Kiera Wilmot

Student, Aspiring Scientist

That morning I was taking the experiment to be approved by my teacher. My friends and I were outside, and they wanted to see how it worked. It did not react the way I expected it to. The lid popped off and smoke came out. If I could go back in time, I definitely wouldn't have done it.

Danielle Moodie-Mills

Writer, Polinista, and Equality Advocate

If at 4 or 5 years old, you are getting a full weave to make you "cute," what will be your fix at 20? Nothing, it seems, is off-limits.

Dennis Van Roekel

President of the National Education Association

There is plenty of evidence to suggest that Mayor Rahm Emanuel's plan to shutter 50 (yes, 50) schools won't be good for Chicago's children, especially children of color.

Theodore Johnson

Writer, 2012 White House Fellow

Certainly, the name "Talented Tenth" carries baggage that may be insurmountable. It is rather difficult to redefine an infamous concept that has existed for nearly 120 years.

Meaghan Garvey

Illustrator, writer

Kanye West is white America's worst nightmare. Because as much as one may attempt to dismiss him, you still have to turn on your regularly scheduled late night comedy program and stare him in the face. You can't avoid Kanye. He's made very sure of that.

Roderick Carey

Educational researcher, writer and teacher educator

If you see a black man smiling wider or poking out his chest more than usual this week, you can probably assume that his excitement was caused, at least in part, by the rousing address given by President Barack Obama at the Morehouse College commencement.

Keith Rushing

Communications Director, Rights Working Group

If you're worried about the growing political strength of people of color, which is happening in large part because of a rapidly growing Latino population, then you might be motivated to do what you can to stop immigration reform.

D. R. Tucker

Freelance writer and co-host of "The Green Front" on Progressive Radio Network (thegreenfront.com)

I could not have imagined on Nov. 19, 1998, that within ten years, an African American would be elected president, and my ideological allies would respond with a rhetorical and political assault that made my own attacks on Judge Tauro look polite by comparison.

Earl Ofari Hutchinson

Author and political analyst

The GOP has transformed the stereotype of who is a government leech into the perennial political attack point that the government is too big, wasteful and intrusive. And that those who appear to benefit most from government should pay the most for it.

Jafari S. Allen

Associate Professor, African-American Studies and Anthropology, Yale University

For me, having taught "Genealogies of Black LGBTQ/SGL Culture and Politics," the first LGTBQ studies course at Morehouse and only the second at a historically black college, this semester, President Obama's small utterance in his commencement address is groundbreaking.

Tanisha L. Ramirez

Freelance Lifestyle & Pop Culture Journalist

Erykah Badu, in addition to being the reigning Queen of Soul, is a doula herself. And more than that, she's a strong role model for women who want to do it all, and then some.

Rep. Steny Hoyer and Rep. Barbara Lee

From infants to seniors, the sequester affects at-risk Americans in every age bracket, and its cuts will harm families trying to put food on the table. Simply put, the sequester will erect road blocks along the pathways out of poverty.

Eric Cooper

Founder, President of the National Urban Alliance for Effective Education

How can we as a nation go where his teacher would not, and rise up to address students when they ask what their schools are doing to help them?

Lawrence D. Elliott

Author and 'Chicken Soup for the Soul' contributor

It was the summer of 2006, when I stepped off the cool airplane into the heat and humidity at Monroe Regional Airport. I was back in the Louisiana of my ancestral roots. My body was filled with great anticipation.

Darron T. Smith, Ph.D.

Professor

Living in a society where citizens are conditioned to believe that being black and male is synonymous with crime is severely misguided, out of context to centuries of brutal oppression recorded in history.

Marc H. Morial

President and CEO, National Urban League

There is no doubt that the opportunity to re-elect America's first black president contributed to record black turnout last year. But, no matter who is on the ballot in 2014 and 2016, we must continue to exercise our voice. We must continue to exercise our vote.

Darrin Redus

Chief Economic Inclusion Advisor, JumpStart Inc.

Connecting more minorities to the nation's emerging tech-based economy (via these high-tech industries) is of vital importance for our collective economic future. This bridge-building isn't always easy, however.