Identity Talk 4 Educators LIVE

In this week's episode, I chat with Andrea Mwalula, founder and CEO of Twende Education for All (TEFA), to explore her remarkable journey from her early childhood in Slovenia to becoming a trailblazing educator and social entrepreneur in Zambia.Andrea reflects on her international career as an IB educator, the personal and professional experiences that led her to reimagine education for children facing long-term hospitalization, and the founding of TEFA, creativity, and hope to children battling cancer and other critical illnesses.Together, we dive into her passion for service learning, her vision for redefining it on the African continent, and the powerful ways TEFA is transforming not only the lives of children and families but also entire communities. Listeners will be challenged to rethink what service, equity, and empowerment look like in education.To learn more about Andrea's work, you can visit the Twende Education for All and Pamoja Children's Learning Hub pages on Facebook. You can also follow Andrea on LinkedIn.

BIO: Andrea Mwalula is a dedicated education leader committed to transforming the lives of vulnerable women and children through quality learning. She founded Twende Education For All (TEFA) in 2016, pioneering initiatives such as the Learning Never Stops project, which provides education and play therapy to hospitalised children, and the Girls In School Programme, which tackles barriers to education for rural girls. Her work has impacted over 150 young lives, equipping them with essential knowledge and skills.Beyond Zambia, Andrea consults for the International Baccalaureate Organisation, training educators across Africa, Europe, and the Middle East. She also contributes to the Association of International Schools in Africa’s Service Learning Design Team and chairs the Phenomenal Women’s Multipurpose Cooperative Society. An advocate for dignity, equality, and sustainable development, she is a member of AIELOC and the Ubuntu Leadership Hub.Guided by her belief in Ubuntu, the philosophy of shared humanity and interconnectedness, Andrea continues to drive meaningful change in education, empowering individuals and communities both in Zambia and internationally.

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In this inspiring episode, I had the honor of interviewing Loretta Fernando-Smith, international school leader, leadership coach, writer, and TedX speaker, for a powerful conversation on identity, belonging, and courageous leadership.Drawing from her viral TedX talk on the power of names, and her CIS blog on dismantling imposter syndrome, Loretta shares her journey of self-discovery and the lessons she’s learned about authenticity in leadership. We discuss how names and identity shape belonging, why imposter syndrome is more about systemic inequities than personal shortcomings, and what it means to lead with vulnerability and cultural consciousness in international schools.Loretta also opens up about how motherhood has reshaped her perspective on leadership and self-worth, offering wisdom for educators balancing multiple identities. Whether you’re a classroom teacher, aspiring leader, or school head, this episode will challenge you to reflect on your own story and remind you of the courage it takes to show up fully as yourself.To learn more about Loretta's work, you can visit her website at lorettafernandosmith.com or follow her on LinkedIn⁠.

BIO: Loretta Fernando-Smith is a fourth generation educator with over 20 years of experience in international schools. Raised across cultures and continents, her childhood was shaped by frequent relocations. These experiences of straddling several cultures as a child, adult, parent and educator have made her aware of how people negotiate belonging in different spaces. This tension drives her curiosity, inquiry and research into belonging. Currently, she has the joy of serving as the Associate Principal and PYP Curriculum Coordinator at Frankfurt International School in Wiesbaden, Germany.From mentoring teachers as they support student agency to facilitating international DEIJ leadership cohorts, her leadership focuses on cultivating inclusive cultures, advancing equity-driven curriculum design, and co-creating environments where every child and adult can feel seen, heard and is able to flourish.At the heart of her philosophy is the belief that education is a deeply relational practice. Relationships built on trust, reciprocity, and joy are the foundation for meaningful learning and it is often in our small, shared moments that the deepest transformations begin.

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In this week's episode, I had the honor of interviewing Dr. Andrea Terrero Gabbadon, educator, leadership coach, and author of the book, "Support and Retain Educators of Color: Six Principles for Culturally Affirming Leadership".Andrea shares her journey from the classroom to school leadership, and how her identity as the daughter of Dominican immigrants and a mother has shaped her vision for creating schools where both educators and students of color can thrive. We dive deep into the principles of culturally affirming leadership, explore practical strategies to move beyond performative DEI gestures, and discuss the critical work of building belonging, psychological safety, and retention for educators of color.To learn more about Andrea's work, you can visit her website at atgabbadon.com or follow her on ⁠Instagram (@atgabbadon_phd) or on LinkedIn⁠.

