When my daughter and I moved back to Minnesota from Memphis, I was excited for her to receive a high-quality education from – and with – people who look like her. In Memphis, my daughter attended a predominantly white private school and I looked forward to the opportunity to surround her with peers that shared her background, culture and experiences.
However, when I started researching our local community school options in Minneapolis, I found bad parent reviews, low test scores, and poor academic outcomes. It was clear that the schools we had access to were not high-quality, well outfitted, or able to provide the experience I wanted for my child.
My research continued and led me to Prodeo Academy. A friend – and fellow MPS alum who I went to school with – recommended the school and right away, I could see that the diversity, focus on academic excellence, and values around building pride and integrity in students would be a great fit for my daughter. Four years later, I know it was the right choice.
At Prodeo, my daughter gets to learn in a culturally affirming environment that nourishes more than her academic achievements. She is surrounded by students, teachers, and administrators that share a life experience in a way she doesn’t experience anywhere else. All of her extracurricular activities, even swimming at the local YMCA, are made up of predominantly white peers. That dynamic means something – it shifts something. When she’s at Prodeo, she doesn’t have to carry the burden of being ‘other’ and can just be her.
When I see my daughter and the mostly Black community of students and families at Prodeo, I see my culture. When we leave Prodeo, we don’t get to feel celebrated or included in the same ways. I don’t know what I would do if we couldn’t have a school that celebrates who we are, reflects our culture, and gives my daughter the academic rigor she needs.
