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Boston Globe

Prom for teachers? Mass. educators of color celebrate event fostering community.

'When people are going through their everyday work schedule, it can become very easy to feel somewhat isolated,' said Ashley Dodson, a history teacher at Boston Green Academy. 'Events like this really help us to come together and remember we're all living the same shared struggle.' Advertisement Founded in 2018, The Teacher's Lounge provides educators with training and professional resources. That includes mentorship programs for young teachers, networking opportunities, and other events — such as their very own high school dance. Organizers say the importance of providing a space for community is crucial for educators, Related : Educators of color see Advertisement That's something that The Teacher's Lounge and its programming works to address, organizers said. 'We didn't just want it to be just a party,' said Titciana Barros, the organization's director of community and culture. 'That's not what we're about. We're about retention and revitalizing our educators of color.' Barros said their priority is making sure that educators of color stay in the profession. Students of color Events like the Educators Prom are simply a way to make sure that those teachers are 'recharged' — even if that means drinks and a dance floor. 'When I think about the work day to day, it's really easy to fall into the cycles that are rooted in survival mode,' said Evelyn Jean-Louis, a former Cambridge middle school principal. 'Just trying to make it through the day, just trying to get through the lesson plan, just trying to start over so you have tomorrow. What this event does to foster community is emphasize that it's not a sprint, and it's honestly not really a marathon.' Instead, it's like 'passing a baton,' said Jean-Louis, who is now the organization's director of learning and development. Educators of color starting their career can find community with veterans who have come before them, so they don't have to 'learn these really hard lessons on their own' in a system that too often leaves them feeling adrift. Advertisement Enthusiasm for the organization is growing. Last year, over 1,800 educators participated in Teacher's Lounge programming — an increase of nearly one thousand people from the previous season. Kettlynn Prophete, an assistant principal at the Academy of the Pacific Rim in Hyde Park, said the strong sense of identity and community fostered by the organization goes a long way in helping educators connect with their students — especially students of color. 'To me, being here is getting things done,' Prophete said. 'Being in the community is getting things done for the betterment of our respective communities. But [also] with each other as people. ... if I am modeling and being transparent about how I make decisions with teachers, then teachers are being transparent and modeling and with kids, and they're being much more gracious with kids.' Attendees said that, because teaching can often be a thankless job, Saturday's prom was an opportunity to find camaraderie with fellow professionals — in an atmosphere far more relaxed than a conference or a faculty meeting. 'As educators, you don't necessarily hear 'Great job, we appreciate you,'' said Malcolm Andrews Jr., an instructional coach in Boston Public Schools. 'That's probably the last thing [you hear].' Getting hundreds of educators with similar lived experiences coming together in a shared space is a 'sacred' experience, Andrews added. 'Having that community that understands what you're going through, that has similar values, that understands the commitment we make every single day when we go into the school and how we show up for the students, I think it's really important,' said Antonelli Mejia, principal of the Sarah Greenwood School in Dorchester. Advertisement Prophete said that teachers want to be 'acknowledged and valued.' That doesn't only mean fair pay, she added, but also means smaller gestures and acknowledgements — for example, taking a night to celebrate educators. 'If we can take a moment and have fun like this, imagine what we can open ourselves to when kids are also excited about things like prom, or maybe a birthday party,' Prophete said. 'It continues to bring us more and more together, and see each other for our humanity.' Camilo Fonseca can be reached at