Overview:
The new MSR series Let Them Rise launches a 10 part blueprint for Black boys education. Writer and youth advocate Richard D. Terrell will cover the current landscape, school to prison pipeline, representation, culturally responsive teaching, entrepreneurship, and family school partnerships. Each column offers practical steps for families, educators, faith leaders, and neighbors, centered on joy, protection, and high expectations. The series debuts alongside Terrell’s book Letters to My Young Brothers: There Is Hope releasing Oct. 11.
Black boys are brilliant. Black boys are creative. Black boys are leaders, thinkers, and dreamers, and they deserve an educational experience that recognizes their light.
Yet for far too long, society has failed to see them as such. Too often, Black boys are over-disciplined, under-challenged, and overlooked by systems that were never designed with them in mind.
“Once children learn how to learn, nothing is going to narrow their mind. The essence of teaching is to make learning contagious, to have one idea spark another.” — Marva Collins
That belief in possibility is what drives me to launch a new monthly column with the Minnesota Spokesman-Recorder: “Let Them Rise: A blueprint for educating Black boys.”
This 10-part series is rooted in love, urgency, and the conviction that change is not only possible, but necessary. Over the coming months, I will explore topics such as the current state of Black boys in education, the school-to-prison pipeline, the importance of community voices, representation in classrooms, culturally responsive teaching, and the need to protect the innocence and leadership potential of Black boys. We will also discuss entrepreneurship, the joy of teaching Black boys, and strategies for building stronger bridges between schools, families, and communities.
“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character, that is the goal of true education.” — Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.
Each column will offer honest reflection, real-life experiences, and insights from students, parents, educators, and other community voices. Together, we will seek practical solutions for all stakeholders, including families, teachers, faith leaders, and neighbors, who share responsibility for the success of our boys.
This series is more than commentary; it is a call to action. It’s about healing what is broken, designing classrooms that uplift instead of punish, and celebrating Black boy joy. It’s about ensuring that every Black boy in Minnesota, and beyond, has the opportunity to thrive.
Why does this matter? Because as an educator and youth advocate, I have seen both the barriers and the brilliance. I have witnessed the resilience of our young men and their eagerness to succeed when given a fair chance. Their genius deserves our protection and our investment.
The column launches alongside the release of my debut book, Letters to My Young Brothers: There Is Hope, available October 11. The book includes 14 letters filled with truth, encouragement, and practical wisdom for young men navigating life’s challenges.
This is my offering to the community: a blueprint for change. Let’s rise together.
— Richard D. Terrell
Richard D. Terrell is a native of Minneapolis, MN. He is the father of three; Zyree, Raymond and Vivian. Richard has a passion for community, education, and youth development. For the last 15 years, he has served at various schools working with and supporting students, families, and teachers. He currently serves as an Assistant Principal with Saint Paul Public Schools. For more information on Richard D. Terrell or to purchase his book, visit his website at https://mrrichardterrell.com.