October 17, 2025
In March 2018, I visited Richard Meacock at his home above Squire House Gardens. To no one’s surprise, his walls were adorned with eclectic paintings, and the tea was already brewing by the time I walked up the steps. In a way, it felt like being back in his classroom at Mounds Park Academy. For the next few hours, we caught up with one another—discussing everything from queer literature to making the best peach cobbler.
Before leaving, I made sure to thank him for helping me find my voice and love for writing. “Please send me your stories as you write,” he said to me. I still wonder what snarky comments Richard would leave as I write to this day.
When I think about dreaming big, it’s not just about changing the world. Dreaming big is also about making a difference within your community, whether that’s on your block or at your school. From Richard Meacock’s English classroom to Barbara Bradley’s Black Box Theatre to KaTrina Wentzel’s yearbook room, each of these educators taught me how to dream fearlessly. It was in these classrooms where I had many firsts that would lead me to my current career in film and writing: my first time using Adobe InDesign, my first time writing a one-act script, my first time producing a show.
Maureen Conway always taught us that history repeats itself. I can vividly hear her cheers soaring through the halls when Governor Mark Dayton signed the same-sex marriage bill in 2013. As a closeted teenager, I was afraid to openly celebrate who I was, but I drove to the State Capitol with my friends after school to rejoice with thousands of other Minnesotans. Twelve years later, LGBTQIA+ rights are still under attack, with our trans community being dehumanized through harmful legislation. Our black and brown neighbors are being targeted and kidnapped from their families. These are the very same atrocities that we learned about in Conway’s lectures and textbooks.
While the news headlines may seem like a lot these days, Mounds Park Academy shapes its students into the kindest versions of themselves. It’s a community that will work to create inclusive bathrooms, show up at Minneapolis Pride every summer, and encourage its scholars to use their voice during times of injustice. To me, that‘s the definition of dreaming big and doing right. Dreaming starts in your community—and for many students, that’s at Mounds Park Academy
As we head into our annual 2025 MPA Fall Campaign, I encourage you to think of your firsts at Mounds Park Academy that led you to where you are now. Think of the educators and mentors who helped instill the necessary tools to shape your path after graduating. As the world evolves both in technological advancements and sociopolitical climates, it’s crucial to teach our young people to move with it. More importantly, we must continue to foster a community of empathetic thinkers who will do right in this world.
Phillipe Thao ’14
Alumni Board Member
