By Ron Walker
COSEBOC has a deeply-rooted mission to affirm the social, emotional, cultural, and academic development of boys and young men of color. This mission is more important now than ever before. The pandemic, now going into its third year, has taken a massive and devastating toll on the living and learning circumstances of these students, their families, and their communities.
All of our students, not only COSEBOC boys and young men of color, have been exposed to unrelenting trauma, and dehumanizing conditions over the pandemic years. These cycles can be confronted and disrupted through alliances with organizations and individuals who are dedicated to the concept of healing-centered approaches. These will cause us to pivot towards leading and loving Black and Brown boys and young men.
Two of our champion allies are Shawn Ginwright and Shawn Dove. Both men center their life’s work around the goal of building Unbuntu, a philosophy of life from southern Africa that drives collaboration; and the Beloved Community, in which everyone is cared for, absent of poverty, hunger, and hate. Shawn and Shawn have powerful new books that speak their respective truths. Shawn Ginwright’s new book is titled The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves. Pedro Noguera, Dean of the School of Education at the University of Southern California writes, “[the book] calls upon us to take four pivots that enable us to engage in deep reflection about our actions and experiences so that we can lead happier, healthier, and more meaningful lives…an invaluable resource for those who seek to grow, evolve, and make a difference in the world.”
Shawn Dove is a pioneer in the field of campaigning for Black male achievement. In his new book entitled I Too Am America: On Loving and Leading Black Men and Boys, he presents a narrative of his life and transformation from Black boy to Black man with all of its challenges, twists, turns, and successes. Christina Lewis, philanthropist and founder of All Star Code says, “In I Too Am America, Shawn Dove illustrates the challenges of being a young Black man in America with grace and wisdom but more than that, he sets a path forward that is clear eyed, realistic, and also relentlessly hopeful”
I encourage the COSEBOC friends, allies and followers to put these two books by Shawn Ginwright, @shawnginwright and Shawn Dove, @dovesoars on your immediate purchase list. You will not be disappointed.