Grit

The Importance of Academic Spaces for Developing Black Excellence

The pursuit of freedom and a better life for Black and African Americans has been wrapped up in our access to educational opportunities since arriving on the shores of this land over 400 years ago.  I vividly recall my mother demanding that my four siblings and I complete high school and go on to college. My mother knew that an education would open doors of opportunity and, ultimately, a better life. Neither of my parents attended college prior to marriage and children, but attending college was not an unfamiliar concept in my home. My two oldest siblings completed trade schools