Working in education means spending much of your day showing up for other people. You show up for students who need support, families who have questions, and colleagues who are trying to work through a challenge. As a principal, I see that commitment every day.
But there is a question we also need to ask: Where do educators go to receive that same support?
I have worked in Capital Region schools for more than 16 years. I began as a teaching assistant and have served as a classroom teacher, dean, assistant principal, and now principal. Each role has taught me something different. One lesson has remained consistent: educators need people they can learn from, be honest with, and call when the work gets difficult.
For Black and brown educators, those connections can carry an additional meaning. You may work in a building where few colleagues share your background. You may find yourself explaining an experience before you can begin discussing how it affected you. You may be asked to address a concern about race or culture while also carrying the everyday responsibilities of teaching and leading.
Having a professional community can make room for those conversations. It can also make room to celebrate accomplishments, share expertise, and talk about what comes next.
That is part of the purpose behind the Black & Brown Educators of the Capital District conference, “Rooted. Resilient. Reimagining Education.” On October 24, educators will gather at KIPP Capital High School to learn from one another and consider what our schools and communities need from us.
The theme speaks to how I think about this work.
Rooted means recognizing the people and experiences that brought us here. For me, that includes the lessons I learned as a teaching assistant and the understanding that every adult in a school contributes to a child’s experience. Leadership can begin long before someone receives a title.
Resilient means acknowledging the challenges educators face while asking what support will help them continue. We cannot keep praising people for pushing through difficult circumstances without also working to improve those circumstances.
Reimagining education means being willing to examine our own practice. Are we listening to students and families? Are we giving educators useful feedback and opportunities to grow? Are we creating classrooms where children are challenged academically and know they belong?
Those questions require honest conversation. They also require educators to share what they know.
This conference brings together people whose experiences span classrooms, school leadership, research, and community work. My hope is that participants leave with a strategy they can use, a perspective they had not considered, and a connection they can continue beyond Saturday.
A teacher might leave with a different approach to supporting a struggling reader. A school leader might reconsider how staff members are invited into decisions. An educator who has felt isolated might meet someone who understands their experience and can offer guidance.
Those are the outcomes I care about. The value of the day will become clearer when we return to our schools and put what we learned into practice.
Supporting educators is a responsibility our broader community shares. Families, school leaders, and community partners all have a role in listening to educators and helping create the conditions for them to succeed.
When educators have opportunities to learn, connect, and lead, that investment can reach the children and families they serve. That is what we hope to build together.
George Borum is principal of Brighter Choice Charter School for Boys in Albany and has more than 16 years of experience in Capital Region schools. He is an organizer of the Black and Brown Educators of the Capital District conference and president of the Albany Alliance of Black School Educators.
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