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Black Educators, Others Reimagine Future of Education

DEFENDER NETWORK — We’re able to create a knowledge base for the students that takes the student experience from being a fixed schedule, fixed curricular experience to something more like a streaming or a Netflix experience. – John Peavy III

Published

4 months ago

February 3, 2026

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By Aswad Walker | Houston Defender | Word In Black

[This post contains video, click to play]

This post was originally published on Defender Network

(WIB) – John Peavy III was seemingly destined to reimagine education.

His mother, Gail Revis, spent 35 years leading guidance counselors for HISD. His grandmother taught Spanish and served as an assistant principal. His grandfather pioneered the School of Liberal Arts at Texas Southern. Peavy grew up surrounded by conversations about both the promise and pain of educating Black children.

Now, as founder of Radiant 7 Ventures, Peavy is pairing those lessons with cutting-edge artificial intelligence to re-engineer how students learn.

Netflix-GPT University

Peavy’s vision sounds like something out of science fiction — a “Netflix-style” education model where learning is personalized, flexible and available on demand.

John Peavy and company are working on cutting-edge apps to tailor educational lesson plans to individual needs. Credit: Aswad Walker.

“From that experience, I knew it was not just about the hard numbers in terms of grades and scores, but you have to treat students holistically,” said Peavy. “So, I’ve founded Radiant 7 Ventures, and we’ve partnered with AI enterprise software companies that allow us to create applications that enhance the student experience, enhance the faculty and staff experience and also lower administrative costs for schools, both at higher ed and K through 12.”

“One of the primary things in terms of enhancing the student experience is that we’re able to create a knowledge base for the students that takes the student experience from being a fixed schedule, fixed curricular experience to something more like a streaming or a Netflix experience where you get personalized learning that’s adapted to the students’ learning styles, their learning gaps,” he explained. “They don’t have to be at school at 8 a.m. to get math. They can get math if they want and they can seamlessly go from math to Spanish and back to history based on what they need at that moment.”

We’re able to create a knowledge base for the students that takes the student experience from being a fixed schedule, fixed curricular experience to something more like a streaming or a Netflix experience. – John Peavy III

The interface is designed like ChatGPT.

“So, the ability to use an interface like ChatGPT, talk to it, get answers, have the answers prompt you for questions to make sure that you are actually learning the materials, makes it very easy to digest,” Peavy added.

Hyper-Personalized Lessons

Peavy said the apps his company is producing go beyond standard curricula and take student life experiences, including past traumas, into consideration.

“We know that different students have different learning styles. We also know there are certain social determinants that drive students’ ability to learn. So, we can’t just teach the curricula,” stated Peavy. “We also have to address those learning styles and those social determinants. If we know there’s a food inequity situation, plus they’re a visual learner, then that’s a certain type of curricular material that the student needs. That becomes true personalization.”

World as Classroom

Peavy is not alone in reimagining education for Black students.

Tori Cofield, a 37-year veteran educator, advocates for culture and creativity to meet current educational challenges. Credit: Toricofield.com.

Tori Cofield, a 37-year veteran educator, has opened three charter schools in Houston, Memphis and Detroit, specializing in school turnaround.

“We have to be creative. There’s always a way,” said Cofield. “Right now, Good Hope Missionary Baptist Church is working with Cullen Middle School. My husband (Rev. Dr. D.Z. Cofield) has this Cullen Initiative that is working to help that school rise. We have a boatload of kids who come to the church. Trump can’t tell us what to do at the church. We are taking the opportunity to teach those lessons our kids need.”

Cofield encourages schools to partner with local community agencies.

“Get in touch with places like the Emancipation Park Conservancy. Tell the students, ‘I’ll meet you at the museum on Saturday.’ Kids will show up if they love their teachers,” she said. “Mike Miles, Donald Trump cannot stop you from meeting kids to talk about our story.”

Centering Agency

HSPVA alum and Harvard professor Dr. Lumumba Seegars emphasizes reframing how Black history is taught.

Dr. Lumumba Seegars believes Black students will be more empowered and therefore more successful if Black history is taught from the perspective of Black agency. Credit: Harvard University.

