Peter Yang

Common & Mahalia Hines

A Hip Hop Artist and His Mother, An Educator

https://www.wired.com/2015/10/serena-williams-guest-editor-race-gender-equality/#common-mahalia-hines copied

Common is a Grammy- and Oscar-winning artist and activist.

My mother has been a true example of the diligence, commitment, and passion it takes to drive kids to excellence. That will be her legacy—bringing that to Chicago.

At home, education was something that was celebrated, something that was valuable. All of my friends knew that if I didnt do well, then I wouldnt be able to hang out. She had me in a computer class at the Museum of Science and Industry, and I would have to read books that she gave me to read—all in addition to school. Whether you know it or not at the time, all of that is feeding you: Its giving you not only a foundation of education but also discipline. We established the Common Ground Foundation in 1998 to help better equip kids when theres no support system. I was inspired by seeing what shes done as an educator, going beyond just teaching kids to truly caring for the community. I had a great support system and family at home, and I always felt like I saw people who didnt have that, and I wanted them to have it. That was the seed.

Dr. Hines is Commons mother and a member of the Chicago Board of Education.

Mine was the first generation in my family to go to college, and education was always first and foremost in my life. Common always did extremely well, but I also treated my students as my own. I had the same expectations for them that I had for my own. I gave the best of me and expected the very best of them back.

I taught for 12 years in Chicago public schools, and I was a principal for 17, mostly at John Hope in Englewood. Its always been a tough neighborhood. Many of the opportunities that are afforded to different parts of Chicago are not afforded to those kids. I felt that if the children at John Hope were given the same opportunity that other children were given—and if they knew that you loved them—then they would thrive.

Things are getting better. Im excited that we have people who went to our schools now running our schools. In addition, math and science are big priorities—we have the most comprehensive K-12 computer science program of any major school district in the nation. To bridge the divide between the haves and have-nots, we need technology.—As told to Peter Rubin