African American Parents Find Ways To Offset Educational Losses Caused By Pandemic

As the country relaxes COVID-19 protocols amid a decrease in cases, corporations and schools are following suit with many employees navigating a hybrid work arrangement and students no longer required to wear face coverings for in-person learning. Yet education experts cite studies outlining the disproportionate impact of COVID-19 on the learning loss experienced by African American students. Prolonged remote learning required adjustments for most families like the Colemans in Kansas City, Missouri.

But their all-in determination paid off. Nevaeh Coleman, an 11-year-old at Harold Holliday Montessori School, recently attended the Montessori Model United Nations conference in New York City.

“It’s a city that never sleeps. It was loud but it was very beautiful at night,” she said.

Nevaeh and several of her classmates joined about 2000 students from around the world to discuss space exploration.

“It was fun for a second,” she said. “I was a little scared because I was nervous my speech wasn’t going to be as good. But then when I went to give my speech, I felt more relaxed, so I actually liked my speech after what I said.”

Nevaeh’s speech addressed transparency and confidence building in outer space activities. The goal: using diplomacy to solve international problems which is the mission of the United Nations.

“We had to write solutions about our speech,” Nevaeh shared. “And one of my solutions was that we would build this little space agency in every country so they would know who’s going to space and why so there won’t be a complete war about everything, and they can come together and discuss it.”

Tierra and Brandon Coleman said their daughter has been an enthusiastic learner since she was very young.

“She was about five, when she broke her wrist,” they recalled. “She had broken her wrist and she broke her predominant hand which was her right hand, and she forced herself to learn how to write with her left. And so, when she had that type of focus and determination on her own, you definitely know you can just give her something to figure out and she would just go for the stars with it.”

The Colemans are proud of their daughter and five-year-old son Brandon Jr. Education is important in their home. Tierra finished her Masters during the pandemic, and husband Brandon is completing his Bachelor’s degree.

Like many families during the pandemic, baking became a delicious distraction. Nevaeh was already familiar with the basics, and she honed her skills by spending time with her grandmothers. Now her mother, who is a paralegal, has made it official: Nevaeh has a business.

In the kitchen they share the work and then gather around the table for the fruits of the young entrepreneur’s labor.

“I think that it represents love – that I have a true passion for baking,” Nevaeh explained. “And I believe that if we bake and come together, it will just turn into a good thing.”

With millions of parents worried about the emotional toll the pandemic has taken on their children, the Colemans are pleased with the optimism they witness in their daughter.

Tierra Coleman said, “One of the things that we do tell her all the time is, ‘Let your Black Girl magic rock,’ and she understands what those words mean. She understands that sometimes you have to work harder to get less or even half or nothing at all, but you do it for yourself because one, you know the integrity that you have for yourself, but then also someone may be watching to be able to help you make a difference in the near future.”