Mark Gaskins

Preserving the Afrocentric Way of Educating Our Youth

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Shall we kick off this article with a fact that affects us all? The U.S educational system is one of the most unequal in the industrialized world. The Afrocentric way of educating our young ones has always been under Western attack. The Village Method is here to lend a helping hand to all teachers, parents, and young scholars who are seeking their African roots. 

The unabridged African American history has yet to become a part of the school curriculum. That is because our lawmakers insist on censoring our centuries-long fight for education. Let us not forget that the segregated schools of the 60s continue to haunt our modern attitudes.

In today’s article, let’s join forces and seek the light at the end of the tunnel together. All African-Americans deserve to become accustomed to their collective, African past. Read on to find out more about the preservation of the African way of educating our children!

An Afrocentric View on the History of Black Americans

Afrocentrism is often mistaken for a radical idea. Similarly to the Critical Race Theory, its critics are often enthusiasts of the European way of educating our people. A shift of perspective must take place. Educational inequity needs to be addressed but only by learning from the past.

Its counterpart, Eurocentrism, has managed to diminish the educational importance of African culture and tradition. In 1865, the Freedmen’s Bureau was not only a response to the Civil War  ━ it also marked a remarkable time during the Reconstruction period

4 million newly freed people needed help to get their lives back on track. With over one thousand schools built to instruct and educate our people, things were looking better than ever, until the Bureau’s termination in 1872. This short-lived emancipation speaks volumes about the systemic racism and educational inequity during that time in history.

Our children must know the real history of their people. Regardless of all hardships, academic excellence was a consistent goal for the African-American community. An Afrocentric perspective on history will replace the miseducation of all people of African descent and reconnect them with the real African history. Teach them how oppression did not stop African deep thought and that our ancestors were the original curators of spiritual, physical, scientific, mental, mathematical, astronimic and philosphic knowledge. The first universities were built in Africa (originally named Alkebulan) and the African Moors ruled Spain for over 700 years; teaching them how to cure diseases and use soap. When Abraham Lincoln signed the Emancipation Proclamation, it was soon discovered that Africans held in captivity had successfully created an underground literacy railroad throughout the South. This same education and school program became the foundation of the Georgia Public Education system. Read more about this here.

An Afrocentric Take On the Brown v. Board of Education of Topeka

The Civil Rights Movement brought forth ideas that are still being propagated today. This influential political movement initiated a national conversation regarding the end of racial segregation. Afrocentrism itself was a part of this debate. 

Overcoming a very overt and unapologetic systemic racism was a more difficult task back then than it is today. Specifically in terms of being enforced by the federal and state laws, the Brown case revealed the educational inequity and its roots in White supremacy. Western civilization tried its best to undermine the influence and richness of all African-derived cultures. 

Joint efforts of civil rights lawyers who had fought for desegregation were met with disdain by most White parents and teachers. The Brown case influenced communities throughout the nation and brought forth issues that had long been swiped under the rug of White supremacy.

Although our children were not legally constrained from attending White schools, they continued to face systemic racism and stereotyping. Contemporary African-American culture benefited from the Brown case, although its legacy remains quite an unfinished, Afrocentric symphony. In fact, similar to the passing of the Civil Rights laws, all people of color benefited from the beautiful struggle of Black people. The marching and resistance collectively made it possible for everyone to engage in the educational system as it is today. Yet, data still shows that Black children are still disproportionately represented in low academic performance and discipline. It would seem to us that the public education system accepted the bodies of Black children, but failed to embrace the culture and soul that has sustained us as a people BEFORE being kidnapped and forced to build this country. 

An Afrocentric Perspective on African Formal Education

Image credit: Freepik

Colonialism and Westernization paved the way for the educational inequity and systemic racism we are facing today. Critical Race Theory (aka CRT) is merely a thorough and unadulterated view of American History without centering Whiteness as the hero(ine) or savior. Although CRT continues to highlight the racial injustice directed at our people, there are still some things worth discovering in regards to the African way of educating our youth.

Did you know that in Botswana, the necessary knowledge and skills were passed on orally, through Afrocentric fables, folktales, legends, myths, and proverbs? This not only dismantles the oppression of our people through a sense of self-awareness, but also sheds new light on the concept of Afrocentrism.

Should culturally responsive after-school programs take the example of African education? This kind of Afrocentric knowledge could very well be implemented via culturally respectful family engagement activities. That way, the families, educators, and children could gain a newfound perspective on the African civilization as a whole.

Colonizers’ main efforts were directed at suppressing and, ideally, obliterating the African spirit. What schools and after-school programs should be aiming for is Afrocentric awareness and academic excellence, as the two go hand in hand. 

Family engagement activities have the power to reconnect our youth to their roots. Only an Afrocentric educational approach can dismantle the systemic racism that has been plaguing our nation for centuries. It is time that we aim to build strong communities of like-minded individuals.

Can We Preserve the Afrocentric Way of Educating Our Youth?

