Social Inequality in Education Part II with Lakia S. Gipson

In this thought-provoking episode, join host Dr. Jaria C. Aljoe as they delve into the complex issue of social inequality within the educational system. Featured guest Lakia Shanee Gipson, a passionate advocate for educational equity, shares her insights and experiences on the systemic barriers that disproportionately affect marginalized communities.

Chapters

• 1:45 Introductions of Guest
• 12:46 What biblical principles should guide Christians in their approach to addressing educational disparities?
• 25:28 How can the church effectively partner with schools and communities to reduce educational inequality?
• 40:26 Tips for educators on creating a safe environment for students
• 52:41 Takeaways
• 56:27 Stay Connected
• 57:37 Prayer

Transcript

0:23

Hey everybody, it's Dr. Druria C. Aljo, author, leader, mentor, and change agent here with the latest episode of Dig Deep Conversations with Christian Leaders. You all know the drill, but if you're new here, first of all, thank you for tuning in. Thank you for watching or listening if you're listening on the podcast. Our topic for tonight is social inequality in education. So this is a part two. I did a part one last season. where I had folks come on who were talking specifically about inequality in higher education. I wanted to shift the conversation to the K through twelve part of the education system. And I had some great guests on. We had TK Johnson come on and talk about her experience as a teacher in the classroom. And I also wanted to bring on an administrator as well to talk with us about how we as Christian leaders can help make our classroom spaces and our schools and connect our churches to help make education more equitable for all of our students. So if you're new here, I'm Dr. Daria C. Aljo with Daria Shanae Ministries. Part of Daria Shanae Ministries is Dig Deep. We are a community of like-minded individuals who are just impassioned and intentional about deepening our relationship with God. So without further to do, I'm going to bring on my guest for this evening, Lakia. Come on, say hi. Hey, everybody. How's it going? How are you? I am great. I'm excited to be here on this platform. Thank you so much for the invitation. Absolutely, absolutely. I'm just so happy that you could say yes, that we were able to work our schedules out and everything. I know I'm getting ready to start the school year. I'm just going to, you know, recording the podcast. The semester starts on Monday, so things are getting hectic. I'm sure things are hectic for you. Absolutely. So thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to come on and just have this conversation. I really appreciate it. Oh, anytime. Thank you for the invite. I really appreciate it. I've been watching. And so I'm like, oh, I get to come on here and share. So I'm excited. Love that. Love that. So if you could just tell our guests and our listeners just a little bit about who you are and your journey to becoming an educator. And the work that you do for your church. So this was all God. I'm going to tell you why. I started my career in health care. I started off in nursing school and nurse aid. I was going to be a nurse. And I got to a point where I just couldn't do it anymore. I was not successful in my education and just didn't have it at the time. So I had to pivot and say, OK, what can you do within health care that you will still be able to touch lives? Right. And so I got into administration. I attended Little Forest University, got my bachelor's in health and human services. And there was this buzzing of health care administration and health care administration. OK, let's see what this is about. During that time, I continued to work. for different hospital systems, managing value-based care contracts for doctors and clinic manager and the whole nine. Then got my master's at Lake Erie College of Osteopathic Medicine. And I'm now continuing with my doctoral, in the doctoral program there, which pray for me. I said I don't where are we researching it's everything is research research research so so um during my my master's program there was a few pings of you know you should look into Teaching, adjunct teaching. And I'm like, I'm not really big on, you know, I just was not a, I didn't think I was a teacher. The Lord had called me to preach. And so I'm like, oh, yeah, I'm a preacher. And I felt that I had spent some time away from pulpit ministry for a while just to catch my bearings and see what else the Lord was saying to me. You know, a lot of time we run to that and he said, let me let me slow you down. Let me teach you through experience and let me teach you my work. And so during that time, my pastor and some of the leaders were saying, hey, we think we want you to teach Sunday school. So I'm like, oh, I can teach the kids. That's fine. And we're like, no, we want you to teach the adults. And so I said, Sunday school, that's a little weird, but, but I started teaching Sunday school. Then I was, I was offered a position to adjunct teach all within like the same month. And I'm like, okay, I'm this rhythm of education and teaching. And I started to fall in love with, with education and, and teaching. And so, um, And I say all the time, in order to be a great preacher, you have to know how to teach the word of God. You have to. So I was on this journey of teaching at the university and teaching Sunday school. And I was laid off from my position last December, right before the holiday, as a healthcare administrator. And so I'm thinking I'm getting back in hospitals. Let me find a project management job. Let me, you know, stay within that. And the Lord was like, no, I have something else for