While Montessori education is highly valued and sought after in Puerto Rico, residents have experienced significant disparities in access: Wealthier families historically have been able to choose and afford a high-quality Montessori education for their children, while families who earn lower and middle incomes have not.

“We want to make it crystal clear that Black educators have the experience and vision to transform the education system. They already know what works because they’ve seen it in the classroom and they’ve lived it. The more barriers that we can remove and get out of their way, the more it’s possible to create thriving learning environments for our children,” said Maia Blankenship, Co-CEO of Black Wildflowers Fund.

This past year’s group includes Wildflower’s first schools in San Francisco and Philadelphia, the first Indigenous language reclamation school created in partnership with a tribal community, the first school linked to a Montessori teacher training program, and the first school set in a community-based special education services provider.