5 Reasons Harlem Doesn’t Want You To Shake

Dr. Christopher Emdin

I am a writer, science advocate and education researcher, but at my core I am a New York City hip-hop kid. My life has been shaped by many beautiful moments in hip-hop culture and I’ve been inspired by the complex ways in which hip-hip navigates the world. New York has been a great teacher. It’s [...]

5 Lessons From the Alleged “Air Jordan” Sneaker Death

air jordans

Recently there were reported shootings and fights at stores, break in’s and shoot-outs at malls, and even reports about the alleged death of a young man over the release of Air Jordan 11 Concord sneakers. In response to the release of these sneakers, urban communities have been the epicenter of this latest string of violence. [...]

6 Reasons Why Students Are Being Arrested in Schools

classroom

A few days ago, the New York State Civil Liberties Union released a report that raised attention to the racial disparities of NYC school arrests. In the first report of its kind, focusing on summer school months, the report mentions that the NYPD arrested and gave summonses to more than one student a day in [...]

5 Lessons From the “If I Were a Poor Black Kid” Debate

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Earlier this month, a Forbes contributor posted an article entitled “If I Were a Poor Black Kid” on Forbes.com. The post was written by a white middle class man, who offered a bevy of suggestions for “poor black kids” that he himself would take if he were a poor black kid. Almost immediately, a brilliantly [...]

Five Reasons Why Your Child Won’t Be a Scientist (and What You Can Do About It)

Christopher Emdin

Over the course of the last year everyone from economists to politicians have begun to discuss a concern that educational researchers have seen on the horizon for decades: the low numbers of youth who are engaged in the sciences and the need for increased attention to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) education. With the [...]