Identity Talk 4 Educators LIVE

In this week's episode, I catch up with my good friend Shira Woolf Cohen, co-founder of Innovageous, seasoned educator, and author of the new book, "Leading Future-Focused Schools". Drawing from her extensive experience as a teacher and principal, Shira shares powerful insights on why student engagement and career readiness can’t wait, how school leaders can spark meaningful change, and practical strategies to integrate career development across K–12 classrooms. We also discuss real stories from schools already leading this transformative shift and explore her journey building Innovageous to help schools innovate with equity at the center.

To learn more about Shira's work, you can visit the Innovageous website at innovageous.com or follow her on Instagram (@shirawc) and LinkedIn.

BIO: Shira Woolf Cohen is a founding partner at Innovageous, an education consulting group focused on ensuring continuity of learning and inclusive opportunities for all children by building the capacity of educators, schools, and organizations to develop innovative and courageous solutions in education. In this role, Shira has served approximately 30 schools and organizations and more than 1,000 leaders and educators by analyzing educational landscapes, providing professional learning and coaching, and facilitating program and systems planning.Prior to founding Innovageous, Shira served as the principal of New Foundations Charter School (2014-2020). Under her leadership, New Foundations earned recognition as the top-performing charter school in Philadelphia in 2015. Shira is the recipient of the G. Bernard Gill Award for Urban Service-Learning Leadership.Shira also serves as an adjunct instructor and university supervisor for aspiring teachers and leaders at Holy Family University and the University of Phoenix, as Board Chair for the National Youth Leadership Council, and as the facilitator for the National Youth Leadership Council’s Certificate in Service-Learning Instructional Leadership program. Shira is an active member of the Catalyst:Ed network, and serves as the facilitator of the nationwide School Reimagining provider resource group. She grew up in West Hartford, Connecticut.

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In this powerful episode, I sit down with educator, leader, and global change agent Constance Darshea Collins to explore her remarkable journey—from growing up in Atlanta, GA to graduating from Yale University, to leading strategic initiatives in international schools across the globe. Constance opens up about navigating elite academic spaces as a Black woman, adapting to new cultures abroad, and the deeply personal impact of her kidney transplant journey. Constance also reflects on what it means to lead with empathy, advocate for justice, and create spaces where all students feel seen, valued, and affirmed. This is a conversation about healing, transformation, and the power of representation in education.To learn more about Constance's work, you can follow her on Instagram (@constancedarshea) or on LinkedIn.

BIO: Constance Darshea Collins is an accomplished international educator and leader currently serving as the PLC Coach and High School Social Studies Teacher at Singapore American School. Drawing on her foundation as a social studies educator and enriched with graduate training from the Harvard Graduate School of Education, Constance brings critical insight and compassion to her work.Her career has taken her across continents—teaching in Switzerland, the Democratic Republic of the Congo, South Africa, Uganda, and now Singapore—and has deeply shaped her appreciation for cultural diversity and global citizenship. A devoted advocate for equity-centered education, she helps lead the AISA DEIJ Collaborative, where she supports curriculum transformation and nurtures affinity-based leadership networks throughout Africa.Constance’s professional identity is rooted in her authentic and intersectional perspective as a Black woman from Atlanta who also holds a degree from Yale University, though that detail is noted on her LinkedIn about her academic background. She brings nuance, resilience, and a people-centered lens into every context she enters—helping to build inclusive, empowered learning communities across borders.

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In this crossover conversation, I join Tim Logan, host of the Future Learning Design Podcast, to explore how we can radically reimagine education by centering identity, equity, and innovation. Together, they examine the urgent need to move beyond outdated institutional models and uplift community-driven, learner-centered ecosystems. From the role of culturally affirming practices and student agency to the promise and perils of emerging technologies, this episode dives into the bold shifts needed to design a liberated future of learning for all.

To learn more about Tim's work, you can visit the Future Learning Design website at futurelearningdesign.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

BIO: Tim Logan is the host and driving force behind the Future Learning Design podcast, where he brings nearly 200 conversations with thought leaders, educators, and entrepreneurs focused on transforming education. In addition to producing weekly episodes, Tim serves as a Partner at Good Impact Labs, collaborating internationally with innovative school networks and systems, and contributes to the International Baccalaureate’s Festival of Hope as a co-lead. With a background that includes school leadership and strategic curriculum design in global settings, Tim’s work centers on cultivating educational spaces where people learn with purpose, complexity, and relationships at their core.

