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When people find out I'm a member of the LDS Church,
they say, "What's that?"
I say, "I'm a Mormon."
They say, "No way. You're a Mormon?
I've never met a black Mormon."
I say, "Yeah, we exist."
My name is Sheryl Garner. I'm an urban schoolteacher.
I thought about when I was happiest,
and it was when I was teaching someone something.
I felt strongly that I should come to this school.
It's one of the lowest- performing schools in D.C.
and in the U.S.
Substitute teachers won't come here.
It's hard.
No one wants to teach here.
I sometimes work 12-hour days.
Some days I think I can't do this anymore.
I need teacher time and me time.
I need them separated and balanced.
I love my friends, inviting them over and having parties.
This is my mom, the best mom in the world.
She came from Haiti and raised two children herself, amazingly.
I like living near her because she cooks and I eat.
I'll dance at my party tonight, and I want it on there.
Even before she was born, I knew she would be wild.
I teach some brilliant children; they just need to be taught.
It matters that they have so much going against them,
and it matters that they are minorities,
and it matters that statistics are against them.
That matters to me.
That's where I see a difference between
me as a person doing this work and me as a child of God.
I really know I can pray and receive answers.
There are days I feel like I can't do another day at school,
and God sends friends or family to encourage me.
Those are moments when I know God is aware of me.
My name is Sheryl Garner.
I'm a social butterfly.
I'm a mama's girl.
I love to dance.
I'm an urban schoolteacher, and I am a Mormon.