A few weeks ago, I wrote about Ms. Lopez, Vidal and their inspiring story shared via Humans of New York. Since that time, they raised over 1 million dollars, gained national and international media coverage and were invited to the White House to meet with President Obama! As a mom and educator (I was a learning specialist for years before becoming involved with Mommybites), I have followed this story closely and continue to draw inspiration from Principal Lopez’s words and actions. I especially love that she calls all of her students “scholars” and that she wears purple every day to represent royalty.
“Our color is purple. Our scholars wear purple and so do our staff. Because purple is the color of royalty. I want my scholars to know that even if they live in a housing project, they are part of a royal lineage going back to great African kings and queens. They belong to a group of individuals who invented astronomy and math. And they belong to a group of individuals who have endured so much history and still overcome.”
One of my favorite pieces about Ms. Lopez (and there have literally been dozens of blogs, articles, interviews, etc.) was a 3-minute video clip posted by the U.S. Department of Education. In it she “reminds educators of the impact their words can have on the success of their students/scholars.”
Here’s to remembering that what you say to a child really does matter.
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