By Allison Acosta and Erika Landberg

On March 24, the entire school community at Bruce-Monroe ES @ Park View (BMPV) (DCPS) was invited to participate in the Black Lives Matter at School Celebration of Learning. The school was transformed into a Marketplace of Knowledge that was the culmination of a six-week project that involved all grade levels in deep explorations of Black Lives Matter. The day included dance performances, a fashion show, and tours of the walls lined with colorful and captivating images and writings exploring the Black Lives Matter at School guiding principles.

The school wanted to create a sense of community and connectedness, similar to that found in marketplaces in Black Villages; a place to congregate, cultivate relationships, pursue opportunities, and engage in economic and consumer activism. The project was part of the school’s commitment to continuing its journey towards becoming an anti-racist, anti-biased, inclusive school community. 

Dr. Tamyka Morant, assistant principal, leads the BMPV Equity Team responsible for creating the interdisciplinary unit plans for the Black Lives Matter at School principles and creating the parameters for the Celebration of Learning unit to ensure accessibility and engagement for all grade levels. Grade level teams chose their own principles for deep study from a grade-band list that is embedded in the yearlong curriculum and allows for deep study of all 13 principles by the time students matriculate from BMPV to middle school. Students explored essential questions regarding their assigned principles, such as: How can art be used to amplify Black voices? Who or what events were agents of change? How has studying this BLM Principle helped me grow as an antiracist agent of change? 

The celebration of learning kicked off with an assembly for students and families. Third graders opened the assembly by singing “Lift Every Voice and Sing,” then each early childhood class took a turn showing off the clothing they created in the style of a Black clothing designer. Finally, second graders took the stage for a “Beat Your Feet” dance performance. The performance was the culmination of a six-week study of go-go’s music and history with Washington Performing Arts.

Following the performances, school visitors were invited to visit the “marketplaces” throughout the hallways to engage with the learning community. Students and visitors were given a “passport” and collected a sticker at each marketplace they visited. Visitors were encouraged to ask students questions and engage in dialogue as they walked through this marketplace of learning about Black Lives Matter.  

Each grade level focused on one Black Lives Matter at School guiding principle. The focus principle for 5th grade was Collective Value, and they explored the essential questions:

• How can we identify instances of the silencing and erasure of Black voices and work to understand and amplify their concerns and advocacy for justice?

• How can we use data to examine social inequity?

This culminated in writing letters and creating art that advocate for social change and a fair world.

Learn about which Black Lives Matter principle each grade level studied and all of the student projects.

The day of celebration ended with a community dinner in the cafeteria.  

This was BMPV's fourth year hosting a schoolwide Celebration of Learning for Black Lives Matter at School, the third year of extending the Week of Action to a 6–8 week long learning unit, and the second year having the Marketplace of Knowledge, which will remain an annual tradition.