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A longtime minority teacherin the Schenectady City School District who said hes often asked if he really earned a masters degree from the Ivy Leagues Harvard University took to Congress Park Sunday and joined Black Lives Matter demonstrators to explain the need for activists to speak to local students.

Yacouba Sangare, an elementary and sixth grade teacherwho hails fromNiger, West Africa, said he leads ananti-racism club in his district.

In Saratoga Springs, local BLM leaders Lexis Figuereoand his sister, Chandler Hickenbottom, recently spoke with two classes about the pros and cons of civil disobedience.

Sangare said hes observed that its easier to talk to younger kids about racism than older students.

The educator said his students often ask whyBlack history is only discussed in February, while white history is discussed every month.

Having a culturally relevant and affirming school district, Sangare said, is not hurting white students. Its not teaching white students that they are born racist. If someone tells you that, they clearly know nothing about culturally relevant and affirming schools.

A self-described anti-racism teacher, Sangare cited Audrey Lordes essay titled The Masters Tools Will Never Dismantle the Masters House.

We are not here to oppress anyone, Sangare said. Were not here to devalue anyone. Were here to uplift all of our students and make better society for all. We only do that when all students, including our white students, are taught our real history.

Sangare said that if the people telling lies about ushad had a culturally relevant, anti-racist education, they would not be so afraid of us and the truth we speak.

Pointing to his white wife, Tracy, in the crowd of dozens of demonstrators, Sangare said he loves his white family, friends and students.

But the districts Black and brown students who are Muslim, Jewish, and members of the LGBTQ community, he said, deserve to feel valued.

Figuereo saidthe demonstration wasaimed at dispelling misinformation that circulated about the Saratoga Springs School Districts policy on equity, inclusivity and diversity.

The policys mention of being anti-racist doesnt go far enough, the organizers said.

Activists said they also continued to demand police accountability in the city, where it said the alleged police-involved death of a 21-year-old biracial man named Darryl Mount wasnt investigated.

A vigil commemorating the anniversary of Mounts death was held at Saratoga Springs City Hall on Thursday.

Figuereo joined his sister occupying the Albany polices South Station for six days in April.

During the encampment, Hickenbottom said Albany Police CaptainDevin Anderson assaulted her with her own megaphone without remorse.

This happens all the time, she said. This is nothing new. The only thing is that this was caught on camera.

Acknowledging the various shades, ages, genders, and sexual identities in the crowd, Hickenbottom said the activists pushed for inclusivity, diversity, equity and inclusion. She said sarcastically that those were scary words to most people.

Please look it up in the dictionary, what anti-racism means, because if you have a problem with anti-racism, just know you are racist, she said.

After remarks in the park, demonstrators marched to City Hall while officers from the Saratoga County Sheriffs Department handled traffic control as North Broadway and South Broadway traffic were blocked. Demonstrators also lined the street in front of City Hall before returning to Congress Park.

Categories: News, Saratoga County

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Schenectady teacher at Saratoga Springs demonstration speaks of BLM invite to schools - The Daily Gazette