As people across the country are continuing to try to wrap their brains around all the change going on, a community is mourning a tremendous loss. Dez-Ann Romain, the 36-year-old principal of Brownsville’s Brooklyn Democracy Academy, has died due to complications from the coronavirus.
New York City’s Council of School Supervisors and Administrators confirmed the news with a statement on Monday. "It is with profound sadness and overwhelming grief that we announce the passing of our sister, CSA member Dez-Ann Romain, Principal of Brooklyn Democracy Academy, due to complications from Coronavirus," the statement reads.
Dez-Ann's death is one of 285 reported in New York to date. New York has been one of the hot spots for the COVID-19 spread, with over 30,000 cases currently reported. Her death is deeply felt, not just by her family but by the school community that flourished under her leadership and dedication. It is also proof that those under the age of 60 are still quite vulnerable to the illness.
A high school community finds itself without its leader after her untimely death. Dez-Ann Romain, the 36-year-old principal of Brownsville's Brooklyn Democracy Academy, has died due to complications related to coronavirus. She is among the 285 deaths in New York to date.
"It is with profound sadness and overwhelming grief that we announce the passing of our sister, CSA member Dez-Ann Romain, Principal of Brooklyn Democracy Academy, due to complications from Coronavirus," the Council of Schools Supervisors and Administrators wrote in a statement.
"This is painful for all of us, and I extend my deepest condolences to the Brooklyn Democracy Academy community, and the family of Principal Romain," Chancellor Richard Carranza said in a statement. "We’ll be there for the students and staff through whatever means necessary during this impossibly difficult time."
The people who knew Dez-Ann are shaken by her loss.
"She gave her entire self to that community, and it did not matter how incredibly complex a problem was," Courtney Winkfield, who coached Dez-Ann three years ago after she rose from the school’s assistant principal to principal, told the Brooklyn Daily Eagle. "She was always rolling her sleeves up to do whatever she could to solve it."
Dez-Ann also prioritized making the academy, which serves students who have fallen behind in the traditional high school structure, part of the surrounding community. She was part of a project to bring a hydroponics lab to the school that would provide much-needed fresh produce to the community. She also made time for students, known for stopping to talk to them as she made her way through the halls.
"She never pitied her students. She never second-guessed what she was there to do," Courtney noted. "She took every kid as her mission."
Dez-Ann's former students have nothing but fond memories of her. One student, Aishaya Caul, noted her ability to be a mediator among students.
"If I had any problems, she would always help," she recalled. Aishaya was planning on returning to Brooklyn Democracy Academy at the end of the school year to share some good updates with Dez-Ann.
"I wasn’t able to go back to tell her I had finished school and had gotten my GED and give her a whole update. I feel sad, but it’s like I know no matter what, she will also be proud of me."
Another student shared his memories of Dez-Ann with BuzzFeed News. "She taught us how to become men and women. She taught us how to be leaders in our own light," said Curtis Turney-Rentas.
Curtis noted that she developed friendships and mentorships with many students after their time at the school was through. "She just wasn’t a teacher or principal," he said. "She was a daughter, a sister, a friend and most of all a hero to many of us."
One of Dez-Ann's friends, Mohamed Q. Amin, shared a touching tribute to her. "My heart is in a million pieces right now. The tears won't stop flowing," he wrote.
"In 2001, Dez-Ann Romain and I graduated from Far Rockaway High School with honors. As Caribbean migrants, being raised by low-income parents in the 'ghetto,' we were considered 'at-risk' young people."
"From her love of art to being a nurturing educator, my friend lived by principles that created opportunities for her students and demonstrated leadership by sharing love, compassion, and encouragement to ensure those 'at-promise' were given a second chance to succeed," he concluded.
Dez-Ann's untimely death is also a wake-up call for many doubting the seriousness of the coronavirus. It also dispels the initial idea that the illness severely impacts only older people. It reminds us of the importance of taking this illness seriously.
