We had the good fortune of connecting with Nikita Simmons-Bush and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Nikita, what role has risk played in your life or career?
Leaving my job to start my business was the biggest risk I had ever taken. I knew it was right for me and i knew I’d be happier, but a few people in my life that cared about me were scared for me. I was a public school teacher, wanting to be a professional homeschooler. It was a gamble I was totally willing to make. I was willing to walk away from the yearly salary increases, the health care benefits, the paid summers off…all of it. I had a baby of my own and I knew I had to create the kind of school for her that I wanted her to be cultivated in. I had dreamed about it for years, and when the time came that I was simultaneously fed up with the job and properly positioned to make my exit, I did it! Every dollar I had saved, and all my time and energy went into writing my own curriculum, acquiring a space, designing each classroom’s decor, and building relationships with total strangers who came to believe in my vision!
That was almost 20 years ago. Sometimes I get butterflies in my stomach when I think about how, on the first day of school, in MY new school, the space was full of new students. I built something from scratch; I took a big risk. At a time when homeschooling was not mainstream or common in my community, people took a chance on me!

Can you give our readers an introduction to your business? Maybe you can share a bit about what you do and what sets you apart from others?
My business is Each One Teach One Homeschool and Educational Services, an Afrikan-centered institution. We offer full time and part time schooling for children, pre-school through 6th grade; with a full academic curriculum and culturally relevant course content. Each One Teach One is all about the cultivation of WHOLE people, mind, body and spirit. It feels like family here, because I was very intentional in establishing and nurturing a school community built on love, rooted in the best of Afrikan family values, and committed to supporting children and families. We also offer seasonal online courses, as well as training courses for aspiring educators, and parents who want to begin or improve their homeschool journey. I am most proud of the strong community that the EOTO family maintains for our children. We support each other in family matters, education, business and personal growth. I have made some lifelong friends and built solid relationships through my homeschool journey, because we have in common, a family-centered focus. Through our homeschool collective we are giving our children an extended family in which to grow up. Certainly, there have been ups and downs over the years, mostly financial. Those times were tough on my household and I had to supplement my income here and there. But I learned that once a person’s spirit is free, (like how I set myself free from the job in public school), being boxed in again brings misery. I’ve worked harder and given more of myself in my business than on any job I’ve ever worked for some other institution. And I will always choose me, my vision, my dreams, over misery ANY DAY! I’ve been cocooned in my little bubble for a long time, and word of mouth was about the only way people would know about our school. Now I want everyone to know that EACH ONE TEACH ONE is here, been here for 20 years! And we are growing stronger and have even more to offer to our community!

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would take my best friend to Cascade Nature Preserve, to go walking and observe the beauty and serenity of nature. I’d also take them to Tassili’s Raw Reality for some delicious raw vegan food!
If my friend likes pizza, we’d go to Slim & Husky’s for a unique pizza experience.
We would walk around Little 5 Points and hit up the unique shops and stores there…especially Crystal Blue!
I’d take my friend to Medu Bookstore inside Greenbriar Mall, to pick up some great books by Black authors.
And to Wakanda Highlife in the West End to pick up some dope Afrikan clothes and jewelry.
We would go by Sevananda Natural Foods Market to get some groceries and herbs.
We would go get some therapeutic treatments at Hey Honey Wellness Spa near the Camp Creek area.
We would hit up Bar Vegan inside Ponce City Marketplace for some unique drinks and vegan eats.
We would get some desserts and sweet treats from Cinnaholic on Moreland Ave.
We would take a tour of the Apex Museum downtown, catch a live concert at City Winery and ride through the Atlanta University Center to see the HBCU campuses, Spelman (my alma mater), Morehouse, Clark-Atlanta University and Morris Brown.

Who else deserves some credit and recognition?
I want to give a shoutout to my parents, Elaine and Perry Simmons Jr., who are both awesome educators, each in their own way. To my sister Latoya Simmons-Jenkins (may she rest in power) who was the most creative educator I’ve ever known. And to my supervising teacher, Mrs. Betty, who guided me through my student-teaching experience and demonstrated what it means to really put your HEART into teaching!

Website: eotocollectiveatl.com

Instagram: eotohomeschool

Linkedin: https://www.instagram.com/eotohomeschool/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/tamara.nikita.simmons/

Image Credits
All photos were taken by Mery Simmons and Wekesa Madzimoyo

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