Yes, we most certainly can. Civil rights lawyers and countless scholars made sure of that. Professor Derrick Bell or Asa G. Hilliard III, to name only a few, both fought for an authentically Afrocentric way of living and educating our youth and “Reawakening the African Mind“. 

We can now bring awareness to the founding fathers of Afrocentrism, as well as to the history of our people with the help of culturally responsive after-school programs. Furthermore, family engagement activities can come in handy as a way to educate both the children and their families. This is what we like to call building a village.

The Village Method is here to build proudly Afrocentric villages. Unlike other after-school programs, we bring forth the richness and complexity of our ancestral culture through Youth Development, Family Engagement Activities, and Community Outreach programming.

Join us as we start building more and more villages. You can get involved today! 

 

3 Common Myths About Looking for Scholarships

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One of the most jarring differences in new school systems compared to old school system was how they prepare students for the future. In new or contemporary school systems, they push very hard on the idea that “college may not be for everyone”, in this, they focus on being career-ready rather than college-ready. In doing so they have left most information regarding college readiness a mystery and up for speculation amongst students.

Here is a list of some of the common misconceptions we hear among students about applying for scholarships.

MYTH #1: 

A friend once told me that she thought you just wait until senior year to start applying. 

HAPPY JUNETEENTH: Reconnecting To Our Roots Through Education

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Juneteenth is the oldest celebration of the emancipation of African slaves in the United States. Today’s renewed awareness of the celebration has expanded beyond African Americans into the mainstream spotlight following recent protests of the death of George Floyd at the hands of a white police officer. Prior to this, Juneteenth had lost its importance within the black community as a result of a variety of factors, including the relinquishing of familial and community involvement in the education of black youth.

For good reason, Juneteenth was a heralded observance, accompanied with barbecues, strawberry pop, and bedecked free people of color. This was no ordinary celebration. For economic and political reasons, slaves in Galveston, Texas were late to learn of the Emancipation Proclamation that happened two years earlier. On June 19, 1865 news of a fallen confederacy, and the end of slavery, reached them. This caused both confusion and elation and the date became a monument of their new identity as free people. For decades, the celebration served as a reassurance of freedom, as a way to reunite families and as a way to worship among close-knit communities of color.

Over time families no longer were the mainstay of passing down traditions as textbook and classroom education began to erase the stories of their ancestors. Other cultural shifts, including the economic downturn of The Depression and the inability to get time off for celebrations, caused the observance of Juneteenth declines. The community, its values, and its power declined.

As we witness what appears to be a mass awakening, communities that never knew about or celebrated Juneteenth are now doing so. Corporations have jumped on the bandwagon and have given employees time off to commemorate the date as an official paid holiday. Others have donated funds to organizations working to further the rights of black people or have shown solidarity in other ways. While interesting to experience, at the forefront of this discussion is whether it’s genuine or trending and whether the validity of things that matter to African Americans will ever become a matter of long-standing importance both inside and outside of our communities.

We have yet to see what will become of Juneteenth. As families, community members, and educators, the only real impact we can have here is making sure we amplify our impact by continuing the narratives around black history and doing so not only when it’s trending or for social media likes, but for the awareness of our own history, culture, and continuity. As Juneteenth’s importance broke down because of secularizing education, we have an opportunity to re-establish the strong ties that stabilized and sustained our communities and helped them prosper.

The Village Method continues to advocate for culturally relevant education where our young people–our greatest investment–can experience the most significant growth. By bringing awareness to Juneteenth and other things that matter to our community, we hope to empower you to do the same.

For more information about The Village Method, our philosophy, and our enrichment and educational programs, please visit us here.

It Takes a Village to Rebuild A Community & Sustain a People

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While working for the Peace Corps, a young African-American woman traveled her usual route from her homestead in Tanzania. She waved as she like she did every day to the women sitting or working outside their homes. But this particular day they called her over and inquired about her family origin, when they finally understood she was from the U.S. they nodded in harmony and responded, “Oh, you are one of the lost ones.” As perceived by this woman in a small village in Tanzania, the African-American community has strayed from the village.

The virtue in being lost is that there is always a way back. Still, the intellectual will question, “Where have we gone and what was the starting point?” The truth is African-Americans all throughout the world are breaking ground each and every day in one area or another. However, the lack of unity and collaborative movement has hindered macro progress. The Village Method’s approach breaks the cycle of hopelessness and mis-education by creating a community to sustain the vision, a community that lives the culture, and grooms the next generation to set the tone of the conversation.

While villages vary in traditions and customs, there are a few reoccurring themes. The ‘kauye,’ as it’s referred in Nigeria, is the core of one’s community, culture, and personal values. Furthermore, it links each into a shared vision and in turn, action. When one is a part of a village they have a role and are held accountable, and they hold their fellow-man accountable. The community is typically comprised of a small number of families and contributes local support through a rotation of officers who unites the village to longevity. Not only in the development of the community but also in the people. Village rulers built the physical, social, and spiritual structures of their communities to sustain against natural disaster and war; ultimately securing survival. Today, African-American communities are developing without a core. And without a solid sense of identity and community, many young African-Americans are vulnerable to peer pressure and environmental circumstance. As a proactive intervention, The Village Method (TVM) stands in the gap and becomes the center of interdependence, direction, and identity.

