Dear Student Leader, Enjoy the final days of your holiday break. The time to connect with friends and family can serve as a refreshment between semesters. I thought about you as I ran through downtown Sacramento and across the Golden Bridge. Did you make New Year’s resolutions? Want better grades this term? Maybe, for you, building muscle or losing weight is the goal this January. This letter is part of my commitment to growth through writing: in 2026, I will write more than

Have you ever thought about your last message? By this, I mean the last words you will leave behind for your family, friends, and community. It’s morbid to discuss death, but it’s also foolish to ignore the reality of our limited time on Earth.   Thinking about legacy can clarify priorities, reduce stress, and clear barriers to significant success.   One day, hopefully not any time soon, people will reference us as Ancestors. What will people say? Does it matter?   On this fi

Creativity is not limited by time and space; it lives in us and thrives throughout our natural environment. Kuumba is Kiswahili for creativity. It is the sixth principle of Kwanzaa, necessary for innovative solutions to problems regardless of the season. In recognition of Kuumba, I give this offering. Leaves on the ground   We arrived at 6:45 PM. My family parked across the street from my coworker’s home. We crossed the street, found the address, and climbed the stairs to the

Can you imagine not eating on Thanksgiving Day? What if your decision to remain hungry could build a school for your community? A cause just might be worth avoiding the macaroni and cheese, turkey, dressing, peach cobbler, and greens smothered in meat fats. Twenty-four years ago, a hunger strike led by a concerned Chicago coalition forced politicians to listen and build a new high school. It wasn’t November when the students, parents, activists, and grandparents decided to st

Do they want you home? Yes. Would you like to be home more often? Absolutely. Yet the pull of passionate, meaningful, and purposeful work keeps you away.  I know this dilemma too well. It stirs internal conflicts, cooks destructive thoughts, and serves plates of frustration. Sometimes, I eat challenges and digest gratitude. I have moments when I also take on too much and vomit the excess. Lost or disgusted? Read on for context. The Umoja Community Education Foundation held it

Much has changed. While living abroad for eight years, my family stopped recognizing American holidays. I viewed the occasions as capitalistic schemes to boost the economy. They aided the status quo while keeping the most vulnerable populations poor. I laughed at the plot.   While I still find many of the dominant holidays silly and materialistic, I have softened my stance. Last week, my children celebrated Halloween for the first time. My oldest is almost fifteen and a fresh

Stars The Umoja team inhaled and exhaled. We sat in plush seats on a black minibus behind tinted windows, like superstars of African-centered diversity, equity, inclusion, accessibility, and belonging initiatives. The bus’s vents circulated a mixture of Egyptian musk, incense, perfumes, air conditioning, and positive vibes. We pulled away from the curb at 8:45 AM on a mission. At the stop sign on the corner of 7 th  Street in Sacramento, our driver turned right. We entered th

We know exercise has physical and mental benefits, yet it remains a challenge for many of us to prioritize. Between assignments, appointments, and annoyances, it’s difficult to find time for working out. A 2022 study reports that 28% of adults in America meet the physical activity marks to support aerobic and anaerobic fitness. The lure of watching TV, scrolling on social media, drinking, eating fast food, or smoking to offset the responsibilities of home and work is strong.

Hip-hop lives. During car rides and school days, the music and culture of hip-hop can encourage awareness and prevent suicide.. Nino Paid’s song Joey Story  offers us an example. I can’t front. Nino Paid’s music is not on my playlist. Here’s a brief story about how I learned of this artist. The drive for awareness. My teenage son opened the passenger’s door and sat in the front seat. He fastened his seat belt, and we pulled away from the curb. Within seconds, he connected his

Politics aside, we must appreciate life. For white conservatives, black radicals, and everyone else on the racialized and political spectrum, life is short. In the last two weeks, Charlie Kirk, Demartravion “Trey” Reed, and Mayumi Narita died. Of the three names in the previous sentence, you may only know of one. Before the incident in Utah, I didn’t know anything about Charlie Kirk. After he died, I learned of his similarities to another influencer who shares the same first

With help from a staff member and a cane, an elder walked to the podium. In a voice rich with confidence and experience, she introduced herself as a founder of the Umoja Community Education Foundation. Next, she described the cultural grounding activity and invited the room of higher education practitioners to close their eyes.   I sat on the carpeted floor, crossed my legs, and listened as the elder established the importance of remembering and honoring Ancestors . We opened

What if you invited love to work with you? Would you show up differently?   If you teach or serve in the social sector, imagine how love could increase your drive, motivation, and ability to impact lives. On some days, the emotion could encourage you to smile and silence the sigh when opening your office door. At some point, we get there. The roads may take us along different paths. We may not arrive at the same time, but we connect with passion and purpose when it’s our turn

For two months, I’ve withheld sins. I’m not Catholic, so I can’t go to a priest. I’ve prayed, meditated, and exercised, but the feelings...

Minutes before my family left for vacation, we stopped in one of the airport’s electronic stores. My youngest wanted a pair of headphones. While he browsed the overpriced gadgets, a salesperson talked to me. He asked, “Where you headed?” “Chicago,” I replied. “Is that home for you?” “Um, something like that. We were born there but…”  “Oh, I get it. You’ve moved away, and it no longer feels like home.” The salesperson finished my sentence. I smiled and nodded as my son asked a

“Slow down so your soul can catch up.” I read the advertisement for a “Wine and Spirits” store as I jogged towards Bahamas Street. The phrase made me smile as I shifted paces and contemplated the message We often rush through life without savoring the small, meaningful moments. Meditation and reflection are critical tools for sustainable leadership success. Hours before my run along Bakersfield, California’s blocks and parkways, I stood in a classroom with student leaders at

Leaders must prioritize pursuits that enable them to perform at their best. The specific types of activities will vary between individuals, but they should include reading, writing, exercising, observing religious or spiritual practices, and dedicating time to personal relationships. We can find similar teachings to the advice above in every self-help book on the market. Read the books " Leadership on the Line " and " Never Finished "  for unfiltered and practical advice. Des

Did Baldwin get it right? In James Baldwin’s book, The Fire Next Time , he writes, “Perhaps the whole root of our trouble, the human trouble is that we will sacrifice all the beauty of our lives, will imprison ourselves in totems, taboos, crosses, blood sacrifices, steeples, mosques, races, armies, flags, nations, in order to deny the fact of death, which is the only fact we have.” Baldwin suggests our fears of death shape our drives, decisions, and divisions. Life is often u

Fireworks, barbecues, and parades filled my childhood’s Independence Days. I looked forward to the holiday and its promises of time with family and friends. As I grew older and developed a deeper understanding of the meaning behind July 4th, something within me changed. Awareness is the foundation for transformation. During today’s red, white, and blue celebrations, the struggle for freedom continues. The enslavement of children and adults and other incidents of involuntary l

African-centered education can heal wounds like medicine. It can’t stop immigration protests in Los Angeles, but it possesses the potential to remedy the psychological illnesses of Black students.  We need schools with curricula rich in ancestral culture, knowledge, skills, rituals, and histories. In Kmt G. Shockley and Kofi Lomotey’s edited text,   African-Centered Education Theory and Practice , they claim African-centered education "equips Black children with self-knowledg

His preparation to conquer mountains began at birth. When I first held him, I accepted the responsibility and joy of raising a son. Without a manual, I acquired the skills, grasped the knowledge, and made mistakes. Although my father provided a reliable example, I had to learn how to raise my children. I changed diapers, attended doctor’s appointments, showed up for school functions, and transported them to sports activities. My dad offered guidance with his presence during m