When I look at your portrait-I know that your teacher has done right by you. You know that a self portrait is indeed supposed to look like you. You have many different color brown crayons to choose from to make your skin and hair just right. You have books to read, and read to you  every day with characters that look like you. Characters that allow you to picture yourself in any role you may choose to assume in your grown up form.  You my love are brown and beautiful and brilliant. You can be the president, a baseball player, an engineer, or my secret dream-a teacher-one day.

I am committed to making sure your teachers, your administrators, your bus drivers, and everyone who has the honor to know you as one of their students see you in all of your radiant glory. I have been invited to facilitate a conversation with new teachers in our district on inclusive curriculum design, and identifying our own bias in the process. I am committed to making sure in the years to come, that all our teachers have the resources they need to know how to design meaningful curriculum for all students- and not just the ones that share their own cultural, racial, or ethnic background. I believe in this school district and the highly qualified and committed educators who make it the remarkable place that it is to work and learn.

I can see you at your graduation already babe, waiting for your last day portrait standing tall and proud. You will tower above any limitations, and be beyond radiant in your knowledge of all the places you can and will go. You will know what it means to be seen.  You will look out on the faces of all your teachers past and present with the recognition that they did right by you, as a dynamic learner, leader, and young man of color.

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