Seeing Myself, a Short Documentary From BRIC Exploring Segregation in the NYC School System

Segregation in NYC public schools is a serious issue. The problem is worse now than it was 30 years ago, and what’s concerning is that most believe it was eliminated as a result of the Civil Rights Act of the 1960s. The only difference now is that the color divide has grown from a root in simply racial factors, to economic ones, as well. The spectrum had broadened from black & white, to green, and the effects are compounded with the rise of gentrification in Brooklyn.

At Goldstein High School in Manhattan Beach, Brooklyn, a student named Rahmel creates the school’s first Black Student Union alongside Mr. Blackmon, one of few black teachers at Goldstein. They speak to the importance of teacher diversity, and having a safe cultural space for students to engage in important discourse. As a result, the two have paved a path for others at the school (Latinos, women, LGBTQ) to create spaces of their own.