I Gotta Write My Way Out…

December 27, 2023
 

“Y'all, I caught my first beatin' from the other kids when I was caught readin'
"Oh, you think you smart?"—Blaow!—start bleedin'
My pops tried in vain to get me to fight back
Sister tapped my brains, said, "Pssh—you'll get 'em right back."
Oversensitive, defenseless, I made sense of it, I pencil in
The lengths to which I'd go to learn my strengths and knock 'em senseless
These sentences are endless, so what if they leave me friendless?
"Damn, you got no chill," f*****' right—I'm relentless
I know Abuela's never really gonna win the lottery
So it's up to me to draw blood with this pen, hit an artery
This Puerto Rican's brains are leakin' through the speakers
And if he can be the shinin' beacon this side of the G.W.B and
Shine a light when it's gray out?”
-Lin Manuel-Miranda from “I Wrote My Way Out”

The original Hamilton musical was something I enjoyed when I experienced it. The follow up to the Broadway smash was the remix album featuring various popular Hip-Hop, R&B, and Pop artists. My favorite song is the 2nd track featuring Nas, Aloe Blacc, Dave East, and Lin-Manuel Miranda. I love everything about this remix song. As a kid who was bullied by bullies and poverty long before my mouth found the volume to be loud enough to express what was in my heart, I found my voice in writing.

For some time now, lots of people have been asking me when I am gonna be done with my dissertation. There are so many responses in my head to these inquiries. And I've come to accept that the best response I can give is by writing it out. My short answer is it will be done when it gets done. The long answer is I'll finish when opportunity, support, and my writing find a compromise. Successful dissertations require having committee members to have your back as a doctoral student. It requires making edits in your writing that the faculty want to fit their definition of doctoral research and analysis. This expectation varies from committee to committee. But, no matter who is part of my committee, I gotta remember, I'm a writer. No dissertation committee can take that away from me.

All my life writing has been my refuge…

• Short stories
• Poems
• Narrative essays
• Analyzing the world we live in and the world that once was…
• Even when I became a parent, my short stories became my bedtime stories for my children…

There was a time before I started this 2nd attempt at a doctoral program, I did not think my writing was good enough. Writing blogs and poetry is one thing, but can my writing get me through a dissertation?! At first, I made the mistake of looking for validation during my academic journey from current my doctoral program…I listened to the hysteria of some classmates and their best practices of those who have finished their dissertation, and tried to become a student I thought I had to be…I was too busy trying to write in a way that put my voice on mute. Class after class, I felt hollow…I was giving a writing version of myself I thought my doctoral program expected. And semester after semester I felt like I was missing the mark on my writing assignments.

It took nearly 3 summers into my program at Dallas Baptist University (DBU) to learn about the value of my style of writing in traditional academia…it will not get me the highest grades; it will get me the highest level of tranquility and peace. I need that! That is more valuable than an A…sometimes being me will give an A, other times it won’t, but no matter what my writing will be my ticket to completing my work at DBU.

I must keep writing…but I cannot make the mistake that makes it OK in my mind to justify my desire to slack off from other obligations to focus on writing.  My world should not revolve around my dissertation. My responsibilities don't stop…

-       My dad duties don’t stop
-       Taking care of my health does not stop
-       Being a husband does not stop
-       Teaching full-time does not stop
-       My faith walk does not stop

Finally, I must remember doctoral writing requires LOTS of practice to be an expert. A work year is 2,080 hours…to be great at something, you need at least 10,000 hours…that's nearly 5 full-time working years…so…I won't be a doctoral writing expert when I finish this dissertation. But I believe my writing will be enough to confer my Ph.D. in Leadership Studies from DBU. Don't let the opinions of others get in the way of what you were called to do. Don’t underestimate the importance of surrounding yourself with people who value your gifts. And don’t let self-doubts consume your dreams. If you have a story to tell, tell your story! And if writing is a medium that has empowered you, write
your way out!