“It’s imperative that Black youth are educated on history and understand the history of Black agency in our own struggle for liberation, and not think of our trajectory as something that was just given to us over time,” Seegars said. “Black people have always been the central authors of our own stories here, and understanding that is imperative for understanding our own sense of self-efficacy and collective imagination for who we can be.”

Book Boom

Educator and author Marsita Jordan sees a literacy crisis.

Marsita Jordan calls for an all-out book blitz to increase literacy and improve educational outcomes. Courtesy Marsita Jordan.

“We are living in the State of an Education Emergency,” Jordan said. “If Black parents, mentors, administrators, pastors, community leaders, politicians, etc., do not step up and take ownership of the education of our Black children, this state of emergency will soon be catastrophic. It is a call for aggressive literary tactics.”

Jordan calls for home and community-based solutions.

“Libraries, no matter how big or small, home or mobile, books have to become a norm in our homes and communities,” shared Jordan. “Reading development and literacy centers need to be mobilized and fueled by volunteers to provide intervention, remediation and tutoring. These centers can be established as makeshifts in local community centers, barbershops, salons, churches and pop-up locations.”

Culture Is Queen

Cofield also insists school culture is key.

“They call me the culture queen because when I go in, the first thing I do is look and see what does the school culture look like? What feels good about being here? Why would a kid want to be here?” shared Cofield. “Many people say, ‘Well, the students need to acclimate to what I want them to be.’ No, that’s not going to get them. You have to realize where they’re coming from.

“If you don’t understand the community and the kids, you can’t be successful with them.”

Cofield says being ignorant about the school neighbor’s culture can have negative impacts.

“Some teachers put down (degrade) working in Burger King and McDonald’s,” said Cofield. “Some of these kids, that’s where their parents work. So right out the gate, you’re saying to them they’re not important. We have to be mindful of that character culture piece if we want success.”

Fight Hostile Policies

Activist Tammie Lang Campbell views future educational success through a different lens.

Tammie Lang Campbell urges parents to push back against AI surveillance technology as a way to clear a path for a more positive educational future for Black students. Courtesy Tammie Lang Campbell.

“Many parents don’t realize that so-called ‘AI safety tools’ in schools — from facial recognition to vape detectors — are not neutral,” Campbell explained. “These systems often misidentify students and disproportionately punish Black children. What’s sold as safety is, in reality, pushing too many of our kids closer to the school-to-prison pipeline, and that should alarm every Black family.

“When schools invest millions in surveillance but struggle to hire counselors or retain teachers, it sends a very clear message: Discipline is being valued more than development. Black parents should be deeply concerned that resources are being diverted from what truly helps our children thrive — caring educators, counselors and supportive learning environments.”

What You Can Do

Advocate for personalized learning tools that consider social and cultural factors.

Support community-based education initiatives like church programs, museums and after-school enrichment.
Push for Black history and culture to remain central in learning spaces.
Invest in literacy at home and community hubs through book drives, home libraries and tutoring programs.
Challenge harmful school surveillance policies and push for funds to go toward counselors and teachers instead.
Help build strong school cultures by engaging with parents, teachers and local leaders.

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Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled

BLACKPRESS USA NEWSWIRE — “Since the expiration of tens of billions of dollars in federal child care funding in 2023 and 2024, an already fragile child care system has been pushed even closer to the brink.”
The post Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

2 days ago

June 8, 2026

Oakland Post

By National Women’s Law Center

The National Women’s Law Center released its annual State Child Care Assistance Policies report, finding that the number of children placed on waiting lists for federally funded child care assistance nearly doubled between 2024 and 2025 — and that number has only continued to grow.

The report serves as a key resource for state lawmakers, advocates, and policymakers by tracking state child care assistance policies and identifying where states are strengthening support for families and early educators — or falling behind.

“This deeply troubling increase in the number of children on child care waiting lists is the result of a failure to invest in this crucial sector,” said Karen Schulman, senior director of state child care policy and author of the report. “Since the expiration of tens of billions of dollars in federal child care funding in 2023 and 2024, an already fragile child care system has been pushed even closer to the brink.”

