HSHSP Ep 127: What’s it Like Being African-American and Homeschooling?

The Homeschool Highschool Podcast

This week on HSHSP Ep 127: What’s it Like Being African-American and Homeschooling?

HSHSP Ep 127: What’s it Like Being African-American and Homeschooling?

We have to face it. The homeschool community is still kind of leans to a racially white culture. Fortunately over the last few years, there are more racial groups represented. However, non-whites are still a minority in the American homeschool culture.

What’s it like to be African-American and homeschooling?

Our friend, Latonya Moore, of Joy in the Ordinary joins us for her gracious story. Latonya shared with us about homeschooling middle school in Episode 119.

Latonya Moore and daughters. Photo used with permission.

In this interview, she shares her experiences of growing up in a diverse community in the west then moving to a new homeschool community in Illinois where she and her family were the *diversity*. It was a shocking experience, in a way, but she helped her family adapt. “It is what it is,” she says.

In her new city, Latonya did ask her new-found friends, “Do you see any other black homeschoolers?”

She asked, not because she didn’t like her new white friends, but because it’s also nice to have people who look like you. It’s nice to be the diversity and to blend it. “We’re all people,” Latonya says.

• Sometimes people were surprised and taken aback by her question.
• One time, a person answered, “maybe you should move ‘to the hood’.” (Not from a homeschooler, btw.)

Latonya gives this advice, “If another racial group asks if you know anyone who looks like them, please don’t get offended, just answer ‘yes’ or ‘no’.”

One reason Latonya likes to find other African-American homeschooling families is that when she’s with people of the same skin color, she doesn’t have to explain why a certain curriculum isn’t a good worldview for her family.

When she and her family moved to Tennessee, she found that the culture was more diverse again. The blended communities made her feel like she didn’t “stick out” so much!

How does Latonya find other black homeschooling families?

Latonya uses these tools:

• One her first day in town, she found a homeschool physical education class. She didn’t attend that first class but made it in time for the families to be leaving. She saw an African-American family and asked about the local homeschool community. She made a new friend who looked like her.
• She also made friends online. Through the online connections (Facebook, discussion groups), she found local black friends.
• She creates Meetups and through those, meets new friends.

She gives this advice to other African-American homeschooling families:

Make sure there is plenty of support whether homeschooling or not with friend, family and church.

Community is necessary for all of us: all kinds of flavors of people! Not matter what color your skin is, you’ll love hanging out with Latonya at:

• JoyInTheOrdinary.com
• Latonya’s Facebook group: Joy in the Ordinary Homeschool Community
• Her online courses at Outschool
• AND her retreat this November 16-18, 2018 at Sewanee, TN RefreshHomeschoolMomRetreat.com Use coupon code: 7Sisters

Join Latonya and Vicki for an encouraging discussion for homeschoolers of any color. You’ll also enjoy these posts:

Why Community for Homeschool Families?

HSHSP Ep 84: Moms Finding Friends in Homeschool Highschool

HSHSP Ep 127: What’s it Like Being African-American and Homeschooling?

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