Identity Talk 4 Educators LIVE

In this episode, I had the honor of chatting with Dawnavyn James to learn more about her educator journey, the creation of The Black History Club, her upcoming book "Beyond February", the importance of teaching Black History through children's books at the early childhood level, and so much more!  To learn more about Dawnavyn's work, you can visit her website at linktr.ee/queendomteach follow her on Instagram (@queendomteaching), Twitter (@queendomteachin), and LinkedIn.

BIO: Dawnavyn James is an early childhood and elementary educator. She has taught kindergarten, fifth grade, and all the grades in between. She graduated from Stephens College with a Bachelor of Science in Education. She previously taught kindergarten for the Columbia Public School District and is now pursuing her doctoral degree full-tme at the University of Buffalo, where she also serves as a fellow for the Center for K-12 Black History and Racial Literacy Education. Dawnavyn also is the creator of The Black History Club and is passionate about embedding Black histories into curriculum. Dawnavyn’s recent publications include Motivating Writers Through Blogging and A Recipe for Young Historians of Black History.

In this week's episode, I had the honor of interviewing Sheila Akbar to learn about her journey in education, her love for poetry, her transition from being a  Harvard pre-med to an education entrepreneur, and helpful tips for parents and high school students who preparing for college.  To learn more Sheila's work, you can visit the Signet Education website at signeteducation.com or connect with her on LinkedIn.    

BIO: Sheila Akbar joined the Signet team in the summer of 2010, bringing with her a wealth of experience teaching SAT, ACT, GRE, literature, and composition in both one-on-one and classroom settings. Sheila loves both teaching and learning, and finds nothing more rewarding than working closely with students to overcome the challenges they face.  After graduating from Harvard in 2002, Sheila spent two years working in financial services before continuing her academic career, which culminated into two doctorates. She brings her significant business and academic experience to bear on her current role at Signet.  Her skills include speaking to every client to craft a tailored solution for their needs, managing the administrative team, and providing educational thought leadership for the company.  Sheila holds a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree from Harvard University and two doctoral degrees from Indiana University.

In this episode, I'm honored to have Kathy Lopes come on the podcast to talk about her journey in education and social work, the release of "Change the Narrative", how school leaders and administrators must engage in antiracist work within their school communities, and so much more!   To learn more about Kathy's work, you can visit her company website at inklusionconsulting.com or follow her on Instagram, Twitter (@kathylopes21), and LinkedIn.   

BIO: Kathy Lopes is a licensed clinical social worker and educator with decades of experience working in education, mental health, non-profit, and government sectors.   She began her career as a school social worker in both Boston, MA and Washington, DC, and is now settled back in her home state of Massachusetts where she has held numerous managerial and administrative roles in the field of social work and education. Throughout her career, equity and inclusion have remained an integral part of her leadership and strategic planning priority.   Currently, she is the Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion for Newton Public Schools and holds a longstanding adjunct faculty role at Simmons University School of Social Work, teaching courses on racism, policy and leadership. She is a sought-after guest lecturer and public speaker on topics of cultural humility, equity, anti-racism and social justice.

In this episode, I welcome my good friend Afrika Afeni Mills to the podcast to discuss her new book, "Open Windows, Open Minds", the pros and cons of writing in the white gaze, what it means to be pro-human, and so much more!  To learn more about Afrika's work, you can visit her website at afrikaafenimills.com or follow her at Instagram (@open_windows_open_minds) and Twitter (@AfeniMills).  

BIO: Afrika Afeni Mills is an Education Consultant and the author of Open Windows, Open Minds: Developing Antiracist, Pro-Human Students with Corwin Press. She works with colleagues, teachers, coaches, and administrators to transform instructional practices. Afrika has been featured on podcasts, blogs, delivered keynote addresses, and facilitated sessions at conferences both virtually and across the United States.  Afrika believes that all educators can be motivated, engaged, dynamic practitioners and leaders when provided with the support needed to create student-centered, culturally responsive learning environments that inspire wonder and creativity and nurture diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging from an antibias, antiracist, pro-human mindset.

In this episode, I welcome Curtis Valentine to the podcast to share his journey in education, his earlier life as a Peace Corps volunteer, the founding of Real Men Teach, and so much more!  To learn more about Real Men Teach, you can visit the organization's website at realmenteach.com or follow them on Twitter (@RealMenTeach2) and Instagram (@realmenteach).  

