A community-based commitment to move young men towards Black Excellence.
“It is easier to build strong children than to prepare broken men .”
— Frederick Douglass
MOMentum
MOMentum creates empowering spaces for women, mothers, caregivers, and guardians to come together and engage deeply in the work of educational equity. MOMentum centers advocacy and community; this program empowers women to establish the support systems necessary to champion student achievement and foster holistic wellness. MOMENtum Women provides a space to discuss the unique experiences of boys and men in education, while also confronting and challenging the impact of patriarchal systems. Together, these women organize, uplift, and lead efforts to transform schools and communities through informed action and collective care.
moMENtum
moMENtum is a community and civic engagement program that unites men from all walks of life to collaborate, organize, and take action in support of Black and Brown student achievement. This brotherhood of purpose-driven men, spanning generations, professions, and socio-economic backgrounds, is committed to advancing educational equity through policy advocacy, mentorship, and real-world connections. By helping young men apply school-based learning to everyday life, MOMENtum Men creates pathways for academic success and personal growth. Through coalition-building and sustained collaboration, the program tackles systemic inequities and mobilizes communities to reimagine education as a tool for justice and liberation.
MOMENTum
MOMENtum is a faith-inspired initiative that harnesses the power of teachable moments anti-racist doctoral scholars to advance educational equity and justice. Rooted in the legacies of anti-racist educators, the program models courageous conversations grounded in truth-telling, healing, and applied faith. MOMENtum highlights the research and leadership of scholar-practitioners committed to transforming systems through equity-centered dialogue and action. By advocating for policy change and reimagining educational ecosystems that center marginalized voices, MOMENtum is building a movement toward a more just and inclusive future.
The moMENtum Research
Dr. Martina Van Norden’s research as an anti-racist scholar explores the powerful intersection of faith, education, and civic engagement as a pathway to achieving educational equity. Her work is grounded in the belief that justice-centered education must be culturally responsive, spiritually rooted, and civically engaged. Drawing on theoretical frameworks and community-based research practices, Dr. Van Norden examines how faith-informed values and community organizing can enhance the educational experience for Black and Brown students.
Her scholarship highlights the role of Black churches, families, and grassroots leadership in mobilizing for policy change and educational justice. Through qualitative studies, participatory action research, and narrative inquiry, Dr. Van Norden examines how educational ecosystems thrive when spiritual conviction meets civic responsibility. Her research uplifts the voices of mothers, mentors, and faith leaders, centering their contributions as essential to student success and community wellness.
Dr. Van Norden’s work contributes to a growing field of scholar-practitioners who see education not just as a system to reform, but as a sacred space to reimagine—where dignity, equity, and liberation are not just aspirations, but achievable outcomes.