Write away!
- Elgrie J

You Against You

 

November 26, 2023

“See that guy staring back at you…That’s your toughest opponent.” – Rocky Balboa (from the film Creed)

Don't let others define your legacy/purpose

All of us want to matter to someone beyond ourselves. For some people, one person is enough…for others, some want to matter to the entire world. We all have different reasons for this desire. I believe it is the foundation of the human experience to have purpose. Jeremiah 29:11 states “…for I know the plans I have for you,’ declares the LORD, ‘plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a hope and a future…”

I think we all have a unique purpose. As a child, I wanted a purpose, and I had no idea how to find it. Because I did not know my purpose, I grew thinking I had to prove myself every step of the way because…

• I was the smallest
• Or the younger sibling of…
• Or the only Black kid
• The first-generation college student
• The kid from poverty
• The charity case of kid who survived more than I am willing to put on into digital words

Thankfully, by the time I got to college, I began to find pieces of my purpose. While I did have it all together by the time I finished college, I kept getting closer. After relocating to Texas and experiencing my 2^nd toxic work environment I finally began to recognize I had more say on my purpose than I thought. The things I was able to control were more impactful on my purpose (not my reality/situation) than I realized. Whether it’s my health, my parenting skills, my husband skills, relationships with others, or my journey in academics…there are many battles. The greatest battle is me against me!!! To win, I gotta move myself out of the way. I need to move my doubt and past failures out of the way. The main character of Creed (2015) had to do the same thing, move outta our own way!

I love the movie Creed (2015). It is a boxing version of my origin story in many ways…Adonis (Johnson) Creed never met his biological father. He was born out of an affair his father had with his mother, while his father was married to someone else. Coming into adulthood, Adonis Creed wanted to prove he wasn’t a mistake. He wasn’t a mistake!!! The only way to prove that was to get out of his own way. He had to move his doubt…he had to move his disbelief out of his own way.

Your Toughest Opponent: You!

At times I have felt like I was a mistake. And that was the lie that tried to hijack my purpose. No matter your story, you are NOT a mistake. Your greatness is not determined by where you came from; it is based on how determined you are to get where you are going. In the film, Creed did not win the boxing title. He lost the fight, but he won. He won because he found himself. Sometimes the gold at the end of the rainbow is the treasure we need, not what we want…it may be what is needed to get started. What parts of you are in your way? Name them! Create a plan to move each of them out of your way. Once they are gone…your journey becomes clearer. So, remember, “it’s you against you!”

 

Be well!
- Elgrie J.

Empathy Ain’t Enough

 

October 31, 2023

Warning: This blog post isn't for everyone.
 

Empathy is a start, but it ain’t enough. Being an ally is a start, but if you stay there, just own your willingness to bow out of the situation. I am looking for partnerships. Someone to fight with me and make my struggle their struggle. I'm not seeking people who have good intentions but are doing more harm than good. In other words, jellyfish syndrome is not welcomed here! Your version of caring and my version of caring are different. Everyone ain’t courageous enough and that’s OK. But if you claim to be here for the work, please know what that means. You got my back…I can trust you and you trust me. You are not afraid to be inconvenienced for something greater than yourself and the social media likes. That ain't everyone…and that's OK. I am not interested in an unconscious diversity checklist. I am looking for others who are willing to bring a reckoning to the status quo…is that you?!

Empathy is NOT teamwork. I'm looking teammates! 

You saying you know Jesus ain’t enough. The Jesus I know is here for everyone who is willing to follow Him. He's here to meet you where you are to get you where you need to be. He wants to offer grace and expects accountability. Shaming and hatred are not His tactics. So, I’m over the ones who say only God can judge but wanna judge everyone without being judged. That ain't empathy…that's elitism. Miss me with that!

I’m looking for people who can distinguish guilt from empathy. They ain’t the same. Guilt is often a temporary mindset. When the guilt fades, will you fade away too? When the cameras turn away, will you turn away too? All these schools throughout the USA are asking their local community to invest…will you stop at empathy, or will you show up because empathy ain't action?

Voting for status quo without solutions hurts all

Will you vote 🗳? Will you vote to invest, or will you push away your burdens and responsibilities? If you vote no, what's your plan of action to fill the need? Are you limited to wishful thinking and comments? Will comments like "that's too bad'' serve as your means of contributing?! Will you continue to rely on misinformation because you refuse to educate yourself on the facts? There's a proverb that states "talking doesn't cook rice." Your empathy doesn't increase funding…. your empathy doesn't stop the roofs of school buildings from leaking when it rains… it doesn't close the digital divide or keep teachers in schools. So, what's your next step after empathy because empathy by itself doesn’t create solutions?

