Nadia Lopez: Why open a school? To close a prison
Nadia Lopez: Een school openen om een gevangenis te sluiten
Nadia Lopez is the founding principal of Mott Hall Bridges Academy, where she is showing the world how underprivileged communities can beat the odds and create positive institutions that have a global impact. Full bio
Double-click the English transcript below to play the video.
Bridges Academy in 2010,
opende in 2010
een gevangenis konden sluiten.
was dit doel onbereikbaar.
in the Brownsville section of Brooklyn --
in de Brownsville-buurt in Brooklyn,
and violent neighborhoods
en gewelddadige buurten
with high poverty rates,
met 'n hoge armoedegraad
van een benadeelde gemeenschap,
of a disadvantaged community,
voor technologie,
children as early as fourth grade.
als ze nog maar negen jaar oud zijn.
that was a district public school,
pas-opgerichte openbare middenschool.
in dat eerste jaar.
had bijzondere behoeften.
were below grade level
below the poverty level.
niet aanwezig zijn op school,
ask my 13-year-old,
13-jarige zoon vroeg:
live that long."
of working in a fast-food restaurant.
om in een fastfoodrestaurant te werken.
geen idee hadden
because they're lifelong learners.
want ze zullen hun hele leven leren.
and career readiness.
op de universiteit en op 'n carrière.
of purple and black,
paars en zwart,
that they are descendants of greatness,
dat ze tot grootse dingen in staat zijn.
take over this world.
kunnen -- en zullen -- regeren.
competitive high schools
secundaire scholen kunnen gaan
met Brandon Stanton,
Vidal Chastanet, Brandon Stanton,
"Humans of New York."
'Humans of New York'.
of a young man from Brownsville
van een jongeman uit Brownsville
had aanschouwd,
being thrown off of a roof.
van een dak gegooid werd.
be influenced by a principal
voor een directeur
that believes in all children.
die in alle kinderen gelooft.
of our underprivileged children
van onze kansarme kinderen
make education a priority.
'n prioriteit maken.
een wereldwijde sensatie
dollars being raised
worden ingezameld
to colleges and universities,
en universiteiten kunnen bezoeken,
from Brownsville visited Harvard,
Harvard bezochten
was a real possibility.
hun mogelijkheden behoorde.
that had been imposed upon them
is happening in our schools,
in onze scholen,
that inspire children.
die een kind inspireren.
that is not perfect.
dat niet perfect is.
leerkrachten
what is the best curriculum.
het beste leerplan uit te stippelen.
buiten de schooluren.
to often provide resources
vaak uit eigen zak
to give feedback,
to be just as successful
net zo succesvol zijn
every single day,
my personal cell number,
mijn persoonlijk gsm-nummer,
and those who graduated --
phone calls and text messages
vaak telefoontjes en berichten
in our classrooms.
zit in onze klaslokalen.
kracht schuilt in onderwijs.
ABOUT THE SPEAKER
Nadia Lopez - EducatorNadia Lopez is the founding principal of Mott Hall Bridges Academy, where she is showing the world how underprivileged communities can beat the odds and create positive institutions that have a global impact.
Why you should listen
Dr. Nadia Lopez is pioneering a path of inspired leadership. The founding principal of Mott Hall Bridges Academy, a New York City Public School, Lopez became a viral sensation after one of her students was featured on the popular blog, Humans of New York. Millions of people around the world discovered the positive learning environment, high expectations and growing success rate at her school, which is located right in the middle of one of the most under-served communities in America. In 2015 a Humans of New York fundraiser raised $1.4 million to take Lopez's students on college trips that include Harvard University, Summer STEAM programs and college scholarships.
Lopez's story was shared across numerous media outlets and resulted in her guest appearing on the Ellen Show, visiting President Barack Obama at the White House and receiving the Medal of Distinction from Barnard College. In addition, Lopez was honored alongside First Lady Michelle Obama with the Change Agent Award at the Black Girls Rock show hosted on BET Networks.
Lopez's passion, belief in children and strong conviction has been unwavering in her belief that her community needs strong leadership. Despite the adversities she faced in opening Mott Hall Bridges Academy in 2010, Lopez is encouraged and inspired to see children overcome the "beautiful challenges" of Brownsville and ensuring that they are admitted into some of the most competitive high schools in New York City. Understanding the power of programming, Lopez continues to impact the lives of children through her "She Is Me" and "I Matter" initiatives, which have served thousands of youth throughout Central Brooklyn by providing workshops, forums and mentoring. Lopez continues to influence and inspire the world through her company The Lopez Effect, which offers a blueprint for personal and organizational success.
Nadia Lopez | Speaker | TED.com