you. And someone that I sit on a board with said, Hey, I have a position for you, but it's at a, it's at a elementary school, a charter school K through eight right now. And then eventually each year to twelve. And I'm like, Okay, maybe it's a project manager role. It's something within that system. And they were like, no, we want you as a, it was like a regional auxiliary manager role. I said, okay, I interviewed for that. I felt I did well, presented well. They were like, oh, you're going to be the great candidate. Then I got a call and they said, well, we want you to look at something else. So I'm like, I just need a job right now. So fine. They said, we want you to look at an assistant principal of operations. Assistant principal. They were like, you'll do great. You do great. And so I got enrolled and I think I took a moment to myself maybe maybe a couple of weeks ago. And I said, how did I end up in education like this? How did I end up in K through twelve? How did I end up as a professor? And now I'm in my my my doctoral program. And so. How did I get here? I'm not sure, but it was God. And so my love for education, my love for teaching, the word of God, that's where it started to now teaching in higher ed and leading teachers and operations in elementary school. I'm loving it. I'm enjoying this ride. And so, yeah, I don't know how I got here, but I'm here. I, so I have somewhat of a similar story because I tell people all the time, I don't know how I, like I'm a whole professor, like that was not on my list of wants, want to do. I did not want to be in education. I wanted to be in business. I have my bachelor's in business and marketing and PR. Like that's what I wanted to do. Event management, that type of thing. And similarly, you know, my aunt would always call me, but I was, you know, you're so good at teaching, you should teach. And I'm like, nah, I'm off. Even like my levels of degrees that I have, like, I just was like, I'm getting my bachelor's is what I'm supposed to do. And then like, that's it, like I'm done. But I tell people when I gave that a yes, I don't think I was saying yes to, but I meant that yes. And I guess that came with getting the additional degrees, working in education and doing what I'm doing. So very similar. I'm like, if you asked me, if you had asked me many years ago or years ago, you'll be working in education. I laughed at you. No, not me. But here I am. So there you go. There you go. Yeah. And it's, it has been a journey because, you know, just a little, a little, a little tidbit about me. Um, I was adopted at six months old and, um, where I come from statistically, I should not be here, you know? And, um, the way that God has written my story out and continues to write it, it, it, it blows my mind because I'm actually living out the manifestation of the goodness of God. Like, you know, you know, seeing and believing, you know, his goodness in the land of the living. Like I, that is an everyday thing for me because I'm like, there's no way possible. I wasn't the best in elementary or high school. Like I was not the straight A student. I never wanted to be a teacher, never had that desire or anything. And God just has opened up doors for me to, and even outside of education, In my career, I sit on a board. It's called UMADAP. It's urban. And I had to write it down because we just say UMADAP, but Urban Minority Alcoholism and Drug Abuse Outreach Program. That opportunity came for me, which led to the opportunity to be a principal. I also sit on the advisory board for a vocational school here in the area. And I'm just like, When I start to doubt and fret and be like, I'm just, you know, life is a life thing. I just start to look over the blessings and the things that God has done for me. And I'm like, there's nothing that I could have done to be correct. Correct. Correct. Yep. yeah it's you know I tell people I told my students I was not like you said I was not a straight-a student education and academics came very hard not very but it came hard for me um it's you know this this is nothing I know this is nothing for god um and so I think about with this conversation tonight about social inequality and education I think about children, parents and families like yourself, myself, where education is something that is a challenge or an obstacle. We know that education a lot of times helps people get from one socioeconomic status to another. generational wealth and that sort of thing. So I want to get into our questions for tonight, with the first question being, what biblical principles should guide Christians in their approach to addressing educational disparities? I think that is such an amazing question because when I think of education and I think of disparities, I think of the lack of access. I tell my students all the time, education doesn't prove that you're smarter than the next person. But when you are educated, you do have more access to sit at tables, to have conversations, to walk in the room, to even have some type of knowledge behind or become a subject matter expert You know, just because you're whether it's formal education or just you're just educated in this area. So I think of access. Right. And biblical principles of how Jesus came and he died so that we have access. It comes it's it works together, you know, and I understand, you know, we have to study our word. you know, all throughout the Bible, you had Bibles, biblical scholars, you had Paul and, and even Jesus himself who studied the word, studied himself, you know, however you want to look at it, studied, studied the word and all of these, you know, the disciples, the apostles studying Daniel, the biblical scholars. So education has always been a theme in the