To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven. Ecclesiastes 3:1

Here I am standing in front of a DMX wall mural with my children.

To an outsider, it’s a group of people standing in front of a wall mural; but the insiders know, the the wall mural is relevant to the people and the time.

When DMX died in April of this year, many of the children spoke about it in class. After all, we do live in the Bronx and associate ourselves with Black Culture. They spoke about his death in a reminiscent way. Which I knew, was a way for them express their parents grief. I mean, do they really know who he is?

I am not sure, but because of the times they could relate.

They were finishing up Sounder by William H. Armstrong which, if you don’t know have many themes: death, life, survival of the Black man, and the Bible just to name a few.

COVID, George Floyd’s death, protest of last summer and returning to school made the children more aware of the times and the injustices and inequalities that exist in America, specifically, New York. DMX’s death added to the conversation.

Timing is everything. While walking to school, I saw the graffiti artist, Andaluz and his team setting up and asked about their project. Then asked if my students could come later on and witness the painting. To which they said yes.

After getting an okay from my Principal, they got to meet Andaluz, the graffiti artist painting the mural, and also got to interview the other artist and reporters were were on site. A month later, after the painting, we returned and talked about the art. The first question one student asked was- what does it say near his head?

Ecclesiastes 3.

What does that mean?

It’s a book in the Bible. That part talks about time and season and how everything has a purpose under heaven. What does this remind you of?

Sounder?

Yup.

We stood there for a while in silence.

Ms. Hurley, there are a lot of candles here now.

I know. I think that is a way some people remember those who passed on.

Oh.