Burning the House Down

“The future of the world belongs to the youth of the world, and it is from the youth and not from the old that the fire of life will warm and enlighten the world." 

                                                         ~ Tom Mann

From a very early age, I was taught to fear fire. It could burn. It could destroy. It could leave you scarred for life. Yet fire enthralled me, and my fascination with it was unrelenting. I loved to look at fire—the flames, the embers, the spectrum of colors—-and I could lose myself hypnotized by its ability to transform everything in its path. I took every opportunity that came my way to create fire—striking matches, lighting the burners on the stove, igniting the charcoal for a barbecue, and even building campfires to share with others. 

I saw fire as a force not to be feared, but rather one that had an unmatched transformational power—to provide, heat, sustenance, and the ability to create anew from the path cleared by its burn. Little did I know at the time that fire would continue as a significant element and symbol in my life’s work, inspiring me to create fires for justice along the way. 

When I look around at those who fill my neighborhood, those who sit at my daughter’s soccer games, and even those who fill my social media feeds, I see a multitude of kindling looking to be ignited. I see people who desire change and transformation, discontented by the state of the world, the political landscape, the cost of living, the books we read, the language we use—the list never ending. Yet they fail to feel and believe in the spark that burns within—the spark that is often born from the discontentment of their being. It is when we quiet our minds and feel those sparks that the power of our inner immolation can be unleashed for us to create fires, to create change.  

When faced with prejudice, bigotry, discrimination, and hatred because of who I am, how I exist, and with whom I choose to share my life, I lean into the power of my inner sparks. I burn with passion about equity and justice, I rage relentlessly about our rights and responsibilities to self and others, and I forge pathways for new beginning, ready and willing to use fire to clear away all that no longer serves for growth.  

In my long career in K-12 education, I have witnessed numerous attempts to adapt old structures, approaches, and teaching methodologies to meet the ever changing needs of our students and communities. Yet these old ways were never designed to be endlessly flexible and responsive. We currently face a crisis in our educational system that has our students lacking literacy, numeracy, social, and life skills across all zip codes. We are in dire need of new ways. We must clear away what no longer serves us to grow. 

Both in my personal and professional lives, I advocate to “burn the house down” when I see insanity all around—acting on repeat within an old paradigm while expecting different and more favorable results. Just as agriculturalists have used crop burning as the most effective method to prepare fields for the next growing season and to rid of pests and diseases that may affect the next crop, we too must look for ways to do away with structures and behaviors that cause harm, reinforce oppression, and stunt growth. 

We need to evoke our fires—fires of love, power, strength, assertiveness, light, and energy to harness the needed momentum for change. These fires are most fierce in our youth, burning brightly when their flames are fanned, and we must continue to cultivate them to see the change and the justice we long for in this world. 

Consultant, Facilitator, Leader, Advocate

www.creatingfiresforjustice.com

(She/Her)

Naomi Khalil. Ed.S. consultant, facilitator and change agent has over 25 years of experience leading and learning in diversity, equity and justice. In addition to her educational experience as teacher, school administrator, and district leader, Naomi, of Arab heritage, has native fluency in Spanish and has lived and traveled extensively abroad. This vast experience, coupled with her own identities, allows Naomi to bring a unique, yet powerful perspective to the world of diversity work. Naomi is an agent of racial and social justice, civic literacy and civic engagement, and leads both youth and adults on a journey of self-discovery as they explore their own words and actions in relationship to others. Her life's passion is to celebrate unity through diversity, and she is always willing to push the status quo in order to help us live into that passion.