Black Lives Matter at Work

10
HOW TO BEAT THE BACKLASH
How to Bring Mumia to Work, Piss
Off the Cop Union, and Stay Woke
An interview with New Jersey teacher Marylin Zuniga
Marylin Zuniga, a teacher from New Jersey, was fired on May 12,
2015, for political reasons. She allowed her students to write get-well
letters to Mumia Abu-Jamal, a Black freedom fighter and political
prisoner.
How has your support for Mumia, and the backlash you have
experienced, been a catalyst for spreading the message of Black
liberation among teachers, students, and community members?
The case has served as a platform to discuss the state of public
education, in general, within our nation. I have personally had the
opportunity to spread the message of how important it is to teach Black
history, especially from the perspective of Black freedom fighters such as
Mumia Abu-Jamal. I have been blessed with the opportunity to speak on
this topic in the form of one-on-one interviews, workshops, conferences,
and other intimate spaces.
Furthermore, it has been an honor and blessing to hear that pre-service
teacher and graduate programs have addressed this case in their courses
and have engaged in critical dialogue around topics such as anti-Black
racism, the de-professionalization of teachers, culturally relevant
pedagogy, and social justice education in its entirety.