Education as an act of remembrance, resistance, and community care.

What keeps you going when the academic journey gets hard?

In this soundbite from Season 1 of the Black-Liberation.Tech Podcast, Dr. Renee Jordan reflects on the deeper why behind her educational path — a story rooted in family history, policy, and legacy.

Dr. Jordan shares the story of her grandmother, born in 1909 and a descendant of enslaved people, who taught school until policy changes required credentials she never attained. Pushed out of teaching, her grandmother did the work she could do — working as a cook — despite her talent and experience as an educator.

This segment reframes academic achievement not as individual ambition, but as collective reclamation. Dr. Jordan explains how earning a PhD became less about titles or prestige and more about doing something meaningful because she could — for her family, her community, and future generations.

This episode is especially for:

• Students questioning their motivation
• Mothers/guardians and daughters navigating education together
• Anyone carrying the weight of being “the first” or “the one”

Listen, reflect, and consider what legacy you are building through your learning.