Why I’m Crazy Enough to Believe This Movement Will Change the World
THRIVE as a Pathway to Equity in Education and Beyond
I’ve spent a lot of years in education. A lot of years yearning and hoping to make a dent in eradicating the inequity that plagues our system.
Ambitious endeavor, but that’s my truth.
And while I wholeheartedly believe that all educators are superheroes and that teaching is one of the most noble professions in the world, deep down I’ve always felt called to something more.
Initially, I started my career propelled by the desire to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline. To level the playing field for children whose fate is too often written for them before they take their first footsteps.
All because of the neighborhood they live in.
All because of the school district they’re zoned in.
All because of our nation’s resource and opportunity gap and a system that is to put lightly, quite crooked and outdated. I mean, how else can you describe a system where states allocate more funding to prisoners than students in public schools? (I’m genuinely interested in your answer here.)
Since early adolescence, metrics like this one have been the fire that fuels me. They’ve kept me up many a nights, wondering, how can I do more?
And then, almost two years ago now, something transformative happened.
I became a mom.
And that fire in my heart erupted into an all-consuming flame.
Because statistically, it’s little boys who look like mine that have the greatest odds stacked against them. Even when they attend the best schools in the greatest neighborhoods.
It was at that pivotal moment in my life that I realized the answer. For the betterment of the system and for the prosperity of us all.
Our greatest hope in achieving equity, is for every household across the country, and what’s more, the world, to THRIVE.
Allow me to expound on this theory:
T — Teach our kids
The premise here is that we take ownership of ensuring that our children receive the highest level of quality education. We are the most important teachers they will ever have and must do our best to help them reach their full potential.
A common theme that I noticed during my time in the classroom is that often parents would defer the responsibility of teaching their kids entirely to the schools, when in reality it should be a collaborative effort.
Whether we realize it or not, we are already educating our children every single day. In the behaviors that we model for them, the words we speak over them, and in the environments we give them exposure to. With more conscious intentionality, we can make all the difference in the world.
H — Heal ourselves
This is the most important component of them all. Keeping our own cups filled through mental health and wellness allows us to show up fully for those we love.
If I set out on a quest to find someone who hasn’t experienced any trauma in life, had a picture perfect childhood, and no memories of loss or pain, I imagine I’d be pretty hard-pressed. We all have emotional wounds and scars. That doesn’t make you broken, it makes you human.
But if undealt with, all of our trauma manifests in unhealthy ways, affecting our relationship with self and others. Especially our children. Thankfully, this is where self-love and therapy come in to save the day! The best parenting comes from a place that is healed and whole within.
R — Read
It’s been said before and I’ll reiterate it here, “Education is power.” Reading is power. Knowledge is power.
As parents, it’s important that we not only provide a literacy-rich home environment, but that we ourselves remain educated and informed. Once we stop learning, we stop growing and stagnancy is one step shy of the furthest place you can stand from being alive. No one wants to be there.
When we enlighten ourselves and entertain thought-provoking conversations that challenge our thinking and broaden our mind, we raise the collective consciousness of the next generation.
I — Invest
I cannot put enough emphasis on the importance of mastering financial literacy in our households. It’s important for us to master it as parents so we can instill this knowledge in our kids. Let’s be honest, you and I both know there’s no relying on the school system to teach this concept for us. We have to empower ourselves.
For many of us, including myself, this first requires dispelling self-limiting beliefs and money blocks. Deep subconscious rewiring that will ultimately be worth it in the end, because legacy building is paramount. It’s one of the greatest gifts we can give our children. It’s the key to unlocking generational wealth and financial freedom.
V — Viajar
This is the Spanish word for travel. Exposure and experiential learning are quintessential. Through adventure we increase our understanding and appreciation for the world around us.
Imagine how much more inclusive and equitable the world would be if we never experienced life in silos. If we normalized finding beauty in the diversity of humanity and true appreciation for our differences, whether they be cultural, religious, individual or the like.
My own experiences abroad and even traveling domestically across the U.S. changed my life, and they definitely influence my parenting. As parents, we hold the lens through with our children see the world.
E — Eat Well
It’s no secret that food brings the family together. For fellowship. For laughter. For comfort. But food is also a powerful tool that can have life-altering impacts on our health and wellness.
Making positive nutritional choices for our children is one of the most important roles we hold as parents. By preparing and providing whole and healthy meals at home, we ensure that nourishment flows throughout their body, minds, and souls.
In the end, THRIVE is more than just an acronym. It’s a movement.
A movement for equality.
A movement for change.
Change that starts with us.
I hope you’ll join us.
Change will not come if we wait for some other person or some other time. We are the ones we’ve been waiting for. We are the change that we seek.
— Former President, Barack Obama
