#MomCrushMonday Series: Meet Lakeasha Williams, Educator, Community Leader and Author

1.) You are a school principal, social justice educational leader, and now new author. Please tell us about your new book Shine On Brown Girl.

The story of Shine On Brown Girl focuses on a little girl named Layla and in the story, Layla’s family reaffirms her greatness and the “skin she’s in” all the time.  However, one day at school Layla becomes a victim of racism. Throughout the book we see Layla’s trials and tribulations but also her perseverance. It’s so important that Black and Brown children see themselves and particular situations they’ve gone through represented in literature. A lot of times children’s books do not depict the realistic situations of Black and Brown children and I wanted Shine On Brown Girl to be different. I wanted it to be an ode to Black and Brown children everywhere and to let them know that they matter and so do their experiences. 

2.) Tell us about your Brown Girls empowerment activity. It got quite a lot of coverage!

As the principal of Shine Shine 399, we are always doing empowerment activities. When Kamala Harris became vice president I decided to recite the poem brown girl brown girl to empower my students and affirm their greatness. After the video went viral I was interviewed by an Italian news station and an Indian newspaper covered the story. I realized that what was happening in America was truly a worldwide issue and it motivated me to tell stories from our perspectives because they are oftentimes not told.

3.) What are some tips you can share on how parents can empower their children?

It’s important for parents to enrich their children with the history of positive contributions (past and present). It’s key that children learn about all cultures because when children are able to understand themselves, accepting others comes easy. Using positive affirmations, holding rich conversations about our current realities but also including positive imagery and role models can truly begin a shift in the way children embrace themselves and diverse cultures. I believe all parents can use my book Shine On Brown Girl as a springboard to have the much needed conversation with their children around racism. It is important to begin these discussions as early as possible and empower our children to love themselves and others. 

4.) As an educator, what advice can you give on how parents can help support their children through adversities?

First, allow your children to feel; give them the space to express themselves and ask how they would like to solve the experience they faced. I believe to develop action-oriented, constructive, independent children the child must become self-dependent. As an educator, we are creating the next generation(s) ‘change agents’ and adversity is many times masked as a learning lesson. Helping educate your child through ignorance allows them to understand that not everyone thinks the same but it is important to be prepared and to recognize ignorant behavior or comments. Doing so allows the child to find solutions in a constructive way and allows our children to find where they can make a difference in this world. 

5.) What is your favorite song lyric? Why? 

My favorite song usually depends on my mood!

But I think my favorite lyric is by Lauryn Hill in her song “Doo-Wop (That Thing)”; “How you gon’ win when you ain’t right within”.

This is my favorite lyric because many people equate winning to how much money you make or how many material items you have but the real question is what do you do for others? When you are good with yourself you can be good to others, and that’s what makes you a winner. 

Lakeasha Williams has been working in the Department of Education for the past 23 years. She has held a myriad of positions, including being a paraprofessional, a literacy coach, a Special Education administrator and an assistant principal. She currently is the principal at P.S. 399 Stanley Eugene Clark, a position which she has held for almost three years.