“I was always in trouble at school,” he said. “I realized that part of the reason why is because I didn’t have teachers who looked like me; I didn’t have someone I could relate to.”

When he decided to become an educator, the elementary school teacher felt that he can help foster representation in education and be a role model.

“Experiences in early childhood education shape who we are the rest of our lives,” he said. “I am honored to play a role in the lives of my students and our handshakes are just a small piece of the change I hope to create. It’s our job as a community to nurture all children so they can flourish and reach their greatest potential.”

Speaking with Because Of Them We Can, Jamison said Black men only make up 2% of educators.

“Research shows that a young Black child who has had at least one Black male educator increase their chances of attending secondary education,” he said. 

The teacher also emphasized the significance of personalized greetings, saying it “sends a message to a child that they are more than just a test score.”

“You have to be able to catch the fish before you can clean it,” he went on. “The inspiration [for the handshakes] came from me wanting to motivate my scholars for class while simultaneously showing them the importance of love and human interaction.”

After meeting Jamison in his classroom and seeing his interactions with his students, Gap worked with the school to make uniforms for kids along with a Gap hoodie. The company said it’s also offering financial awards to fashion departments at HBCUs.

“Gap is contributing $510,000 in total to the initiative, making this the largest donation to HBCU’s by a major retailer,” the company stated. “This funding will be distributed across 21 awards ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, providing a platform that empowers Black students to propel their studies and drive innovation within the fashion industry.”