✊🏾

Hello

my name is

Devon M.

Mr. Minke

AKA

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OUR MISSION:

Recruit, Prepare, Place and Retain Black male teachers in elementary schools.

OUR VISION:

Is that all students have the opportunity to attend schools staffed with racially and culturally diverse teachers and leaders, reflecting the students' race, ethnicity, and cultures, thereby creating an environment that affirms students for who they are. Black Men Teach creates the environment and conditions where Black male teachers can thrive, because our children’s schooling experience will never be complete without them.

BMT STORIES

Get to know our torch-bearing BMT Teachers.

Devon embodies the spirit of Black Men Teach in the classroom—empowering students, modeling excellence, and cultivating a learning environment rooted in purpose, representation, and integrity. As a teacher, their impact goes beyond academics, shaping the hearts and minds of future leaders while uplifting the community they serve. This is his story.

Read My Story

Hello reader, thanks for reading my story!

In my life, I have got to work with kids in every capacity. From daycares, Boys and Girls Clubs, and non-profit organizations to teaching in schools and being a part of the Freedom School movement for the last six years of my life, I have always found a way to help serve our young people.

I think the most impactful thing you can do in your life is serve your community, and I have found that space in educating our young minds in the community. As an educator, you are constantly working to find solutions within the classroom.

In my free time, I love to read, educate myself about the world, enjoy being outdoors, and spend time with my loved ones.

One quote that I will forever hold close to my heart—ever since I joined the Freedom School movement over six years ago—is:
‍

"You cannot be what you cannot see."
- Marian Wright Edelman


This is so powerful to me because, through her work as the first Black woman admitted to the bar in Mississippi and her leadership at the Children’s Defense Fund, she is the pinnacle of what it means to be something she could not see growing up.

This is what I want to do as an educator and community leader: help others see themselves in spaces that historically they have been left out of or not given the resources to reach. The work of changing community and systems never stops—but I hope I can help create the change I wish to see in the world.

Hello reader, thanks for reading my story!

My name is

Devon M.

But my wonderful students call me

Mr. Minke

I teach

3rd Grade

at BMT Partner School

Teaching Fellow

Did you know in the State of Minnesota only

1 in 200

elementary teachers are Black Men? That's half of 1%.

I am a Black Male Teacher,

I am an impactful and inspiring leader.

My name is

Devon M.

But my wonderful students call me

Mr. Minke

I am proud half-percent, this is my story.

Devon

BMT Teacher

Read Interview

BMT Teacher

Devon

BMT Teacher

Teaching Fellow

In my life, I have got to work with kids in every capacity. From daycares, Boys and Girls Clubs, and non-profit organizations to teaching in schools and being a part of the Freedom School movement for the last six years of my life, I have always found a way to help serve our young people.

I think the most impactful thing you can do in your life is serve your community, and I have found that space in educating our young minds in the community. As an educator, you are constantly working to find solutions within the classroom.

In my free time, I love to read, educate myself about the world, enjoy being outdoors, and spend time with my loved ones.

One quote that I will forever hold close to my heart—ever since I joined the Freedom School movement over six years ago—is:
‍

"You cannot be what you cannot see."
- Marian Wright Edelman


This is so powerful to me because, through her work as the first Black woman admitted to the bar in Mississippi and her leadership at the Children’s Defense Fund, she is the pinnacle of what it means to be something she could not see growing up.

This is what I want to do as an educator and community leader: help others see themselves in spaces that historically they have been left out of or not given the resources to reach. The work of changing community and systems never stops—but I hope I can help create the change I wish to see in the world.

In my life, I have got to work with kids in every capacity. From daycares, Boys and Girls Clubs, and non-profit organizations to teaching in schools and being a part of the Freedom School movement for the last six years of my life, I have always found a way to help serve our young people.

I think the most impactful thing you can do in your life is serve your community, and I have found that space in educating our young minds in the community. As an educator, you are constantly working to find solutions within the classroom.

In my free time, I love to read, educate myself about the world, enjoy being outdoors, and spend time with my loved ones.

One quote that I will forever hold close to my heart—ever since I joined the Freedom School movement over six years ago—is:
‍

"You cannot be what you cannot see."
- Marian Wright Edelman


This is so powerful to me because, through her work as the first Black woman admitted to the bar in Mississippi and her leadership at the Children’s Defense Fund, she is the pinnacle of what it means to be something she could not see growing up.

This is what I want to do as an educator and community leader: help others see themselves in spaces that historically they have been left out of or not given the resources to reach. The work of changing community and systems never stops—but I hope I can help create the change I wish to see in the world.

Hello Reader!
Thanks for being here and reading my story. I appreciate you taking the time to get to know me and Black Men Teach.

My name is

Devon M.

But my wonderful students call me

Mr. Minke

I teach

3rd Grade

at a BMT Partner School!


Teaching Fellow

THIS IS MY STORY

In my life, I have got to work with kids in every capacity. From daycares, Boys and Girls Clubs, and non-profit organizations to teaching in schools and being a part of the Freedom School movement for the last six years of my life, I have always found a way to help serve our young people.

