Continuance of “Let them rise: A blueprint for educating Black boys”

I’m excited to announce the continuation of “Let Them Rise: A Blueprint for Educating Black Boys,” a 10-part series focused on one of the most important conversations we can have about education: What do Black boys need to learn, grow, heal, lead and thrive in our schools and communities?

When I began this series, my goal was to examine the experiences of Black boys in education and community, and to challenge all of us to think differently about how we educate, discipline, support and advocate for them.

This year, my task is to take the conversation a step further. Yes, I will continue to share research, facts, observations and my own perspective, drawn from my experience as an educator, school leader, mentor, author and advocate for Black boys. But this year, I don’t want the conversation to be just about Black boys. I want Black boys to be part of the conversation. I will intentionally connect each column to the voice and lived experience of Black boys, parents and guardians, educators, and community members.

• I want to hear from the young man who has experienced success. What kept him focused? What advice would he give to help other Black boys?
• I want to hear from the young man who has experienced suspension and felt like no one asked why.
• I want to hear from the parent who has sat in a school meeting wondering whether their son is truly being seen, understood and supported.
• I want to hear from the educator who believes deeply in the potential of Black boys but may not always have the resources, training or support necessary to meet their needs.
• And I want to hear from community members who believe that educating Black boys is not simply the responsibility of schools. It is everyone’s responsibility.

This is bigger than education.

This year’s series will focus on the following topics, though it isn’t limited to them:

• Mental health, trauma and the emotional lives of Black boys
• Identity, manhood and purpose
• Relationship before rigor
• From compliance to connection
• Different outcomes require different systems

That is why this year’s series will continue to ask difficult questions:

• Are we educating Black boys, or simply managing them, in our schools and communities?
• Are our schools creating environments where Black boys feel they belong?
• What happens when discipline becomes more prominent than relationships?
• What role does mental health play in the educational experiences of Black boys?
• What would change if we stopped asking, “What’s wrong with him?” and started asking, “What happened to him, and what does he need?”
• Instead of asking, “How do I get this student to comply?” ask, “What is this student communicating through this behavior?”

These are not questions that can be answered from one perspective. This requires the voices of the village.

In addition to taking the series further, I’m also moving from the page to the community with “Let Them Rise: A Blueprint for Educating Black Boys: A Community Conversation.”

On Thursday, Oct. 8, 2026, from 6 to 7:30 p.m. at the new Pillsbury Creative Commons in south Minneapolis, I will host a community conversation focused on one of the issues that continues to affect Black boys in schools: suspension. The conversation will examine the effects of suspension on Black boys from both an academic and a mental health perspective.

• What happens academically when a Black boy is removed from the classroom?
• What happens emotionally?
• How does repeated exclusion affect a young man’s relationship with school, teachers, peers and himself?
• And, perhaps most importantly, are there better ways to respond when Black boys struggle with behavior?

This conversation will bring together educators, parents and guardians, community members, mental health professionals and advocates for an honest discussion about discipline, relationships, restoration and what Black boys need from us.

I have educator Nafessah Muhammed joining to share an educator’s and parent’s perspective, and Zadok Nampala joining to share a mental health perspective.

Because if we truly want Black boys to rise, we cannot simply talk about them. We have to listen to them. We have to listen to their families. We have to listen to educators. We have to listen to those connected to them, such as therapists, coaches and big brothers.

Over the next 10 columns, I invite you to walk with me as we continue this journey. Let’s celebrate the possibilities. Let’s talk about the challenges. Let’s listen to the voices of Black boys. Let’s challenge systems when necessary. Let’s equip families and educators with better tools and strategies. And most importantly, let’s create environments where Black boys don’t simply survive school and community. They thrive. They lead. They heal. They discover their purpose. They rise.

Let’s rise together.

Richard D. Terrell is a native of Minneapolis. He serves as assistant pastor at Historic Pilgrim Rest Missionary Baptist Church in north Minneapolis and as founder and executive director of RISE Prep Academy. For more information, visit his website at mrrichardterrell.com. You can also reach him directly at mrrichardterrell@gmail.com.