Cultivating Empathy with Black Literature : Kamrea H
I began my journey to become a teacher barely a month and a half before the pandemic struck. At the time, I was working in an afterschool program with second graders, and I knew I was interested in teaching. However, even then, I realized my passion lay in the curriculum children engage with, especially in how Black students experience school curriculum. When everything shifted online, I continued my undergraduate studies at San Francisco State University (SFSU) and took on private tutoring for a fourth grader in his home. It was during this time that my interest in education grew deeper, particularly regarding equity and representation in the classroom.
In Fall 2022, I began my Multiple Subject Credential program, and by Spring 2023, I had started my Master’s in Curriculum and Instruction. SFSU’s education department emphasizes equity and social justice, which resonated deeply with me. Yet, as I navigated these programs, I couldn’t ignore the fact that I was the only Black person in my Master’s cohort and one of just two Black individuals in my credential program. This reality shaped much of my experience—both academically and personally.
I thoroughly enjoyed the coursework, particularly the articles and research papers focusing on Black and Brown children. These readings often aligned with my lived experiences, and I brought those perspectives into class discussions. However, there were moments when I hesitated to share, worrying I might be oversharing. It was frustrating to see classmates dismiss the importance of preparation, casually admitting they hadn’t done the reading or homework. With classes lasting three hours and heavy emphasis on discussion, I often felt my time was wasted when meaningful conversations couldn’t happen.
This frustration was compounded by the fact that I had already been navigating the education world with equity as a guiding principle. Considering that around 80% of teachers in America are White, I believed they should be the ones prioritizing the work of understanding data and finding equitable resources for their students. Yes, the workload was significant, but I genuinely enjoyed it. The stories in those readings felt personal, and the connections I made through the content were inspiring, even if the same couldn’t always be said for my professors, who were also mostly White.
One pivotal moment in my journey came from a conversation with a Black student who told me she didn’t like reading because none of the books in her classroom had characters that looked like her. At her literacy level, the books she read primarily featured animals, and there was a noticeable absence of Black characters. Her words stayed with me. I decided to look through all the books in her classroom and realized there were few, if any, that represented Black children. This experience inspired my master’s research project: exploring culturally authentic literature and creating lesson plans centered on books with Black characters.
I initially thought this would be an easy task. After all, my personal collection of children’s books was rich with Black stories. However, when I began reviewing my collection, I crossed off any books that were not authored by Black writers. To my surprise, my collection dwindled to just three usable books. Determined to find more, I spent a week scouring websites and blogs for Black authors and their works. Armed with a growing list, I visited three different libraries in my city, signing up for library cards at each one. I sifted through shelves of picture books, searching for those written by Black authors. Some libraries had better selections than others, but by the end of my search, I had collected 45 books.
Throughout this process, I often questioned whether I belonged in the program. My life experiences and perspectives felt so different from those of my classmates. But I am grateful I persevered. This journey allowed me to explore my love for reading and children’s literature in a way that was both personal and meaningful. It reminded me why representation matters and reaffirmed my commitment to creating equitable and inclusive educational experiences for all students.
Excerpt from my Field Study
Everyone Benefits from Stories about Black Culture & Community:
"Culturally authentic Black literature plays an essential role in supporting the learning of all students in a classroom. The narratives can provide a window into Black experiences, history, and culture, allowing students to broaden their worldview and have a nuanced way of viewing society. When reading books by Black children’s authors and illustrators, students can be inspired by stories that share their lived reality or are different from their own (Wanless, 2016). Reading books with different perspectives allows all children to look through books critically, confront their biases, and examine different societal structures, struggles, and joys. Not sticking to one perspective grants students epistemic justice. It creates a learning environment where diverse ways of knowing and understanding are valued and respected (Lo, 2016). Black children must see themselves in books that validate their identity (Bivins-Hudson, 2021; Hefflin & Ladd, 2001). Having these books in the classroom library is crucial because it validates their life experiences from different aspects of their life. Incorporating such literature in the classroom creates a safe and inviting learning environment where all students feel valued, seen, and heard."
