Welcome to the Georgia Black Home Educators Network (GBHEN)
About Us
We are a collaboration of Black Homeschool Group leaders and supporters working together to provide opportunities, ensure access, and secure resources that empower Black families as home educators. Our first endeavor is the 2023 Black Family Homeschool Conference.
Collaborators
DeKalb Christian Home Educators is a Christ-centered, parent-led homeschool cooperative offering classes, extracurricular clubs, family centric fieldtrips, academic showcases, and social event.
We offer a Christian Classical Education approach with a-la-carte activities for Pre-K to high school. We feature Bible Quiz teams and offer a dual enrollment cohort with Colorado Christian University.
EPIC Homeschool Network is a non-profit multicultural homeschool community with a goal to help families homeschool with confidence and clarity. They offer scholarships, weekly Homeschool Hangouts, monthly field trips, parent webinars, and classes.
Our mission is to “create critical thinkers, not mere reflectors of other men’s thoughts” (E.G. White).
Northeast Independent Preparatory Academy (NIPA) is a “center for home education” (grades 9–12) accredited by the Georgia Accrediting Commission (GAC). NIPA consists of an association of parents who work together to provide professional scholastic recognition for our home-schooled students, resulting in diplomas for its graduates that are recognized by the State of Georgia.
Vision: That underserved parents will share the power and freedom of home education.
Mission: To provide opportunities, ensure access, and secure resources that empower underserved families as home educators.
Goals
Establish a network of academic, administrative, and financial resources supporting homeschool support groups.
Ensure access, provide opportunities, and secure resources for parent-led home education.
Provide a unified protective voice for parental rights and educational autonomy.
Partner with families, learning communities, churches, academia, and educational advocacy organizations to grow the homeschooling movement in Georgia.
Create an ecosystem of social entrepreneurs and edu-preneurs that provide sustainable academic and emotional support to families.
Equip. Encourage. Energize.
This 2-day hybrid conference aims to equip, energize, and encourage Black homeschooling families and highlight diverse pathways to educational freedom.
Why Now? : The pandemic forced 9 million students home for remote education. According to the Census in 2019, 3.3 percent of Black families were home-schooling by the fall of 2020, the population increased to 16.1 percent. Now, a growing 16% of homeschooling families are Black. Thus, our homeschool community is "flourishing."
This population growth is a response to institutionalized racism, culturally insensitive curriculum, disproportionate use of punitive practices, and implicit bias that marginalizes intellect. This community of parents desire to nurture their students' minds with a worldview that uses literature, STEM, history, and experiences to provide a positive and accurate image.
Conference Keynote Speakers
University of Georgia professor Cheryl Fields-Smith has been studying the motivations, habits, and characteristics of black families who elect to educate their children at home since 2006.
She is a founding board member of the International Center for Home Education Research, a nonprofit clearinghouse for academic scholarship on homeschooling. Fields-Smith recently received the American Educational Studies Association’s (AESA) Critic’s Choice Book Award for “Exploring Single Black Mothers’ Resistance Through Homeschooling.”
With over 20 years of homeschooling experience, Latonya is a wife, homeschooling mom, well-being coach, writer, and speaker. She is straight-to-the-point and practical speaker and leader who offers large doses of encouragement. In addition, she is realistic when finding and maintaining a joy-centered life.
She's been featured in Focus on the Family, The Old Schoolhouse, and Kiplinger. In addition, she's appeared on Slate's Mom and Dad are Fighting, The Homeschool Highschool Podcast, NPR Here and Now, and her podcasts at joyintheordinary.com.
Conference Features
Georgia Homeschooling 101- Andrea Hall, M.Ed.
