Teachers have been doing this work for a long time (even before I was born). Often times, our opponents are the very colleagues, administrators, school boards, superintendents, and parents (and sometimes even the kids themselves!) who we depend on for support. Not just for me personally, but for all the educators who’ve been integrating hip-hop culture into their various classroom spaces for decades in order to engage urban youth in meaningful and culturally relevant learning. It was the result of many years of hard work, struggle, mistakes, experimentation, and perseverance. Kendrick’s visit didn’t just happen overnight, randomly, as some media sources have suggested. I’d be lost without them.Īnother mentor often tells me to, “stay low and keep firing.” This means keep your guard up, stay vigilant, remain humble, and keep doing the work. I depend on educators with more experience.

One of my mentors advised me to, “spend some time with your wife, take a breather, and then start again like this never happened.” I don’t think I’ll ever be the same, nor will my career, our school district, or the students who experienced that day, but I’ll take her words of wisdom. I haven’t even really processed it all, let alone come back down to earth from all the excitement. Reflecting on Kendrick Lamar’s visit to our high school is challenging because there’s so much I want to say. It’s almost like we’re friends because a friend listens.” – Kendrick Lamar at High Tech High School “Something for me even bigger than mentoring is really listening…When I do that we have a little bit bigger connection than me being Kendrick Lamar and you being the student.

We gonna be alright kendrick lamar