Today we’d like to introduce you to Royce Sarpy.
Hi Royce, so excited to have you on the platform. So, before we get into questions about your work life, maybe you can bring our readers up to speed on your story and how you got to where you are today.
I relocated to Washington, DC after being accepted into Howard University’s Doctorate of Educational Leadership and Policy Studies program. This move was fostered by teaching in no-excuses charter schools in Brooklyn and Harlem. While there, I experienced the harsh realities of educational inequities and disciplinary practices rooted in racism. This was also the space that helped illuminate the gap in early literature that was racially and culturally representative of our kids. I published two early reader chapter books since to start to help fill this gap. The books have been featured in schools and libraries across the nation. Royce Sarpy and the Twin Day Disaster was an Amazon Best Seller. While working on my doctorate, I started an Instagram, @_TheUncommonTruth to shed light on the practices in the no-excuses charter schools; this led to Uncommon Schools and many other Charter Management Organizations creating Diversity Equity, and Inclusion action plans and initiatives to address the concerns raised on my platform. Most recently, I completed a Kemetic Yoga Certification and am currently focused on bringing health, wellness, and mindfulness to Black, Brown, and underserved communities. I believe the person I am today directly reflects my childhood self–an overly involved gifted kid who just wanted everyone to get along :).
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
The road has not been smooth at all. I believe the valleys shape us into who we are meant to be. Growing up, we experienced many hardships, from financial issues to health issues. My mom was diagnosed with cancer while I was in elementary school. I experienced a stress-induced minor stroke my freshman year of college. Both of my parents have transitioned along the way. My father passed while I was in my final semester of my master’s program during finals week. My mother passed in February of 2021. It has taken a lot of work to rebuild self…to find my light again. I truly could list a plethora of hardships in addition to these, but each has taught me to embrace the duality of life. The beauty of life comes from the darkest parts, for light cannot exist without darkness. We can’t appreciate our heartiest laughs without knowing the pain of our deepest cries.
Alright, so let’s switch gears a bit and talk business. What should we know about your work?
I currently teach 4th and 5th grade for Prince George’s County Public Schools. I am a published children’s book author. I coach group fitness for Competitive by Nature, and I teach Kemetic and fusion yoga. I am most proud of my resilience during some of the most difficult moments of my life. I am proud of continuing to show up no matter how hard it has been. What sets me apart from others is that believe in embracing and exhibiting every gift that was given to me. I believe we are given multiple purposed and should not be defined by one position or job title.
Who else deserves credit in your story?
My mom was my biggest cheerleader, and I can still feel her parenting from beyond. She raised us to rely on community, and that helped shape the beautiful community of people around me. Friends from high school, college, and work have played a critical role in encouraging me and pushing me to be my best. My high school teachers who provided recommendation for the Gates Millennium Scholarship helped me receive the scholarship that paid for my schooling through my doctorate program at Howard.
Pricing:
- Virtual Yoga Classes – coming soon
- Private Yoga Classes – coming soon
- Royce Sarpy & the Twin Day Disaster – 12.99
- Royce Sarpy & the Baby Brother Blues – 12.99
- Yoga at the Park Resumes Spring ’23
Contact Info:
- Website: linktree.com/mr.sarpy
- Instagram: instagram.com/mr.sarpy; instagram.com/_theuncommontruth; instragram.com/roycesinclair
Image Credits
@rulphotos
Around the Way Group LLC
