“What's Happening Baby?” Lessons with My First Teacher, Mrs. Mary M. Temple Rhodes

Abstract

This article is an ethnographic telling rooted in Black feminisms and radical identity praxis. I center the life and labor of Mrs. Rhodes/Mama and name my experiences with her, growing up in Chicago and in Chicago public schools to historicize the legacy of Black liberatory practices. I ask the question: What can Mama teach us about how we engage Black youth in urban education? I conclude with four assignments she offers for personal and professional pedagogies: cultivating Village that reflects and affirms strong Black identities, listening & serving, maintaining joy, and looking beyond standardized metrics.