As a little girl growing up in a single-parent household, I felt like the odds were stacked against me. I witnessed  violent acts toward Black males in my community, from police harassment to drug violence. It left me feeling like there was no hope for me. 

A little Black girl with a dream, vision, and ideas to live a vivid life, but in reality, I didn’t believe I could. I did not think I was enough. What shifted my thought process was when I started elementary school and began seeing more of myself in my teachers. Not only did they look like me, but also I felt they truly understood me. It is because of them that I could see a brighter future for me.

That’s why we must have teachers of color teaching our students because we give them a voice, we expose them to a new light, and we equip them to grow.

Most of our children are not aware of the power and the gifts they have inside of them. Sometimes these gifts don’t come to light until a student enters the doors of the school. In this environment, once students see educators they can identify with, they become motivated and excited to learn about you as a teacher. This is when real, genuine and authentic cultivated learning takes place. 

We can't be focused solely on data and prepping for STAAR testing. By doing so, we miss out on the opportunity to teach our students as well as help them find their voice. When we allow students to see their self-worth, we open up the doors for them to be heard, seen and appreciated. They begin to understand their power. This is how teachers build and enhance the next generation.

The African-American civil rights and human rights activist Ella Barker stated, "Give light and people will find a way." Darkness is a force that we are surrounded by. Still, we can shed light on our students by encouraging and motivating them through our teaching.

Many students may be dealing with disappointments and difficulties before they even come to our classrooms. Instead of adding insult to injury by creating a stale environment, we must create light in their world. 

We do this by adding culture to learning. Students are surprised when they can be exposed to a part of who we are or discover new interests they didn't know before. This can happen when we teach history, music, and have authentic conversations that lead to the wow factor.

A while back, I held a restorative circle with my class, where I explained how much I value family. I shared the pain of losing my mother at the age of 25. My students were tuned in. They connected with me and I with them. 

I realized that I had broken the silence factor. I had opened up a window that gave my students who never spoke in my class the confidence to speak. I showed my students that we all deal with adversity, but we are striving for something greater, not perfection. My students started engaging in learning and conversations. This is what we, as educators, want to see in our students.

All students deserve equity in their education. Students deserve choices and opportunities. When students can connect to their learning environment, they can truly understand how important education is. They must be able to see the purpose behind the teaching, the lessons, and the work. They must see that somebody just like them understands the obstacles of life, and what they may be enduring. 

As educators, we must be their voice and their advocate to reach higher heights. We must be the reason that they continue to strive. When they see us, they must see possibilities, they must have a desire to soar higher, and an inspiration to grow and evolve in their learning environment. 

Teachers can develop learning environments that promote student engagement and cultivate classroom equity. When teachers and leaders look like students—when they reflect the identity of students—then students see that they too have personal power. Our future depends on us to be a part of the difference that our ancestors fought for. To build that future, we must be willing to lead. 

I learned in school that I was enough. Now, I’m showing my students the same.

Latrice Sumuel is a 7th Grade English Language Arts Teacher at Plummer Middle School in Aldine ISD.