Key findings in the report related to waiting lists for child care assistance include:

• 17 states had waiting lists or a freeze on intake for child care assistance in February 2025, up from 13 states in February 2024.

• Approximately 106,700 children nationwide were added to waiting lists between February 2024 and February 2025, bringing the total to 225,500 children in February 2025 — a 90 percent increase compared to February 2024.

• The numbers climbed even further between February 2025 and summer/fall 2025, with more than 175,000 additional children added to state waiting lists in just a few months — a 78 percent increase.

• At least seven states newly began placing families on waiting lists or freezing intake, while at least 10 additional states saw their waiting lists grow, after February 2025.

The report also includes state-by-state data on key child care assistance policies, including income eligibility limits, parent copayments, provider payment rates, and eligibility policies for parents searching for work.

Click the link to learn more: Warning Signs: State Child Care Assistance Policies 2025.

The post Study: Waiting Lists for Child Care Assistance Nearly Doubled appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy

ROLLING OUT — Crucially, Williams did not read the comment as a real farewell. She said she did not believe Sabalenka truly wanted to leave, calling such an outcome a loss for both the player and the sport.
The post Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

3 days ago

June 7, 2026

Oakland Post

The seven-time major champion read frustration, not a real goodbye, in the world No. 1’s words

By David Kesiena | Rolling Out

When the world’s top-ranked player said she wanted to walk away from the sport, Venus Williams chose empathy over alarm.

Aryna Sabalenka’s blunt remark after her French Open quarterfinal collapse rattled plenty of fans, but Williams heard something different in it. The seven-time Grand Slam champion treated the comment as the raw reaction of a hurting athlete rather than a serious signal about her future.

The collapse that triggered the comment

Sabalenka looked headed for a routine win over Diana Shnaider. She took the opening set 6-3 and built a commanding lead in the second, climbing to 4-1 and later serving for the match at 5-4 while sitting just two points from victory.

Then everything unraveled. Shnaider stormed back to steal the second set 7-5 and bageled the world No. 1 in the third, with Sabalenka dropping 12 of the final 13 games in gusty conditions that reached around 26 mph. The 3-6, 7-5, 6-0 result sent Shnaider into her first Grand Slam semifinal and extended Sabalenka’s long wait for a maiden Roland Garros title.

In the aftermath, Sabalenka did not soften her feelings. She told reporters she had no thoughts and no emotions left and felt like quitting on the spot. She described being stuck in a deep, dark mental hole during the match, unable to find her way back.

What Venus Williams said about Sabalenka

Williams reacted with understanding. She admitted the moment made her sad and said she had been swept up in Sabalenka’s emotions, feeling a surge of empathy for her. She praised the Belarusian for laying everything bare on court, where every feeling shows.

Crucially, Williams did not read the comment as a real farewell. She said she did not believe Sabalenka truly wanted to leave, calling such an outcome a loss for both the player and the sport. Rather than scold her, Williams offered a gentle observation about the rhythm of professional tennis. She suggested players might benefit from a little more time to gather themselves before stepping in front of the cameras, a quiet acknowledgment that athletes are routinely asked to dissect painful defeats before the sting has faded.

Sabalenka walks it back

The story did not end on that bleak note. Within days, Sabalenka signaled she was not actually quitting, framing the press-conference outburst as heat-of-the-moment honesty rather than a plan. At the time of the loss she had also left the door open, saying she would see how she felt in a few days and hoped to get back on track mentally. The walk-back lined up with how Williams had read the situation from the start.

It is not the first time a Paris quarterfinal has pushed Sabalenka to her limit. In 2024 she exited at the same stage and skipped her press conference entirely because of illness, with the tour later releasing her quotes on her behalf. The pattern underscores how heavily this particular tournament has weighed on her despite deep runs in recent years.

For now, attention shifts to the grass. Wimbledon offers Sabalenka a quick chance to reset, and a strong showing there would turn this French Open meltdown into a footnote rather than a turning point.

Originally published by Rolling Out — https://rollingout.com.

The post Venus Williams Calls a Sabalenka Exit a Tragedy appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

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COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue

THE CAROLINIAN — Operating at the intersection of the arts and mental health, Darkness RISING uses music, storytelling, wellness programming, and community engagement to inspire healing while addressing barriers that have historically prevented many Black Americans from accessing mental health support.
The post COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue appeared first on BlackPressUSA.

