Students have unique ambitions and perspectives that they often voice through school projects. From learning how to effectively work with others to how to prioritize and set goals, these skills have strengthened individual avenues of activism that will prepare them for the challenges ahead as they pursue a college degree and further their career. In […]
As the country reacted to the murder of George Floyd and several unarmed Black men and women at the hands of those sworn to protect and serve, a surge of conversations around “who matters” resurfaced, not only in our larger social conversation, but also in discussions of schools and curriculum. Educators across the country are […]
What does it mean to cultivate the next generation of community organizers and game-changers? At times, rather than supporting youth in exercising their agency today, society has a tendency to tokenize young leaders through public speaking forums that end in verbal praise yet fail put their ideas into action. However, in Durham, North Carolina, such […]
When Black students can see themselves in their teachers, a strong community bond is formed. This can help build an environment of support around both the students and the teachers and help everyone feel like they belong. So, it is important to create a space where Black educators can connect and get insights into school […]
When students feel a sense of belonging in the classroom, it can increase their educational success and motivational outcomes in multiple ways, and teachers can help create this feeling of belonging by building connections between classroom and community, according to DeLeon Gray, Ph.D. Gray, an associate professor of educational psychology and equity in the NC State College […]
It seems that we have always existed in a tunnel with light at the end forever blocked And when they allow us to chip away at the barrier, We are only allowed long enough to have the warmth of that light gleam on our faces Long enough to dream But short enough to once again […]
A young Black girl in Durham decided to channel her belonging concerns into a form of artistic activism. Ariel, a budding entrepreneur who recently completed her freshman year at Early College High School, teamed up with DeLeon Gray to design a lapel pin about Black Hair. The design features alphanumeric codes that correspond to different […]
A diverse group of educators, scholars, and lawyers are working on a new resource to fill an important gap in history textbooks about the racist roots of capital punishment. “The way history is taught sends clear messages to young people about who belongs in society and who does not. In the case of Black Americans, […]
DeLeon Gray, Ph.D., learned as a graduate student that the concept of student belonging is closely linked to motivation and achievement. He has since spent years questioning what belonging means for students of different ethnic groups. It was this line of questioning that led him and his research partners to write “Black and Belonging at […]