National CARES Mentoring Movement: Celebrating Black Children's Excellence

FTC: This post is sponsored by National CARES but all thoughts and opinions are my own

I’ve been a high school teacher in NYC for the last ten years. Throughout this time, I have worked in three schools that have been drastically different from one another. The first experiences I have had in these schools truly solidified a fact that I always feared was true. There are several institutional and systemic gaps in our education system that create large disparities between schools.

When I started teaching in a school with a large population of students who came from unstable communities, and under- resourced families my educational focus shifted, and how I approached teaching was changed forever. I saw more than just potential, I saw magic. My students were aware of their disadvantages, but they were also aware of just how far they could excel if given the chance.

It is extremely easy to point out people’s disadvantages and highlight the reasons behind why they face challenges. The true difficulty lies in creating platforms that create opportunities to uplift these same communities.

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National CARES Mentoring Movement

The National CARES Mentoring movement is that platform. They move beyond simply focusing on the government to create change, and instead have taken actionable steps to alleviate intergenerational poverty among African Americans. What I love about the CARES mentoring movement is they stand on the timeless principle: “it takes a village”.  

Black children in the program are provided with emotional and academic supports to help tap into their full potential and achieve success. The National CARES mentoring mission aligns with my daily educational focus: to create a safe secure space that allows for my students to not only heal, but transform their lives through means of inspiration and guidance. The CARES program has recruited and mobilized groups of caring Black men and women to help achieve this mission.

The transformative 36-week curricula is built in a student centered format to ensure access to tools that not only offer assistance, but help to heal through the effects of debilitating unaddressed past traumas.

National CARES mentoring movement is the response to the question we have far too long been unable to answer: “What can we do about it?”.  If you envision a world that provides equal access to a quality culturally responsible education and supports for Black children, National CARES is the first step towards that direction.  

Founder Susan Taylor and the National CARES mentoring program itself have created a space that allows for Black giving to encourage Black growth. You can donate to the National CARES program here. In addition you can enter to win this dope tee (pictured above) through a giveaway on their Instagram. Enter the drawing to receive the LOVE CARES t-shirt and add your name to the growing list of people committed to care for our children.  

If you loved what you read please feel free to sign up and join the community! Sign up here to start your money saving challenge now and save $1,000 dollars in 8 weeks. 

until next time,