The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators

This episode challenges us to reflect: What traits define us? Who are we outside of productivity?

In this deeply affirming conversation, Dr. Asia Lyons sits down with Amanda Miller Littlejohnexecutive coach, journalist, and author of The Rest Revolutionto unpack burnout, identity, and the systems that pressure Black educators to overperform at the expense of their wellness. Together, they explore how the culture of overachievement, often masked as Black excellence, can be a trauma response, and why rest is personal and political.

Amanda shares her story of hitting a wall during the pandemic, discovering that when her creativity disappeared, it was her bodys cry for help. With heartfelt wisdom, Amanda urges educators to reconnect with what brings them joy, pursue radical self-knowledge, and lean into community care as a form of wealth and resilience.

Whether you're an educator on the brink or an ally seeking to support Black professionals, this episode is a powerful reminder: we dont have to earn our restwe were always worthy of it.

In this deeply moving episode of The Exit Interview, Colorado State Representative Jennifer Bacon recounts how her early teaching career in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina became a catalyst for her journey into law, education reform, and public service. Reflecting on her experience as a young Black educator with Teach For America, she vividly recalls the chaos and trauma of evacuating during the storm, witnessing the devastation, and volunteering at a Red Cross shelterwhere she saw her students arrive with little more than plastic bags of belongings.

Jennifer shares the inequities she witnessed in the aftermath, including the erasure of Black educators, the rise of charter schools, and the criminalization of Black youthall of which shaped her understanding of systemic racism in education. Her reflections unpack the historical and political roots of educational injustice, from the collapse of the Orleans Parish school system to the national charter school movement. She explains how these experiences fueled her decision to attend law school, organize against the school-to-prison pipeline, and eventually serve in elected office.

Now a key voice in Colorado education policy, Bacon discusses current challenges like the states school funding crisis, the importance of mandating financial literacy courses, and the urgent need for Black teacher recruitment and retention. The episode ends with a raw and heartfelt meditation on rest, resilience, and the moral obligation to fight for systems that truly care for Black children and communities.

What happens when you're doing everythingleading a school, serving your community, answering the phones, teaching mathand still feel like you're drowning? In this Exit Interview live show, Dr. Asia Lyons sits down with Joy Delizo-Osborne, who shares the real reason she left her role as a founding principal: her doctor said quit, and her wife offered her a puppy if she finally did.

This conversation is not a highlight reel. It's a deeply human exploration of what it costs to stay in systems that praise your sacrifice but ignore your spirit. Joy reflects on burnout, Black womens addiction to care, and how hard it is to believe the job isn't your identity. She also offers a glimpse into her nowas CEO of Student Achievement Partnerswhere shes rewriting the rules of leadership, bringing equity and literacy into the same sentence, and finally choosing joy (and dogs).

If youve ever felt pulled between purpose and survival, this episode is your mirror and your permission slip.

What happens when an educator's deep love for liberation collides with the realities of traditional schooling?

In this powerful episode of The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, Dr. Asia Lyons sits down with Josephine Ampaw-Greene a licensed family therapist and former educatorto explore what it truly means to sustain wellness while navigating the demands of education and racial battle fatigue. Josephine shares her unique journey from paraeducator to residential school teacher to therapist and business owner. She opens up about the importance of pausing, setting boundaries, embracing joy, and why "being well means not pretending to be well."

Together, they unpack how career identity intersects with self-worth, how to support educators experiencing racism-related stress, and what families can do to create restorative spaces for their loved ones working in schools.

Key Topics Covered:

How to decide how much of your identity belongs to your career

Creating trauma-informed practices that center joy and authenticity

The impact of racism-related stress on educators and their families

The role of community and family in educator wellness

Practical regulation tools for teachers, like the ice cube trick

How Josephine builds a teaching practice that launches therapists of color

Why leaving education isnt a failureits a transition toward wholeness

In this special episode recorded live at Quince Coffee House, Dr. Asia Lyons sits down with Jenna Greenwood to explore her inspiring journey of self-discovery, family legacy, and finding community beyond traditional educational spaces. Jenna shares stories about growing up influenced by her grandmother, Marie Greenwood, Denvers first Black tenured teacher, and navigating her own complex identity within predominantly white educational institutions. She also provides invaluable insights into understanding college affordability and scholarships, leveraging her expertise in financial aid to empower students and their families. Finally, Jenna discusses the critical importance of wellness, mindfulness, and creating affirming spaces like Quince Coffee House, a business she co-owns that serves as a vibrant community hub.