BIO: Dr. Andrea Terrero Gabbadon (she/her/ella) equips leaders and organizations to support and retain a diverse employee workforce through culturally affirming leadership, strategic improvement of working conditions and racial climate, and targeted professional development.An executive leadership coach, speaker, and author, Dr. Gabbadon's work touches on culturally responsive and sustaining education, school racial climate, and educator diversity. Previously, she served as a high school teacher, teacher leader, instructional coach, and assistant principal/director of curriculum and instruction in both traditional public and charter schools.Dr. Gabbadon has also served as a professor and teacher educator at several institutions of higher education, including Temple University and Swarthmore College. She is also the author of "Support and Retain Educators of Color: 6 Principles for Culturally Affirming Leadership" in publication with the Association for Supervision, and Curriculum Development (ASCD) as well as an ASCD faculty member.

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What does it truly mean for every student and educator to feel like they belong? In this week's episode, I had the honor of interviewing Rachael Thrash, co-founder of Belong Hub, to explore how schools can move beyond surface-level inclusion and create authentic, identity-affirming spaces.

Drawing from her work with international schools around the world, Rachael shares powerful insights on student-led belonging initiatives, the importance of centering student agency, and the practical steps educators can take to dismantle barriers that prevent all members of the school community from thriving.

To learn more about Rachael's work, you can follow her on LinkedIn.

BIO: Rachael Thrash is a master teacher who has spent her career supporting students and teachers facing questions that matter. Rachael believes that student learning is a process that begins with each individual’s perspective. Inciting students to question initial understandings encourages them to broaden their awareness and develop a commitment to thoughtful action.

With a Masters from Brown University, Rachael has taught Humanities and English in independent US schools, public community colleges, and international IB schools. She launched a school-wide enrichment department providing co-curricular learning for preK-12 students while developing a mentor program for early career educators. Most recently, Rachael taught MYP English and led the growing Service as Action program at the International School of Helsinki.

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In this week's episode, I sit down with educator, author, and equity leader Shane Safir and and street data practitioner Marlo Bagsik to explore how their bestselling book, "Pedagogies of Voice: Street Data and the Path to Student Agency", can radically transform our classrooms and schools. Drawing from their groundbreaking work, Shane and Marlo unpack what it truly means to center student voice not as a buzzword or performative gesture, but as a driving force for liberation, agency, and deeper learning. We discuss the role of radical listening, dismantling traditional power structures, and navigating how discomfort and vulnerability can become catalysts for educator growth.

BIO: Shane Safir has worked at every level of the education system, from the classroom to the boardroom, for 25 years. In 2003, after teaching in San Francisco and Oakland and organizing in the community to launch a new school, Safir became the founding co-principal of June Jordan School for Equity (JJSE), an innovative national model identified by leading scholar Linda Darling-Hammond as "supporting the success of low-income students of color.” Since 2008, Safir has provided equity-centered leadership coaching, strategic planning, and professional development for schools, districts, and organizations across the U.S., Canada, and beyond. She facilitates learning on listening leadership, becoming a warm demander for equity, centering student voice, and the Street Data model for school transformation. She is the author of The Listening Leader: Creating the Conditions for Equitable School Transformation (Jossey-Bass: 2017) and the bestselling Street Data: A Next-Generation Model for Equity, Pedagogy, and School Transformation (Corwin, 2021), coauthored with Dr. Jamila Dugan.Since 2013, Marlo Bagsik has dedicated his career to advancing equity and social justice in education, with a focus on ensuring the highest quality education for historically oppressed groups. His work, rooted in English Language Arts, extends to Restorative Justice, Trauma-Informed Care, Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), and adult learning. With degrees from UC Berkeley and USC, Marlo has been a leader in transforming schools into antiracist, inclusive environments. Currently, as the District Professional Learning Coordinator in the SF Bay Area, Marlo continues to champion systemic change that honors the dignity and humanity of every student and educator. He’s a forever educator, facilitator, equity strategist, author and speaker.

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How do schools often unintentionally create race? In this week's episode, we speak with Dr. Laura Chávez-Moreno, scholar, educator, and author of How Schools Make Race: Teaching Latinx Racialization in America, to unpack the ways that everyday policies, labels, and interactions shape racial identities and perpetuate inequities for Latinx and multilingual students.

Drawing from years of ethnographic research in elementary schools, Dr. Chávez-Moreno reveals how language classification, “neutral” school practices, and deficit-based narratives contribute to the racialization of students. The conversation also delves into the intersection of race, language, and immigration, exploring the impact of anti-Blackness, policy rollbacks, and immigration enforcement on school communities—and what educators can do to resist these harmful systems.

To learn more about Dr. Chávez-Moreno's work, you can visit her website at laurachavezmoreno.com or follow her on LinkedIn.

