This essay, My Experiences as a Black Man are Integral to My Work as a Teacher by Devon Loeb, published in Electric Literature, explores the painful realities of having been a black student and working as a black teacher in the broken educational system in this country. The essay also shows why it is so deeply important and crucial for all students to have teachers of color at all levels of education, primary through college. It’s also a lot of work with particular stressors for the teacher. The scholar and poet Dr. Yolanda Sealy Ruiz, who has visited our campus twice, also writes about a similar, difficult trajectory in an essay catalogued here: “Getting from Here to There: One Woman’s Journey From the South Bronx to the Academy.
Loeb’s essay is also beautifully written. His memoir is The In-Betweens: A Lyrical Memoir. I look forward to reading more of his work. Here is a direct link to the essay:
My Experiences as a Black Man Are Integral to My Work as a Teacher
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