Leyoncé 👅

Name: J.R. Rivera

Location: Miami FL USA

Where and what do you teach? 

My name is J.R. Rivera and I currently teach at SLAM Miami High School in Miami and I teach math Geometry. 

How long have you been a teacher? I have been teaching for 7years.

What made you decide to be a teacher?  I saw an opportunity to make impact while making income when I was training for professional football and tutoring and training athletes on the side.

I realized the way most students soaked up the lessons I conveyed to them but also wanted the life lessons as well.

Name a moment where you helped a student get through a hard situation?  Unfortunately I had a student who loss his mother and was a freshman football player. I was able to help him channel some of his pain into purpose in the classroom and on the playing fields. I helped him identify a way to have his moms fight live on through him. He had started to struggle with attendance and effort prior to our heart to heart talks.

How important is Black males in education? Black males in education are the missing link between a minority’s worldly imposed view of a black man and the possibilities of a black man. Black males bring a cool charismatic culture shock that is rare but needed for so many  to value education.

If you could create your own subject at your school what would it be and why? Morning purpose period where students would learn the power of their voice, skin and purpose.

Students would recite affirmations and read books for self development like my time management book “What’s Eating Up Your Time”.

What is your ultimate goal as a teacher?

My goal is for my lessons to be CPR to dying dreams of students.

Black female entrepreneurs are the fastest-growing entrepreneur group in the country. So in honor of that, we’ve rounded up 45 of the best beauty and fashion brands out there, that just so happen to be black-owned.

A'Naturelle

The Afro Hair & Skin Co.

AJ Crimson Beauty

Amby Rose

Balm & Co.

Beauty Bakerie

Bekura Beauty

Bevel

Black Opal Beauty

Black Radiance Beauty

Black Up Cosmetics

Carol’s Daughter

Cocoa Swatches

Cocotique

Coloured Raine

Curls

Danessa Myricks

Eleanor Anukam Footwear

Edas Jewels

Fashion Fair Cosmetics

Folie Apothecary

Foxie Cosmetics

Ginger + Liz

Heat Free Hair Extensions

Iman Cosmetics

Juvia’s Place

Ka'oir

Lena Lashes

The Lip Bar

Madam CJ Walker Beauty Culture

Magnolia Makeup

MDMflow

Miss Jessie’s

Nandi Naya

Nubian Heritage

Nubian Skin

Plain Jane Beauty

Polish & Co

R&R Luxury

Revel

Sacha Cosmetics

SheaMoisture

The Very Black Project

The Wrap Life

Zuvaa

Black Opal, Black Radiance, Black Up, Carol’s Daughter, and Sacha cosmetics are NOT black-owned.