every child has a superhero I can remember mine
remember mine
remember mine borrowing capes from moms linen closet
borrowing capes from moms linen closet
borrowing capes from moms linen closet trying to get my fresh bowl of cereal so
trying to get my fresh bowl of cereal so
trying to get my fresh bowl of cereal so I can get ready for mom Saturday morning
I can get ready for mom Saturday morning
I can get ready for mom Saturday morning cartoons you had a superhero too maybe
cartoons you had a superhero too maybe
cartoons you had a superhero too maybe it was an action hero on television or
it was an action hero on television or
it was an action hero on television or in a movie or maybe it was imaginary
in a movie or maybe it was imaginary
in a movie or maybe it was imaginary friend or a doll my favorite superhero
friend or a doll my favorite superhero
friend or a doll my favorite superhero that’s easy
that’s easy
that’s easy it was my seventh grade social studies
it was my seventh grade social studies
it was my seventh grade social studies black male teacher mr. Brian Freeland
black male teacher mr. Brian Freeland
black male teacher mr. Brian Freeland right now currently black men make up 2%
right now currently black men make up 2%
right now currently black men make up 2% of the US teacher workforce that means
of the US teacher workforce that means
of the US teacher workforce that means millions of children reported early
millions of children reported early
millions of children reported early morning to school today and whether they
morning to school today and whether they
morning to school today and whether they internalized it or not there was a
internalized it or not there was a
internalized it or not there was a growing diversity gap among their
growing diversity gap among their
growing diversity gap among their teachers nothing that starts learning
teachers nothing that starts learning
teachers nothing that starts learning know your history or you’re doomed to
know your history or you’re doomed to
know your history or you’re doomed to repeat it
repeat it
repeat it those were the words of mr. Freeland
those were the words of mr. Freeland
those were the words of mr. Freeland because when you entered inside his
because when you entered inside his
because when you entered inside his classroom not only was he skilled at
classroom not only was he skilled at
classroom not only was he skilled at teaching the content he taught you about
teaching the content he taught you about
teaching the content he taught you about life he taught us about mass
life he taught us about mass
life he taught us about mass incarceration the study of our
incarceration the study of our
incarceration the study of our indigenous people how to be champions in
indigenous people how to be champions in
indigenous people how to be champions in our communities fast forward to summer
our communities fast forward to summer
our communities fast forward to summer 2006 I’m in college looking for my first
2006 I’m in college looking for my first
2006 I’m in college looking for my first summer job I applied to be a resident
summer job I applied to be a resident
summer job I applied to be a resident advisor at the LeMoyne college Upward
advisor at the LeMoyne college Upward
advisor at the LeMoyne college Upward Bound program in Syracuse New York I was
Bound program in Syracuse New York I was
Bound program in Syracuse New York I was responsible for managing 40 black and
responsible for managing 40 black and
responsible for managing 40 black and Latino boys for a 7 week intensive
Latino boys for a 7 week intensive
Latino boys for a 7 week intensive college prep program it was terrified
it was terrifying in the sense that I
it was terrifying in the sense that I felt so connected to these students that
felt so connected to these students that
felt so connected to these students that I didn’t I wanted them to succeed
I didn’t I wanted them to succeed
I didn’t I wanted them to succeed because I knew they had to meet this
because I knew they had to meet this
because I knew they had to meet this high bar and if they fell below that
high bar and if they fell below that
high bar and if they fell below that they would risk falling through the
they would risk falling through the
they would risk falling through the cracks
cracks
cracks another ruin potential another missed
another ruin potential another missed
another ruin potential another missed opportunity so after the seven week
opportunity so after the seven week
opportunity so after the seven week intensive summer program we’re at the
intensive summer program we’re at the
intensive summer program we’re at the closing ceremony auditorium full of
closing ceremony auditorium full of
closing ceremony auditorium full of parents community members and I have to
parents community members and I have to
parents community members and I have to give the closing remarks I began my
give the closing remarks I began my
give the closing remarks I began my speech to bid my students very well for
speech to bid my students very well for
speech to bid my students very well for the rest of the summer and they
the rest of the summer and they
the rest of the summer and they interrupt me right in the middle of my
interrupt me right in the middle of my
interrupt me right in the middle of my speech
speech
speech those same forty black and Latino boys
those same forty black and Latino boys
