When I think about my academic journey, the following two quotes come to mind:

On the one hand, I always worked hard to impress my teachers and professors; on the other hand, I had opportunities that my parents never had. I’m grateful for those who helped me along the way, and I am also aware that my story is exceptional, even in my family. I was able to excel even though I was often the only Black student in my class, and although I know much of it was due to my own abilities, I appreciate the allies and mentors who helped me to be successful. I was a beneficiary of radical empathy on the part of many of my teachers, professors, and advisors. I always felt that they saw more in me than I saw in myself.

My parents put me on notice when I was growing up that I would have to work harder to get the same recognition as my White peers. This is the way that African-American parents prepare their children to enter the world of school and work in this country. Our parents make sure that we understand that our behavior must be beyond reproach, and that we will encounter bias from the people we will interact with in these environments.

Education researchers have found that Black children often seem disengaged or passive in school. This passivity isn't due to a lack of intelligence. Black parents teach their children to be quiet in school so that they can stay out of trouble. I know that my parents disapproved of us being loud or disruptive in any way. It is not unusual for any parent to want their child to be well behaved, but the stakes for Black children are much higher in an education system that is at best intolerant of difference, which was particularly the case in the 1970s.