Black Women Educators Use BE NOLA Design Studio to Pilot Innovation

Often times, Black Brilliance is buried under the dark shadows of Black trauma – a particular type of dense, global experience that bleeds into our personal and professional; our physical and the spiritual; our emotional and psychological; and the systematic pressures of the social and political. However, Black Brilliance is triumphant --  resilient to say the least – and wrapped into centuries of a communal experiences in which exude power, tenacity and boundless love. Black Brilliance is all of this life – a living and breathing concept that not only captures all of who we have to be, but embodies all of who we want to be.

As Black people we have come to the conclusion that we are curators, innovators and problem solvers. As Black women specifically, we are natural-born teachers, collaboration enthusiasts, relentless nurturers and leaders  in sustainability. Undeniably, we have an abundant amount of cultural wealth that can’t be measured, removed and, or contained. Beyond the trauma, it feels good to know that our brilliance prevails. It feels good to know that Black Brilliance is infinite. And that’s why BENOLA is committed to posturing, preserving, protecting and promoting, all of who we are…

Our goal? Get through the trauma with triumph; push through the pain with pleasure; and extinguish the exoneration through education. We’ve been working.

This past January we decided that now was the time for the work to be done. As Quality Black Educators (QBE) we knew we had to lead the way in making sure Black trauma was reconfigured into fuel in order to move Black Brilliance forward. We know that Black women in education are designers, and constantly leading changes to improve the lives of Black students, families and communities. All we needed was the time and space to centralize our ideas. 

After identifying that 46% of the teachers that left NOLA Public Schools last year were Black, the Black Brilliance Report proved that too many schools in New Orleans aren't safe for Black talent. Essentially, school climate and culture is problematic for us. The Black Brilliance Report not only highlighted research findings that suggest workplace toxicity and Black educators' experiences of schools as “hostile spaces,” but also found that under the standardization of whiteness, there is a lack of wellness and mental health supports that trigger, sustain and perpetuate Black educator betrayal within the workplace. We wanted to do something about that. We are doing something about that. 

For three months, 14 Black women in education throughout New Orleans came together to dream anew, share their testimonials and maximize their capacity for the betterment of Black people in Crescent City. We have decided to pilot a campaign and convening that will amplify Black women educator stories and empower them to take hold of the transformative change needed to impact education systems within schools and beyond.

Through the diligence, commitment and expertise of these everyday heroes, we are able to transition dreams into reality and take ideas into implementation. Thanks to the Black Woman Brilliance Design Studio, the future is full of transformative change. That change is Black and brilliant.  

Dominique Howse is a New Orleans-based educator and storyteller and current participant in BE NOLA's Black Woman Brilliance Design Studio.