Bible. You have to study the word of God to preach and to live right. You have to study it. But coming from a disparities or inequality, Jesus came not just for the Jews, but the Gentiles. So that's where you see for us in education that access is not just for one group of people. And unfortunately, we will see different neighborhoods, demographically different areas will have better or have access to education transportation too and that's a gap that I've been looking at with where my school is positioned it is a charter public school and some of the issues that I'm seeing is it's not that we're not teaching what they need to know it has nothing to do with that it is simply people not having access to get to the education You know, you see in the Bible, there were people who pushed their way to Jesus, you know, had to climb into a tree to see Jesus, you know. So access is a big barrier that we see in education. And so helping to provide access. Like I said, transportation nowadays, you don't have a lot of, you know, we don't paper, write anything, no pen and paper. Everything is electronic. So what about families who may not have electronics, may not have wifi, may not have electricity to have the wifi, may not have the means to get these things. So, you know, charity is, It's something that as an educator, some of these young people have stories to tell. And as an educator, as a administrator, making sure that I'm using that same biblical principle of getting folks to Jesus, preaching Jesus, access to Jesus, same type of principle with access to education. Getting you to a place where, you know, although this is elementary or in higher ed, this is just the beginning of you positioning yourself to be a better person. My economical status shifted once I was able to matriculate through school. I was able to come in and say, hey, you got to offer me this amount of salary, you know, because I have this backing me up. Right. So access. That's the word. That's the word that that brings to me is access. And I try and explain to, so I teach, I teach part-time and I teach a number of different courses. One of my favorites is first year seminar. And it's coming in fall semester. And I try and explain to them within like the first three weeks, this is why you are here. You know, you have decided to come to college and it's not for everyone. And I will be the first person to tell people that college is not for everyone. However, agreed or as you said, a degree will give you access to rooms that you might not otherwise have access to. Now, we know there are certainly outliers. There are examples of people who do not have degrees who have access to different things. However, generally speaking, you know, having an education, a higher level of education gives you access. And I try and explain to my students exactly that, where I can go on a job and a person that has a lower degree than I do, I can demand a higher salary simply because of the level of my degree. And you can't do that everywhere. And trying to help them to understand It's okay if you don't want to go on after the four years when you're done. That's fine. But here are the benefits of doing so. The benefits of you are able to do so. You have access to do so. And because of that access, they call it the key to success. You know, you have a key that you're not bored. And you're key, depending on what you're planning to do, can only unlock but some new doors. And sometimes you have to go and get new keys. You have to get additional keys to open up additional doors. So I love that you've compared the access to education with, you know, the access that Jesus has given us when we have to live with that. with that particular question. So that was, I have to write that down. I'm going to take a second. No, you were just preaching. You said you got the keys. I said, oh, you had access to Christ. Now you have the keys. You have the Holy Ghost. You have the keys to the kingdom. You have the keys to fight. You have the keys. That, it's parallel. That thing, the question that, that question could unpack a two hour conversation comparing access to Christ and access to education and how it is parallel. So there you go. Listen, I love that. We might have to do a part two of the part two and just focus on the access to Jesus and education. Like, write that down. Yeah, you can even go because the school that I'm assistant principal at is we cater and foster. The goal is everyone has access to college. So our goal is to get our students to college. So we have this thing after your twelfth grade, you know, during graduation. It's a not typically for sports. You have like a signing day. Well, for our our graduating twelfth graders, it's a signing day for college. And we focus on black and brown students. Our school is based out of Texas. And some of the stories I've heard of how students had to cross the border just to go to school and then go back across the border home after school so that they can create a path for access for their families to get their green card or become legal American citizens. And so, you know, access for, Black and brown. Right. Like we have not had access to things. And those of us who have matriculated through, you know, certain groups can say, hey, my mom's best friend is a millionaire. I can do what I want to do. Right. Some of our stories may be a little different to where it's if I don't get this. then I'm not able to, again, have access to X, Y, and Z, not just for me, but for my family. Right, right, right. I'm going to go back because we have more questions. Oh, this, I mean, this is so good because, you know, For people that want to have families, you think about leaving a legacy and you think about wanting