Take Up Space
It's July 2020. A year since I made a decision that seemed whacky, unreasonable, and disruptive - to leave my journey as an educator and take intentional time to heal, rest, and reorient. The past year has been undeniably one that has given me space to be creative and present.
Recently, I found this piece I had written for the 8th grade graduating class of 2019 ceremony. As I reread it, I am reminded of the critical importance of the presence of our youth today, especially in light of all that has and is transpiring in our city, nation and world; their resilience during a pandemic and active leadership on issues of racism, Black Lives Matter, and other systems of injustices. They are our teachers, leaders, and change agents. Young people need to take up space.
My commitment and passion to be in spaces with young people is deepened by reminders of what they teach us daily (if we allow them to). I hope as a society, we will continue to prioritize their voices, provide platforms for their ingenuity and perspectives, and cultivate opportunities for them to flourish.
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There are moments in life where we are forced to stop and just be still. Often those moments are hard and trying, other times they are filled with an overwhelming sense of joy. I think the hardest step in stopping and being present is working against these forces, the gravity of expectation that the world we live in tells us to go-go-go and to be proud of being busy and getting things done. We have convinced ourselves that if we are not on our phones, checking our social media at every waking moment, we might, no, we will miss out on something. We are told that if we are not busy 24/7 we are not achieving.
Recently, I found this piece I had written for the 8th grade graduating class of 2019 ceremony. As I reread it, I am reminded of the critical importance of the presence of our youth today, especially in light of all that has and is transpiring in our city, nation and world; their resilience during a pandemic and active leadership on issues of racism, Black Lives Matter, and other systems of injustices. They are our teachers, leaders, and change agents. Young people need to take up space.
My commitment and passion to be in spaces with young people is deepened by reminders of what they teach us daily (if we allow them to). I hope as a society, we will continue to prioritize their voices, provide platforms for their ingenuity and perspectives, and cultivate opportunities for them to flourish.
---
There are moments in life where we are forced to stop and just be still. Often those moments are hard and trying, other times they are filled with an overwhelming sense of joy. I think the hardest step in stopping and being present is working against these forces, the gravity of expectation that the world we live in tells us to go-go-go and to be proud of being busy and getting things done. We have convinced ourselves that if we are not on our phones, checking our social media at every waking moment, we might, no, we will miss out on something. We are told that if we are not busy 24/7 we are not achieving.
However, there is a difference between busyness and intentional engagement. When we intentionally engage, we remind ourselves, and sometimes force ourselves, to be present to the here & now. And that is the hardest thing to do sometimes - to look behind at our past in order to grow from it, to look forward to our future and dream in it, all the while simultaneously, to be super aware of the here & now and savor the moment you are in.
Sometimes stopping and being present also means having to be brutally honest with ourselves about a truth, because how can we be truly great without being true to ourselves and live in truth? As I began to reflect on and prepare parting words I wanted to leave with the class of [2019], I thought about how often you hear directives - what not to forget, what you should strive to be, what you should not be, stop playing, get to class on time, one minute remaining, be prepared, hold yourself accountable, take off the hood, put your jacket in your locker...yes, I know, the list goes on…
Guidelines, advice, rules, directives; they all matter for various reasons. But this morning, in a spirit of being present, sitting in this space and in our truths, I want to instead affirm you, class of [2019]. I leave you with a few truths that you have taught me over the past three years through your own lived experiences...
- Observe. Sit back and take things in. Don’t be the loudest or most talkative person in the room all the time. Gather information.
- Speak up. Determine what things matter to you and why they matter. Then find those avenues to appropriately advocate for the things you need - find platforms like a tribe council, or organizations like IMSA fusion, or speak to advisors & mentors…
- Even though it can be hard, talking and sharing about your feelings is important to get through things. Don’t shy away from those honest conversations. The person you share with needs it just as much as you do.
- Never lower expectations for yourself. Instead watch yourself rise to it.
- Mistakes are inevitable. It’s how we move on from it that counts.
- Ask for help. Even if it might not come from the person you need it from; then ask someone else to help you get help from the person you need help from. You with me?
- Accept help.
- Have faith. Life is hard. We barely show the world a quarter of the load we carry. But when we believe that we can, we will.
- If possible, share the load. It’s hard out here. Socially, mentally, academically, physically, emotionally, spiritually...there are obstacles being thrown at us and things we have no control over due to systems and societal structures. Allies, friends, advocates exist for a reason.
- Laugh. Find an appropriate reason to have a good belly laugh. It’s good for your soul.
I thank you for these lessons. In each lesson are countless stories with each of your names written in it. YOU are Beautiful. Intelligent. And Powerful. Thank you for the honor of getting to walk alongside you as your principal these past three years. I am proud of each of you.
6/7/19 @ 8th grade Luncheon:
Applying what I've learned from my students re: what makes a good photobomb.
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