Let's be clear, this is not a shame session… any shame felt by this blog post has an internal source and does not have origins externally from my words that you have read. But don't stop reading this! Stopping is easy…it's the cop out…Be brave and keep pushing. Whether you act or not, the need for change is here. The time is now!

When empathy is no longer enough for you, I'll be here ready to work side by side with you. My hope is this will be sooner than later. “The work is large supply, but the workers are few.”

Be well and empower!

-Elgrie J.

 

I Must Have Forgotten…

 

September 29, 2023

Hip Hop is an influential force in shaping cultures throughout the world. 2023 marks the 50th anniversary of Hip Hop culture. If you were born after the 1990s and/or not familiar with Hip Hop, it's more than music. Some of the most agreed upon elements of Hip Hop are deejaying, rapping, breakdancing, graffiti, knowledge, and fashion. And if you are from the San Francisco Bay Area, your contributions to Hip Hop are often overlooked by the world and by Hip Hop. I recently came across an article by NPR describing the connection of the Bay Area and Hip Hop. (NRP’s article on Hip Hop and the Bay Area.) Reading this article reminded me I must have forgotten some things.

 

It hurts to forget the things that matter!

There's a sweet spot that you strive for in this situation. You want recognition and you also wanna offer a nod to those who paved the way for you. Sometimes it is easy to forget your backstory. Maybe you forget because you don’t think you need it anymore…maybe you wanna forget because you are tired of the hurt from your past…When you forget sometimes it can hinder future success because you dismiss what generated your success in the first place.

In February 2019 I wrote a blog post about being in the thick of my journey to become a full-time faculty member at a community college. I mentioned how growing up in the San Francisco Bay Area made me embrace hustling to reach my goals. Here we are nearly 5 years later since that post, and I have hit a situation that I did not expect. I often talk about being proud of being from eastern Menlo Park. But lately I have forgotten where I come from.

When I say I forgot where I came from it doesn't mean the literal location; I am referring to the lessons and experiences of my past. ALL of my past shaped me. My past has fueled me in a way that made any discomfort that came with the journey worth it. Success is coming my way in ways I could not have imagined. And recently, I forgot what got me here. What got me here was operating on faith, working hard, loving hard, not living for success, and being unapologetically me. Lately, working hard has been the lone element that has remained. In addition, I discovered that challenges and problems don't necessarily disappear with success. Sometimes, new problems appear, and some old problems don’t go away.

I forgot how not focusing solely on the goal gave me energy (and drive) to do things most people were not able to do. Before this recent setback I was still parenting full-throttle, I was still being attentive to my fitness, and I was still seeking to be a hopeless romantic to my best friend that I get to spend the rest of my life with. My journey was not solo, yet I kept convincing myself it was. This made it easy to forget WHO my source is. The film Coach Carter (2005) has a scene where Coach Carter (who is played by the great Samuel L. Jackson) ties his shoes in front of his players and then says, "I did that!" He continued to be over the top in his communication at practice. He wanted the players to know they (as individuals) were not the source of their success. He wanted them to get their minds right. I needed to adjust my mindset and shrink my ego. I didn't achieve success alone. I was provided with people and resources from The Source who is greater than all of us. Now I'm not back where I need to be, but I'm back on track to get there.

Write down reminders of who you are!

I think everyone should strive to reach their goals. I think being focused has value…I think being disciplined so you can accomplish something has value. But living for success ain’t living. Success is only a piece of life. Just because I must have forgotten, does not mean you have to experience my lessons from the school of hard knocks to have the same epiphany. Don't forget where you come from. Don’t shy away from your story that made you who you are. Being authentically you is what has pushed you where you are. Stay true to you! "Remember who you are!"

 

Be well and let your uniqueness shine!
-Elgrie J.

Thank You

August 30, 2023

 

I have read stories about people who found success despite those who wrote them off…despite people denying them success. There are some stories that I can relate to…

•  Tom Brady is a 6-time Super Bowl Champion and was not even a 1^st round draft pick. Brady was drafted as the 199th pick in the 6th round of NFL draft
• Draymond Green was drafted 35th in the 2nd round. He became a 4-time NBA Champion and a Defensive Player of the Year
• Jennifer Hudson was told no on th
  e American Idol show, only to become an Oscar ® award winner
• Oprah Winfrey faced economic hardship and sexual abuse in her early life to become s global icon and entrepreneur
• In 2014, at age 17, Malala Yousafzai from Pakistan became the youngest Nobel Peace Prize winner in defiance of the Taliban 

7 years ago, I read Psalm 23 every day for 2 years. I did not know how much it would help in my journey as a traveling professor. In August 2018, I quit my full-time job and took a chance. For the next 12 months I learned how to be vulnerable and lean on others. For 12 months I had no full-time job, an increasing amount of bills, and acceptance that my family's needs superseded my ego. Whether it was utilizing local food pantries or even being hired at a local Wal-Mart for an early morning shift. Psalm 23 was manifesting before my eyes.