BIO: Laura C. Chávez-Moreno is an award-winning researcher, qualitative social scientist, and assistant professor at the University of California Los Angeles (UCLA) in the Departments of Chicana/o & Central American Studies and Education. She received her PhD from the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Education in Curriculum & Instruction.

Dr. Chávez-Moreno’s research has been published in top-tier journals such as Review of Educational Research, Educational Researcher, American Educational Research Journal, Research in the Teaching of English, and Journal of Teacher Education. Her research has been recognized with multiple awards, including from the American Educational Research Association (AERA) Division G Social Contexts in Education; AERA Latinx Research Issues Special Interest Group (SIG); AERA Bilingual Education Research SIG; American Association of Hispanics in Higher Education; and National Association of Bilingual Education. Notably, she was a fellow of the 2020–2022 cohort of NCTE Research Foundation’s Cultivating New Voices among Scholars of Color, and she was awarded a 2022 National Academy of Education/Spencer Foundation Postdoctoral Fellowship. The National Council for Teachers of English awarded the 2023 Alan C. Purves Award to her article in Research in the Teaching of English, “The continuum of racial literacies: Teacher practices countering whitestream bilingual education.”

Prof. Chávez-Moreno is sought after as a speaker by school districts, university organizations, and teacher preparation programs. She draws from her research and extensive teaching experience across a variety of educational levels—including elementary, secondary, tertiary, teacher education, and older-adult education. She served as a high school teacher of Spanish in the School District of Philadelphia for five years, wrote district curriculum, and served on boards of community organizations. She grew up in Douglas, Arizona, and Agua Prieta, Sonora, México.

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In this week's episode, I sit down with Dr. Sheldon Eakins, founder of Purposeful Teaching Academy and host of the Leading Equity Podcast, to unpack his educator journey, the urgent need for equity-centered leadership, and his forthcoming book “What Are You Bringing to the Potluck?: How School Leaders Set the Table for a Community of Belonging?” We also discuss what it means to bring your full, authentic self to the educational table, the current attacks on culturally responsive teaching, and how school leaders can navigate today’s political tensions without compromising their values.

To learn more about Dr. Eakins' work, you can visit the Purposeful Teaching Academy website at purposeful247.com or follow him on Instagram (@sheldoneakins) and LinkedIn.

BIO:

Sheldon L. Eakins, Ph.D., is the Founder of the Purposeful Teaching Academy. Dr. Eakins is also the host of The Art of Advocacy Livestream and the Leading Equity Podcast. Furthermore, Dr. Eakins is the author of "Leading Equity: Becoming an Advocate for All Students" and his upcoming book, "What Are You Bringing to the Potluck?: How School Leaders Set the Table for a Community of Belonging?". With over 15 years in education, he has served as a teacher, school principal, adjunct professor, and Director of Special Education. Dr. Eakins is passionate about helping educators accomplish equitable practices in their schools. He has earned a B.S. degree in Social Science Education, an M.S. degree in Educational Leadership, and a Ph.D. in K-12 Education.

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In this week's conversation, I sit down with Dr. Tanji Reed Marshall, CEO of Liaison Educational Partners and author of Understanding Your Instructional Power, to explore what it truly means for educators to recognize, reclaim, and responsibly use their influence—especially in today’s politically charged climate.

We talk about her journey from classroom teacher to national thought leader, the importance of teachers reclaiming their instructional agency and creating meaningful change in the classroom, and how educators can stay grounded in their values amidst policy rollbacks, book bans, and systemic inequities.​

To learn more about Dr. Tanjis work, you can visit her company's website at liaisoneducationalpartners.org or follow her on Instagram (⁠@liaisedpart) and ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠.

BIO:

Tanji Reed Marshall, PhD, has dedicated her career to advancing educational equity and improving instructional practices across the United States. Dr. Marshall’s academic foundation has been a critical driver of her success. She earned a Doctor of Philosophy in curriculum and instruction from Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, equipping her with advanced educational systems and policy knowledge. She also holds a Master of Arts in English education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte, where she graduated magna cum laude, and a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Boston College.

Dr. Marshall’s career spans more than three decades and includes a wide range of roles that have deepened her expertise in education. She began as a classroom teacher in Hackensack Public Schools before transitioning to McClintock Middle School in Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools.

As a teacher, she achieved remarkable results, including the highest growth rate in her district and state in North Carolina, with her students making one to two years of progress annually. After her teaching roles, Dr. Marshall took on leadership positions within Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools, serving as a Title I literacy coach and literacy specialist. In these roles, she focused on enhancing instructional practices among educators, demonstrating her capacity to influence systemic change.