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In this week's episode, we sit down with renowned educator, writer, and wellness advocate Jamilah Pitts to explore her deeply personal and professional journey. Jamilah shares her formative upbringing in Columbus, Ohio, and how attending Spelman College profoundly shaped her identity and purpose as a liberatory educator. She reflects on the challenges and triumphs of her first year of teaching in Boston, her transformative experiences teaching abroad in the Dominican Republic and living in India, and what it means to navigate educational leadership as a Black woman.

Jamilah opens up about the courageous decision to leave the traditional K-12 space to prioritize her mental health and well-being, and how that choice led her to discover the healing power of yoga. Now the founder of She, Imprints, Jamilah is channeling her energy into creating intentional spaces for healing, restoration, and wellness for women and girls of the global majority. To learn more about Jamilah's work, you can visit her website at jamilahpitts.com or follow her on Instagram (@msjamilahpitts) and LinkedIn.

BIO: Jamilah Pitts is an author, educator, social entrepreneur, and wellness educator whose work centers the liberation, healing and holistic development of communities of the Global majority. Jamilah has worked and served in various roles and spaces to promote racial justice and healing. Jamilah has served as a teacher, coach, dean, and as an Assistant principal. She has worked in domestic and international educational spaces, including Massachusetts, New York, the Dominican Republic, China and in India.As the Founder and CEO of Jamilah Pitts Consulting, Jamilah partners with schools, communities, universities and organizations to advance the work of racial, social and intersectional justice. Jamilah is also the Founder of She, Imprints, an organization serving at the intersection of wellness and justice for women and girls of the Global Majority.Jamilah’s written work has appeared in the Huffington Post, Learning for Justice, and Edweek. She has presented to audiences of thousands of educators both within the United States and internationally. Jamilah is certified as a Yoga Teacher, Reiki Practitioner, Omnoire Retreat Facilitator, and is certified as a Trauma - Conscious Yoga guide. Jamilah is a proud alumna of Spelman College where she earned a Bachelor of Arts in English. Jamilah also pursued graduate studies at Boston College where she earned a Masters of Education, and Teachers College, Columbia University. Jamilah is the author of Toward Liberation: Educational Practices Rooted in Activism, Healing and Love (Beacon Press, 2023).

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In this week's episode, we sit down with Jamila Sams—educator, speaker, and founder of We Do It 4 The Culture™—to explore what it means to reclaim education through hip-hop. Drawing from her experiences as a Black woman navigating institutional spaces, Jamila unpacks how hip-hop serves not just as a genre, but as a pedagogical tool for healing, identity affirmation, and social-emotional learning. From the challenges of resisting cultural erasure in schools to her mission of centering student voice, Jamila speaks candidly about the state of SEL, the current sociopolitical climate, and how hip-hop continues to be a vehicle for protest, empowerment, and cultural preservation.

To learn more about Jamila's work, you can visit the We Do It 4 The Culture website at wedoit4theculture.com or follow her on Instagram (@sel4theculture) and LinkedIn.

BIO: Jamila Sams, MA.Ed. is the creator of We Do It 4 the Culture™, a culturally responsive social emotional learning curriculum grounded in hip-hop culture for grades 6-12. Jamila is a self-proclaimed hip-hop head and educator with more than 20 years of experience working with youth of all ages and backgrounds. Her areas of expertise include educational leadership, youth development, nonprofit management and strategic partnership development.

Through Go to Ms. Sams Inc., her education consulting company, Jamila works to provide services to educators, nonprofit professionals and members of the business community around three core areas: School Climate and Culture; Youth Program Development and Training; and Strategic Partnership Development.Her clients include the Maryland State Department of Education; the New York City Department of Education; QLIK Corporation; Mentor Foundation USA; The University of Maryland Baltimore; Mentor International and El Desafio (The Challenge) in Rosario, Argentina.

Jamila has been a featured speaker for the White House Office of National Drug Control Policy, the National Gathering for the Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color and the Center for the Promotion of Social Emotional Learning National Conference. Jamila’s breakout TEDX entitled “Why Are You” has been viewed over 900 times to date.

Jamila is a proud native of Philadelphia and a first-generation college graduate of Lincoln University. She obtained her Master’s degree in Educational Administration & Supervision from the College of Notre Dame of Maryland and serves on the executive board of Words Beats & Life.

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In this special crossover episode, we’re excited to welcome Jen Cort—educator, consultant, and host of the Third Space Podcast—for a timely and deeply human conversation about what it truly means to show up as an educator in today’s world.

This dialogue goes beyond surface-level conversations about equity and dives into the emotional labor, leadership courage, and community-centered resistance required to sustain identity-affirming work in schools. From the personal to the political, we unpack how educators across the globe are navigating increasing restrictions, rising polarization, and systemic pushback—while still holding space for joy, justice, and transformative care.