Developing the Four Year High School Plan- LaNissir James
Understanding the Twice Exceptional (2e) Learner: Boundless Gifts!- Rochelle Matthews-Somerville, PhD
Drafting Student Education Plans (i.e. IEPs) - Rochelle Matthews-Somerville, PhD
Home Education Support Group: Administrative & Operational Concerns- Darren Jones, Esq
LUNCH & LEARN SESSIONS:
- Parent Self Care Panel - (Relationship, Single Parent, Mental Health & Wellness) Tiffany Blassingame, M. Ed., Christina Garrett, Andrew & Malaika Wells, and Monique Gadson, PhD, LPC
- Homeschooling Your Own Way: Methods & Philosophies (Traditional- Dr. Latasha Adams, Classical- Dr. Angel Parham, Unschooling-Domari Dickinson, Roadschooling- LaNissir James)
DISCUSSION PANELS:
Philanthropy, Community, and Collaboration: How Everyday Entrepreneurs are Coming Together to Homeschool - Yalonda Chandler, Rosa Aristy, Natalie Laraque
Black Homeschooling Father Panel (Thomas Bosley, Andrew Wells, Dr. Alan Shaw, Rashim Turner, Dr. Jerome Morris and moderator, Najah Drakes)
TEEN TRACK PROGRAMMING:
Can You Handle It?: Of course, you can! We know life is coming at you fast. Join this workshop for tips and tools to help you focus, prioritize, and manage your life. Presenter: Dr. Monique Gadson
R.O.O.T.E.D: Whose and Who You Are: What’s your story? What does it say about your life and future? Are you the hero or the villain in it? Who’s the author? Join this interactive and informative workshop on discovering personal identity and building your narrative. Presenter: Chanel Moore
Beauty & Brokenness: Ever feel anxious, stressed, or overwhelmed? Do you sometimes feel you have to be perfect? Ever struggle to navigate or share those feelings with others? This mental health & faith workshop is for you! Learn how to navigate and advocate for your mental, spiritual, and physical well-being. Presenter: Dr. Onnie Poe
Free Indeed: Freedom can be dangerous. Any liberty presents the possibility of peril. How can we learn to use our freedom in ways that improve our lives and the lives of others? Join this workshop to get real about liberty and accountability. Presenter: Sterling Johnson
Ways to Donate
Click DONATE to Give.
Text-to-GIVE: Text "Homeschool" to 53-555
Send a Check
You can write a check payable to: Georgia Black Home Educators Network, 3877 Thornbury Court, Stonecrest, GA 30038
Send a Wire Transfer
DeKalb Christian Home Educators, Inc. dba Georgia Black Home Educators is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Tax ID:26-09058090
Thanks to Our Sponsors
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Gold Sponsor $25,000 |
Silver Sponsor $10,000 |
Bronze Sponsor $5,000 - $3000 |
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Community Partners Providers of In-kind Donations of Services & Products |
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Publix, Marlow's Tavern, Chick-fil-a (Cathy Richardson), Atlanta History Center, Melo Rucker of BlissBoy Health and Performance, IEW, Google Ads grant, Atlanta Convention & Visitors Bureau, Six Flags, Shakespeare's Tavern, Georgia Tech Athletics |
Vendors
The largest homeschool advocacy organization with over 100,000 members.
Awards grants to nontraditional education models.
Public awareness campaign for school choice.
We transform education to be as diverse as the kids it’s designed to serve.
We engage local stakeholders to advocate for student success.
Classical, Christian curricula and programming
The ultimate women's self-care and strategy weekend
Tiny school community - Hapeville, GA (ages 9-13)
Holistic Self-Defense
Quality individualized instruction for piano.
Providing technology access to under-resourced youth
Student-centered online learning environment rooted in community and collaboration.
Culturally responsive educational consulting
A daughter by birth. HIS by Grace.
Online Homeschool Math Curriculum
Math classes & Manipulatives
ABA Therapy & Early Childhood Resources
Education~Advocacy~Support for individuals and families affected by mental health and disabilities.
Virtual classrooms for Preschool through Second Grade.
Historically black liberal arts college for women located in Atlanta, Georgia.
Accredited online degree programs in business, information technology, healthcare and education with flat-rate tuition.
Georgia’s dual enrollment program on our main campus in West Point, as well as at site locations in Peachtree City, Savannah and online.
Homeschool support & classes in Austell, GA
Homeschool support & classes in Stone Mountain, GA
Academic Counseling & Transcript Accreditation
Learn More
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If you have questions, feel free to email us at [email protected]
