Jagged jigsaw pieces
Tossed about the room
I saw my grandma sweeping
With her old straw broom
She didn’t know what she was doing
She could hardly understand
That she was really sweeping up
Pieces of a man
~ Gil Scott-Heron, Pieces of a Man (1971)
As I take a moment to reflect on the current landscape of our country, I am reminded of Gil Scott-Heron’s “Pieces of a Man.” This poetic masterpiece, created over 50 years ago, has strong parallelisms given the intense feelings of being engulfed by the vicissitudes of life currently experienced by many persons along the ladder of social stratification in the United States. In Scott-Heron’s piece, an adolescent reminisces about his father’s mental breakdown after hearing the news of termination from work. The father’s emotional, mental, and physical disintegration is the consequence of his immediate inability to provide for his family… being reduced to mere “pieces of a man.”
Listeners are presented with numerous opportunities to gain insight through this poetic composition. This piece illuminates the necessity of eliminating the socio-economic and racial boundaries in light of the current state of our nation, with a particular emphasis on equity coupled with the interconnectedness of the human family. In other words, anyone could inherit the father’s plight. Scott-Heron commences this work with the image of a shredded letter that has been tossed about the room. It is crucial to recognize that the shredded letter is a representation of the father’s ruptured reality and, consequently, his family. Exactly what we, as a country, are experiencing.
As the United States entered this 47th presidential era, our rights, freedoms, and security are being overtly interrupted. Those who have worked in some capacity for and with the federal government are in uncertainty over job security, persons in the education sector are finding themselves in a peculiar position with regards to serving our current and future leaders (students) with excellence, retirees may or may not be able to access their full benefits, and the list goes on and on. And yet in the midst of this, there is hope.
The Education Evolving team has consistently maintained a robust presence in the state Capitol, availability to assist our community partners and champions, and is working tirelessly to realize our vision. However, we are not the only group compelled to continue moving forward regardless of the uncertainty. The team has been privileged to be present in spaces where others are also doing the same. Unlike Scott-Heron’s “Pieces of a Man,” the work does not commence or conclude with a decision made by a single individual or a small group who oppose a growth mindset and abuse power. Elected officials, school leaders, community members, and our students have been observed by many to advocate for what is right, despite the numerous executive orders emanating from our nation’s capital. I am encouraged by this and trust that you are as well.
We must keep working for just and equitable futures for our students, families, and communities. We cannot afford to let one dismantle the dream for all. Dr. Maya Angelou once shared that, “History with its wrenching pain, if known, need not be lived again.” I would like to remind you that we have been here before, and the result was (and will be) victorious! Rest when you need to, but please do not stop holding the torch for equity, equality, and justice. We NEED you.