better for your children. You want to put them in a better position than you were in. And so I think my parents and where they were and how they raised us. And it was always, you're going to college, you're going to college, which worked out nicely for me. Right. But then I think about myself and when I start having children, you know, how I'm in a better position to take care of my children far better than my parents were. My parents, you know, they did the best that they could with what they had. Texas with the keys that they had. However, because of their sacrifices, I'm able to take kind of another step, another leap forward. And the same for my children. and they'll be able to take yet another leap forward. And so, you know, hearing you talk about doing this, not just for yourself, but also for your legacy, also for the people that should be behind, you know, it's so powerful because you have to remember that it's the same thing about living for Christ. I'm not living for Christ just for myself. I'm living for Christ so that other people can see Christ within me. So that if you and I only have one interaction, ever in life and I'll teach you the kindness and love of jesus christ I want you to be able to remember that and be able to like why was the person so happy and full of hope and full of joy in the midst of everything going on and I'm able to witness and share listen I have this because I have jesus let me tell you a little bit about it and so I feel like you know keeping that in mind that we're not saved just to give that to ourselves. That's good. Legacy to me is everything. I don't have children myself and I feel that considering and this is just me being transparent a little bit about me, considering where I come from, right? Being adopted The Lord allowed me to be adopted by total strangers. Christian family saved. They put so much in me. They invested in my education from kindergarten, you know, went to a Christian private school and went to the best high school. They really invested a lot in me. And to me, I feel like God has commissioned me to break the curse, not just in church, but with education. And so I feel charged to do this. So I cannot not do this. I have to do it because it goes beyond me. It's bigger than me. So the days that I want to give up, I say, this is bigger than you. This is bigger than you. He's using you, but it's bigger than you. That's good. We might have to piece that out as one of the promo clips. He's using you, but it's bigger than you. Oh, I love that. So good. Let's go to one of our next questions then. So how can the church actively partner with schools and communities to reduce educational inequality? I think the church has always been, especially the Black church, has always been instrumental in lives. I always say that church is just a big community. It really is. I remember growing up, my family, we all went to the same church. But I was around church, my church family, sometimes more than my own family. And that was then when you went to church every day, you had prayer meetings, you had Bible study, you had prayers. So depending on how active your parents were, you had to clean up, you had to do this, you had to do that. And so that was community. You went to school with people you went to church with, depending on where you live. You went to after school things at church and vacation Bible school and Sunday school. And so the church has always played this major role in the black community. You know, that saying it takes a village to raise a child. It's really, really true. And I think that now more than ever, the church really needs to get involved. The church needs to step in. We're seeing a lot of things passed around in the laws. When we were in school, things, certain things you just didn't say, you didn't do, you know, there was still some type of level of respect. Now there are laws and rules in place that you can't even correct these kids about because it's, You just can't. It's backed up with law, you know. And so I think the church's role as being a sponsor, a partner, mentoring, their presence is essential in the in the schools, especially the K through twelve. I think higher ed for sure. But K through twelve, they need to see positive role models. They need to see that someone cares and someone supports. We have this program that we offer breakfast, we offer lunch, but now we have a supper program that we're launching in October because we're finding out that there are kids that go home and don't have anything to eat. And the next time they eat is on the next morning for breakfast. You know, and then say there's a holiday or it's the weekend. Those kids aren't eating until Monday, you know? And so it's unfortunate. And because charter schools or certain schools are funded and they only have so many resources, the church can step up and say, hey, we're going to have spaghetti on Friday, or we're going to make sure that, you know, we're going to sponsor a child or we're going to sponsor lunch or we're going to, you know, donate X, Y, and Z. And so I think that that same mindset we have within the church, that we are community and we are family, we need to go into these institutions like the schools and really help support, you know, our students. And they'll never forget it. They'll say, I remember when I was in fifth grade, Miss Johnson. You know, like I said, I went to a private Christian school and my teachers were preachers and elders in the church. Now, we went to a different church, but the school had a church, too. And those are some of my most memorable moments. moments or people I still am in contact with my teachers um and some of the administrative staff because they were the church and there