September 2018 Envision Equity

was appointed principal, then I
started to contact him to learn
more and share my interest. I
was determined.
After almost a year of waiting
for the day to interview, I was
offered the position of ECE
teacher on April 27th. My father
passed away a few hours later. I
believe everything happens for
a reason, including the timing of
events, my father did everything
for me, everything, and I feel
the day his spirit left his body
was because he knew his
purpose was fulfilled. He could truly rest in peace knowing his youngest was in fact educated,
independent, and officially called to work in her purpose in paying it forward and uplifting others.
Many questioned my decision. The two questions that irked me the most included, “why would you
want to teach a school full of Black boys?” and “so, isn’t this school just re-segregating JCPS?” My
response to the first is, they are the population most in need, and my father was a black young man
once, had he had a school designed around his needs he would not have had to sacrifice as much as
he did for me. In response to the second, why isn’t anyone calling the JCPS board in an uproar about
Minor Daniels? It appears as though the narrative is that it’s okay for our young men of color to fill up
our alternative schools, but if we take a school, put those same young men in suits and try to teach
them character and excellence, now it’s a problem? Also for the record, the application was open to
all, we have non-Afro and Afro-Latino students and White students, they just tend to not get
photographed by the media. Some people I know personally have become uncomfortable in seeing
me make this move, but I do it fearlessly because it’s necessary work. Necessary not just in Louisville,
not just in Kentucky, but nationally.
I believe the universe’s reason a 45-year-old Costa Rican and a 57-year-old Cuban naturally had a
healthy surprise little girl was for her to do the work today. I’m blessed and honored to be a part of la
lucha. In service we succeed.
Jessica Dueñas, the 2019 Kentucky Teacher of the Year, is a special education teacher at the new W.E.B.
DuBois Academy. She has worked in education for 11 years. She previously taught in the Oldham County
Schools and in New York City.