My Brilliant Friend: Kathy Lopes

Many years ago, in a small classroom in Southwest Washington DC, two rookie social workers suffered through an interminable pre-service training program for child welfare professionals. More recently, one of them became a published author! Change The Narrative: How To Foster An Anti-Racist Culture In Your School by my friend Kathy Lopes and Henry J. Turner is a great starting point for aspiring, anti-racist school leaders. With clear ideas for both introspection and culture creation, this book makes the work feel a little less daunting. Learn more about Kathy’s work here, and check out my Amazon review below.

Amazon Review:
Being a school leader is an almost-impossible job. And, during a global pandemic, the realities became even more complex. During this period of extraordinary challenge, school leaders are also being asked to lead young people in navigating the racial reckoning currently underway in our country. It is unsurprising that, in this moment, many school leaders are stepping away.

Kathy Lopes and Henry Turner offer a well-timed guidebook for school leaders feeling overwhelmed by the work of anti-racism. Helpfully broken into two parts - the first focused on introspection and the second on culture creation - the authors offer behaviors, processes, and practices to contribute to the creation of an anti-racist culture. Most importantly, the authors make no false promises about linear progress and ultimate success. They’re honest about the difficulty of this work.

Clearly positioned as a starting point for anti-racist school leadership, the book also offers opportunities to Learn, Reflect, Act, and Assess at the end of each of the book’s chapters. Direct and honest, Change The Narrative serves as a useful tool for any aspiring anti-racist leader.

My Brilliant Friend: Adam Hollowell

Today, You Mean It Or You Don’t: James Baldwin’s Radical Challenge is released wherever books are sold. An exceptional guidebook for those interested in learning how to live their values (as Baldwin challenged us to do), this book will prove helpful to all who might feel troubled by our world but aren’t sure what to do. I’ve been honored to speak in Adam’s class at Duke University (Ethics in an Unjust World) for the last ten years, and I was so impressed by the work he did with Jamie to create this book. The review I posted on Amazon is below, and I hope you’ll consider checking out the book. For more information, you can check out https://prayingwithjamesbaldwin.com/.

Amazon Review:
For ten years, I have watched students in Dr. Hollowell's class grapple with what it means to live ethically in an unjust world. Through deep engagement with Baldwin's writing, Adam and his co-author, Jamie McGhee offer an analysis of literature paired with a template for action. Having been asked by many how they can contribute to the betterment of our troubled world, there is now a tool to which I can direct passionate people that lack a plan (and, sometimes, the knowledge) to get involved. The actions outlined in the book are helpful to social justice novices and career activists alike. Baldwin has challenged generations of readers to think differently. But ultimately, to mean it, we have to act differently. You Mean It Or You Don't will undoubtedly assist you on that journey.

One Year Later

“We have decided to move forward without you.”

That was one year ago today. For five weeks after that, I had to remain quiet, concealing the truth from people that I had asked to trust me for over ten years. On the first anniversary of getting fired, I wrote a reflection on what I've learned.

1. I thought one organization was the vehicle for my purpose. But, my purpose is bigger than I thought. I continue to find ways to support young people in being given the room and the support to show us all how amazing they can be.

2. Insecurity is sneaky. It shows up in surprising and powerful ways.

3. I’ve learned a lot about trauma, anxiety, and the human body. This incredibly important work is just beginning, and I hope it becomes more mainstream.

4. Consulting on various projects allows me to learn a lot!

5. The Quakers would say to “let your life speak,” and I need to lean into that. Too often, I feel like I have so much to say. But, rarely does it need to be said.

6. As with any trauma, some people show up in ways that are caring and thoughtful. Some people disappear. You’ll be surprised who falls into which group.

7. There are many ways to contribute.

8. When you can’t share the story, people will make one up. Whether they like you or not, they never get the story right.

9. I was always going to be okay. The hardest part was that I couldn’t prevent harm experienced by others.

10. The young people continue to sustain me. They check in. They’ve become colleagues. They share their successes and seek support when struggling. When I wondered who I was without a job I let define me, they made clear that I’m still Mr. Mark.

Life will continue to be a teacher, as will the young people I am honored to know. I’ll do my best to be a good student. I know I have much left to learn.