What This Black Mother is Doing to Help Children of Color Survive and Thrive in Private Schools

From schools to corporations to the military the idea of diversity, equity and inclusion is under attack in the current political climate. As we’ve previously reported, President Donald Trump’s administration is working overtime to cut programs that support providing more opportunities to make these institutions look more like the true makeup of the country.

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But in the face of these cuts, one Black California mother is doing her part to help other parents of color with children in private schools survive and thrive.

According to the National Center for Education Statistics, of the nearly five million students who attend private schools across the United States, less than 10 percent identify as Black. The reality of those numbers can make Black students feel isolated and misunderstood and ultimately impact their success, something Lisa Johnson knows first hand.

Growing up in Atlanta, she experienced feelings of social isolation while attending independent schools. While navigating the private school system in Los Angeles the mother of two saw her children facing similar challenges and set out to create a network of other Black parents of independent school students and build a community rooted in support and understanding.

What started as meetups in the Los Angeles area, grew to become Private School Village (PSV), a parent-led non-profit that provides support to students in grades K – 12 in independent school environments and their families. Providing mental health workshops, social activities and scholarship opportunities, PSV looks to create a sense of belonging, while developing confident students who go on to become leaders in their schools and ultimately, their communities.

Private School Village hopes to expand their program beyond Los Angeles to other cities, starting with their newly-launched Philadelphia chapter.

“You can’t simply trust that a community will form on its own.” Lisa Johnson told Forbes in an interview. “I’m excited that, finally, families and schools outside of California can now join us as we expand through virtual programming and working together to create local chapters of PSV. Our children deserve as much.”