were times where I needed prayer as a kid instead of saying oh you just bad they said no there's something else going on and so being that that um being that power, that superpower, I say, you know, you have the Holy Ghost, being that superpower that can go into these systems like the education system and pray and support and contribute and sponsor. Those are ways that the church can go out the four walls because you're planting seeds in kids. There's enough bad seeds being planted And these young people through social media, through movies, through, you know, their life and what's being taught. Having the church come in and you don't have to Bible thump. It's just a little seed. Some of my young people that I know that have little issues throughout the day or things they have at home. I hug them and I say, God is with you. I don't know if they believe in God. I don't know. But I tell them, I say, God, I hug them. I say, God is with you. Some of those little babies, one of kindergarteners, they come running to me, hugging me. The eighth graders come running to me. I'm like, OK, you can have a good day. God is with you. And so those are seeds. And I think that faith believers, faith based organizations, churches need to be able to plant those seeds, need to be visible in those spaces. I think there's, you know, being visible in the spaces. And as you said, for students or young people to even see themselves, I'm a big proponent, especially of my staff and administration on the campus, reflecting the student populations that we serve. I want my students to look at their administrative staff, to look at the Board of Trustees and instructors and other staff members, and to see themselves, regardless their background and where they come from. And so I think about an elementary school, how, you know, I didn't have a teacher, a black parental high school. Wow. Growing up with other people that have never had a black teacher or a Latino. And so in thinking about the power behind In schools, I might be constrained to certain roles and requirements, and I might not be able to talk about certain things that tie to religion or spirituality. However, like I said, I can just sit and chat with you. You know, Jesus loves you. That type of thing. These seeds that we're planting, you never know a child. That could be like a core memory for them. where they could grow up to fifteen years from now just I remember that one time you know miss johnson said that god is with me and stuff with me and I didn't realize what it meant as a community a christian community as churches as well to just like you said be visible and you know we don't have to always go in wanting to sort of force anyone into anything. It is really, truly about how we walk. Like, are we walking how we're supposed to walk, right? Like letting our behavior, letting our character speak for itself. So I do think I agree with you that it's important that churches be visible. They be visible in both the city and the school setting. We're both the parents, too, and families. There's a lot of skills you're receiving at home, like you talked about, you know, with children being able to eat meals at school, but not necessarily at home. In the previous episode, my guest was talking about, you know, a lot of the things we're learning in the classroom and the behaviors that we're learning in the classroom are then reinforced at home. Absolutely. There's so much challenge in what we're doing in the high school right out the window when they go home. It's completely different. And so when they go home right here, you're a badger and you're like, to be able to hold on to, you know, Jesus loves me. Being able to hold on to that. Yeah, that right there, I mean, I was surprised because of some of the traumas that these kids go through at home, and then you wonder why they struggle so much in the classroom. I had a situation where a student was falling asleep in class, and it's like, why? What's going on? And, you know, the typical adult would say, you need to wake up. You need to wake up. But realizing that there's so much trauma going on at home that the child can't sleep at night. Yeah. Because it's so much chaos and loud noises and fighting and all of this going on at home. That affects instruction. Absolutely. And so I said, come in my office. I'm on the couch taking that. Yeah, yeah. You know, it became a safe space. So now there's trust that's built. And now I can plant all types of seeds. You know, I can plant all types of seeds now. And so showing that compassion. And for me, it's the opposite, right? I grew up with a whole administration, teachers, everybody was Black. Everybody was Black. And Once I got to high school, I struggled. It was like a culture shock for me because your teachers were like your aunts and your uncles. I had one teacher name, and I still am in relationship with him because I had to go to his office the other day. I said, I don't know how you're doing it. His name is Jaron Gray. And he was my fourth, fifth, sixth grade teacher. And I gave him the blues, OK? But he got me through math and all of this. And so we're still in relationship. And I called him the other day and I said, this principal stuff is wearing me out. And he's a principal at a pretty popular school here in Cincinnati. And I just went in there and I talked to him. And it was so strange because I'm like, you're still teaching me. All these years, you... Again, I trust him from fourth grade. Now, how long I've been, it's been a long time since I've been in fourth grade, but I trust him from the scenes he's sown in fourth, fifth, and sixth grade to now as an adult when I have a problem. And we went years without talking, right? Like we kind of went to