In this powerful episode of The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, host Dr. Asia Lyons sits down with Jason B. Alleneducator, activist, and policy advocateto discuss the systemic barriers Black students and educators face in traditional school systems.

Jason shares his personal journey from school administrator to special education teacher, revealing how he fought against discriminatory practices that misplace Black students into special education programs without proper support. He details how systemic racism influences school discipline policies, the struggles of Black educators navigating certification roadblocks, and the larger implications of anti-Black policies in education.

Jason also discusses his transition from the classroom to education policy work, emphasizing the need for community-driven solutions, Black educator retention, and the importance of dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline. This episode is a must-listen for anyone invested in educational equity, policy reform, and the fight to create spaces where Black educators and students can thrive.

In this episode of The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, Dr. Asia Lyons sits down with award-winning educator and advocate Keisha Rembert to discuss her journey in education, the challenges Black educators face, and the importance of racial literacy, affinity spaces, and wellness.

Keisha reflects on her 17-year career as a middle school educator, emphasizing how she initially resisted entering the profession. Coming from a lineage of Black educators, she found herself drawn into teaching after a series of experiences, including substitute teaching, which led her to recognize her passion for learning and co-teaching with students. She shares how her students played an integral role in shaping the curriculum, a strategy that strengthened engagement and student agency.

In this episode of The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, Dr. Asia Lyons sits down with Dr. Adrienne Davenport, a veteran educator, administrator, and author, to talk about career transitions, leadership, and the realities of being a Black educator.

Dr. Davenport shares how she unexpectedly entered the field of education, her journey from teacher to administrator, and why she made the bold decision to leave her role as a principaleven before knowing what was next. She reflects on what schools need to do to attract, support, and retain Black educators, the importance of instructional leadership, and why stepping outside of your comfort zone is the key to growth.

If youre an educator thinking about making a shift, an aspiring leader, or just someone who needs a reminder that faith, preparation, and trusting your instincts matter, this episode is for you.

[00:02:00] Dr. Davenports unexpected journey into education and how she pivoted from a legal career to teaching
[00:05:00] Navigating family and community expectations when making a career switch
[00:08:00] Teaching middle school: Why eighth graders were her favorite students
[00:15:45] "If you want something, you have to go out and get it." The importance of career growth and leadership development
[00:16:45] "When you get too comfortable, you dont grow." Why taking risks in your career is necessary
[00:24:45] "I didnt know what was next, but this wasnt it." Walking away from a leadership role without a set plan
[00:33:45] The role of Black educators as ambassadors for the profession
[00:37:00] Barriers to entering education: cost, licensing exams, and lack of support
[00:43:15] "You cannot be afraid of instruction." The key to effective school leadership
[00:50:45] "None of us have arrived. Every morning we get another opportunity." Finding wellness, peace, and purpose in education

"We have to be good ambassadors of our profession."
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained!"
"You dont need all the answersyou just need to know when something isnt right."
"Leaving my principal role wasnt leaving the missionit was expanding it."

Website: drdconsulting.org
Email: [email protected]
LinkedIn: Dr. Adrienne Davenport
Instagram: @DrDavenportEd
Books:

• My Hope Is Built: Reflections of Faith, Grace, and Resilience from an Educational Leader
• STAND: Five Powerful Strategies for Overcoming Barriers to Becoming an Instructional Leader

National Alliance of Black School Educators (NABSE)
The Exit Interview Podcast Website

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YouTube: The Exit Interview Podcast for Black Educators

Website: exitinterviewpodcast.com

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In this powerful and reflective episode of The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, Dr. Asia Lyons sits down with Najmah Ahmad to discuss her nearly 20-year journey through education, from working in nonprofits and higher education to leadership roles in school districts and national policy. Najmah candidly shares her experiences navigating systemic challenges, microaggressions, and the often overwhelming toll of racial battle fatigue.

Listeners will hear how Najmahs desire to support people in moments of transition shaped her career and led her to create transformative programs for young people, such as leadership curriculums and paid internships. She also opens up about the pivotal moment when her physical health forced her to confront the toll her work was taking on her mind, body, and spirit, leading to her decision to leave traditional education spaces and build her own consulting business.

This episode explores themes of wellness, self-liberation, and the importance of acknowledging the impact of systemic racism in professional spaces. Najmahs story is a testament to resilience, healing, and the power of creating your own path to freedom.