authenticity – Composed by Monique

What’s your criteria?

In a conversation with a student about the arts, I talked about playing in my high school’s orchestra. It wasn’t just that I liked (and still like) classical music. My being there was part of a bigger, intentional effort. When I was applying for high schools, my top choice needed to fit three criteria: ItContinue reading “What’s your criteria?”

I am a black woman.

What came to mind when you read that title? Suspend whatever your natural inclination is for the remainder of this post. I promise you can pick it up when I am done. I am a black woman. But you know that, even if you don’t know me. The color of my skin goes before me.Continue reading “I am a black woman.”

Happy New Year! (and thank you)

Happy New Year! 2021 is finally here and I think I can speak for everyone by saying I hope it will come with the good news we collectively need. I took some time off after my previous post to recover from a transformative but exhausting year of teaching online. I started this blog as aContinue reading “Happy New Year! (and thank you)”