the same church, but we went years without talking, but I knew where to go. I knew who to call. It was my fourth and fifth grade teacher from years ago who's a principal that is now helping me be a better assistant principal. Yeah, yeah. It's those seeds. And so, you know, like you said, having that presence and being familiar and having faces that look like you You know, our principal, he is, he's Hispanic. And so we have students who can't really speak English at all. Yeah. And they'll come in crying, but because he can, you know, it's a familiar, they start speaking in Spanish with each other. And so, you know, the students that he can hug and hold and they'll never forget that. They will never forget that. Absolutely. Yeah. absolutely I you know you think of like I shared with um I was having words at the our school of education with doctoral um doctoral graduates and so one of the things I shared with them is their impact as educators um and how their words have power um and to be mindful what they say to students and also how the environment, you know, as much as you can, making sure that it is a positive environment. And I shared with them how in fifth grade, you know, we started doing math and you started seeing the instructor, the teacher pulling out different children, different groups of children who were kind of getting in and we can move on a little faster and those who were not getting in. And I'll never forget, I was in a group by myself. We were doing adding decimals or something or whatever. It was a very vivid moment for me sitting in the chair and the teacher frustrated me because I wasn't understanding to the point where he started yelling and me feel incredibly small, incredibly, you know, stupid. And from that point on, I've always held in my heart this fear of doing math and decimals and oh my God, I don't want to do this. And so I said to the educators, you know, just be mindful of how you speak to students. I get it. You can become frustrated. We're human. However, Like you said, creating a safe space for your students that are falling asleep in the classroom. It's not always get up. You need to go to sleep at home. Sometimes they can't. They can't. It's not. And it's nothing that they can do. They're in situations where they cannot communicate. sleep at home for whatever reason. We used to have young children come to our church and they were falling asleep at church all the time. And we're like, why are y'all so tired? And we were going to church with us and they were explaining to us they're so sleepy because their defense mechanisms are down. they feel safe safe they can sleep and so I started to think about creating a safe space in your office um do you have any tips or any advice for christian educators to continue setting up like a safe space for all of their students whether it's a classroom or administration helping teachers to do that um I'm new to it. So, and, and because the type of role that I have operations, um, I'm a very straightforward person, a little, maybe more on the militant side, because coming from healthcare, it was like a life or death type of a situation, but with children, It is a life and death type of situation. And so I make sure that my custodians realize that you leave a bucket of water out. That's a life and death situation. Although you say, oh, I'm just turning my back. That's a life and death situation. My receptionist, who you're letting in the building. Oh, I'm UPS. Let me see your badge. It can be someone that's coming in. That's a predator. It could be someone that we know that's a predator. You know, my student information system specialist coordinator, you know, well, mom and dad are separated and now they're going through a custody battle and dad picks up student and takes student away. And now we have a student who, you know, we have to call the police. Yet you as SIS did not change the address. That's a life that the seriousness behind it. And so for me, I've had to learn to know when to take that hat off. And I know with the adults, I'm very straightforward. But with the kids, I had to learn that, OK. Right now, you're not in operations. Right now, you're with these gentle students. So being kind, changing your body language. Sometimes, because I'm a very hands-on type of a person, sometimes I'll lay my hand on their little chest when they're crying. What's going on? What's happening? you know, sometimes they'll just break down. They just want to be heard. They want to be, kids, you know, depending on their situations, because there are certain kids that, you know, you cannot use physical touch because of what they've been through or what's going on. You know, those are triggers. And I had to learn that the hard way. But as Christian leaders, keyword Christian leaders, you know, compassion, empathy, love, joy, peace, all of these different things, you know, characteristics of having the fruits of the spirit, you know, utilizing the fruit to help you in these situations. Because I'm telling you, some of these kids, they're not, they would never come in contact with Christ unless it's coming through you. Some of these kids, growing up, for me growing up, I thought everybody went to church, especially if you were Black. I thought every Black person went to church. When I found out, like, what you mean you've never been to church? And that's still far and few with our age. These kids have never, ever been to church. You know, I had a praying grandma. You know, our grandmothers were older. They were real grandmas. These grandmas are like thirty five, thirty seven. You know, it's like the maturity level and the wisdom that we were given by our seniors in our lives. These kids aren't getting that. And so