30-year-old Yonkers native, historian, advocate for education, and author of He Spoke At My School, Dennis Richmond, Jr., M.S.Ed., commenced instructing scholars in Mount Vernon for the upcoming academic year. Mr. Richmond is in his third year of teaching at Mount Vernon, where his love of history, literature, and writing continues to motivate students. He starts the 2025-2026 school year as the new Middle School English Teacher at Amani Public Charter School.
“I love teaching,” Richmond shared with Black Westchester. “In my opinion, it’s the best career in the world.”
Richmond has taken great delight in three main areas throughout his career: his ability to relate to academics, his enthusiasm for his work, and his close ties to his family. In addition to the students he personally instructs, he feels that the scholars he has the biggest influence on are those whose families he interacts with outside of the classroom.
“When I say family, it doesn’t have to be two parents—and it doesn’t have to be parents at all,” Richmond explained. “Family might be a grandfather, an aunt, or an older sibling. When a teacher connects with someone who is important to a child, it makes for a stronger learning experience. It truly does take a village to raise a child.”
Born February 11, 1995, Richmond has a long history with the kids of Mount Vernon. He assisted in guiding kids through the college application process in his early 20s while working with the Mount Vernon Youth Bureau’s S.T.R.O.N.G. program. He is the Founder of The New York-New Jersey HBCU Initiative and has been recognized for his contributions to education and his commitment to empowering young minds. He specifically encouraged pupils to apply to HBCUs. He earned the tagline “beating the drum for HBCUs” from Patricia H. Koger, a professor at Claflin University, for his support of HBCUs.
Today, Richmond’s presence in the classroom carries added weight. According to the National Teacher and Principal Survey (2020-2021), Black men accounted for 1.3% of all public school teachers. This percentage represents a significant decline from previous years, such as the 2017–2018 school year, when Black men made up 6.5% of teachers.
While Black men make up less than 2% of teachers, they represent a larger portion of the U.S. population and student body, indicating an imbalance in the teaching force. Diverse teachers are important for students of color, especially Black boys, who may benefit from educators who understand and can relate to their experiences, according to the National Education Association (NEA).
Research shows that American students are far more diverse than their teachers. While public school enrollment is nearing a majority-minority status, the teaching workforce remains predominantly white. For Richmond, that data reinforces the importance of representation.
“Scholars need to see brothers in front of them teaching,” Richmond tells Black Westchester. “Especially in New York.”
Richmond is still dedicated to the classroom, even if he currently has no aspirations to enter the administrative field as an assistant principal, dean, or principal. He views teaching as a career rather than just a job.