 

The Lord is my shepherd, I lack nothing. (Psalms 23:1 NIV)

My family and I may not have had everything we wanted during those 12 months, but we had everything we needed. I believed I could be a community college faculty member that local colleges needed if I was just given a chance. I was given just that. I served as an adjunct professor for numerous college systems (teaching 9+ classes per semester) throughout the Central North Texas area. My goal was to improve my qualifications to be a viable full-time faculty member.

 

Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me. (Psalm 23:4)

During that time, I underestimated how people would be barriers to my professional goals. I encountered so many naysayers that at times I thought I was walking in "the shadow of death." My doubt grew when the talent I knew I had was not recognized by some of the places I was hired as a part-time employee. Some college systems even passed on giving me an opportunity at all.

For some people, all of these obstacles would be discouraging. That was not the story for me for two reasons. First, I believed God called me for this opportunity. I had a specific prayer every semester of how many classes for this adventure to work financially. Each semester God delivered (and then some). Second, I remembered what I had learned a few years ago…the book The Art of War points out how your enemies can be the key to victory. They can help you identify the pitfalls in your own strategies that can be used against you. I sought to address those pitfalls; implementing solutions to remove "no" from being a possible answer. Below were some of the reasons they said I could not teach full-time at a community college:

• We can't hire you because you have not been teaching long enough
• You don't teach a variety of classes
• You're too young
• Teaching in the K-12 public school system is not relevant teaching experience to teaching postsecondary (college level) education

These reasons for people to say no to me were my unique traits I saw as valuable contributions in the classroom. So, I took every potential excuse made by employers and gatekeepers to deny me and used them. I proved my unique traits did not make me undesirable; they made me an unicorn in higher education.

Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over. (Psalm 23:5)

I often felt Psalm 23:5 was limited to when people die. My experience 5 years ago was an example that sometimes it happens on this side of eternity.

• People prayed for me.
• They offered me opportunities to work
• Offered me meals
• Offered me mentoring
• Offered me a listening ear

All these gifts comforted me when I felt alone…All these gifts built my confidence that I was on the right track…All these gifts strengthened my faith that my prayers were being heard!

 

In August 2019 I officially became a full-time faculty member at a community college. So, thank you to all those who said no to me (whatever their reasons). Thank you to all my enemies! Thank you to all my enemies who didn't even know they were my enemies. Your resistance powered my persistence. My determination was bigger than your ability to say no. My faith in God-The Father was bigger than your doubt in me. As Derek Luke said in Antwone Fisher (2002), “I'm still standing! I'm still strong!!!" And I would not have known any of this without my enemies' willingness to attempt to block my success. THANK YOU!!!

This is faith over doubt manifested!

 
Ye [formerly known as Kanye West] said:
“Now I could let these dream killers kill my self-esteem…
Or use my arrogance as the steam to power my dreams.
I use it as my gas, so they say that I'm gassed,
But without it I'd be last, so I ought to laugh"
Don't let the haters tear you down. Let the haters’ hateration be the fuel to #EnvisionYourSuccess and allow you to say, "Thank you" to them!

#ProjectTheCure continues!!! #ProjectDissertation continues!!!
Dream Big!!!

- Elgrie J./Professor Hurd

Professor Hurd believes in Empathy versus Hateration 

Doing Life Together!

 

July 31, 2023

“God has given us so many reasons…to carry on with this love…” - Kindred The Family Soul

I am a hopeless romantic. And I love finding singers/artists that speak to all the aspects of love. One of those groups is Kindred The Family Soul. I love the group Kindred The Family Soul! They are not just a singing group. They are song writers that happen to be a husband-and-wife tandem. They have been married since 1998. Seven albums and 6 kids later, they are still together. And their story of Black Love has not been drama free. They have had to work through unemployment, financial challenges, and a lack of support from the music industry. Yet, Aja Graydon and Fatin Dantzler remain an example of what living their life together looks like. I think people underestimate what it takes to make marriages work. Marriages that look easy require A LOT of work. I think my marriage to My Sunshine is no different.