we are that next. or the closest peace to Christ, the closest peace to peace of mind, the closest thing to joy, the closest thing to happiness, the closest thing to Jesus that they may ever see. So I always keep that in mind, like my opportunities to show love and to hug, my babies I call them I'm like come here you know they hug me and not only does it heal something in them it heals something in me you know it reminds me why I'm here why God called me to this I don't know but if it's for this child I'll take it I'll take it absolutely it's you know uh yeah um this generation, the generation after us, and even the generation after, statistically speaking, every generation from our parents on down, fewer and fewer of us go to church. And this is just . And so you're absolutely right. Some children, the only church that they know might be from TV or a movie is at all. if at all if at all and it's again it's so important as a christian leader and a christian educator to be mindful that you might be the only sort of example of this child ever received or ever encounters um and the power and responsibility behind that um is is so incredibly powerful and thinking about creating safe spaces for students, whether physically, emotionally, spiritually even, to just be able to tell a child, listen. I hear you, I want to hear you, I know you, you know, maybe don't feel heard at home, but your voice matters, you know, in helping to really feel welcome, not only in the classroom, but also in the school space as well. And so, because a lot of times that classroom or even the school is their safe space. It just, it was my heart, but I do have hope because of educators, administrators, such as myself, who understand this assignment and this mandate, if you will, that is on our lives to be the light in the classroom and the light that was able to shine and simplify the level of learning. So that way, it's up ten, fifteen years from now. And if they get into trouble, but they say, you know, the only thing I remember about Jesus is, you know, I had this assistant principal back in the day, and I need to lean on God, and I'm going to go to church. Like, that to me is assignment completed, right? Yeah. It's so empowering and so comfortable. And our young people, they need to be affirmed the right way. Yeah. They need, they really... There was a student that I had to bring in an office and shut the door. And I said, you are loved. You're wanted. You're needed. You are important. You know, like being affirmed means so much and it builds character. Right. It changes behaviors. You know, that's not who you are. You're not a bully. No, you're just going through something and you want to let it out. So come talk to me. And me and the school counselor, we have a really good relationship because her office is next to mine. And then we have a dean of culture, which ironically, he was and is a gospel rapper. So Christ is like all in and out of the school that I'm working out of and some of the teachers are preachers and, and, and evangelists. And it's just so like, it's God ordained. And so for me, I think that Christian leaders in the church in our secular jobs, especially in education, like we need to be in the spaces. No, we can't go in there and host the revivals. We can't go and lay hands and let you fall out. What we can do is we can affirm our children. We can hug them. We can have safe and appropriate touches on the hand or on the shoulder. And in that moment, you can pray. You know, not that in the name of Jesus, but you can pray in the Holy, in the Holy ghost within. Yes. I need you to touch this child. Yeah. Touch their heart. touch them where it hurts, touch their traumas, things that I may not even be pretty of. But that obsession right there, that can change their entire life. The Holy Ghost goes further than we can. Prayer goes further than we can see, touch, feel, even understand. And so the power of prayer and leaders, church leaders utilizing that in education and in these spaces, I mean, can change the trajectory of these young people's lives. And that's what this is all about. You know, as someone, like we said earlier, we were not thinking about education, was not thinking about becoming an educator, no way, shape or form. And yet when you think about, you know, when you give your life to Christ and you begin saying yes to the assignment and purpose that Christ has for you, there's no telling where it will lead you. And, you know, for those of us that are educators, if it leads us to being able to impact, positively impact others, um the younger generation you know then come on for it um you know if the only reason why you ever think about stepping foot inside of a church is because you remember that your professor talked about she went to church and you know she did this with the church and that with the church and she was different than other church people that you might have known and that's what got you into wanting to go to church then again a complete so be it um Yeah, I just think it's incredibly powerful, the amount of responsibility that we have. And to be able to intercede for students that I know are going through something pray heavens down in my own home devotional time but when I'm with them I might say you know what's going on please touch them leave them and guide them protect them you know thinking about um school shootings and that sort of thing protect our students god protect our administrators and teachers and again like you said we don't have to be you know We can pray those things apart as well. As we get ready to wrap up, what are the two things that you would want for this nurse to take away from this conversation? Just be that light. Be that light. And