Social & Emotional Development

Change the Currency to Reflect All of Us in America

Every day I wear a pair of medallions around my neck with portraits of two of my role models: Harriet Tubman and Sojourner Truth. As a child I read books about Harriet Tubman and the Underground Railroad. She and the indomitable and eloquent Sojourner Truth represent countless anonymous slave women...

Thank you Hank Zipzer

Books have played an outsized role in my life. As an introverted only child and the daughter of a bookworm, growing up, children’s books were my refuge and my joy. My favorite teacher to this day was my high school English teacher, Mrs. Betty Lou Blumberg, who introduced me to great fiction with...

Jean Fairfax Raised the Bar

“Someone had to break the pattern, and very often the civil rights revolution was initiated by the most vulnerable Black persons. Many of them were women and many of them were children—tough, resilient, hopeful, beautiful children. The greatest experience of my life was standing with them as they...

Celebrating International Mother Language Day and Bangladeshi American Culture

This event that was organized, run by and that featured Bangladeshi American women is a powerful testament to the dynamics of a culture that has woven itself through the fabric of a city so many Bangladeshis call home. Connecting and celebrating our languages and cultures can be a light during dark times for many of our communities and a reminder that no matter what challenges we may face, we are here to stay, thrive and be proud of who we are and where we come from.