“In this life together, we have traveled far.” - Kindred The Family Soul

To be clear, My Sunshine is my best friend. And I mean my BEST friend! There is nothing I cannot tell her (although I am sure she wishes there were things I would keep to myself). This is one of the foundations of your marriage. I love being married to my best friend. I am eager to share my world outside our home; I am even more eager to know what is going on in her mind…I wanna learn how she is evolving in serving our community, as a parent, and most importantly how she is evolving as an individual. I can’t lie, sometimes I get things wrong as a friend. (Probably way more often than I want to admit.) Sometimes I need to learn how to be a better friend. To do this, it requires vulnerability on my end and grace on her end. I am grateful that this formula is still working. As a matter of fact, we are doing better in our friendship than we did when we first began this journey.

This summer I had to study abroad (in Europe) for my graduate studies. It was hard for many reasons…Having dependable friends matters. And on my trip, my friends within my cohort kept me afloat. My relationship with My Sunshine has paved the way for what I expect from friends. I know friends are not easy to come by. Too often what you think are friendships, are toxic, one-sided relationships. The benefit is just for one person. Too often people claim they are your friends just because they know of you. That’s not how I would define a friend. Friendships are mutually beneficial. They may not benefit each person the same way, but both individuals are enhanced from the experience. I have learned the hard way that quality friendships do not come in large quantities. They are rare and are not something to take for granted. The term friend is not something I use loosely with everyone. The people I call friends are more like family to me. True friendships are full of give and take. I am grateful for the ones I have…I am grateful for my best friend who I get to spend the rest of my life with. 

“You’ve got to hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on, hold on… to me!” - Kindred The Family Soul

 

This marriage to my best friend is a joint venture. It is NEVER a 50/50, but it is ALWAYS a team effort. It is something that we both are committed to. This is the second part to the foundation of our marriage. Our marriage is rooted in our shared faith and values. It may seem cliché, but it should not be taken lightly. I have heard some people say it doesn't matter what couples believe if you have love. That's nice on a Hallmark card, but I have yet to see love alone keep a relationship afloat for the long haul. My Sunshine and I didn’t just fall into marriage and things worked out just because we loved each other. We have been working on this relationship for over 20 years. We were working on it long before we were married. We discussed our career aspirations, finances, and children before we tied the knot. We didn't start out on the same page…we moved from compromise to finding a third way…It does not mean it has been easy. Tension has arisen…stayed…and left regarding finances, career, and children. And news flash, sometimes the tension on these topics returns in different ways. We choose (as a unit) to be flexible and adapt how we engage in these topics depending on the reality we are presently facing.

 

We are 19 years in this thing called marriage!!! We have experienced so much…we have found success despite the odds being against us. But no matter what has happened, we have lived it together, helping each other every step of the way. Sadly, in this contemporary world we live in, making it to 19 years in your first marriage is not the norm. But that statistical fact does not deter us, it motivates us. We are confident about making it to 20 years and beyond (if we are still breathing this side of eternity).


To my Sunshine…we are just getting started in this life together! “If you’re a bird, I’m a bird!” Let’s
keep flying!!!

Jet Black…
-Elgrie J.

 

I'm not Begging (And Neither Should You)

 

June 30, 2023

The Temptations are a singing group that has made classic hit after classic hit. One of their classic hits is called “Ain't Too Proud to Beg.” It is a love song suggesting that the lead singer was willing to do just about anything to win the love of his woman back. This included being willing to beg for her to understand how much she meant to him. I am a hopeless romantic, so I can appreciate the sentiment. I can also recognize that this approach of begging does not need to be normalized for all things. In school and working spaces, some of us embrace the concept of imposter syndrome. At a quick glance it might make sense to embrace this concept. However, the more you unpack the implications behind imposter syndrome, you see a problem with the idea that does more harm than good. 

