Alycia Comer-Wright

Alycia Comer-Wright, M.Ed. is an American educator, advocate, and the founder and executive director of the Cultural Roots Homeschool Cooperative, a non-profit organization based in Richmond, Virginia. She is a prominent voice in the movement for culturally-centered homeschooling, creating educational spaces that center the diverse cultural attributes, traditions, and histories of Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities ^[1]. A former public school teacher and homeschool parent, Wright founded the co-op in 2016 to address a lack of inclusive and affirming educational environments for families of color ^[2][3].

Early life and education

Alycia Wright holds a Master of Education (M.Ed.) degree and worked as a public school teacher for approximately ten years before becoming a homeschooling parent ^[4][5]. She and her husband initially chose their neighborhood in Richmond, Virginia, specifically for its highly-rated public schools ^[4]. However, her experience attempting to enroll her eldest daughter in kindergarten was disheartening; she found school staff to be indifferent to her daughter's unique gifts and concerned that her daughter would be one of only two Black children in the class ^[4][6].

Homeschooling and founding of Cultural Roots

After a few years in a private Montessori school, Wright transitioned to homeschooling her four daughters ^[4]. Initially, she struggled to reconcile her professional training as a public school teacher with the flexible, child-led nature of homeschooling. She soon realized that in a homeschool environment, "the curriculum can adapt to the needs of the students, not the other way around," allowing for a truly personalized education for each of her children ^[4].

Wright found the experience of homeschooling in isolation to be challenging, and the existing homeschool co-ops she explored often lacked cultural diversity and left her family feeling unwelcome ^[7]. To create the community she and her children needed, she began informally gathering with other homeschooling families. This informal group was formalized in 2016 as the Cultural Roots Homeschool Cooperative ^[1][8].

Cultural Roots Homeschool Cooperative

The Cultural Roots Homeschool Cooperative is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization located in Richmond's Northside. It has grown from its founding with approximately 12 families to serving over 100 students from kindergarten through high school ^[5][9]. The co-op meets two or three times a week, with parent volunteers and hired educators providing a wide range of classes ^[5][10].

Activities and community impact

The co-op's programming emphasizes cultural pride and academic excellence ^[1]. Offerings have included a diverse array of classes such as poetry, creative writing, dance, Junior Vet Science, Intro to Piano, Unearthing History, Hip Hop Dance, and a course on DJ'ing and music entrepreneurship ^[5][11].

Cultural Roots is also known for its community activism. In 2021, co-op students led fundraising efforts, including creating a documentary, to donate $3,500 to the Black History Museum in Petersburg, Virginia ^[12]. Founder Alycia Wright emphasized the importance of such experiences, stating, "Having them hear personal stories from people like Mr. Stewart who collect stories is really important to us. It's great just having them put their feet on the ground and know that black people were resilient and determined" ^[12].

Educational philosophy and vision

Wright's educational philosophy is centered on creating a "culturally centered and liberated space" where children can develop a strong cultural and historical awareness ^[1]. The vision of Cultural Roots is "to create a cooperative community that nurtures the love of learning, and develops a strong cultural/historical awareness in our children that results in self love, self liberation & community empowerment" ^[1].

She advocates for homeschooling as a transformative lifestyle change rather than simply recreating school at home ^[4]. Wright encourages parents to "give yourself grace and an opportunity to discover this new life journey before delving into rigid schedules and big box/expensive curriculum" ^[13]. Her mission extends beyond her own family, aiming to help other families find the individualized educational models that work for them ^[6].

Media appearances and public commentary

Wright is a featured speaker on homeschooling and community building. She has been a guest on podcasts such as "LiberatED with Kerry McDonald," "Confidently Melanated," and "Teach Your Kids," where she discusses building homeschool co-ops and cultivating culturally affirming communities ^[3][14][15]. Her work with Cultural Roots has been featured in national media outlets including NBC News, The Washington Post, and the Associated Press, highlighting the rise of community-based homeschooling among Black families ^[10][16][12]. She has also been a speaker at events like the VaHomeschoolers unConvention ^[5].

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