those same forty black and Latino boys came and presented me with a book and on
came and presented me with a book and on
came and presented me with a book and on each page it talked about how I changed
each page it talked about how I changed
each page it talked about how I changed each and every one of their lives that
each and every one of their lives that
each and every one of their lives that summer
for me I was an emotional wreck because
for me I was an emotional wreck because at that moment I realized that the
at that moment I realized that the
at that moment I realized that the impact that mr. Freeland had on me had
impact that mr. Freeland had on me had
impact that mr. Freeland had on me had come full circle and now the superhero
come full circle and now the superhero
come full circle and now the superhero that I saw him mr. freely I was
that I saw him mr. freely I was
that I saw him mr. freely I was representing to somebody else see black
representing to somebody else see black
representing to somebody else see black male educators matter because when a
male educators matter because when a
male educators matter because when a black boy says it’s because of you that
black boy says it’s because of you that
black boy says it’s because of you that I want to go to college black male
I want to go to college black male
I want to go to college black male educators matter because we just we’re
educators matter because we just we’re
educators matter because we just we’re just not good for just black students
just not good for just black students
just not good for just black students we’re good for all students including
we’re good for all students including
we’re good for all students including white students
blackmail educators matter because when
blackmail educators matter because when you look at compared to your teacher
you look at compared to your teacher
you look at compared to your teacher demographic of high-performing teachers
demographic of high-performing teachers
demographic of high-performing teachers black men still have a unique and
black men still have a unique and
black men still have a unique and distinct impact on a trajectory of our
distinct impact on a trajectory of our
distinct impact on a trajectory of our schools and our communities the
schools and our communities the
schools and our communities the fellowship black male educators for
fellowship black male educators for
fellowship black male educators for social justice
social justice
social justice our work in role right now is working
our work in role right now is working
our work in role right now is working with school districts all across the
with school districts all across the
with school districts all across the country to open up the pipeline and get
country to open up the pipeline and get
country to open up the pipeline and get any more access for black males to
any more access for black males to
any more access for black males to access this profession become the change
access this profession become the change
access this profession become the change that they want to see to be the
that they want to see to be the
that they want to see to be the transformative figures and others lives
transformative figures and others lives
transformative figures and others lives like mr. Freeman was in mind and like I
like mr. Freeman was in mind and like I
like mr. Freeman was in mind and like I was to my summer students because the
was to my summer students because the
was to my summer students because the thing is some of you may be able to
thing is some of you may be able to
thing is some of you may be able to actually relate to my story about mr.
actually relate to my story about mr.
actually relate to my story about mr. Freeland because you two had a black
Freeland because you two had a black
Freeland because you two had a black male teacher that changed your life but
male teacher that changed your life but
male teacher that changed your life but the reality is the majority of us in
the reality is the majority of us in
the reality is the majority of us in this room right now will never know that
this room right now will never know that
this room right now will never know that story and well I just think that’s
story and well I just think that’s
story and well I just think that’s unfortunate
unfortunate
unfortunate and unacceptable let’s change the
and unacceptable let’s change the
and unacceptable let’s change the narrative for our children let’s
narrative for our children let’s
narrative for our children let’s increase the number of black male
increase the number of black male
increase the number of black male educators in Philadelphia right now our
educators in Philadelphia right now our
educators in Philadelphia right now our pilot city we are looking to add 1,000
pilot city we are looking to add 1,000
pilot city we are looking to add 1,000 black male teachers by the year 2025
because all people all children can
because all people all children can benefit from the teachings of a highly
benefit from the teachings of a highly
benefit from the teachings of a highly effective black male educator because
effective black male educator because
effective black male educator because let’s face it two percent well that’s
let’s face it two percent well that’s
let’s face it two percent well that’s not enough thank you
”
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