BIO: Curtis Valentine is Co-Director of the Progressive Policy Institute's Reinventing America's Schools Project. Curtis comes to this position with over 15 years experience in local, state, federal, and international education policy. Curtis currently serves as Adjunct Professor at the University of Maryland, College Park and as At-Large member of the Prince George’s County (MD) Board of Education.   Prior to joining the Progressive Policy Institute, Curtis served as Consultant to the National Council on Teacher Quality. In the past, Curtis served as Executive Director for State Relations with Connections Education, a virtual K-12 public school provider, where he directed state level education policy in Massachusetts, Pennsylvania, Michigan, Wisconsin, Maryland, and Virginia. Prior to joining Connections Education, Curtis was International Affairs Fellow (IAF) with the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). Curtis was the first IAF posted to the Education Department where he served in Secretary Arne Duncan’s Office of International Affairs.   

As a fellow, Curtis promoted American economic competitiveness by examining the education reform efforts of four developed countries (Finland, Poland, Canada, and South Africa). Curtis is a graduate of Morehouse College and Harvard University’s John F. Kennedy School of Government. At Harvard Kennedy School’s Commencement, Curtis received the highest student honor: the Robert F. Kennedy award for excellence in public service for his work in post-Katrina New Orleans. After graduating from Morehouse College, Curtis joined the Peace Corps and traveled to South Africa where he led a professional development-training program for primary school educators.   After two years, Curtis returned to the Maryland and became an 8th grade Language Arts Teacher. A former appointee to the Governor’s Workforce Investment Board in Maryland, Curtis is a Contributor to the Huffington Post, the Washington Post, The Atlantic, the National Council on Teacher Quality Blog, and the Council on Foreign Relation’s Renewing America blog. Curtis is married to Dr. Daria Valentine, a Middle School Principal, and father to Curtis and Ivy Valentine, both public school students.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of interviewing Dr. Lisa Talusan to learn about her journey in education, growing up as a second-generation Filipino-American, and her book, "The Identity-Conscious Educator".  To learn more about Liza's work, you can visit her website at lizatalusan.com or follow her on Instagram (@ltalusan), Twitter (@ltalusan), and LinkedIn.   

BIO: Dr. Liza (LIE-zuh) Talusan (taLUS-ahn) is an educator, speaker, leader, writer, leadership coach and parent. With over 25 years of experience in PreK-20 education, Liza is an engaging facilitator in conversations about diversity, anti-racism, bias, privilege and power and creates environments that allow for people to discuss these difficult topics openly. Through her direct work with organizational leaders, staff, students, teachers, and communities, Liza empowers individuals to create a more inclusive organization, environment, community and team.   Dr. Talusan has been invited to more than 350 organizations across the country and internationally to deliver keynote addresses and facilitate dialogue groups, training workshops, to develop strategic planning, support change management, and empower leaders. Having achieved her Professional Certified Coaching (PCC) level credentials, Liza helps clients set and achieve goals by tapping into what it means to lead a goal-centered life. Additionally, Liza is certified in the Intercultural Development Inventory, a tested assessment to guide teams in developing greater cross-cultural capacity and determining pre-and-post DEI outcomes.  

Liza is the recipient of numerous awards including "Best 40 Under 40"; NASPA Region I Mid-Level Professional Award; NASPA APIKC VIP Award; Asian Women for Health's Peer Leader Award; Promise in Action Mentoring Nominee; Network for Equity, Excellence in Education Award; the REAPA (AERA) Dissertation of the Year Award; the Harriet Buescher Lawrence Prize from Connecticut College; and a number of institutional grants: Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology and Child Development from Connecticut College, Masters of Arts in Higher Education Administration from New York University,  Ph.D. in Higher Education from University of Massachusetts Boston, Certificate in Human Resources, Stonehill College, PCC Coaching Credentials, ICF Certified Coach, Institute for Professional Excellence in Coaching   

Liza's cumulative research interests include the experiences of historically underrepresented and excluded populations; Asian American and Pacific Islander issues; socialization to graduate programs; navigating academic parenthood; cross-racial solidarity movements; recognizing and reducing unconscious bias; and the impact of federal financial aid policies. Liza's dissertation, "The Formation of Scholars: Critical Narratives of Asian American and Pacific Islander Doctoral Students in Higher Education" is available on ProQuest. Her new book “The Identity Conscious Educator: Building habits and skills for more inclusive schools” is published by Solution Tree Press and available at all bookstores.   Liza's Top 5 StrengthsQuest Themes are Achiever, Maximizer, Discipline, Activator, and Connectedness. She is someone who is driven, results-oriented, effective and organized, engages others to reach their potential, and practices the principles of community and human connection.

