I'm going to try to get into Greater Grace tomorrow for Rosa Parks service--somehow the civil rights movement has framed and embraced my life. I was born in the south and raised in the north--but my grandmother's Mississippi farm was very near the river where the three civil rights workers were found--and although I don't have clear memories, I was very aware of the "race problem" as I was growing up. Barefoot black kids came into my grandmother's grocery store during the summers I spent there.
It upset me that America was mired in hypocracy--and ultimately, my most important experiences were involved with teaching in this city. I gravitated to this challenge. Most of my students are African American and I'm very interested in how they view the world. I'm also aware of how I can help them negotiate college if only they'll believe in themselves. I wrote them all emails today saying we needed to work harder together. Detroit faces a mayoral election this next week--and it's all about trust.
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