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We interviewed Wayfinder Fellow and Parent Activist LaShawn Robinson, after her powerful moment during an education rally in Hartford, Connecticut.

Interviewer: What made you attend the rally?

Robinson: Prior [to this rally] I held a 1000 Women’s March and spoke about patriarchy. A man from the teacher’s union asked how I felt about kids heading back to school. He asked If I could speak up for teachers and students. I felt honored, outraged, confident and concerned by the fact that Connecticut would allow children to go back to school during the middle of COVID-19. I remember as a young parent, Hartford Public Schools asking me to come and get my children as of January 15th if they didn’t have a flu shot. So when I brought that memory back I was upset because right now in COVID season children can die! The thought of no cure right is like sending kids into a burning building. I used this platform to bring awareness from a parent’s perspective and to represent my community. Also, I felt different because I’m usually speaking on the opposite side of the teacher’s union; so it was very different for me to speak up for the teachers and not against them. For once, we truly agreed on something.

Interviewer: What do you hope to see happen as a result of the rally?

Robinson: I hope that the Superintendent of Hartford Public Schools, including the Governor of Connecticut, will look at the possibilities of having the money [per pupil distributions] follow the child; especially when the child is at home with parents who are unemployed. I feel that as a parent at this time in a pandemic that the money following the child will be a big help inside the household for the parent and the children because that money could help pay for education access like paying for pod classes for our children. Most people in the community can’t pay for pod classes or tutors. That can also help with buying an online curriculum that may suit your child’s learning style. So I pray that they were affected by my speech and [my words] will not fall on deaf ears.  I hope that they would revisit the safety concerns and listen to families, staff and students.

See more from the powerful education rally below:

By: Rise Up Team | August 2020

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