In a country where rich white men are flying to space for pleasure, you’d assume that each and every child has access to quality education. Unfortunately, that is far from true. According to the United Negro College Fund (UNCF), African American students are less likely than white students to have access to college-ready courses. Black students are nearly two times as likely to be suspended without educational services as white students. Black and Latino students also have less access to gifted and talented education programs than white students. These statistics are upsetting, yet they are the underlying truth of our country that prides itself on being the best.
With education inequality near the top of America’s problems, it is crucial to highlight the students making history. Her name is Zaila Avant-garde. While you may only be hearing about her now, she holds three Guinness World Records. The 14-year-old from New Orleans recently made history after winning the 2021 Scripps National Spelling Bee. With three world records relating to basketball, she also has the title of being the spelling bee’s first African American winner in its 96-year history under her belt. The fact that she has risen to fame due to her impressive ability to spell is remarkable. She is young. She is gifted. She is accomplished. And she is Black, an uncommon trait amongst participants at spelling competitions.
Zaila’s excitement and enthusiasm about her historical win doesn’t come without disappointment. Disappointment due to the lack of diversity amongst the competitors in spelling bee tournaments. She says that the lack of Black kids in these tournaments isn’t because they don’t want to spell, but because it takes “resources to be competitive.” The median household income of Black and Hispanic families is significantly lower than the median household income of white and Asian families, making inequality and disparity unavoidable until race no longer hinders the ability to seek and obtain opportunity. In addition, the statistics previously mentioned help stitch the quilt that explains the inequality of educational opportunities and education at large. But, with Zaila finally receiving the fame and attention she deserves, her sentiments can help pave the way for a more equal future.
If the dictionary had a picture to accompany the definition of “ambitious,” a picture of Zaila Avant-garde would appear there. She holds three Guinness World Records for being able to dribble multiple basketballs at the same time and hopes to play in the WNBA one day. ESPN recognized Zaila as one of the best 8th grade basketball players in the country. I am in awe of her accomplishments and wish her name was mainstreamed much earlier than it was. Defying odds, setting world records, and winning major competitions is what she’s best at, and I presume that her ongoing legacy will inspire other young girls, especially those of color, to do the same. She is living proof that age is just a number, and I am extremely excited to document her as Sassy Girl Weekly’s youngest Feminist of the Month to date.
Comments