Together, we explore:

• Jen's journey into this work and what she’s learning from educators around the world;
• How we hold onto joy and courage in times of resistance;
• The necessity of collective care, self-advocacy, and community grounding;
• The messy realities of allyship, privilege, and being a “shield” in equity work;
• And what “showing up” looks like in classrooms, districts, and beyond.

Whether you’re a teacher, leader, or simply someone trying to do the right thing in hard times, this conversation is an invitation to reflect, resist, and rise—together.

To learn more about Jen's work, you can visit her website at jencort.com or follow him on LinkedIn.

BIO: Jen Cort, a highly regarded consultant, collaborates with schools across the United States and internationally. Aiming to help schools achieve sustainable growth that supports their long-term goals, her expertise includes school assessments, capacity building, strategic thinking, professional development, parent education, and advisory program development. Jen's collaborative approach involves partnering with trustees, leadership teams, students, teachers, and parents to build on each school's strengths and address areas of need, making everyone feel included in the process.

Jen is not just a consultant but an influential figure in the field of education. She is a highly sought-after keynote speaker and featured speaker at virtual, national, and international conferences. Her work extends to hosting a respected diversity institute and contributing to prominent publications such as Racing Toward Diversity, Insights, Friends Journal, NAIS Independent Journal, and Association of Middle-Level Education.

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Jen is deeply committed to promoting diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice in schools. She hosts the internationally syndicated and highly acclaimed podcast Third Space With Jen Cort, a platform for discussing these critical issues. Her commitment is further demonstrated in her book, HUBS: Help Us Begin Mindsets and Strategies for Challenging Conversations, and is quoted in leading publications, including The Washington Post, The Boston Globe, and The New York Times.

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In this inspiring episode, we sit down with Dr. Andrew B. Campbell—affectionately known as Dr. ABC—for a powerful conversation about identity, scholarship, and community. Dr. Campbell takes us on a journey through his upbringing in Jamaica, early career experiences in the Bahamas and the United States, and his eventual relocation to Canada. He opens up about his doctoral journey and the challenges and triumphs of navigating academia as a Black, openly queer, Jamaican-Canadian immigrant. Now a professor at the University of Toronto, Dr. Campbell shares how he uses his platform to mentor Black educators and foster inclusive, affirming learning spaces. Throughout the conversation, he reflects on what it means to be a community-centered scholar and the importance of showing up authentically in academic and educational spaces. This episode is a must-listen for educators committed to justice, identity-affirming practice, and building community through education.To learn more about Dr. Campbell's work, you can visit his website at drabc.ca or follow him on Instagram (@teachablemomentswithdrabc) and LinkedIn.

BIO:

Andrew B. Campbell (DR.ABC) is an Assistant Professor, Teaching Stream, in Leadership for Racial Justice in Teacher Education in the Master of Teaching Program at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE), University of Toronto OISE.He is Coordinator for the Black Future Educators’ Program (BFEP) and the newly appointed Director of the Centre for Black Studies in Education (CBSE). DR. ABC is known to the OISE and wider community for his leadership on advancing equity, leadership, 2SLGBTQIA+ community, and teacher education.DR. ABC’s exemplary work has seen numerous awards bestowed to him, such as a 2024 recipient of the Black History Month Award, from the Jamaica Canadian Association; The 2022 Award for Excellence in Initial Teacher Education from University of Toronto; The 2021 Distinguish African Caribbean Award from University of Toronto, African Alumni Association; The 2021 Champion Educator Award from ONABSE (Ontario Alliance of Black School Educators) and numerous others.He presently teaches courses in anti discrimination education, leadership, educational change, urban education, and Black Educators’ Identity and Pedagogy. He has presented at numerous conferences and has delivered many presentations as a keynote speaker, motivational speaker, and workshop facilitator. He loves people, food, fashion, travelling and bringing his community together for a good meal.

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In this powerful and heartfelt episode, I sit down with Dr. Jamila Dugan—liberatory leadership coach, former teacher, and co-author of Street Data—to explore what it means to radically dream, lead, rest, and mother in an unjust world. Drawing from her upbringing in Oakland, Dr. Dugan shares how her early schooling experiences ignited her passion for equity and how her years in the classroom shaped her transformative vision of leadership. Together, we unpack the meaning of "radical dreaming" and why it’s an essential practice for educators committed to justice and liberation.

Dr. Dugan also reflects on the healing power of rest, the intentional parenting strategies she uses to affirm her children’s identities, and what inner peace looks like on the journey of self-discovery. Whether you're an educator, parent, or leader, this episode is a reminder of the liberating possibilities that exist when we lead with purpose, rest with intention, and dream without limits. To learn more about Jamila's work, you can visit her website at jamiladugan.com or follow her on LinkedIn.