The problem with imposter syndrome is who is assigned the burden of responsibility for the environment. Imposter syndrome is the belief the newcomer does not see themselves as worthy of the position/status they have. Usually, the individual with this perspective does not fit the organization's profile norm. That difference could be ethnicity/race, Socio-economic status (SES) one was born into, or gender to name a few. I remember being concerned about my daughter having imposter syndrome about being in college classes as a middle schooler…This approach to my daughter’s experience was a flawed mindset on my end. Acknowledging the value of imposter syndrome allows me to ignore the institutional flaws of higher education. My daughter becomes the source problem, versus citing the way newcomers are singled out by the system they are seeking to participate in as the problem. In other words, I was considering blaming someone who had no say in the system they are being asked to join. My daughter deserves better, and so does anyone who comes into a new situation seeking for a chance to be included and valued. (Note: For more on the flaws of imposter syndrome, see how the creators of the term now realize that it has done more harm than good. )

I am at a place where I am confident in what I bring to the table. It does not mean I think I am the best; it means I can hold my own. It took me a while to get there…I kept thinking that being an overachiever would be enough for others to see my value. I've served as a consultant across the country, taken on projects to enhance my local community, and presented on various topics with positive reviews. But that has not been enough for certain friendships, community partnerships or business opportunities to see my worth. I realized that no matter what I did it would not please or convince some people. It was a hard pill to swallow, but it was a pill I needed to take. Some of us work hard to please people in how we present themselves, we lose part of who we are. Showing why you have value should not come at the cost of losing value you have for yourself. If all of that is required for the validation of others, it might just be time to move on from those relationships.

I'm finally at a place where I'm not begging for validation. I am learning how to not try to fit into a box that was never made to include me. I am learning to articulate what I need from organizations for me to be fit. And I take no pleasure in repeating when I am not being listened to. I am not afraid to walk away and seek another opportunity. I'm not a fan of collateral damage, but if someone chooses to ignore my recommendations, the collateral damage responsibility falls on them. That might seem harsh, but my worth (and yours) is more valuable than the toxicity of poor leadership. 

So, what 's next?!  I'm gonna do me… don't let anyone stop you from doing you. Stop begging and start embracing being unapologetically you!

 

Be well!
- Elgrie J. Hurd, III

 

 

Don't Talk About It...

May 12, 2023

Dedicated to Dr. Toni-Mokjaetji C. Humber

So, I have felt the consequences of people just talking about things. Recently I learned of my city's school district will be closing a school at the end of this school year. There were some in my community who were surprised. I wasn't surprised at all. For the last 18 months I have attempted to get a bird's eye view of my city's school district's problems and identify possible ways to be part of the solutions. During that process I learned of the devastation COVID had on our schools, on top of the issues that were already there. I learned of the declining enrollment in our school district which led to a decline in other things…like teachers and staff quitting in the middle of the school year…so now the district is between a rock and a hard place. The district pushed for a school bond to help address some of the school district deficits…and the voters (collectively) said no.

 Talking about it isn't the same as being about it. Talking about it doesn't require doing your homework on how to change things. Talking about it doesn't require any planning or strategizing. Most importantly, talking doesn't require any action. A lot of people in my city talk about they care about being a premier city. Some of these same people claim that they care about children who attend school within the city's school district. But talk is cheap! Talk doesn't repair buildings, improve school security, or improve morale. Talk doesn't increase employee salaries. Action does that. Voting is Action. There were more voters who acted against the school district with no alternatives that can improve the school district. The consequence of this voting action has left the school district with no solutions and no change. The voting action against change reminded me of a situation from the past.

Talk didn't end de facto bus segregation in Montgomery, Alabama. Desegregation of buses required action. The Montgomery bus boycott lasted 381 days. But, if you do your homework, the action needed for change started long before the bus boycott. Before and after the boycott, to achieve the desired change, sacrifices and losses were part of the process. Some individuals who fought for change were unjustly placed in jail, physically attacked, and even faced financial hardships (more than the hardships they were already facing before the boycott). For some, the boycott required sacrificing sleep, food, and/or economic opportunities. Yet, collectively, they kept fighting for the greater good. It required alliances and a willingness to do things outside the box. There are valuable lessons that can still be applied today, if we are willing to do more than talk about change.