so, you know, cliche is be light in darkness. The darkness that some of these young people are living through, we would never understand. You know, we would never understand the darkness that they have to endure so young. So being that one light, that one light, I mean, it was so funny to me real quick. It was so funny to me that one of the students, kindergarten, came to one of the revivals that me and my brother had every other month. with her mom. And she went home and she said, Ms. Gibson put oil on my head at church and went to school. Ms. Gibson gave me oil. She gave me oil. And something like that was that this young person saw me in both roles. Yeah, yeah. Who would have thought like that is making me emotional right now, thinking about it, that that the Lord will use you in both spaces, you know, use you in both spaces. And so I would hope that Christian leaders that would like to pursue, you know, careers in education get in there. Get in there. Even if you're a custodian, get in those spaces. You're going to have contact with these young people. Sow those seeds. You know, they... Our children, and again, I'm kind of like, I think I'm becoming an old person or something. Because, you know, it's like generations are, we're moving fast. Like time is just going fast. Yeah. You know, we're transitioning, you know. I can't say it, but that's where I went. Yeah. Yeah. Like, you know, we church is open. Time is moving fast and there's generations that are dying off. And then now we're coming up. You know, we're the young people. We're not the young people anymore. And so these generations are coming up fast. And it's like somebody has to sow seeds because somebody sowed. seeds in us and so we need to be that life um you know if you can get education get education um let's continue to push for higher education um whether it's that whether it's trade whatever it is but push for for forward movement you know higher thinking um with our young people So that they know that they have access to more and not only access to money, but in Christ, access to Jesus as well. And so, you know, being that light and being positive and know that even on our rough days, he's called us to do this. Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. Oh, that's so good. That's so good. This conversation has been so great. Please, please, please tell us how we can stay connected with you. And then if you would please. say a prayer for just educators, teachers, administrators, early students, you know, as we get ready to start a new school year or for those that have started school year. But we certainly want to make sure that we cover everyone that's involved with education with prayer. So let us know how you can say it. So easy. I don't have a website. I don't have any of that on Facebook, Instagram. You can look me up at Lakia Shanae Gibson. If you want to email me, my personal email is my middle name, Shanae Gibson with a P, five one three at gmail.com. I would love to stay connected. If you just want to talk, just want to, you know, get some more information on how you can really support your education systems, whether public, charter, higher ed, however, just reach out and I would love to stay connected with you all. So let's pray. Kind Father, in the name of Jesus, God, I thank you. I thank you for this conversation. I thank you, oh God, that you have called us to sow seeds. And I thank you, oh God, that these seeds will grow and give access to, again, better ways of living, higher ways of living, higher ways of thinking, oh God. God, I pray, oh God, for every child. I pray, oh God, that you will just keep them, help them. Oh God, I pray that you will just allow those of us who are Christian leaders in those spaces to show forth your light. Oh God, I pray, oh God, for every teacher, every administrator, every staff member that works in elementary, high school, higher ed, that they'll be able to do, oh God, that what you've called us to do, which is to shine and be light in darkness. I pray, oh God, for safety and protection. I pray, oh God, that you will allow us to be able to see things from your lens that that when there is a troubled child or there is a situation that we're not being what they see at home, that we are being better and that we're able to see those things that are really happening with these young people. We'll be able to speak those things, oh God, and then we'll be able to cast out all of that doubt and fear and anxiety that a lot of these young people are faced with at home and their communities, oh God. I thank you, oh God, for this platform. I thank you, oh God, that this is a safe space to share. I thank you, oh God, for the conversations that will be held in the future. And I pray that, oh God, that we will be able to learn from our experiences, from this podcast. And God, I thank you for this connection that you have given me with my sister. I pray that this will go further than just this podcast. And I thank you, oh God, and it's in Jesus' name, amen. Amen. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you for coming on. If you, again, are interested and want to stay connected to Missionary Ministries or all things dignity, you can visit me at jeridasealjo.org. There's also Jeridasealjo on all social media platforms. I would love to connect with you. If you are looking for practical applications on ways to deepen your relationship with God, I will see you back here in October for our next conversations with Christian leaders. We're going to take a little bit of homecoming. You have to tune in to see what that's all about. It's going to be really good. Thanks so much for tuning in, y'all. Have a great rest of your evening and I'll see you next time. Bye.