BIO: Dr. Jamila Dugan is a leadership coach, learning facilitator, and researcher. She began her career as a teacher in Washington, D.C., successfully supporting her school to implement an International Baccalaureate program.

After being nominated for Teacher of the Year, she later served as a coach for new teachers in Oakland, California.

As a school administrator, Jamila championed equity-centered student services, parent empowerment, and co-led the development of the first public Mandarin immersion middle school in the Bay Area. Jamila and Shane began their work together seven years ago during the development of The Listening Leader, for which Jamila acted as the primary researcher. Jamila currently serves as an equity-centered leadership development coach across all sectors including nonprofits, public school districts, charter networks, and parochial and private schools.

She is an avid supporter of dual-language learning, serving on the boards of Independence Charter Spanish Immersion School in Philadelphia. She holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from Fresno State University, a master’s degree in early childhood education from George Mason University, and a doctorate in education leadership for equity from University of California, Berkeley. Jamila is also a loving wife and the mother of three amazing children who remain her constant inspiration for her work.

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In this week's episode, I had the honor of welcoming Aldaine Wynter to the podcast to talk about growing up in the U.K, his early life as a gymnastics coach, transitioning into teaching, climbing the ladder as an international school leader, and so much more! To learn more about Aldaine's work, you can visit the Washington International School website at wis.edu/diversity or follow him on LinkedIn.

BIO:

Aldaine Wynter is the inaugural Director of International-Mindedness, Diversity, and Inclusion (IDI) at Washington International School (WIS), a role he assumed in 2023 as the school's first-ever leader in this domain. With a career-spanning leadership in international education and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion strategy, Aldaine has been instrumental in fostering inclusive school environments across multiple global contexts. Prior to WIS, Aldaine served as Head of Pastoral and Operations at Wetherby Senior School in London, where he also led the school's Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) initiatives. Before Wetherby, he was the Global Diversity and Inclusion coordinator at Dwight School London, overseeing DEI initiatives across Dwight campuses in London, New York, Shanghai, Dubai, and Seoul (2020–2022). His work involved developing and executing strategic DEI programs across multiple continents, shaping policies that promoted equity and international-mindedness.

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In this episode, I had the honor of welcoming back Dr. Tyra Good, the executive director of Elms College Center for Equity in Urban Education (CEUE), as well as Dominique McDonald, academic coordinator for CEUE, and 2025 graduate Bianca Bonsu. In our conversation, the CEUE team talked about the origin and evolution of the program, reflect on their 5-month partnership with Identity Talk Consulting, share personal reflections about their reading of "Learning to Relearn", and much more! To learn more about Elms College CEUE, you can visit their main website at https://www.elms.edu/ceue/.

BIO:

Dr. Tyra Good is the founding faculty director, Center for Equity in Urban Education (CEUE) at Elms College. Good has more than 10 years of experience teaching education, and, most recently, she was assistant professor of practice in education at Chatham University in Pittsburgh, PA. Good is the founder and chief academic consultant for GOOD Knowledge Connections and the founder of the Black Educators Network (BEN) of Greater Pittsburgh. The BEN is a strategic team of K-12, Higher Education, and community educators working across school district and community lines to help ensure the academic and personal success of African-American youth from underserved communities.

For her dedication and commitment to diversifying the teaching pipeline and preparing pre-service teachers to work in urban settings, Good has received a myriad of award recognitions. Most recently, she was awarded a 2019 National Deeper Learning Equity Fellowship through Big Picture Learning and Internationals Network for Public Schools. Deeper Learning Equity Fellows are exceptional leaders, education practitioners, policy advocates, and researchers who are committed to expanding Deeper Learning educational practices aimed at improving public education opportunities for underserved communities.Good received her bachelor’s in business management from Howard University, a master of arts in teaching from Chatham University, and a doctorate in educational leadership and evaluation from Duquesne University.

Dominique McDonald, Academic Coordinator for CEUE, is an alum of Western New England University with a B.A. in English and is currently working towards an M.Ed at Elms College. He recruits for the Applied Behavior Analysis, Autism Spectrum Disorders, Master of Arts in Teaching, Master in Education, Master in Biomedical Sciences, Master of Biotechnology, Master of Bioethics, and Postbaccalaureate Premedical Studies Certificate programs. He is a lover of animals and the outdoors but also a big fan of reading fiction, playing video games and singing karaoke.

Bianca Bonsu has worked as a paraprofessional for the Springfield Public Schools for 10 years. She will be graduating from Elms College this year with a B.A. in Education and her Massachusetts teaching credential.

LINKS:

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