In this episode, I'm honored to have Rebekah Macden come on the podcast to share her journey in education, life as an international educator, the origin of the Maracujá program, and the need to foster identity and character development in our schools.  To learn more about Rebekah's work, you can visit her website at rebekahmacden.com or connect with her on Instagram (@rebekahmacden and @maracujaeducation), Twitter (@rebekahmacden), and LinkedIn.  

BIO: Rebekah Macden is a dynamic international educator, consultant, speaker, and writer. Rebekah is also the co-creator of Maracujá, a character-driven SEL program that continues to have a life-changing impact on thousands of students in several schools around the globe.

Growing up as a first-generation immigrant in a small Midwestern town in the USA played a monumental part in the shaping of Rebekah’s multifaceted identity. Coming from a rich cultural heritage and a loving family of musicians, singers, ministers, educators, and social workers, Rebekah’s passion for impacting others whether in mass numbers or 1-1, has been generations in the making.

A visionary and innovative educator with 18 years of experience, Rebekah has developed and implemented student-centered programs that have had a transformative effect on students' lives and educational journeys. She is a powerful and engaging keynote speaker, thought leader, panelist, and facilitator of virtual and on-site training.

As a fierce advocate for joy, purpose, and identity, Rebekah’s mission is to transform the world of education by empowering others to find their unique voice and walk in true freedom.

For this special episode, I'm excited to have the following three panelists lead this important discussion about using intersectionality as a tool to humanize diverse student identities and create classroom spaces that are inclusive, equitable, and foster a sense of belonging:  

Craig Martin is an experienced, award-winning school leader and a managing partner for CCM Education Consulting Group.  Through his company, he partners with school leaders and organizations by supporting them in creating inclusive and student-centered learning environments.  

TWITTER - @CraigCMartin12 

WEBSITE - https://www.craigcmartinleads.com 

Françoise Thenoux is an ABAR consultant, as well as an ESL and Spanish educator with almost 20 years of teaching experience. While working as an ESL teacher, she helped Latinx families understand the benefits of bilingualism via workshops and conferences. She is a passionate advocate for equitable, inclusive, social justice-oriented World Language curriculum. Francoise shares her passion and resources with a wide community through social media as "The Woke Spanish Teacher".   

INSTAGRAM - @thewokespanishteacher 

TWITTER - @TWSteacher  

Destiny Clarke is a former middle and high school English teacher who now serves as the Founder & CEO of DiscoverED with Destiny.  Through her company, Destiny helps educators use equitable and LGBTQ+ inclusive strategies to create communities of care for LGBTQ+ youth.  She is also the host of the Closeted History podcast.  

INSTAGRAM - @discoveredwithdestiny 

TWITTER - @discoveredwdes 

WEBSITE - https://www.discoveredwithdestiny.com

For the first time in our podcast's history, we are featuring our first married educator couple, Lorena & Roberto Germán. In our conversation, they shared about their collective journey in education, the founding of their company Multicultural Classroom, the importance of incorporating culturally sustaining practices into our classrooms, and so much more! To learn more about the Germáns' work, you can visit their website at multiculturalclassroom.com or follow them on Instagram (@multiculturalclassroom) and Twitter (@nenagerman).

For this special episode, I caught up with the one and only Patrick Harris II to learn about his unique journey in education, his new book, "The First Five: A Love Letter to Teachers", and the important of controlling our personal narratives as educators in the midst of this Great Resignation period.  To learn more about Patrick's work, you can visit his website at itspatrickharris.com or follow him on Instagram & Twitter (@PresidentPat).  

BIO: Patrick Harris II is a Black queer writer, storyteller, and middle school humanities teacher. He has won multiple national teaching awards for his leadership and innovation in the classroom, including recognitions from NCTE, ASCD, and ILA. Teaching and creating is only part of who Patrick is. He is a big brother, a cat dad, lover of all things horror, a WWE fanatic, and is obsessed with scenic hikes.