Monday, July 26, 2021

Robert Parris Moses' Algebra Project saved my life


It is with a heavy heart and steadfast spirit that I take this moment to honor one of my greatest heroes, Bob Moses. He was the kind of organizer who listened the most and spoke the least; and what he said was heard and heeded. He will be missed but never forgotten. He put his life on the line for the liberation and fair treatment of "We the people". His determination and commitment to the movement was awe-inspiring. We will keep on pushing in the spirit of Ella Davis, Bob Moses and the Student Non-violent Coordinating Committee through the We the People Alliance: Math Literacy for All and the countless realities Bob has shaped.

Bob was relatively unknown to me in 2009, when I was blessed to teach an Algebra Project cohort class under his mentorship and guidance for four years. I was twenty-six, four years into my teaching career, and losing my mind as I fought for attention in classrooms full of disinterested teens. I learned about community, culture and a history of injustice from and with my students as a result of that transformative professional learning experience. I witnessed both my and my students' skepticism dissolve over those years as our hope and joy of mathematics grew within our learning community.

That hope and joy still lives in me, and I thank you for it Bob. The legacy you leave is unmistakable and our work continues.

kop
Mr. Rushton
Math/Morals Teacher