Gifted. Dedicated. Extraordinary. These are the first words that come to mind when I think about the woman they call Beyoncé. Beyoncé is one of the most legendary performers I’ve ever seen and to see how she continually dominates, impacts, and influences the game in music, movies, clothing, and business shows that women can be as powerful as they want to be. I could go on and on about her legendary status, but in an effort to keep things concise, I’ll move on. One of the things I admire about her most is how she manages her private life and the vulnerability she chooses to share in her work. She’s known to be relatively private when it comes to her family and personal life, but when she dropped Lemonade I was blown away and impressed. To see her openly share her heart through her visionary album isn’t something often seen in the music industry – especially from someone who’s selective about what parts to share and not share with the public. Beyoncé is a living legend and I anticipate seeing her releasing even more great work in the future. Below, are my top five favorite Beyoncé songs. Choosing one favorite Beyoncé song is like choosing one favorite Michael Jackson song – it’s nearly impossible. Such is the case with legends. Check em’ out and enjoy.
I’m a Black educator in my fifth year of teaching middle school English, and in my third as the 8th Grade English PLC (Professional Learning Community) Lead. And while I genuinely enjoy the purposeful work I get to do, seeing the growth of my scholars, and continuing to hone my skills in a content area I’ve loved since I was a little girl, I’ve had to confront some unpleasant experiences in this space. I’d been through much worse when I was an academic advisor at a Christian university. Racism, sexism, harassment, and workplace bullying were sadly norms in that environment. However, some of what I’ve experienced as a Black educator hasn’t been normal … It doesn’t seem normal to be the only Black educator in my department – in a predominantly Black school. One of my Black colleagues once said, “It should look like a Tyler Perry movie in here.” But it doesn’t. It didn’t feel normal being reprimanded in a meeting (during my second year of teaching) by an administrator who went in on...