Honoring Black Women with Poetry
By Elizabeth Rene
Ms. Corliss, a special education teacher at Jefferson Middle School Academy (DCPS), led a Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action lesson aligned to the guiding principle, “Black Women.” Inspired by the book by Linda Christensen, Teaching for Joy and Justice, Ms. Corliss designed a session that allowed her 7th grade class to write a poem demonstrating their understanding of the Black Lives Matter guiding principle of honoring Black Women.
First, students reflected on the Black Lives Matter movement and what it means to them. Then, students were able to think about Black women in their lives who are important to them. Students made connections between the experience of the three Black women who started the Black Lives Matter movement to their own experience with Black women who are important to them and their contributions to society from helping family, leading in their community, mentoring, and more.
Students were then introduced to a poem, “Raised by Women,” by Anaiah Rhodes which is in an article of that title (Teaching for Joy and Justice). Students ended the lesson with an opportunity to use the same style of poem from Anaiah Rhodes to craft their own poem:
I was raised by a _____________________________________,
____________________________________,_________________________________________,_________________________
____________________________________________________,
____________________________________________________,
“_________________________________________________________________________________________________________”
___________________________________________________
Students were also given the opportunity to submit their poem into the school’s Black History Month Essay Writing Contest. Here is one submission:
By Trinity Stokes
Black Excellence
I was raised by a good mother
that care about me and my sisters alot
a netflix and chill
on a rainy day
"oh do you have McDonalds money?” mom
who smiles all the time.
I was raised by a godmother
that take care of me and that talk to me
when I am upset
and she cook good
and my godmother help me with my business
and buys things for my business.
I was raised by a helpful grandmother
but let me tell you something,
she is annoying
but I still love you.
You're crazy, but you protect me and you are all i got.
That all I got to say because she crazy.
I was raised by an older cousin
and she is nice,
she let me come over her house and
she is still nice.
That is Black Excellence.
Elizabeth (Lizz) Rene is the manager of Equity Strategy and Programming for the DCPS Office of School Improvement and Supports. She visited Ms. Corliss’s class on Friday, February 7, 2020.