The LET's Talk Podcast

In this episode, get to know the story behind Mesquite High School’s new Head Football Coach/Athletic Director DeMarcus Harris. According to Harris, the drama associated with his challenging upbringing—with a mom on drugs and a dad in prison—is “movie material.” This misbehaving high school athlete from Pittsburg, Texas, was kicked off multiple teams before converting his “last chance” during senior year into something special as a football player. Thanks to a highly competitive personality, ...

In this week's episode, Chassordee Willie tells us about her "dream job" as Mesquite ISD's director of recruitment and retention.Besides sharing her deep love of Mesquite and Mesquite ISD, she enjoys finding teachers with her same passion and potential. She especially likes to help teachers become successful because "that ensures MISD students will be successful" as well. Learn why the former Shaw Elementary principal has chosen to spend 24 years in MISD and what she thinks sets MISD apart fr...

In this week’s episode, Florence Elementary fourth grade teacher Maria Gomez takes center stage. She shares her pride and accomplishments in being a Mexican-American teacher in West Texas and for now for three years in Mesquite. As an educator and lifelong learner, she especially enjoys studying the cultures and races from all her students' perspectives so she can bring out their best. She stresses to her students the importance of learning to think critically and asking even adults tough que...

In this week’s episode, learn how Dr. Valerie Nelson's leadership is changing the perception of Mesquite ISD’s Learning Center and evolving its culture. Find out how The Learning Center supports the goals of LET in discipline and equity, plus more about her nearly 30 years in education. Raised in a family of educators, Dr. Nelson earned her doctorate from SMU, just like co-host Dr. LaDonna Gulley.

In this week's episode, meet Eric Grant, a history teacher at West Mesquite High School. This self-proclaimed "All-American-looking white man and history nerd" offers wise, profound cultural insights beyond what you might expect from an ordinary 29-year-old millennial. Learn how a college internship teaching African American students in Tennessee changed his life and created a personal quest: rally his students into joining him in voting to make a difference. He says education is a career he ...

Episode 21 features Assistant Superintendent of Innovation and Leadership Dr. Ángel Rivera. From military experience to work with the United Nations and varying-sized Texas school districts, Dr. Rivera is a student of languages with a true appreciation for various cultures. Sharing his perspective from his wealth of experiences from around the world, learn why he wants to replace the word tolerance with appreciation and much more. Find out also why he says the journey to remove biases comes f...

Executive Director of Instructional Technology Cara Jackson talks about how MISD worked quickly through the pandemic to overcome an "inequity in tech" and the ultimate benefits to students, student families and staff.

Replay of Episode 1: Superintendent Dr. David Vroonland Introduces LET. Hear what inspired "Dr. V" as he is known across the Mesquite ISD community to create the Leadership and Empowerment Team (LET). You'll learn how students and staff and the local community will be better for the influence of LET.

In Episode 19, learn about Director of Library Services Mary Woodard’s leadership goals and how goals for MISD's national award-winning district libraries align with LET. She says MISD's library operations live by the 1939 Library Bill of Rights, offering resources for all people and all points of view. But it was her “woke” experience that has inspired this 34-year MISD educator and her librarian team even more. Her ultimate mission is to train all MISD students “how to think critically abou...

In Episode 18, learn why Principal Abram Joseph refers to The Mesquite Academy as a program instead of a school. Also hear why he’s more proud that some of his former students are now black educators like himself than overcoming his start in life as a sharecropper’s son. His life missions include helping students realize they have the power to determine their own destiny.