Who are you?

Who am I? This is a question that I should ask myself everyday. It's a question that helps me to evaluate my life, and what it means to me. 

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I am a bi-racial male of African-American origin born and raised in Kansas City, MO. I grew up in a single-parent household, where my mother raised me and my two younger sisters. We lived in an underserved neighborhood where resources were limited and/or nonexistent. My male connections were far and inbetween. Although there were many barriers along the way, I am very proud of my cultural background and family values because it has instilled in me a spirit of gratitude and appreciation for the small things that make a big impact.

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Regarding my personality, I am one person who is outspoken and likes socializing and making new personal and professional connections. That notwithstanding, I value respect and believe it is two ways. I expect that anybody I interact with should show me the same level of respect I show them irrespective of their background or status in the society.

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My view of life is that all humans are equal regardless of their cultural, racial, and religious backgrounds as well as gender. This is why I pride myself on having friends whose cultural and other backgrounds are diverse. I am also liberal in that I am open to learning new things such as new cultures, religions, and even languages.

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I am currently a full-time Education major at The University of the District of Columbia. 

 

What is the nature of your job?

 I am currently a Lead Pre-K3 Teacher at Broadcasters’ Child Development Center in Teneleytown, Washington, DC. The nature of my current role is to provide a safe and supportive learning envrionment that is student-led with high-quality pedagogy to be used with evidence-based best practices to ensure that the young children in my care receive the most out of their early childhood education experiences. I’ve been in this position for 3 years now, but I have served in the ECE field now for 10+ years.

 

What interests/concerns drew you to early childhood work?

I recognized earlier on in my life that I didn’t have many positive influencers who were minority and male. When I was in the 1st grade, I came in contact with my very first male teacher, Mr. Dean. He left the biggest impression on my life. He was always so supportive; I can still remember him finding unique ways to make learning hands-on and fun with his creativity. He became a solid positive male figure in my life. He would always go above and beyond to let myself and my other classmates know that we mattered and how important we were to society.  He soon became my “big brother” after leaving his classroom and would keep communication with me and my family. I am proud to say that after all of these years, I am still in contact with him today and I consider him to be one of my best mentors that I look to for sound advice. His compassion and care radiated through me all these years and I knew I wanted to be a teacher, too. It has been my interest to serve as a positive male role-model to those children without the male presence or influence in their lives and to be a compliment to the small group of male educators who currently exist.

 

Wishes for the future of children?

My wish for the future of children is that every child will have a passionate advocate who will promote and fight for educational equality and equip them with the necessary tools to be life-long learners and thrive within their own communities and beyond.

 

What do you do when you’re not working? 

When I am not working with our amazingly bright young people, I find solace in the simple things in life such as spending time with my family and friends, volunteering my time/services to upstanding community-based outreach organizations within the DMV area, and traveling both domestically and internationally.