What Would Tupac Do? Revamping 21stCentury Education
by Adia “Dr. Dia” Winfrey, Psy.D. | special to NewBlackMan
There’s a war being waged on education across America, as budgets are slashed and schools are closed. These unprecedented actions must be a rallying cry for our communities. As we celebrate Tupac Shakur’ 41st birthday, I am reminded of his brazen ability to use his voice, while inspiring others to do the same. These qualities made him legendary, and like Tupac, we must use our voices and influence to navigate through these educational challenges. This starts with classifying education as a broad experience not limited to a classroom.
The term “educator” must include those formally trained, as well as community members, parents, local entrepreneurs, professionals, and area businesses. As Tupac stated in countless interviews, schools aren’t preparing youth for life. In his deeds and lyrics, Tupac recognized our individual stories and experiences as resources, which too often go untapped. We can no longer afford to ignore the “educators” in our communities.
Broadening our conceptualization of education also means redefining the student to include children under 5 and their parents. By expanding our pool of educators, and recognizing the presence of “classrooms” throughout our communities, such action is feasible. But expanding the definition of educator and student is not enough. A 21stcentury education must place special emphasis on student engagement.
In the song “Me Against the World,” Tupac highlights the importance of acknowledging our youth and their voices stating, “what’s the use, unless we shootin’ no one notices the youth.” In this line, Tupac reminds us acknowledgement of our youth is a necessity, and will lead to our demise if ignored. In the classroom, acknowledgment occurs when youth are engaged and encouraged to share their thoughts. As Tupac declared in lyrics, interviews, and poems, silencing the youth voice is criminal, and hurts us all. In this war on education, emboldening students is of the utmost importance.
Throughout his life, Tupac challenged those in power to engage with the community. As we debate, dialogue, and refine public education through conferences, town halls, and web chats, the inclusion of community action in 21st century education is crucial. As the school to prison pipeline grows, it’s imperative we embrace Tupac’s spirit of activism.
On June 16th we celebrate Tupac’s 41st birthday, but let us also follow the path he charted by boldly using our voices, and inspiring others to do the same.
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Adia “Dr.Dia” Winfrey, Psy.D, is the author of H.Y.P.E.: Healing Young People thru Empowerment (African-American Images, 2009) and has been featured on NPR, in JET Magazine, and endorsed by syndicated radio personalities Tom Joyner and Michael Baisden.
