This is about empowerment through education. After the tragic killing of George Floyd in 2020, I decided to use my journalistic background and pull together knowledge to prepare my young sons for life in America.

We’ve heard about “The Talk” that many Black fathers have with our children; this became “The Course.” In creating The Course, I pulled from sources as diverse as Shakespeare and NWA, Miles Morales and Toni Morrison. As I taught the 18 classes over Zoom to my sons and nine other Black kids during the summer of COVID-19, I explored the country’s history and my own, and reconsidered iconic figures and moments I thought I understood. When we finished, the powerful feedback I got from the kids and parents convinced me that we hadn’t just finished something — we had started something. Now I want to continue it, and share that experience with you.

I wrote The Course for Black kids, and for the parents, teachers and mentors who want to equip them for the future. That said, it’s for everyone who wants to explore the Black experience in America.

I’m a journalist and lifelong learner. The son of an art teacher and the husband of a reading specialist, I enjoy taking complicated subjects and making them understandable and relevant. Today I lead technology coverage at CNBC, where I’ve recently spearheaded coverage of race and opportunity in America, both on-air and in our events.