Our Team
Dr. Khadijah Z. Ali-Coleman
Founding Director
Khari Dawson
Programs & Operations Coordinator
Our Mission
Black Family Homeschool Educators and Scholars (BFHES) is dedicated to fostering a thriving community for Black homeschooling families by bridging the gap between scholarly research and practical application. Through our innovative teach-ins, publications, and virtual platforms, we empower families with culturally relevant resources, support, and knowledge. Our mission is to create an affirming space where educators, researchers, and homeschooling parents can connect, share insights, and enhance the educational experiences of Black children. We are committed to expanding the literature on Black homeschooling and providing opportunities for professional development, community engagement, and academic excellence.
Our History
Black Family Homeschool Educators & Scholars (BFHES)
How We Began
How We Began
Black Family Homeschool Educators and Scholars (BFHES), LLC is a family-run education research organization. BFHES was co-founded in April 2020 by Black homeschool researcher Dr. Khadijah Ali-Coleman. At the time, Dr. Ali-Coleman had just defended her doctoral dissertation on dual-enrolled African American homeschooled students and their perceptions of preparedness for community college. Amid the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, she was offered an opportunity to publish her dissertation as a book. Instead, she chose to edit an anthology that would amplify Black voices in the homeschooling space, addressing a gap she had observed during her research.
As a homeschooling mother and researcher, Dr. Ali-Coleman sought to expand the research literature and create a platform for other parents and scholars to share their experiences and studies. This vision led to the creation of the Black Family Homeschool Educators and Scholars Virtual Teach-In, which debuted in summer 2020. The inaugural event featured over 20 speakers and drew more than 200 participants for a week-long program. Simultaneously, BFHES initiated a call for submissions for the anthology Homeschooling Black Children in the US: Theory, Practice & Popular Culture. Released in 2022, the book features chapters from over 12 contributors and became the first publication in the Contemporary Perspectives on Black Homeschooling series, published in collaboration with Information Age Publishing.
New Team
In late 2021, Dr. Ali-Coleman became the sole owner and managing director of BFHES, which is formally registered in Maryland but serves a national audience. The organization continues to bridge research and practice by publishing scholarly works and engaging homeschooling practitioners.
In 2024, with support from a grant from VELA, BFHES hired its first staff member, Khari Dawson, as the programs and operations coordinator who also teaches in our microschool, American Institute of Home Education, that debuted in 2025.
Khari Dawson (she/her) is an award-winning writer and filmmaker. She has worked as a farmer and naturalist camp counselor, working with ECO City Farm, Our Space World, Inc. and Homestead Gardens Nursery. She recently served as a Community Manager with the new social media space, Swell, and hosted and produced the KUSF.org radio show, Amygdala Music.
Khari is a multigenre writer who has been published in POETRY magazine, Cult, Creative Currents, and the Rebel's Zeitgeist. She has received grant awards and fellowships from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Martha's Vineyard Creative Writing Institute and the Watering Hole Poetry. A formerly homeschooled student, she holds a BA in English and a minor in Film Studies from the University of San Francisco. She is based in Maryland.
Join Our Community
BFHES remains active in the homeschooling community through its podcast, Contemporary Perspectives on Black Homeschooling, and a vibrant Facebook group that has grown to over 4,000 members since July 2020.
The organization's mission, established in 2020, is to promote ongoing community engagement with Black homeschooling through (1) publishing scholarly and trade works and (2) producing community events for Black homeschool families and entrepreneurs. Since 2022, BFHES has expanded its focus to include training Black parents on homeschooling best practices and youth development theory, as well as connecting them to resources and opportunities to enhance their homeschooling journeys.
BFHES is the first U.S.-based research and education group dedicated exclusively to Black family homeschooling.
Black Family Homeschool Educators and Scholars (BFHES), LLC is a family-run education research organization. BFHES was co-founded in April 2020 by Black homeschool researcher Dr. Khadijah Ali-Coleman. At the time, Dr. Ali-Coleman had just defended her doctoral dissertation on dual-enrolled African American homeschooled students and their perceptions of preparedness for community college. Amid the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, she was offered an opportunity to publish her dissertation as a book. Instead, she chose to edit an anthology that would amplify Black voices in the homeschooling space, addressing a gap she had observed during her research.
As a homeschooling mother and researcher, Dr. Ali-Coleman sought to expand the research literature and create a platform for other parents and scholars to share their experiences and studies. This vision led to the creation of the Black Family Homeschool Educators and Scholars Virtual Teach-In, which debuted in summer 2020. The inaugural event featured over 20 speakers and drew more than 200 participants for a week-long program. Simultaneously, BFHES initiated a call for submissions for the anthology Homeschooling Black Children in the US: Theory, Practice & Popular Culture. Released in 2022, the book features chapters from over 12 contributors and became the first publication in the Contemporary Perspectives on Black Homeschooling series, published in collaboration with Information Age Publishing.
New Team
In late 2021, Dr. Ali-Coleman became the sole owner and managing director of BFHES, which is formally registered in Maryland but serves a national audience. The organization continues to bridge research and practice by publishing scholarly works and engaging homeschooling practitioners.
In 2024, with support from a grant from VELA, BFHES hired its first staff member, Khari Dawson, as the programs and operations coordinator who also teaches in our microschool, American Institute of Home Education, that debuted in 2025.
Khari Dawson (she/her) is an award-winning writer and filmmaker. She has worked as a farmer and naturalist camp counselor, working with ECO City Farm, Our Space World, Inc. and Homestead Gardens Nursery. She recently served as a Community Manager with the new social media space, Swell, and hosted and produced the KUSF.org radio show, Amygdala Music.
Khari is a multigenre writer who has been published in POETRY magazine, Cult, Creative Currents, and the Rebel's Zeitgeist. She has received grant awards and fellowships from the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts, Martha's Vineyard Creative Writing Institute and the Watering Hole Poetry. A formerly homeschooled student, she holds a BA in English and a minor in Film Studies from the University of San Francisco. She is based in Maryland.
Join Our Community
BFHES remains active in the homeschooling community through its podcast, Contemporary Perspectives on Black Homeschooling, and a vibrant Facebook group that has grown to over 4,000 members since July 2020.
The organization's mission, established in 2020, is to promote ongoing community engagement with Black homeschooling through (1) publishing scholarly and trade works and (2) producing community events for Black homeschool families and entrepreneurs. Since 2022, BFHES has expanded its focus to include training Black parents on homeschooling best practices and youth development theory, as well as connecting them to resources and opportunities to enhance their homeschooling journeys.
BFHES is the first U.S.-based research and education group dedicated exclusively to Black family homeschooling.
Our Community of Black Family Homeschool Educators & Scholars Continues to Grow
@khadijahonline Get your copy at BlackFamilyHomeschool.org #homeschool #homeschooling #books ♬ Brazilian Rhyme - Earth, Wind and Fire