Dennis Richmond Jr.
By: Dan Murphy
Yonkers native Dennis Richmond, Jr., 30, has begun his fifth school year as a classroom teacher. For the past two years, Richmond has taught in Mount Vernon, where he continues to inspire scholars with his passion for reading, writing, and history.
Throughout his career, Richmond has prided himself on giving his scholars more than just literacy skills. His goal, he says, is to help them see themselves as bosses. Students who are expert readers and writers.
Before securing his own classroom, Richmond spent time working as a substitute teacher in Yonkers Public Schools. In his early and mid-20s, he taught in nearly every building across the district. That experience, he recalls, was invaluable—not only did it allow him to teach a wide range of students, but it also helped him network with principals, assistant principals, faculty, and staff throughout Yonkers.
Even before stepping into his substitute teaching role, Richmond was already a familiar face to many young people in the region. From 2013 until 2020, while still a teenager and into his early 20s, he was known for “beating the drum for HBCUs.” His advocacy for Historically Black Colleges and Universities was covered extensively by Yonkers Times. Through that work, Richmond helped thousands of students across New York—including in Yonkers, Mount Vernon, and Greenburgh—learn about and apply to HBCUs.
Today, Richmond is as committed to education as ever. He often points out that Black men make up less than 2% of America’s public school teachers, and he sees his presence in the classroom as vital. For now, he has no plans to pursue an administrative role as an assistant principal or principal.
“Students need to see Black men in front of them teaching,” Richmond said. “Especially in New York.”
Dennis has written for our publications for several years. We are proud of his successes, and for his commitment to teaching the next generation. Congratulations, my friend.
Dennis Richmond, Jr. (@NewYorkStakz) is a journalist, historian, and educator from Yonkers, NY. He writes to uplift unheard voices, honor history, and inspire change.
