

A Teacher Adds Her Voice To The Gun Control Debate
Following the February 14, 2018 mass shooting at Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida where 17 people were killed by a 19-year-old gunman, I watched the response of the nation.
I tend to do this amid all of the many cases of mass shootings, police brutality, and sexual assault surface. I watch the news, read articles and opinion pieces, and share thoughts in discussions with family and friends. But where I've really gained insight on the pulse of the people is on social media sites like Twitter and in comment sections of articles. The part of the nation who breathes hate for humanity seems to be feeling liberated in these times not only through their Twitter fingers but in their actions as well.
I am often left wondering how can another human being wake up everyday releasing hate into the world? How can another human being be opposed to reasonable gun control legislation when children are being murdered before they've had a chance to live? How can another human being justify the killing of unarmed Black men and women solely based on skin color? How can another human being encourage sexual assault and rape culture by perpetuating the "boys will be boys" ideology?
It baffles me. I have so many unanswered questions on when exactly the lack of human care begins to happen in an individual, and why.
Though our nation is wrapped up in the gun control debate right now, I strongly believe that we have to deal with education reform immediately. I currently teach at an elementary school where I have taught for the last six years. I teach grades PK-4, ages 3-9. My school has been named one of the most diverse schools in our area. At these ages, students are exploring, learning, and expressing themselves. In observing my students, I've noticed in grades PK-1st, obvious evidence of care regardless of cultural, racial, or gender differences. If PK-1st grade students notice a friend is hurt, they find ways to comfort him or her, apologies generally come easy, and they speak to one another respectfully.
A shift begins happening in 2nd-4th grades. Friendship groups begin to develop, the term "bullying" begins to surface, sometimes apologies are like pulling teeth, and race and gender opinions start to form. Throughout a child's scholastic life, social curriculum is just as important as academic curriculum. How students learn to treat one another and communicate with one another in spite of their differences starts in elementary school.
If there is no balance between social instruction and academic instruction at all grade levels, the educational system will continue to fail our children.
Along with a strong social curriculum, one of the most important factors is who is designing and teaching the curriculum. During the academic year, teachers spend more time with children than their parents. If a child is in sports after school or on weekends, that is more time spent with another adult other than their parents. Teachers have the power to help students navigate through their toughest times and help foster in them the necessary tools it takes to be civil contributors to society.
Teachers hold the very pulse of the next generation in our hands, and it's important for us to bring this sense of urgency to what we teach and how we teach it. Though many stray from teaching because the pay is low and the stress is high, which is understandable, the classroom must be filled with people who stand up and speak out against injustice and will fuel that same passion in children. Teachers of color especially. The best lesson a child can receive is to experience a wonderful teacher who looks like the people society teaches them to hate.
Teaching is by far the ultimate form of resistance.
I pray for the day when I no longer have to write notes to myself on my lesson plans about how to shelter in place if there is an active shooter in my school. I pray for the day that my gender isn't seen as a sexual object but an equal and viable part of this society. I pray for the day that I don't have to hear my Black male students share strategies on what to do to not to get killed if they are pulled over by the police.
I believe that the voices of children will be the very thing that makes the change we all seek happen. However, this can't happen without the teacher at the forefront. With the right teachers and school leaders in place, the "someday" that civil rights activists sang about in "We Shall Overcome" could very well happen today.
xoNecole is always looking for new voices and empowering stories to add to our platform. If you have an interesting story or personal essay that you'd love to share, we'd love to hear from you. Contact us at submissons@xonecole.com
Featured image by Marvin Meyer on Unsplash
- Ten Lies Distort The Gun Control Debate ›
- Right and Left React to the Gun Control Debate After the Florida ... ›
- Gun-Control Debate Could Break America | National Review ›
- Parkland shooting seen as turning point for gun control debate ›
- Writer: Gun control debate could break America - CNN Video ›
- The Gun-Control Debate After Parkland | The New Yorker ›
- The Gun Control Debate Isn't About Guns At All. It's About Human ... ›
Cynthia L. Dorsey is a dreamer, a daughter, a sister, a Godmother, and a friend. Her undying love for theatre and film has transformed Cynthia into a passionate Theatre teacher, director, and filmmaker. You can follow Cynthia's artistic journey @souflytheatre and catch up on her "resistant to MLA standards" style writing on her personal blog Confessions of a Purse Carrier.
Exclusive: Gabrielle Union On Radical Transparency, Being Diagnosed With Perimenopause And Embracing What’s Next
Whenever Gabrielle Union graces the movie screen, she immediately commands attention. From her unforgettable scenes in films like Bring It On and Two Can Play That Game to her most recent film, in which she stars and produces Netflix’s The Perfect Find, there’s no denying that she is that girl.
Off-screen, she uses that power for good by sharing her trials and tribulations with other women in hopes of helping those who may be going through the same things or preventing them from experiencing them altogether. Recently, the Flawless by Gabrielle Union founder partnered with Clearblue to speak at the launch of their Menopause Stage Indicator, where she also shared her experience with being perimenopausal.
In a xoNecoleexclusive, the iconic actress opens up about embracing this season of her life, new projects, and overall being a “bad motherfucker.” Gabrielle reveals that she was 37 years old when she was diagnosed with perimenopause and is still going through it at 51 years old. Mayo Clinic says perimenopause “refers to the time during which your body makes the natural transition to menopause, marking the end of the reproductive years.”
“I haven't crossed over the next phase just yet, but I think part of it is when you hear any form of menopause, you automatically think of your mother or grandmother. It feels like an old-person thing, but for me, I was 37 and like not understanding what that really meant for me. And I don't think we focus so much on the word menopause without understanding that perimenopause is just the time before menopause,” she tells us.
