Ujima: The Power of Collective Work and Responsibility

As an educator, Ujima is at the heart of the Practipel Pedagogue—a philosophy that emphasizes practical, culturally sustaining, and transformational education for Black and Brown communities. It is the belief that teaching is not just a profession but a communal act of love and responsibility.

Ujima speaks to the essence of who we are as Black women—caretakers, community builders, and visionaries. It’s the reminder that we don’t rise alone, but together, hand in hand, carrying the weight and the joy of our collective legacy. For me, Ujima is about turning love into action and responsibility into transformation. Even when that love is complicated and not fully reciprocated.

It’s the long nights spent planning lessons for my students, ensuring that even the quietest voices in the room feel heard and empowered. Thinking outside the confines of standardized testing and academic. It’s the after-school programs designed to nurture creativity, critical thinking, and cultural pride in ENL students who are often overlooked. Ujima calls me to step beyond what is convenient and do what is necessary to create opportunities for the next generation.

Ujima is building peer networks that foster collaboration instead of competition. Something I pray my workplace will understand. It’s teaching students to recognize their role in the success of their classmates and showing them that collective growth is more powerful than individual achievement. It’s when I see students helping each other tackle a problem or when a quiet child finally raises their hand because they know the room is a safe space for their voice.

Ujima with Families:

As a practitioner of Ujima, I engage not only with my students but also with their families. I host workshops, send thoughtful updates, and make myself available to bridge the gap between home and school. Collective responsibility means we’re in this together—parents, teachers, and communities—all working toward the same goal: the success and well-being of our children.

Ujima in School Leadership:

Through my work on the Instructional Leadership Team and as part of the UFT Consultation Team, I bring the spirit of Ujima into every decision. I advocate for policies and practices that serve all students, especially those from marginalized communities. Ujima is standing up for what’s right, even when it’s uncomfortable, because we share the responsibility for every child’s future. But also remembering the responsibility we have to ourselves and our holistic well-being. I am a wellness warrior in that regard.

Ujima Beyond the Classroom:

The Practipel Pedagogue doesn’t stop at the school doors. Ujima calls me to use my voice and platform to address systemic inequalities in education. It’s why I write, research, and share tools that empower other educators to engage in culturally sustaining practices. It’s why I organize after-school programs that combine art, philosophy, and literacy, giving students a space to explore their identities and creativity.

In my role as a scholar, Ujima is at the heart of my research. Whether I’m writing about Black feminist epistemology, embodied knowledge, or the lived experiences of political prisoners like my great-uncle Abdul, it’s always with the purpose of amplifying the voices of my community. My work isn’t just for academia—it’s for the sisters and brothers in South Jamaica, Queens, and beyond who deserve to see themselves reflected in stories of power and resilience. To remember in life that we are here and we can do anything we call our minds to do.

Ujima also lives in my business, Blyssom by Shapel. Every product and service is designed not just to celebrate individual beauty but to foster a sense of collective care. When I uplift one Black woman, I know I’m uplifting a community. When I see her glow, I see her family, her ancestors, and her children shining too. That’s the magic of Ujima—it reminds us that our well-being is intertwined. Black women reading and feeling restoration through beauty practices.

And as a mother, Ujima is what drives me to teach my daughter the value of giving back. Whether we’re volunteering together, going to peaceful protests for the liberation of Palestine, supporting local businesses, or having conversations about what it means to care for others, I’m planting the seeds of collective responsibility in her heart.

Ujima is about showing up, even when it’s hard. It’s about organizing a block association for neighbors, advocating for better resources in our schools through my privileges as an academic, and holding the line for justice in spaces that weren’t made for us but need our presence. It’s the countless ways Black women show up every single day—holding communities together with grace, grit, and love.

Ujima reminds me that I don’t carry this work alone. It’s in the collective effort of fellow educators, parents, and community members who believe in the transformative power of education. It’s in every student who learns to see their worth and takes that lesson back to their family, their friends, and their community.

❤️ This Kwanzaa, let’s recommit to Ujima. Let’s take responsibility for one another, build together, and remind the world that when we care for each other, we rise higher than we ever could alone. Together, we thrive. Together, we blyssom.