[0:00] [Music] [0:03] Welcome to the Afroentric Schoolelcome. [0:08] In afroentric school, I think what makes [0:10] it unique is the heavy concentrated [0:12] focus on the African-American [0:14] experience. You get to highlight all the [0:16] beautiful things about what it means to [0:18] be African-Amean. And it also gives all [0:21] students, not just students who are of [0:22] African-American descent, but students [0:24] to know more about the history. You [0:27] know, when I think about what is [0:28] possible for this new effort academy and [0:32] what our community needs, it's for our [0:36] children to reclaim the joy of wonder [0:40] and curiosity about who they are in the [0:44] context of our community, our cultural [0:47] history, our heritage. And so it's so [0:50] important that our children have a space [0:53] where they can actually research and [0:56] study themselves and our people. [0:58] >> I think it's going to be a great thing [1:00] to see to have a black essential school [1:02] here and to see what what what we could [1:04] build from it and get from it. And being [1:06] in the middle of Rondo, I think that's a [1:08] big part of getting kids from different [1:11] areas to come. the story of Rondo and [1:13] the elders who are with us who are the [1:16] children of Rondo that's going to be a [1:19] central part of the curriculum. [1:22] >> This community was so strong and it has [1:24] been broken up geographically but the [1:27] spirit is there and this spirit needs to [1:29] rise again and work with everybody that [1:33] has to do with the education of our [1:34] children. Inside the school, there's an [1:36] education that takes place and parents [1:38] are not excluded from that, but there's [1:40] also education outside of the school [1:42] that the parents are in charge of. So, [1:44] the team builds the community. [1:47] >> Kids will be able to come and be learn [1:49] about themselves and their identity and [1:51] kids who are not of um African descent [1:53] will be able to know more about history. [1:56] I saw uh the principal [1:59] and today and and I like her African [2:03] clothes cuz I don't see people wear out [2:06] and about that much. [2:08] >> I think my last words would just be that [2:10] um if you're unsure about what um the [2:13] school has to offer. Please come by, [2:15] stop by, get to know the community, I [2:17] think Ben Maze can be a home for anyone. [2:20] And again, I'm just so blessed that this [2:22] community has chosen me as the person to [2:24] lead. And I I I don't make promises, but [2:27] I can guarantee the work that that I [2:28] will bring will bring change. [2:33] [Music]