The Melanated Educators Collective (MEC) along with the Racial Justice Organizing Committee recognizes the critical need for African American educators nationwide. In Philadelphia, MEC is addressing this by reaching out to the School District of Philadelphia, creating a mentorship program, and also working with BLM Philly on the Black Educators Fellowship in order to ensure that our schools are filled with quality educators who reflect the student body.
We also know that achieving our goal of having more educators of color within the classroom may not be attainable for a few years to come. As a result, we’re working with Education colleges/programs around the city to partner Education majors, regardless of race, with Educators of Color who teach from a social justice lens. Through our mentorship program, our hope is to:
-
Create more conscious educators who will teach from a diverse, knowledgeable, and empathetic lens.
-
Develop educators who will help end the racial isolation that some educators of color have to deal with within school settings which will help with the retention of educators of color.
If you or any caring soul you know is interested in a career in education, please contact MEC as soon as possible! We are looking for upcoming/recent college graduates, seasoned professionals, paraprofessionals, and anyone who is interested in eliminating the school to prison pipeline one classroom at a time. Furthermore, we have numerous teachers signed up to be mentors so if you’re interested in placing your college students for student teaching positions, please contact us as well!