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How a New York City teacher stays committed to social change

posted by Allison Jones on January 22, 2013
Filed under: Careers and Community

Photo via Jose Vilson

Jose Vilson’s journey as an educator began during his senior year in college when, after leading a workshop on Cesar Chavez, he decided to forgo his intended career as a computer scientist and enter the field of teaching.According to a McKinsey study, 14 percent of teachers leave after one year, and nearly half leave the profession before their fifth year, citing difficult working conditions. Now, having taught in the Washington Heights section of Manhattan for eight years, Jose is proving to be an exception to the rule, and is tackling issues on education everywhere from CNN, to GOOD, the Huffington Post, and TEDx.
How does Jose make a job with such high turnover work for him? His drive is rooted in his commitment to education equality and long-term success for African-American and Latino youth. Staying focused on this greater goal has kept him in the field, and brought him recognition as a thought-leader, following his media presence and