On World Day of Social Justice, a RU-N Alumna Describes Her Job as A Newark Teacher

For Keziah Riddick, a Rutgers-Newark alumna, her job as a teacher at Central High School is all about social justice. Watch the video here.

“I wanted to work to ensure that all students have the opportunity to get a quality education and can experience educators who care about them and want to get to know them,’’ said Riddick, who is the chair of the Social Studies Department at Central High in Newark. “There are so many differences in educational experiences throughout the city, the state and the country.”

Since today is World Day of Social Justice, we celebrate graduates like Riddick, who earned her teaching certificate through programs in the Department of Urban Education in the School of Arts and Science-Newark, where she also majored in history. 

Riddick, who grew up in Trenton, says the department provided her with a new perspective on what it means to be a teacher, especially if you work in a community that’s in your hometown or home state, she said.

“Where I come from impacts the work that I do. I see my students as my little cousins, part of my family,’’ she said. “They see someone who looks like them pushing them to do right thing and be motivated, to search within themselves to find the power they have but need to tap into.’’

RU-N’s  Department of Urban Education–where nationally known faculty are leaders in their field– helped Riddick in much the same way. 

“They push you to think about urban education and what it really means,’’ she said. “They pushed us to challenge ourselves.’’