Every Park Connections, students at Park gather in algebra teacher Jessica Davis’s room for Black Men Teach (BMT). Jordan Lewandowski leads this class, emphasizing Black males’ origins and importance throughout society. The Park Connections class helps Black students become more aware of African American history and guides them to success in modern-day society.
According to mentor Jordan Lewandowski, Black Men Teach helps young Black students recognize their worth in many ways by emphasizing their purpose and importance, having discussions that focus on empowerment, teaching students how to understand their identity, contributing as much as possible, and educating students on how to be good family members and community leaders.
“BMT teaches Black men to be more aware by putting men on a pedestal to say, ‘there’s a need for you,’ but that you also have a purpose. So many things that we talk about, although they are attached to teaching.” Lewandowski said, “It’s about uplifting you as a Black man, to know who you are, what you bring to the table, how you can be a good son, how you can be a good brother, and how you can be a good leader in the community.”
Junior Najib Abdi Hassan said in the early stages of Black Men Teach, he only joined to gain insights into the history of Black people. However, he learned that because of the lack of successful Black men in the education system, the program aims to help young Black men become prosperous.
“At first I joined Black Men Teach because I (am) Black and wanted to learn about my history,” Hassan said. “But after taking this class for two weeks, I realized it taught me more about how I could become a successful man and that not a lot of Black men are successful school-wise in this generation.”
According to Lewandowski, the organization’s mission is to inspire more Black men to become educators. Envisioning a generation of young Black men who can recognize the significance of daily commitment and purpose, observing that many students lack a clear sense of purpose and a belief that by grounding themselves in meaningful work, whether teaching or in any area, Black Men Teach will be there to guide one’s way.
“My goal and vision for this is to see more Black men become teachers and educators. My goal is to get a generation of young Black men who see the importance of showing up each day and seeing a purpose every day.” Lewandowski said. “A lot of us are walking around without a purpose, and I feel like whether it be teaching, whatever field you go into, if you can ground yourself in purpose, Black Men Teach is going to be there for you to mentor you along the way.”
Sophomore Issa Sadik said Black Men Teach encourages African American students to have a motive to become successful and shows them that they have the potential to thrive in any region.
“Black Men Teach taught me that we Black men have a purpose and that we didn’t just work in the cotton fields but it was segregation. Martin Luther King Jr., for example, helped with the civil rights movement. He was an example of a worthy man, as was Muhammad Ali. And so there are successful Black men out there in any category and us Black men can also succeed in any area,” Sadik said.
According to Hassan, having an adviser is crucial for guidance in learning about African American history, given that there aren’t many propitious Black men academically. He said Lewandowski fills the position of adviser.
“I will say it’s really important to have a mentor so they can guide you and show you what’s going on. Jordan plays a good role in helping us see a lot of our Black history and that there aren’t many successful Black men in the education system compared to (white people),” Hassan said.
Sadik said there is a lack of Black teachers because of discrimination, and it’s important to keep students stimulated through strong Black mentorship.
“There are some problems. One big problem is discrimination. There are not that many Black teachers. I believe that it’s better to have mentors of their race to motivate them even more to succeed, and I think Jordan is a good example of that,” Sadik said.
