Saranac Lake changemakers honor Ruby Bridges’ legacy

Three young girls walking outdoors holding handmade signs with messages about bravery and racial equality.

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ccording to the latest U.S. Census figures, more than 90 percent of residents in Saranac Lake are categorized as white. But those statistics hide a beautiful mosaic of diversity in the small North Country community.

Temnit Muldowney, an elementary school teacher and member of the Saranac Lake Teachers Association, has been teaching in the district for nearly 20 years. “As the only Black educator in the Saranac Lake Central School District, I have worked hard to lead efforts around diversity, inclusion and social justice.”

Two women in matching purple t-shirts smiling and posing together inside an elementary school classroom.

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Far left: Petrova Elementary School students brave the cold weather to participate in the 65th anniversary of Ruby Bridges’ historic walk. Above: The event was organized by Saranac Lake TA members, from left,
Temnit Muldowney and Jessica Jakobe.

Temnit Muldowney, an elementary school teacher and member of the Saranac Lake Teachers Association, has been teaching in the district for nearly 20 years. “As the only Black educator in the Saranac Lake Central School District, I have worked hard to lead efforts around diversity, inclusion and social justice.”

Those efforts include an annual Multicultural Night at Petrova Elementary School and, new this year, a walk-to-school day to commemorate Ruby Bridges’ historic walk into a segregated Louisiana school.

Muldowney, a member of the NYSUT Civil and Human Rights Committee, organized the Nov. 14 event with school speech pathologist and fellow SLTA member Jessica Jakobe. With temperatures hovering around 30 degrees, about 90 elementary school students bundled up in their winter coats, hats, scarves, gloves and snow boots, and walked to school.

“You can be changemakers. You have the ability, even at a young age,” Muldowney told the students, some not much older than Bridges was when she made history at just 6 years old.

Learn about the Ruby Bridges walk at https://rubybridges.foundation/. For more information on NYSUT’s Social Justice initiatives, visit nysut.cc/socialjustice.