Good morning community,

We are grateful to everyone who attended our annual Black History Month celebration this Friday. We filled the building to the brim and the energy was unmistakably Oyster-Adams: joyful, inclusive, and full of pride. Major shout-out to the OCC for making this annual tradition possible for our community!

The food was nothing short of incredible, thanks to the love and skill of Ms. Sharon, Baldwin’s amazing grandmother, who cooked for our entire community with her own hands. Her generosity and talent made the evening feel like a true family gathering. In case you’re reading this Ms. Sharon, that jerk chicken was phenomenal! Of course, there’s no party without live music, so thank you to Cedric Diakabana for pulling together a crew of musicians: drummers, guitarists, vocalists to set the tone for the night. Appreciation to all the musicians sharing their gifts with us!

We were deeply honored to welcome two remarkable alumni speakers: Mr. Williams, the first Black student to attend Oyster in the 1950’s, and Ms. Johnson, a member of the very first generation of students who began this beautiful bilingual education experiment back in 1971. We welcomed her back for the first time in 54 years. Their words were heartfelt, powerful, and a moving witness to fact that Civil Rights history still walks among us. Thank you to Mr. Benson for forging these relationships and keeping them alive for the whole community.

Among the blessings of the evening was meeting five generations of the McKinney family, each one making history in their own time and generously sharing their story at their presenters table. We heard memories of a grandmother born into slavery who paved the way three generations later for her descendants to be trailblazing Black scholars in Ivy League institutions. I felt honored that they now trust us with their youngest McKinneys, who are OA Tigers too! We are fortunate to be part of a community with such deep witnesses, courageous trailblazers, and an enduring struggle for inclusivity.

Of course, none of this would have been possible without the dozens of volunteers who transformed our cafeteria, planned meticulously for weeks, and poured time, creativity, and love into every detail. Our most momentous thank‑you goes to Emily Grinstead and Monique Worrell, whose dedication, heart, and leadership bring this beautiful celebration to life every year. Your dedication to creating this tradition inspires dozens of people to roll up their sleeves, serve food, scrub tables, and sweep floors to make this moment special for our children. Thank you to every single volunteer who makes these events possible.

Finally, I’d like to extend warm gratitude to the families and faculty (especially after a long day teaching!) who attended, supported, danced, learned, and celebrated with us. It was a night that showed the very best of who we are as a bilingual, multicultural community.

With immense gratitude,
Carolina Brito
Principal, Oyster-Adams Bilingual School