The power of education is not just in schools...
Just a few days ago, Sidney Poitier passed away in his home in California at the age of 94. Poitier was most known for being the first Black actor to win an Academy Award and paving the way for Black entertainers in film. His credentials are stunning – a Grammy award, two Golden Globes, countless honoraries, the Presidential Medal of Freedom, Knight Commander, and more. Poitier’s rise coincided with the rise of the civil rights movement in the 1960s, and he supported the movement in multiple ways. He marched on Washington, posted bail for civil rights protestors, hosted activists in his home, and chose not to act in roles based on racial stereotypes. And while Poitier did so much to further the work of Black actors and actresses, he continued to face racism and threats on his life as he grew older.
Poitier was born three months early in Miami, to Bahamian farmers who were visiting Florida. He grew up largely in the Bahamas but quit school at the age of 12 and went to live with family in Miami. It was his first experience with segregation, and he soon fled for New York City with just $3 with him. He served in the Army for two years and eventually returned to New York, auditioning for the American Negro Theater. His first audition failed miserably – because of the lack of a formal education, he read scripts awkwardly and with a thick accent. But Poitier persisted, listening to the radio and mimicking the accent of various announcers.
One day, he was reading one of the newspapers on his dishwashing shift and an elderly Jewish waiter was sitting nearby and asked him what was in the papers. Poitier responded that he wasn’t a strong reader, and the man offered to read with him. But he didn’t just offer once or twice – he sat with him every night, helping him with grammar, phonics, syllables, and pronunciation. Poitier remained forever grateful to the man, mentioning him in interviews, thanking him in acceptance speeches, and regretting that he never had the opportunity to thank him. He went on to win a place in the American Negro Theater and got his start in acting.
For me, this small story in the grander story of his life is the tiniest of reminders – that those around us may be struggling, and it is upon us to notice and help; that the power of education lies not just in schools and universities, but also in homes, in restaurants, in theaters, and really – everywhere around us; and that fostering literacy skills in even small ways can pry open a crack that unlocks the future for our children. As we start the school year in Zambia, I’m thinking of all of those ways that we can break through to our students and ignite their future.
-Reshma