Black educational activism for community empowerment: International leadership perspectives

This article discusses themes emerging from studies of Black educational activism conducted in London, Toronto, and Detroit. An analysis of narrative data reveals that Black educational activists resist racism and other forms of oppression; act as border crossers and/or boundary spanners as they navigate complex community-based, institutional, and political terrains; serve as change agents from the grassroots to institutional level; and develop and enact distinct types of social capital to yield community versus individual uplift. The authors conclude that activists should be valued as leaders and strategically engaged in K-12 public school systems to combat racism and build effective school-community alliances.