In a recent study published in the Journal of Black Psychology, researchers found that using “cultural orientation, Afrocentric values, and racial socialization predicted positive youth development variables, with these effects varying by gender.”

During a time when African-Americans represent just 13 percent of the U.S. population, with 12 states having an African-American population of less 3 percent, it’s essential that growing Black youth have access to a network that strengthens them to go the distance. Many African-American adults can recall the first time they discovered the idea of race. Most likely brought to their attention by someone else, it’s then that they began to see themselves through the eyes of others. Growing up feeling masked and examined influences how one accesses the world. While precautions are justified in the wake of police brutality and the surge of digital racism, the negative behavior of others cannot become the African-American community’s burden to bear.

African-American youth are living in a state of double consciousness, often impacting the way that they approach their school, work, society, finances, and health. In the 1903 publication of “The Souls of Black Folk,” Du Bois introduced the concept of double consciousness, describing the awareness of feeling as though your identity is divided into various parts, making it challenging or difficult to have a unified identity. TVM programming places youth in an environment that not only acknowledges their academic or financial needs but their cultural ones as well. And within the system of parents, teachers, and community leaders, the youth’s sense of self is continuously validated.

Ubuntu, a South African philosophy says that “I am because we are.” As a village, everyone is equally invested, and thus intrinsically driven to reach a holistic objective. People genuinely want to see the best for one another, as one is a part of the whole. With a model that balances leadership and the versatile influx of information, TVM encourages oversight, social responsibility, and support, for when a community member or youth become weak and require help to achieve their next goal.

The African-American community is facing a variety of obstacles; most are complex and fragile from years of agitation and partial resolutions. With a variety of moving pieces and stakeholders, it’s imperative that everyone is on the same side and lifting up the youth to reach the next level of excellence. In the words of Thurgood Marshall, “None of us got where we are solely by pulling ourselves up by our bootstraps. We got here because of somebody – a parent, a teacher, an Ivy League crony or a few nuns – bent down and helped us pick up our boots.”

Imagine when mass numbers of African-American students failed in schools, there was a network of educators and administrators who advocated for policy and curriculum improvements. Now visualize the world where African-American parents have access to mental and physical health physicians who understand their narrative and cultural lens. That’s the vision of the Village Method’s framework. TVM invites individuals with the information and experiences to participate in the proactive developments of today’s youth. Instead of coming together following a tragedy to remedy a solution, the TVM approach implements strategies in four core areas of community development: academic excellence, financial literacy, healthy living, and cultural development. From the parents, school administrators, law enforcement, and community mentors, everyone works in pursuit of a unified goal, ensuring that in each area the youth never loses their way. No one can do it all, and burnout and bias are a reality.

Community collaborations with leaders from each sector guarantee that youth remain surrounded in compassion and possibility.

#UnlockingExcellence

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What happens when a child believes in his or herself and becomes a visionary? Their goals, combined with a positive self-identity, become a compass for their future and a barometer for their expectations in life. A child that is pursuing his or her dream needs a community to pave the way with love, encouragement, support and resources.

As Frederick Douglass has told us:

“It is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men.”

Strong children lead to even stronger families and communities that thrive. Schools aim for each and every student to succeed. Service providers seek to deliver this with their resources. Families want this for their children. In Southern Alameda County (Union City, Hayward, Fremont, Newark) it is widely known and seemingly accepted by some, that students of African descent perform academically at the bottom compared to their counterparts.

At the same time, they are represented at the top of the disciplinary distribution. While graduation rates are over 80% in some districts,we’ve learned that students are not eligible to apply to a 4-year college due to not completing the required courses in high school. Of all the resources and service providers available in this rich area, youth and families of African descent still travel outside of their immediate community or never receive the support they need.

So, whose problem is this? Who do we hold accountable? The children, their parents, or the community? In less than two years, The Village Method (TVM) has impacted the lives of over 200 youth and families. None of this would be possible if it weren’t for the children and families allowing us into their lives. We never would have imagined the amount of learning required to develop a program that is responsive and adapts to the unique needs of our community. We are humbled and thankful to all those who have supported our vision of services.

As we press forward, TVM is narrowing its focus to the effect of implementing a greater degree of academic rigor and guidance into our programming. The theme for our 2016-17 academic school year is

#UnlockingExcellence

…and it represents a chapter in our larger vision: “From the Bottom to the Top”. With this initiative, we intend to increase the number of our students represented in the upper 25th percentile of academic performance. Students and their families are excited! The school district is on board! TVM is staffing up for the challenge! To be successful, it will take the efforts and collaboration of the entire village as we rally for support. Incentive programs, celebrations of success, establishing partnerships, financial support, and plain old sweat-equity will all contribute to our collective success.

Are You Ready?