Oaklawn Alums

09/29/2025

09/28/2025

Rudolph Young
Manifest Destiny

09/08/2025

The Man Who Planted Bridges
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(A folktale on Fatheotold in the firelight by the Griot of Ancient Seas.)
by
Linda Somiari - Stewart

Long ago, in the land where rivers, lakes, seas and even oceans spoke and trees kept deep secrets, there lived a man named Tebarima. He was not a king, nor was he born with gold in his hands. But the people called him Father of the Village, for his strength was in what he gave, not what he owned.

Tebarima had no sons of his own flesh, but every child who scraped their knees on the village stones or wept when the rain fell too hard found shelter in his shadow.

He taught boys how to fish, not just to eat, but to be patient with the river’s silence. He taught girls to climb trees and reminded them that courage has no gender. And when the moon rose and the world was quiet, he told them stories of their ancestors, of the stars, of how to walk without stepping on another’s dream.

One day, a great flood came swallowing paths, tearing down huts, drowning laughter. The river, swollen with sorrow, separated families and friends.

While others panicked, Tebarima moved through the water like a whisper. He did not cry for help. He built bridges - one wooden plank at a time. With rope from his roof, and wood from his walking sticks and firewood he built bridges across the waters so others could find their way home.

When the flood receded, the people gathered. They found their homes battered, but their hearts unbroken. And at the center stood Tebarima, soaked, tired, but smiling.

They crowned him with woven leaves, not as a king, but as something rarer: a Father by Choice.

⸻

Moral:

Not all fathers are born. Some are carved by time, sacrifice, and quiet love. True fathers do raise their voices when situations demand but more importantly,they raise bridges wherever they find themselves .
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Reflection for Today:

Who built bridges for you when your world was flooded?
And whose bridge are you building now?

07/20/2025

04/22/2025

04/22/2025

By only looking at data through averages and totals, you often lose the story of what children and families are actually experiencing. “Data disaggregation” might sound complex, but it simply refers to breaking down large data categories into more specific demographic sub-categories like race/ethnicity, gender, socioeconomic status, and geographic location. Looking at data by different disaggregated subgroups helps you to answer different questions.

Learn more at https://thechildrensagenda.org/2024/07/01/counting-all-kids-equity-through-data-disaggregation/

04/22/2025

According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services only 51.8% of parents reported reading to children ages five years and under. We are curious as to the data on Black parents?

04/22/2025

Honoring the Legacy of Booker T. Washington on his Heavenly Birthday 🖤

Born into slavery and rising to become one of the most influential Black leaders in American history, Booker T. Washington was a champion of education, self-reliance, and progress. As the founder of Tuskegee Institute, he dedicated his life to empowering Black communities through knowledge and opportunity. 👏🏾

04/11/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/1EaJkoAiF8/

04/11/2025

Join me as I visit Brevard Chapel United Methodist Church, a historic African American church in Denver, North Carolina, built in the 1870s by formerly ensla...

04/11/2025