Roxbury Weston Programs, Inc.

In these times of reflection, confrontation, and growth, I have taken time to look back in my life and appreciate the experiences that have been most impactful in shaping the person I am today. Throughout my life, I have never struggled to be open to sharing moments with people who do not look like me. I realize that my openness roots itself in many different sources, such as being a part of a multi-cultural household, and my parents' views, but one program particularly stands out in beginning my journey stepping across racial and cultural bounds. 

The Roxbury Weston Preschool program began in 1966, when METCO was established in Weston Public Schools (WPS), and there was a need to prove Boston based students could meet the requirements of entering Kindergarten. RoxWes began operating with the purpose of bringing diversity earlier to the community and ensuring METCO kids would be better prepared for WPS. Around this time, the Weston School Committee agreed to provide its bus service to bring the Boston students to school each day. Unfortunately, this cost is no longer being covered by WPS, jeopardizing this incredible program. If they are not able to raise funds for the bus, they risk not being able to operate this program for much longer. They need our help.

I recently wrote a piece about my experiences as a token black friend, which went viral. Since then, I haven't stopped receiving messages of support and affirmation. I am asking all of you to help me by contributing to this fundraiser. If my story meant something to you, here is where it began. 

From the age of three to five, I attended Roxbury Weston Preschool. Its mission is to bring families together in a learning community dedicated to the celebration of diversity and excellence in early care and education. It was here that I made my first white friends. It was here that I had my first play date in a suburb after school. It was here that I first learned that I was black, and that began facing questions about my identity, albeit at the level I could understand then. Most importantly, it was here that my outlook in this different community was formed, and attitudes of acceptance were fostered. 
Equally, these same firsts occurred for my white friends at the school with a person of color from the inner city. I reached out to one of my lifelong friends, Josh White, who shared the RoxWes experience with me, asking for his reflections. His thoughts are included below, and I believe they speak directly to the impact the program has on the Weston students as much as the Boston kids. 
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"While I don’t remember every specific moment from my time at Roxbury Weston, I remember seeing my classmates—regardless of race or socioeconomic background—merely as friends with whom I enjoyed learning, recess time, and playdates. Attending Roxbury Weston in my early, formative years enabled me to break through Weston’s predominately-white bubble and garner a more diverse outlook at just four years old. What’s more, my time at Roxbury Weston initiated lifelong friendships with my Roxbury classmates, such as Ramesh Nagarajah, and their families. I cherish my lifelong relationship with Ramesh, an incredibly accomplished friend I greatly respect and might not have met without Roxbury Weston.

Throughout the majority of my life, I had thought that my acceptance of and ability to make friends with individuals of all races, ethnicities, and backgrounds were innate traits. But childhood psychology tells us that these traits must be reinforced, and that children develop them throughout their early years. Roxbury Weston gave me an early exposure to the diverse perspectives of my classmates and allowed me to form friendships which, although I may not have realized at the time, left an indelible mark on me and my perspective of others.

Throughout the many years since attending Roxbury Weston, these attributes have made me a stronger classmate, teammate, and coworker. While I’m not claiming to have it all figured out, I can say with certainty that my time at Roxbury Weston was pivotal in shaping the person I am today."
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Thanks for checking this out, and thank you in advance for your contribution to this cause that means so much to me. With the network this can reach, I am hoping to raise enough to cover the bus for multiple years. Anything helps!

Find more information on the program at this link: https://www.roxwes.org/about