Published

4 days ago

June 7, 2026

Oakland Post

By Judaea Ingram | Special to The Carolinian

RALEIGH, N.C. – Music filled the air as families danced through the crowd, children gathered around activity stations, and community members explored wellness resources from local organizations. Black-owned businesses lined the streets while people stopped for chair massages, conversations, and moments of connection inside the wellness suite.

At the center of the event stood a simple but powerful reminder:

“You Matter.”

For Darkness RISING, those words represent far more than a slogan. They reflect the organization’s mission to break the stigma surrounding mental health in the Black community while creating spaces centered on healing, honesty, and hope.

Operating at the intersection of the arts and mental health, Darkness RISING uses music, storytelling, wellness programming, and community engagement to inspire healing while addressing barriers that have historically prevented many Black Americans from accessing mental health support.

The organization hosts a variety of programs and events throughout the year, including block parties, wellness workshops, mixers, kickoff events, community classes, and Darkness RISING: Live — a free annual arts and wellness festival now celebrating its ninth year.

The festival combines entertainment with healing-centered resources, featuring live music, dancing, singing, food trucks, Black vendors, children’s activities, mental health resources, wellness spaces, and opportunities for open conversations about mental health.

While the events may feel celebratory on the surface, organizers say the deeper purpose is creating safe spaces where people can feel comfortable discussing mental health without fear of judgment.

Darkness RISING also provides free nationwide resources, including a Black Mental Health Resource Packet, a Black Mental Health Provider Database, and its “Find Me a Therapist” initiative, which helps connect individuals with culturally competent care.

The organization’s work is rooted in addressing longstanding inequities that continue impacting mental health access within Black communities.

Historically, segregation, redlining, racial discrimination, incarceration, poverty, and unequal healthcare access have contributed to higher rates of behavioral health challenges while simultaneously limiting access to proper treatment and support. Darkness RISING approaches those issues through what organizers describe as a transformative justice lens, focusing on healing rather than punishment and creating equitable wellness opportunities for marginalized communities.

Its REBUILD program specifically supports justice-involved and formerly incarcerated people of color through free therapy and wellness support, while the REBUILD Youth program focuses on young people impacted by Adverse Childhood Experiences, also known as ACEs.

For Rudolph, therapy became life-changing after decades of incarceration and years of rejection after returning home.

“Came home in 2015, started my own computer company, investing in real estate, did the normal thing and got some jobs here and there and was met with rejection after rejection and people telling me I am not a good person,” Rudolph shared. “Even had a rejection in church.”

He said one of the hardest battles became overcoming the mental barriers created during incarceration.

“I got in touch with a couple of friends, and they explained to me how I had to get over the mental hurdles and get rid of the way my prison mindset was in order to survive and become successful,” he said.

Rudolph later moved to North Carolina hoping for a fresh start, but the struggle continued.

“Things were looking bad,” he said. “Could not get a job. The struggle was real.”

Eventually, therapy and support through organizations like Darkness RISING helped begin his healing process. He said working alongside other justice-involved men through therapy gave him the ability to rebuild mentally while finding community with people who understood his experiences.

Stories like Rudolph’s reflect the foundation behind Darkness RISING’s mission: ensuring people feel seen, supported, and worthy of healing regardless of their background or circumstances.

Community members who attend the organization’s events often describe them as emotionally transformative.

Some participants say Darkness RISING encouraged them to seek therapy for the first time, while others say the organization gave them a safe space to openly discuss struggles they previously kept hidden.

“I have been encouraged by the beautiful, generous, brave and open individuals who come together and use their talents to create art, share personal experiences and provide hope to those who may be struggling with mental health,” one participant shared.

By combining art, wellness, education, and community outreach, Darkness RISING continues changing how mental health conversations happen within the Black community.

Not through silence.

But through healing, honesty, connection, and joy.

Originally published by The Carolinian — https://caro.news.

The post COMMENTARY: Using Art, Healing, And Community to Transform Mental Health Dialogue appeared first on BlackPressUSA.