Testimonials

The following are anonymous testimonials from people who have taken my course:

I look forward to showing up every Wednesday night to do the work and I am really appreciating seeing the same faces every week. This work is helping me to feel hopeful about our world.

This morning I was able to use your guidance to talk to my son about his questions that he asked me yesterday. My son knows I'm taking your course, so I was able to use what you told me and relate it to the history of white supremacy and to hear his thoughts. You are truly making me a better mother. I can't thank you enough.

Thank you so much for offering this class, I have truly appreciated it every week, despite the often disturbing content. This is such important work and I'm grateful to have had the opportunity to do some of it with your wise guidance.

Just wanted to thank you for the course. I am energized to bring so much of what we've learned into my classroom in September. It's hard to imagine what school will be like, but you've provided so many great ideas and frameworks that I am excited about and that I think can bring some comfort and hope going forward. I appreciate all of your time, resources, and kindness over the last few weeks :)

Here are two quotes from the readings this week that moved me especially. And I would have included the entire Audre Lorde speech if it wouldn't be redundant for you.......
bell hooks assert that freedom “as positive social equality that grants all humans the opportunity to shape their destinies in the most healthy and communally productive way can only be a complete reality when our world is no longer racist and sexist.”
“We believe that sexual politics under patriarchy is as pervasive in Black women's lives as are the politics of class and race..." the statement reads. "If Black women were free, it would mean
that everyone else would have to be free since our freedom would
necessitate the destruction of all systems of oppression."

I can’t say THANK YOU enough. I really wanted to experience ‘Rooted: Framework and Education’ because I not only want to continue to reflect on my role as an Educator but also as a parent; then put that into action.

I’ve spent so much of my summer thinking about my students and how they’re trying to process things quite possibly without adult dialogue to help them understand what’s happening.

I currently live in Florida (but I’m originally from DC) and am having a hard time connecting with anyone who wants to put thought/stand behind any changes to our current school system.

I can’t wait to dive in.

Hi Laleña!
I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for hosting such an enriching experience! I have learned a lot from this course and my journey toward becoming a more inclusive, informed educator will continue.

I treasure what I've been able to take from your course. Just yesterday I was talking about one of our discussions with a group of parents

I also wanted to take a moment of your time to say how much I am loving this course. I feel like I leave the Wednesday night sessions with my blood pumping. The readings you curate for us each week have been so powerful. I am so grateful to benefit from your work, and from all, you are giving of yourself, and the energy it takes for the weekly zoom sessions.

Thank you for sharing your passion and wisdom. Your course meant a lot to me.

Thank you so much for the work you are doing! Your course has inspired me to dig deeper and has reminded me of important information/people I had lost track of.

Dear Laleña,

I want to again reiterate how much your six-week workshop has allowed me to grow as a human being, fighting with each breath for more equality, inclusion, and justice. What I said at the end of the workshop could not be more true. There is not a conversation about any topic during which I don’t bring up your name or an article I’ve read from your resources.

I too would have been a different person if we had met long ago, or if I had learned all that you are teaching me before the eve of my 45th birthday. I wish I had. But I am deeply grateful to have met you now. Thank you for the skill, generosity, kindness, good humor, self-reflection, joy, and strength you share so willingly.

Your work is deeply impactful. I am so glad to bear witness to it and to be changed by it.

I can not thank you enough for this amazing class. I am hopeful that all of our faculty will be able to attend the WECAN conference and see you speak. We have been reading "We Want to Do More Than Survive" as a group and the conversation has been uncomfortable, powerful and necessary. I am sad that the class is almost over, but I know that the shifts that have happened within myself will carry on as I continue to work, learn and grow. Thank You!

Dear Laleña,
This is just a note to say thank you. The resources you are curating for our course are absolutely incredible. I love our class and look forward to it every week.

Thank you so much for teaching such an incredibly life-changing, inspiring course! I’m going to miss our Tuesday nights together.

I was feeling so "full" that I didn't post this in the chat. Thank you for putting this class together.
First of all, that's a ton of work on, and for, school nights.
Second, I am inspired by your modeling of how you talk to your kindergarteners about the Principles. I can do this.
Third, I can't even express the depth of my appreciation for the topic organization by principle(s), the flow of history, the very numerous resources you have shared with us. Thank you for helping me to see things that I've never seen before, and for challenging me to share this with others in and out of the classroom.
I'm sad this has ended but incredibly grateful for the gift of having heard you speak at the WECAN conference and for learning from and being inspired by you in Rooted. Thank you.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to you for hosting such an enriching experience! I have learned a lot from this course and my journey toward becoming a more inclusive, informed educator will continue.

At the end of it I was thinking how thankful I was for all the questions, comments, vulnerability, and community at the end of the session and how lucky your kids and educators are to have you as a guiding light.