I wrote an article for PBS Newshour on the importance of discussing race/culture and the immigration experience with students:
Last summer I received a message from family in Iraq letting me know that a few of my second cousins were volunteering to
join the Iraqi army to fight the Islamic State group.
Miles and continents away, I could not make sense of the world at that moment. How andwhy? I was so hurt, hurt for my family back home and hurt that average civilians who have no army training had to volunteer to fight such evil.
You can read the full article here.
Inclusive Entrepreneurship 
Your article is a strong statement about teaching and about the role of empathy. You as a teacher have been transparent before your students with the result that they were open to the crisis experienced by you and others. Your students responded to your empathy with empathy. This is a powerful reminder that emotional intelligence and the empathy that it promotes must be taught for the betterment of all.
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Thanks so much Paul. That means a lot. Agree that emotional intelligence and empathy in the classroom help both the teacher and the students.
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