About me
Our Story
The longer I homeschool, the more relaxed we get. The more I watch my children grow, the more I realize that their education is something they have more control over than I (or even they) realize.
Our journey began in 2012 when my oldest son “The Kidd” was in first grade. I was tired of the issues we were having at school. He was being told where and how to play on the playground, spending an hour on homework, lacking true support in areas he was struggling with, and the school’s inability to be flexible about our travel schedule. I was working as a nanny at the time (and had been since before he was born), and negotiated bringing him to work with me with the family I was working for.
Over the years, and with more children running around now, our reasons for continuing to homeschool have grown and evolved, but ultimately, it all comes down to this being the best choice for our family.
What happened?
When I started Abundant Freedom, I chose the name to capture the liberty we have as homeschoolers to choose our own path. But words change meaning with the times. Over the last year, as I’ve created more curriculum and navigated the disaster of the current administration, I realized the name no longer fits the mission. In this economy, ‘Abundant Freedom’ was giving off heavy patriotic, Christian Nationalist vibes, the exact opposite of my goal! I needed a name that didn’t sound like a political dog whistle, but instead reflected what we actually are: a global village of diverse voices.
Why Village Voices?
If Abundant Freedom was about the individual, then Village Voices is about the community. I chose this name to reinforce the idea that “it takes a village to raise a child“, because it also takes a village to educate one. In a world that often prioritizes a single narrative, it is up to us to help our learners understand that everyone needs a seat at the table. Village Voices represents my commitment to gathering the voices that have been historically excluded.
The Anansesem
The Village Voices approach is rooted in the Akan tradition of Ghana, specifically the concept of Anansesem, or “Spider Stories”.
In West African culture, the Adinkra symbol of the spider’s web (Ananse Ntontan) is a symbol of wisdom, creativity, and the complexities of life. It reminds us that knowledge is a web, not a straight line. So, just as Anansi the Spider weaves a complex web, Village Voices believes a homeschooler’s education should weave together history, culture, and critical thinking. Let’s move beyond isolated facts to create a woven village of stories.
