The recent termination of my former professor from the Africana Studies Department at the University of Massachusetts Boston is something that has deeply affected many students, myself included. It is difficult to understand how someone who has contributed so much to the academic community, and who has genuinely cared about the success and well-being of his students, could be let go in this way. From my experience in his class, and from the conversations I’ve had with other students, it is clear that this decision does not reflect the impact he has had on the people around him.

He is the kind of professor who makes you think long after class is over. Every lecture, every reading, every discussion pushed us to look deeper and question more critically. Instead of simply teaching material and moving on, he challenged us to engage with ideas and think about the broader meaning behind them. That kind of teaching is rare. Many professors focus on delivering information, but he focused on shaping how we think. I always left his classes thinking more critically about the readings or the topics we discussed, and that is something that has stayed with me even after the semester ended.

Beyond the classroom, he was also the kind of professor who was there when students needed guidance or someone to talk to. His office door was always open. Whether you had questions about coursework, needed advice about the future, or just wanted to talk through ideas, he made time for students. That kind of accessibility matters more than people realize. College can be overwhelming, and having a professor who genuinely listens and cares can make a huge difference. He was someone students could relate to, someone who understood that education is not just about grades but about growth.

What makes this situation even more frustrating is that people like him are often the ones who get pushed out. It feels like they always get rid of the good people. The professors who truly care about students, who challenge institutions to do better, and who bring passion into the classroom are often the ones who end up facing the most obstacles. Losing a professor like him does not just affect one class or one semester—it affects the entire academic environment.

The Africana Studies Department has lost a monumental person and someone who has really always been in the quest for bettering students here at UMASS BOSTON and beyond. His commitment to students went far beyond the minimum expectations of the job. He cared about the development of critical thinkers, about the voices and experiences of students, and about creating a space where meaningful conversations could happen.

For many of us, he was more than just a professor. He was a mentor, a guide, and someone who inspired us to think differently about the world. His influence will continue to shape how students approach learning, even if he is no longer teaching on campus.

Decisions like this raise serious questions about what universities truly value. If institutions like the University of Massachusetts Boston claim to prioritize student growth, intellectual curiosity, and community, then removing a professor who embodied those values seems deeply contradictory. Students deserve educators who challenge them, support them, and inspire them—and that is exactly what he did.