Donor Profiles

Handcrafted plaques for donors of $250 or more are displayed at Teaching for Change’s Bookstore at Busboys and Poets in Washington, DC. Add your name to the wall today!

Meet some of our generous donors profiled below.

Planet Maud Vintage & Co.
Nizam B. Ali
E. Ethelbert Miller
Teaching Out LOUD
Sonia Nieto
Robert Babiak
Renee Poussaint

Planet Maud Vintage & Co.

Planet Maud Vintage & Co. has donated proceeds from its 2012 winter and fall trunk shows to Teaching for Change. The D.C.-based fashion line features “out of this world vintage, pre-loved, and indie designed delights from around the world” with an “eco-fly consciousness.”

“Thank you for being incredible pillars in the community,” wrote Jo-Ann Enwezor, Planet Maud’s owner and collector, after the first trunk show was a great success.

Planet Maud again teamed up with Restaurant Marvin and DJ Jahsonic to host a trunk show benefiting Teaching for Change on Sunday, October 14 from 2-6pm. Additionally, Planet Maud will donate a portion of all customer purchases to Teaching for Change through December 2012.

We are honored to have the support of Jo-Ann and the designers featured at the Planet Maud Vintage & Co. trunk show:

Nizam B. Ali

Nizam B. Ali —  co-owner of Ben’s Chili Bowl,  son of Ben Ali, and former Teaching for Change board member  —  is donating a portion of the royalties from the book  Ben’s Chili Bowl: 50 Years of a Washington, D.C., Landmark to Teaching for Change.

From the days when U Street was hailed as “Black Broadway” to today,  Ben’s Chili Bowl has been a key gathering place for the local community.

On August 22, 1958, Mahaboob Ben Ali and Virginia Rollins opened a hot dog and chili shop on U Street. They never imagined that Ben’s would become world-renowned or such a beloved restaurant in the nation’s capital.

The images in  Ben’s Chili Bowl: 50 Years of a Washington, D.C., Landmark  provide a look back over the 50-year history of Ben’s Chili Bowl, U Street, the Ali family, and the patrons who have helped define Ben’s as a key D.C. landmark.

Many thanks also to co-editor Tracey Gold Bennett for this donation.

E. Ethelbert Miller

We are honored that E. Ethelbert Miller, a man of many talents, has been a long time friend and ally of Teaching for Change.

E. Ethelbert Miller is a poet and author of almost a dozen books including the most recent publication The Fifth Inning (PM Press and Busboys and Poets). He is the board chairperson of the Institute for Policy Studies (IPS) and since 1974 has served as the Director of the African American Resource Center at Howard University. Here, in his own words, is why he supports Teaching for Change:

“Teaching for Change is building a better tomorrow for our children. I feel blessed to be a witness to the motion of history.

“Oh, and where would educators, parents and students be without the Teaching for Change bookstore located at Busboys and Poets? This place is a combination of Eden, Mecca and Oz.”

Teaching Out LOUD

Thank you to everyone who donated to our Spring 2012 Teaching Out LOUD campaign. Social justice teaching should not be silenced. We applaud the wonderful and generous individuals who helped us raise more than $10,000 to build social justice, starting in the classroom. See the full list of names.

Professor Sonia Nieto

Sonia Nieto, internationally respected scholar on multicultural education, is donating a portion of the royalties from her latest book, Dear Paulo: Letters from Those Who Dare Teach to Teaching for Change and Seeds of Solidarity.

We received the first check from Paradigm Publishers in March of 2010, just in time for our 20th anniversary campaign.

We already benefit from the contributions Sonia Nieto makes everyday through her research, writing, public speaking, and her unwavering commitment to social justice throughout her work. While retired from teaching, she stays in touch with and supports her students throughout the country.

It is a much appreciated honor to be selected as one of two organizations to receive this donation.

 Robert Babiak

Robert Babiak is an annual donor to Teaching for Change. Originally from Pittsburgh (and forever a Steelers fan), this 20+ year educator lives in Alexandria, Virginia and works in Charles County, Maryland. Here is why Robert Babiak supports Teaching for Change:

“Being an educator myself, I strongly believe that education is a way to uplift and empower people to improve their lives, and ultimately, society.

“I am a former social studies teacher and now Principal at a middle school in Southern Maryland. I often share materials from Teaching for Change with my social studies teachers who are looking for ways to engage their students.

“I am pleased that Busboys and Poets provides an opportunity for Teaching for Change to reach more educators and beyond.

“I will be staying connected with Teaching for Change and will continue to get the word out about the great work being done.”

 Renee Poussaint

Renee Poussaint has advanced the work of Teaching for Change as a special consultant since the spring of 2009. Renee is nationally recognized and respected for her work as a documentary filmmaker (Tutu and Franklin: A Journey Towards Peace), award-winning television network journalist, and co-founder of the National Visionary Leadership Project. She has brought her expertise from all of this work to Teaching for Change, providing invaluable guidance on communications and organizational development.

Renee has also played a direct role in communications, traveling with Teaching for Change staff to Mississippi for professional development and introducing key author events at Busboys and Poets (Patricia Hill Collins and Edwidge Danticat.)

Most recently Renee literally rolled up her sleeves to make two beautiful planters to adorn the entrance to our office. Among her many assets is a green thumb.

Renee’s consultations are generally held over lunch at Eatonville Restaurant with Teaching for Change’s Executive Director. This has become a fruitful and very enjoyable tradition — one that we look forward to continuing for many years.