Children are creatures of wonder. The inexperience of their youth is a stimulant, rather than an inhibition, permitting them great capacity for curiosity and formation. Everything is new to a child. It is with joy that children discover themselves and navigate their unbridled potential. Yet, Black and Brown youth are often denied the grace and innocence of childhood. They are …
What a week it has been! The significance of President Joe Biden’s decision to withdraw from the 2024 election and endorse Vice President Kamala Harris cannot be overstated. We affirm and celebrate the joy and hope this has ignited for many, envisioning the prospect of a woman – particularly a woman of color – as President of the United States. …
When former President Trump announced last year that, if reelected, he would ‘stop’ gender-affirming care for minors, which he described as ‘child abuse’ and ‘child sexual mutilation,’ he was advancing a strategic political effort to restrict the rights of transgender and nonbinary students barreling through state and federal legislatures. Initially masked as attempts to define the rights of parents to …
For much of the past four years, news cycles, school board meetings, and state legislative agendas have been dominated by hostile political rhetoric surrounding identity-related topics such as teaching the history of race and racism in America, the rights of parents in directing curriculum, and bans of literature. These conversations, absent any real inquiry and often guided by a swinging …
by Zakiya Jackson, President I had a dream recently where I was in a field full of yellow, green, and purple flowers. The sun was shining bright and we were all wearing white. We – children, babies, adults, family, friends – were enjoying each other and nature and overflowing with peace, laughter, and joy. And our hair sure did look …
President Zakiya Jackson shares the blessing, the beauty, and the mystery of this holiday season and our year together at The Expectations Project. You’ll also hear about some of the groundwork we’ve laid and some of the exciting work we have planned for 2024. We’d love to hear your dreams for children and for our work in 2024. Drop a …
I went to the White House last week to attend the State Arrival Ceremony of the President and First Lady of South Korea. I went because I appreciate Korean culture here in the United States and in Korea. I was delighted to see that a part of the ceremony was a children’s choir – Korean Americans singing in Korean and …
Zakiya JacksonPresident, The Expectations Project As we continue to learn more about the awful school shooting in Nashville, I’d like to share a few personal thoughts about the choices before us as communities of people who care deeply about children, education, our faith, and justice. Nashville is where I grew into my calling and career as an educator. I attended …
Following the death of Tyre Nichols, we took a moment to breathe, mourn, and begin to process this brutal and senseless beating and murder of yet another unarmed Black person by police. We remain deeply grieved by this and other acts of violence that fill our news feeds far too regularly. We lament the lives that have been lost. As …
As you may have heard, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis announced last week that he would ban a pilot program for an Advanced Placement (AP) African American Studies course. While students, teachers, activists, and legislators in Florida speak out in opposition to this decision, there are a few crucial things you should know about the ban. We’ll continue to track this …
