Ms. Evangela Dixon

Longwood Elementary School

IDENTITY

Ms. Dixon is Made in Hayward! Alumni of Ruus, Fairview, and HHS! And she has been a substitute teacher as well as an Elementary teacher since 2008 working at Eldridge, Cherryland, Eden Gardens, and now serves Longwood Elementary. She identifies as Black or African-American and both her parents have roots in Arkansas and Texas. She was raised in the Bay Area where she notes, “I loved it! I was around so many different people and cultures. I had a variety of friends and lots of experiences. When I got older, things changed a bit. More recently, I noticed with some reactions to Donald Trump and the murder of George Floyd, that more people’s eyes were opened and more have come to see that perhaps we aren’t as inclusive as we thought we were here in the Bay and California in general.”

Ms. Dixon remembers her parents sharing stories with her and her two brothers about how they had to navigate social racial relations bringing her up in the Bay Area. For example, her dad shared times that he would be driving and have to turn into a driveway to reroute and would be greeted by someone exiting their house with a gun or going to work as a grown Black man being called “boy” by others. He was raised in Oakland California during the time when the Black Panther Party was making strides, implementing opportunities like a free breakfast program, health clinics, support with clothes, shoes, mindsets, legal, and educational aid, amongst so many more so-called ‘service to the people survival programs.’

Related Resources:

Black Panthers 50 Syllabus - Oakland Library

History of the Black Panther Party, People’s Kitchen Collective

Teaching with the Black Panthers' Ten Point Program, Zinn Education

Black Panther Party - Zinn Education Project

SKILLS

Due to her own experiences, she has been highly conscious in particular about how young girls and young Black girls specifically are experiencing school themselves. At Longwood, for example, she noticed many girls were making comments about a young man’s hair repeatedly who was half Black and half Filipino. They focused so much attention on his hair that he eventually cut it off. This whole scenario prompted Ms. Dixon to consider how else she might support the students. She reflected, “I wore my hair natural and kids were shocked. They made negative comments daily.” She thought, “Why is this so shocking to them? If they are saying this about me, I wonder what they are saying to each other?” When another related event resulted in a piece of a Black girl’s afro being cut off by another student on campus, Ms. Dixon was inspired even more to act. “This pushed me to figure out how to do something.”

Related Resources:

What You Say Matters, Teaching Channel

Microaggressions - Learn & Unlearn, Anti-racism Resource

The Crown Act, Dove

Teaching First-Graders About Microaggressions, Learning for Justice

INTELLECT

She commented, “Sometimes people don’t understand why you may be turned off from certain things. Small things can be life-changing,” in reference to hearing stories of racial injustice suffered by her loved ones and also bearing witness to some of these events like her brothers being harassed just for being Black.

Some experience being the only Black person in a space and often this can create harmful experiences. She recalls “I went to an athletic camp and had a roommate who was not Black. One day when I left the shower, she stared at me in judgment asking me ‘so, colored people don’t wash their hair?’ I was in some disbelief that this young lady would use the word ‘colored’ in reference to me and those who look like me at this point in this country’s history. I replied that yes, Black people wash their hair, we just don’t need to do so every day.” After this, Ms. Dixon says she became hyper-aware of how others might view her. At that time, she became less confident to show her natural hair often, especially when not around family. “It was not thought of as professional to wear hair naturally for Black people.” This is something she struggled with for a while in early adulthood attempting not to ‘offend’ others by the way she wore her hair. She notes that somewhere around 2016-17 is when she came into full acceptance of herself.

Related Resources:

4 Microaggressions Against Black Hair You Need to Stop, Insider

Microaggressions Against Natural Hair, YouTube

The Weaponizing of Black Girls Hair by Educators, Research Article

Microaggressions and Microinterventions in the Classroom, FSU

CRITICALITY

"It started as the Young Queens Self Esteem Workshop, and later I changed the title to the Black Girls Empowerment Workshop. It started with me having an idea of what was happening with students in my own class, and then I realized I should reach out to students beyond my classroom. I said, 'Let me find a beautician who can explain all of this clearly and give girls a chance to truly learn about natural hair.' I also wanted them to be able to take a field trip, have a study experience related to their academics, and to KNOW that they are each beautiful, that their hair is beautiful, and that they can take time together to build community and get to know each other better.” This is so important because “You’re in a school where your culture isn’t always affirmed. But you can still have that with me and with each other.” During the study trip, students focused on topics pertaining to self-esteem, culture, Africa, rituals, special occasions, and racial literacy. They have hands-on experiences learning to braid and care for natural hair.

Interestingly, upon their return from the field trip, her students were being called racist for participating in this opportunity. “I was so proud of them for how they were able to appropriately respond to this misunderstanding of the purpose and value of our study trip.” Another interesting follow-up was the fact that boys began to react and ask Ms. Dixon, ‘what about us?’ At that time, “I didn’t know if I could provide what they needed. But I figured I could at least try. So I reached out to bring someone else in to support me while I still instilled the basics. And they loved it!” It was the initiation of the Black Boys Empowerment Workshop featuring an entrepreneur, barber, and a 6’10 Chabot College basketball player as a motivational speaker. “I want them to pursue their passions, whatever their goals are, and to know they have a voice. We repeat the affirmations they wrote during the Workshop and check in on each other. And I noticed that they took advice to seek help more often and lean on the community of support they have on campus. I am looking forward to continuing to see how I can advance this work.”

Related Resources:

4 Myths About White Supremacy That Allow It To Continue, Forbes

Busting myths and changing perspectives on racism in schools, TeachSpace

Making Culturally Affirming Schools A Priority, Teach Plus

validate, affirm, build and bridge (vabb™), CCRTL

JOY

Ms. Dixon is a classroom teacher as college athletic coach. “I teach kinder currently and I start early introducing different cultures. They can handle it. They can do it. I send something to parents asking them about their cultures and what they celebrate so I can plan for this throughout the year. I check in with the parents before I host a celebration. I make sure that at least all the cultures in my classroom get affirmed, acknowledged, and shared. And that’s huge.”

Her infectious smile speaks to the joy she experiences being an educator. She says, “I get so much joy out of coaching young athletes in track and field. I love to see them blossom, gain confidence, and stick with it. In terms of classroom teaching, I enjoy how the innocence of young children enters the classroom. It is wonderful to see them curious to learn new things. And I enjoy collaborating with my colleagues like Ms. Louie.”

Related Resources:

Building a Joyful Classroom, HeyTeach

Three Ideas for Infusing Joy in the Classroom, AMLE

Rediscovering Joy in Teaching by Unlocking 7 Keys to Magical Learning, ISTE

Quotes about Joy Of Learning (54 quotes), Quote Master