“Education either functions as an instrument which is used to facilitate integration of the younger generation into the logic of the present system and bring about conformity or it becomes the practice of freedom, the means by which men and women deal critically and creatively with reality and discover how to participate in the transformation of their world.”

Paulo Freire, Pedagogy of the Oppressed

The primary responsibility of an educator is to develop an independent thinker and self directed learner, students, who can make judgements, sound decisions, from gathering information, making sense and taking action. Also, not to only pass a test or earn a grade, that is far too simple. The goal is to position students to be able to engage in all the socio-fill-in-the-blank arenas- sociopolitical, socioscientific, socioeconomic- where students of color are underrepresented with the intention to both enhance the quality of their lives and to fortify and strengthen their community’s infrastructure. This requires critical awareness, critical thinking, a deep understanding of the systems and institutions at play, the major power brokers and courage to act. This is our intention when we think of developing, engaging and retaining black male educators.

The purpose of the quarterly workshop is to position our participants to better fulfill the educational responsibility outlined above.