She was an extraordinary mother. Wise. Kind. Self-less. No nonsense. Absolutely devoted to her ten children and committed to ensuring that they had the best education possible, she sought to live in neighborhoods that had the best schools. Sadly to say, they were often predominantly white and not black. When my mother passed away suddenly of a massive heart attack this past New Year’s Eve after six years of declining health, my surviving siblings and I were shocked and deeply saddened. Yet, we are proud of the fact that she has left an incredible legacy.

Rosie Mae Masters instilled in her children a commitment to social justice and a clear understanding that education is the way to ensure a life well lived. She was a great role model. While working in the California Institution for Women (CIW) for 24 years, my mom witnessed first-hand the ravages of an unjust criminal justice system that led to disproportionate numbers of black and brown inmates. She also saw what happened when women dropped out of high school and resorted to crime.

Why do so many of our children drop out of high school? After 30 years in a high school system as a teacher, counselor and project coordinator, I maintain that there are multiple reasons. One that I still see when I work on high school campuses is a disconnect between the students and the teachers. Since I had all white teachers from K-12 and the experience was positive, I do not see it as merely a racial disconnect. I see it as a “heart” disconnect. Teachers should seek to know their students and use that knowledge to connect with them. Then, children could have great schools right in their own neighborhoods.