie “Hidden Figures.” My enthusiasm skyrocketed when I got a letter from Trinity United Church of Christ’s First Lady and Black woman engineer, Monica Moss, inviting me to a showing of the movie for families on Chicago’s South Side. Even […]
Back to school time is approaching, and with that comes all the “to-do’s” and “suggestions for parents” that make huge assumptions about parents, about kids, and most importantly, about the causes, symptoms, treatments, and solutions for children who are “misbehaving.” The biggest mistaken assumption is that if a child is […]