I think the most impactful thing you can do in your life is serve your community, and I have found that space in educating our young minds in the community. As an educator, you are constantly working to find solutions within the classroom.

In my free time, I love to read, educate myself about the world, enjoy being outdoors, and spend time with my loved ones.

One quote that I will forever hold close to my heart—ever since I joined the Freedom School movement over six years ago—is:
‍

"You cannot be what you cannot see."
- Marian Wright Edelman


This is so powerful to me because, through her work as the first Black woman admitted to the bar in Mississippi and her leadership at the Children’s Defense Fund, she is the pinnacle of what it means to be something she could not see growing up.

This is what I want to do as an educator and community leader: help others see themselves in spaces that historically they have been left out of or not given the resources to reach. The work of changing community and systems never stops—but I hope I can help create the change I wish to see in the world.

9 QUESTIONS

WITH

Devon

1

How many years have you been teaching?

4

2

What does it mean to be a Black male teacher?

To me, being a Black male teacher is to be a revolutionary.

In elementary education, being a male educator and a Black educator are barriers within themselves—but looking at the intersection of those identities and seeing the lack of both, let alone a Black male educator, is a revolutionary act when keeping Black people out of classrooms has been the objective for so long in our country.

This work goes beyond teaching math and reading. It's about helping young people see Black people and the rich history and creativity we bring to the world of education.

For so long, Black people have been left out of the vision of what education should look like and can look like, because we have not been in the classrooms or positions of influence. But the shift is slowly happening.

Being a Black male educator has been the most enlightening and rewarding experience I have ever had, and I hope to continue to make a positive impact on all the families I serve through education.

3

What grade did you have your first Black male teacher? What's one big takeaway you gained from that experience?

The first experience I had with a Black male educator was in elementary school. He was not a classroom teacher or someone in the building daily, but he worked with our social worker to pull groups throughout the day to do activities and help us be successful in class.

The biggest takeaway from that experience was simply seeing that a Black man could work in an elementary school—specifically with Black children.

I only had white women as educators in my K–5 experience, and the only two men were a second grade teacher and the principal.

The remarkable part is, he only worked with me for a year—and yet, that time with him has helped shape the Black man and educator I am today.

4

What's your favorite subject to teach? Why?

My favorite subject to teach my students is history because I get to have the ability to introduce students to historical knowledge about our world they may have never discovered.

‍

5

What's a one-liner you use all the time in the classroom?

Be the leaders I know you can be

6

List three words your students would use to describe you.

Cool

Funny

Loving

7

What is your favorite activity to do with your students?

Play Uno!

8

If you could take your students on a field trip to any place around the world, where would you take them?

Sierra Leone

9

What’s your favorite movie or TV show, favorite book, and go-to after-school snack?

Favorite Movie or TV Show:
One Piece

Favorite Book:
The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Go-To After-School Snack:
Almonds

‍

4

1

How many years have you been teaching?

1

To me, being a Black male teacher is to be a revolutionary.

In elementary education, being a male educator and a Black educator are barriers within themselves—but looking at the intersection of those identities and seeing the lack of both, let alone a Black male educator, is a revolutionary act when keeping Black people out of classrooms has been the objective for so long in our country.

This work goes beyond teaching math and reading. It's about helping young people see Black people and the rich history and creativity we bring to the world of education.

For so long, Black people have been left out of the vision of what education should look like and can look like, because we have not been in the classrooms or positions of influence. But the shift is slowly happening.

Being a Black male educator has been the most enlightening and rewarding experience I have ever had, and I hope to continue to make a positive impact on all the families I serve through education.

2

What does it mean to be a Black male teacher?

2

The first experience I had with a Black male educator was in elementary school. He was not a classroom teacher or someone in the building daily, but he worked with our social worker to pull groups throughout the day to do activities and help us be successful in class.

The biggest takeaway from that experience was simply seeing that a Black man could work in an elementary school—specifically with Black children.

I only had white women as educators in my K–5 experience, and the only two men were a second grade teacher and the principal.

The remarkable part is, he only worked with me for a year—and yet, that time with him has helped shape the Black man and educator I am today.

3

What grade did you have your first Black male teacher? What's one big takeaway you gained from that experience?

3

My favorite subject to teach my students is history because I get to have the ability to introduce students to historical knowledge about our world they may have never discovered.

‍

4

What's your favorite subject to teach? Why?

4

Be the leaders I know you can be

5

What's a one-liner you use all the time in the classroom?

5

Cool

Funny

Loving

6

List three words your students would use to describe you.

6

Play Uno!

7

What is your favorite activity to do with your students?

7

Sierra Leone

8

If you could take your students on a field trip to any place around the world, where would you take them?

8

Favorite Movie or TV Show:
One Piece

Favorite Book:
The Autobiography of Malcolm X

Go-To After-School Snack:
Almonds

‍

9

What’s your favorite movie or TV show, favorite book, and go-to after-school snack?

9

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