Teacher Action Motto: I do, we do, you do

I am a teacher/professor. Many teachers don't see what we do as simply a job…teaching is a profession. It is something we do for the long haul. The invested teachers don't just talk about student success being important, we put in the work to create success. Often, the success we want to see does not come right away. We tend to have to learn how to work around setbacks. Some setbacks are from those in leadership positions within the education systems; some come from a failure between the student-parent/guardian-teacher partnership. Some setbacks come from policy makers. Sadly, some setbacks come from fellow teachers and community members who claim they have students' best interests in mind but do more harm than good. Regardless of the barriers, teachers are expected to make success a reality. It's a tough ask because it's like asking someone to run a race with an anvil chained to their ankle and beat someone who has nothing holding them back. Yet, many of us who have survived various forms of opposition still make it happen.

Despite the current opposition for long-term success of my city's school district, I believe those of us who act for short and long-term best interests of my city's school district will eventually get the students, teachers, and staff what they need. Like the Montgomery bus boycott, we cannot underestimate the opposition. We will often have to work twice as hard to maintain our integrity and be innovative against the opposition. We can't be complacent or only seek action when it is convenient. We can't make the mistake of seeking to appeal to the opposition's logic or humanity, because that's not the root of their resistance. So much of the opposition is full of misinformation, fear, and covert discrimination. We must be willing to expose those who lie, the impact of their lies, and the truth of their opposition. That's not easy…that might get a little messy. But getting the victory for things that matter requires sacrifices that don't always look the way we want them to.

Naysayers to change...We'll keep trying!

So, to those whose words of support do not match their actions, I see you. The deception will end. And until it does, I'm using my actions to relentlessly move the needle in the right direction. My weariness is not a sign of an encroaching defeat…my allies and I are resilient…we are here for the long haul!

Be well!
-Elgrie J., action-oriented educator/community member

And I’m Tired…

January 29, 2023 

I am tired of being tired

New year, new you? Well, I think it is a yes and a no. Yes, because I do want some things to be different this year. The answer is also a no answer because I am still me, and there are things about me that I want to remain, because they are valuable to what makes me--me! So how do I find peace with this paradox?! I have an answer! When I was a child, I had a chance to attend the Narcotics Anonymous (NA) and Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) meetings with adult family members. For me, it did two things. One: it humanized the struggle of chemical addiction/dependency. Two (which was even more important): it helped me learn the importance of identifying things I can change, and the things I cannot change.


Some things I cannot, nor do I want to change. Even though the world may not appreciate my Blackness, I know the void the world would experience without my Blackness ... without the Blackness of others who identify as Black. I have no desire to change my faith, my marriage, or my occupation. While I might want some different perspectives from my children at times, I DO NOT want to replace the children I have been blessed with. But I do want change.

 I feel like Bill's character in real-life

I’m tired of waiting for certain changes to come. I’m tired of living my own version of the movie Groundhog Day (1993) about my skill set. Over and over, I have to pass a test in academia, religious organizations, Corporate America, and nonprofits. My résumé and documented experiences are often called into question when I have colleagues with less experience who receive far less scrutiny. I am tired of this! I’m tired of the lip service and empty action. Complaining and calling out societal flaws does not make someone an activist or a revolutionary. I am tired of people saying they are down for a cause/to create change, but their actions say otherwise. I’m tired of hate and apathy ruling so much around me. I'm tired…I'm tired…I’m tired.

And if I'm truly tired of these things, I must be willing to be OK to try new approaches in 2023. Just because it worked in the past doesn't mean it will work in the present (or that it will in the future). You and I don't have to keep staying tired. I heard a wise person say it is OK to embrace the ease. She actually said, "lean into ease." You don't have to be a martyr of suffering to be a difference maker. This ain't 1965, 1968, 1969, 1977, or 1979…it's a new century that requires new approaches to finding solutions.

The danger of people believing when others say things will get better as an absolute truth is problematic, because sometimes things don't get better. Sometimes things stay the same; sometimes, it gets worse. I gotta be willing to acknowledge that I don't want prosperity theology or the flawed Protestant work ethic to blind me from recognizing how to make the meaningful change I desire. Working hard or being deserving by society is NOT necessarily enough to make lasting change. Sometimes before anything can be changed, we have to change. Maya Angelou said, "If you don't like something, change it. If you can't change it, change your attitude." Is your attitude toward change truly open to change?!

Make 2023 something to celebrate

Sometimes you gotta look back at what was and know it offers nothing more than what was. Look forward more than you look back! Look for new ways! On this journey, find new ways to rest…find new ways to refill your cup! We can't stay tired because there is a lot more work to do! Let's go!!!

 Happy New Year!

- Elgrie J.