Dr. Marshall’s publication, “Understanding Your Instructional Power: Curriculum and Language Decisions to Support Each Student,” published by the Association for Supervision and Curriculum Development (ASCD), exemplifies her dedication to addressing inequities in education. The book challenges educators to reconsider how their decisions impact students and offers strategies to create more inclusive and effective teaching environments.

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this nostalgic episode, I catch up with my favorite principal, Dr. Salome Thomas-EL, to talk about his legendary career in education, which has spanned five decades! Dr. EL will also share his thoughts about the recurring issue of Black male educator recruitment & retention, how he personally measures success as a school leader, balancing life as an edupreneur, and the process of writing his newest book, "Meet Their Needs and They'll Succeed". To learn more about Dr. EL's work, you can visit his website at ⁠⁠principalel.com⁠⁠ or follow him on Instagram (⁠⁠@dr.principalel⁠⁠) and ⁠⁠LinkedIn⁠⁠.

BIO: Salome Thomas-EL, a teacher and principal since 1987, is a K–8 principal in Wilmington, DE. He received national acclaim as a teacher and chess coach at Vaux Middle School in Philadelphia, where his students won world recognition as eight-time national chess champions. Principal EL is the author of bestselling books I Choose to Stay and The Immortality of Influence and co-author of Passionate Leadership, Building a Winning Team, and Retention for a Change. He speaks to groups around the country and has appeared on C-SPAN, CNN, and NPR. Principal EL holds a doctorate in education leadership from Wilmington University and has received the Marcus A. Foster Award for Philadelphia's Outstanding School District Administrator and the University of Pennsylvania's Martin Luther King Award.

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

In this courageous and timely episode, I sit down with Dr. Sawsan Jaber, founder of Education Unfiltered, for an unflinching conversation about identity, justice, and the role of education in confronting global oppression. Drawing from her lived experiences as a Palestinian-American and her decades of work in culturally responsive education, Dr. Jaber explores what it means to center student voice, push beyond performative allyship, and teach truthfully in a time of political censorship and media distortion.

We dive into the erasure of Arab and Muslim identities in U.S. curricula, the selective solidarity often shown toward global injustices, and the moral imperative for educators to name the Israeli occupation of Palestine. Dr. Jaber also shares insights on her upcoming book, Pedagogies of Voice, and offers a blueprint for building student agency through critical media literacy, storytelling, and decolonized learning environments.

To learn more about Dr. Jaber's work, you can visit her website at ⁠consultwithsawsan.com⁠ or follow her on Instagram (⁠@sjeducate⁠) and ⁠LinkedIn⁠.

BIO: Dr. Sawsan Jaber is a global educator, presenter, equity strategist, curriculum designer, community activist and keynote speaker of 20+ years. She has held a variety of leadership positions both in the U.S. and abroad. Dr. Jaber previously served as a high school English Department Chair, District Equity Leader, and teacher at Maine West High School in Park Ridge, IL.

Dr. Jaber founded Education Unfiltered Consulting and works with schools nationally and internationally. She completed her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction with a focus on inclusion and belonging of students from marginalized communities, with a focus on Arab American students in historically homogenous communities. Sawsan was one of the ten finalists for Ilinois State Teacher of the year. She was awarded the Cook County Teacher of the year in 2023, ISTE 20 to Watch Award for 2023, and IDEA Teacher of the Year in 2022. Dr. Jaber is a Board Director of Our Voice Alliance (OVA) charged with amplifying the voices of teachers of color to create more equity for students of color. Additionally, Sawsan is one of the founders of the Arab American Education Network (AAEN). She is a member of the International Society for Technology in Education’s (ISTE) Community Leader Network. She is a member of NCTE’s Committee Against Racism and Bias in the Teaching of English. Dr. Jaber is a National Board Certified teacher and focuses most of her research on engaging all students in equity work and advocating for Arab and Muslim students. Among other projects, she has worked on national and international equity centered projects with Google and the National Board Association. Sawsan is a Pulitzer Teacher Fellow and a state TeachPlus Policy Fellow.

She has been featured in several conferences and podcasts, and written several blogs, journals, and newsletter publications with the hopes to continue working with educators to empower students to work towards global equity and justice. She has published several scholarly works and a chapter in the book Navigating Precarity in Educational Contexts: Reflection, Pedagogy, and Activism for Change. Sawsan has several other publications being released in the next few months. However, her favorite work is being an Activist Scholar and co-conspirator for justice alongside her students. Sawsan brings the perspective of being the daughter of refugees.

LINKS:

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⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Google Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