Proud To Be Me! A Male School Counselor Of Color

On January 24, 2014, as I sat in one of my graduate classes at Millersville University, I could not help but be in awe of the demographic makeup of my class. Like most of my classes in grad school, over 70 percent of my classmates were women. Given the historical context that less than two generations ago many of these women would not be permitted at various colleges, let alone at the graduate level – I could not help but be in awe. Be that as it may, I could not help but also notice something else that I had noticed for years throughout my formal education: I was the lone Black male in the room and only one of few students of color as well.

For many in my situation, this outcome is a matter of homogeneity in their schools among students and staff. However, this was not the case for me as I was fortunate enough to attend elementary and middle school on a military base that was replete with different cultures and backgrounds. Likewise, I attended what was (at the time) the largest and most diverse high school in the state of Pennsylvania with over 4,200 students in attendance representing over 55 different nationalities and cultural backgrounds. I certainly was not without exposure to ethnic and racial diversity in my school setting. However, the diversity of these buildings was found within their student populations and not so much within their staff. This reality was – and continues to be – a driving force in my work as a school counselor.

Though my current environment lacks the same racial and ethnic diversity as the schools I attended growing up, it is not difficult to draw comparisons between my own experience as a student and those of the students I currently serve as a school counselor. Much like the schools I attended, the staff of my school is very racially and ethnically homogenous. In fact, when I was formally offered a contract in the Spring of 2016, I became the first contracted Black educator in the history of my school district. I am glad that it was me who was able to forge this path given my role as a school counselor. School counselors are uniquely positioned in their roles within schools. Among the many roles and responsibilities that we are tasked with, school counselors manage and deliver a comprehensive school counseling program and are often at the forefront of addressing barriers to the well-being and success of the entire student body. These efforts transcend single classrooms as well as individual caseloads or rosters. I certainly believe that I have done this in my time as a school counselor, using reflections from my personal background as a catalyst for engagement and action.

While there will always exist the need to address barriers to equitable student outcomes such as socioeconomic disparities, language barriers, food insecurity, mental health concerns, and more, a barrier for all secondary students is a sense of belonging. Unfortunately for students of color, this sense of belonging can be impacted by differing backgrounds from their fellow students and staff. The actions which can impact this belonging can range from simple misunderstandings and seemingly harmless comments to much more egregious acts.

That’s why school counselors are uniquely positioned to address these concerns – given that they are not confined to a single classroom or office. Moreover, school counselor graduate programs (and the counseling profession in general) are at the forefront of taking into account other worldviews and perspectives given their requirement to have multicultural counseling and ethics courses. However, beyond that, representation as a school counselor allows students to have an outlet with “someone who understands.” Additionally, this connection allows me to educate coworkers on student perspectives to remove barriers to the student’s success.

With only 24% of ASCA members being school counselors of color, I can’t help but be grateful for the opportunity that I have. The chance to do all that we do as counselors while also being able to address concerns for students in positions similar to what I once was in is something I cannot help but revel in.