Gabrielle Union
Photo by Brian Thomas
"But you can experience a lot of the same things during that period that people talk about, that they experienced during menopause. So you could get a hot flash, you could get the weight gain, the hair loss, depression, anxiety, like all of it, mental health challenges, all of that can come, you know, at any stage of the menopausal journey and like for me, I've been in perimenopause like 13, 14 years. When you know, most doctors are like, ‘Oh, but it's usually about ten years, and I'm like, ‘Uhh, I’m still going (laughs).’”
Conversations about perimenopause, fibroids, and all the things that are associated with women’s bodies have often been considered taboo and thus not discussed publicly. However, times are changing, and thanks to the Gabrielle’s and the Tia Mowry’s, more women are having an authentic discourse about women’s health. These open discussions lead to the creation of more safe spaces and support for one another.
“I want to be in community with folks. I don't ever want to feel like I'm on an island about anything. So, if I can help create community where we are lacking, I want to be a part of that,” she says. “So, it's like there's no harm in talking about it. You know what I mean? Like, I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change. I'm just getting better and stronger and more intelligent, more wise, more patient, more compassionate, more empathetic. All of that is very, very welcomed, and none of it should be scary.”
The Being Mary Jane star hasn’t been shy about her stance on therapy. If you don’t know, here’s a hint: she’s all for it, and she encourages others to try it as well. She likens therapy to dating by suggesting that you keep looking for the right therapist to match your needs. Two other essential keys to her growth are radical transparency and radical acceptance (though she admits she is still working on the latter).
"I was a bad motherfucker before perimenopause. I’m a bad motherfucker now, and I'll be a bad motherfucker after menopause. Know what I’m saying? None of that has to change. How I’m a bad motherfucker, I welcome that part of the change."
Gabrielle Union and Kaavia Union-Wade
Photo by Monica Schipper/Getty Images
“I hope that a.) you recognize that you're not alone. Seek out help and know that it's okay to be honest about what the hell is happening in your life. That's the only way that you know you can get help, and that's also the only other way that people know that you are in need if there's something going on,” she says, “because we have all these big, very wild, high expectations of people, but if they don't know what they're actually dealing with, they're always going to be failing, and you will always be disappointed. So how about just tell the truth, be transparent, and let people know where you are. So they can be of service, they can be compassionate.”
Gabrielle’s transparency is what makes her so relatable, and has so many people root for her. Whether through her TV and film projects, her memoirs, or her social media, the actress has a knack for making you feel like she’s your homegirl. Scrolling through her Instagram, you see the special moments with her family, exciting new business ventures, and jaw-dropping fashion moments. Throughout her life and career, we’ve seen her evolve in a multitude of ways. From producing films to starting a haircare line to marriage and motherhood, her journey is a story of courage and triumph. And right now, in this season, she’s asking, “What’s next?”
“This is a season of discovery and change. In a billion ways,” says the NAACP Image Award winner. “The notion of like, ‘Oh, so and so changed. They got brand new.’ I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
"I want you to be brand new. I want me to be brand new. I want us to be always constantly growing, evolving. Having more clarity, moving with different purpose, like, and all of that is for me very, very welcomed."
She continues, “So I'm just trying to figure out what's next. You know what I mean? I'm jumping into what's next. I'm excited going into what's next and new. I'm just sort of embracing all of what life has to offer.”
Look out for Gabrielle in the upcoming indie film Riff Raff, which is a crime comedy starring her and Jennifer Coolidge, and she will also produce The Idea of You, which stars Anne Hathaway.
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Feature image by Mike Lawrie/Getty Images
Jordyn Woods Shares The Key To Her Long-Lasting Relationship With Karl-Anthony Towns
Jordyn Woods is pulling back the layers to her relationship with NBA player Karl-Anthony Towns.
The 26-year-old model and socialite shared with PEOPLE at the Femme It Forward's 2nd Annual Give Her FlowHERS Gala that she believes the key to a lasting relationship is establishing a strong connection before entering into a romantic relationship.
During the event, the socialite spoke to the outlet about the importance of “friendship and trust” in her three-year relationship that started in the midst of the pandemic.
“We were really good friends before we started dating, and COVID gave us that free time in our life to really get to know each other,” Jordyn said. “Because a lot of people don't really get to know each other and they go into this relationship.”
She continues, “So, we've been through a lot together. We've seen each other at all different ways, times, phases, so I think we have a very strong foundation.”
Jordyn also notes that “quality time” has been a means to bond and keep their relationship thriving. Despite the NBA star’s demanding schedule, she expressed her desire to attend as many of KAT's games as possible, including his upcoming birthday game with the Minnesota Timberwolves. “It's his birthday in a few days, so I'm going to go to that game,” she says.
Quality time isn’t the only love language that the couple speaks.“We love gift giving and... What is it? The love language? The love language is quality time. We love everything,” she says.
The couple was introduced by mutual friends many years ago, and in May 2020 decided to move forward from a close friendship to a romantic relationship. Jordyn and KAT went public with their relationship in September of that same year and have since become young Hollywood’s discreet “IT” couple.
“I'm excited. Every holiday, we like to really go large for each other,” she explained. “He does so much for me. I do what I can for him. I want to say it's a lot. So when it's time to show that appreciation, we like to go all out.”
Let’s make things inbox official! Sign up for the xoNecole newsletter for daily love, wellness, career, and exclusive content delivered straight to your inbox.
Featured image by Pascal Le Segretain/Getty Images