Umoja

“I need to be able to share and give my students power and value, and for them to be empowered in their experiences.”Ms. Jewell Taylor, Program Coordinator and Counselor“I almost always had a Black educator in my space, and I didn't realize the privilege until later on in life.” This week, we are joined by Jewell Taylor, Umoja Program Counselor and Coordinator, to reflect on the power and responsibility of Black educators. Jewell reflects on her journey from Los Angeles to higher education, her experience being taught by Black educators from kindergarten through HBCUs, and how those early affirmations shaped her sense of identity and purpose. She unpacks the often-unspoken stigmas surrounding community colleges, sharing how her own assumptions shifted once she witnessed firsthand how these institutions can be life-changing, accessible pathways.“I aligned with the needs of our students. And again that was one of the A-HA moments for me of like, oh I'm needed in this space.” Jewell offers an honest assessment of the current state of Black education, naming generational shifts, pandemic impacts, and the growing need for wraparound support, mentorship, and motivation. Grounded in joy, self-care, and community, Jewell shares how she sustains herself as an educator and casts a vision for a future where Black students everywhere have access to mentors who see them, affirm them, and remind them that education is still a powerful tool for liberation.