The Tenacious Podcast with Candice Tolliver-Burns

President Shuana sits down with The Tenacious Podcast host Candice Tolliver Burns, live from D.C., ahead of the November 3 midterms. She breaks down why voting is vital to our collective strength.

"It's the fierce urgency of now. We're still fighting for women's rights. We're still fighting for women's health." — National President Shuana

Watch the full episode on YouTube. (Link in bio)
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"Connection is the key to all we do. We are here to lift each other up." — National President Shuana

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Friendship Public Charter School CEO Patricia Brantley joins Candice Tolliver Burns to reflect on her induction into the National Charter School Hall of Fame and nearly three decades of transforming public education.

From launching Washington, DC’s first early college program to guiding Friendship through the COVID-19 pandemic, Brantley shares how bold leadership, innovation and an unwavering belief in children helped build one of the nation’s highest-performing public charter school networks. She also explores the power of joyful classrooms, the meaning behind “Friendship is family” and the urgency required to ensure every student has the opportunity to succeed.

As Friendship approaches its 30th anniversary, this conversation celebrates a Hall of Fame legacy while looking ahead to the schools, communities and futures still waiting to be built.

This episode of Tenacious Teacher features Naomi Shelton, CEO of the National Charter Collaborative, as she shares her perspective on leadership, innovation, and driving impact in charter education. The conversation explores what it means to lead with tenacity, support diverse education leaders, and challenge the status quo to improve student outcomes. From HBCU influence to national collaboration, this episode highlights the evolving “blueprint” for exceptional education.

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“The whole block wants to be in her class — and today, you’ll understand why.”Ms. Rice breaks down the outlook and daily practices that help our youngest scholars thrive academically and emotionally. This honest conversation is about teaching with purpose, choosing joy, setting the bar high, and creating a space where every child feels loved, capable, and ready to shine.This is what a tenacious teacher looks like.

The first episode of HBCU: The Blueprint is officially out on The Tenacious Teacher. We’re honored to kick off the series with Dr. Hakim Lucas, President of Virginia Union University. Available now on YouTube and wherever you stream your podcasts.

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Meet Bharti Bhasin, a remarkable math educator whose journey spans continents—from teaching high school in India to coaching math teachers at Friendship Collegiate Early College Academy in D.C. Her story is one of courage, sacrifice, and tenacity. Bharti didn’t just bring her talents to the U.S.—she rewrote her own future to help students write theirs.

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The entire nation is focused on education. So, let’s focus on what truly drives it – the tenacity of our teachers, the unwavering belief that transforms student lives, the heart of the work.

In the , we sit down with Yvonne Tackie, an award-winning educator, ELA instructional specialist, AI enthusiast, and mentor at Friendship Ideal—the district’s highest-performing middle school.

Born in Paris, raised in Ghana, and now shaping young minds in D.C., Yvonne shares how seeing the strengths in every student isn’t just good teaching—⁠it’s heart work⁠. Her advice? “Empower students. Remind them of their strengths. That’s what changes everything.”

Tune in for an inspiring conversation that reminds us all why teaching isn’t just a job—it’s a calling.

Hype or Help? Unlocking AI's Potential | Tenacious Teacher Podcast Ep. 3

AI influences everything, from how we create, work and learn. But how can we shape AI to work for teachers in classrooms where rigor, innovation and ethics hold equal importance? On Ep. 3, "Hype or Help? Unlocking AI's Potential," we kick off a two-part conversation with David Williams, a STEM teacher, global educator and AI enthusiast at Friendship Tech Prep High in Washington, D.C. Hailing from Bristol, England, David shares compelling reasons why teachers should integrate AI into their​ teaching experiences, and leverage the technology to think bigger, work smarter and open the world to their students. Join us as we explore how AI can transform the future of education. 

Do you believe in fairies? You will after watching Episode 2 of the Tenacious Teacher Podcast™! Join Atelierista Adia Harris as she guides us into the magical world of her early childhood art studio, located in the same school where one of former first lady Michelle Obama’s favorite artists, painter Alma Thomas, once explored her talents. Adia ignites a passion for learning by engaging young minds in process art, Black History, and yes, the wonderful world of fairies! Adia is a tenacious teacher at Friendship Armstrong Elementary and Middle School in D.C.

Adia shares an enchanted moment: “There’s flora hanging, twinkle lights, and a note on wall… Dear children, I met Ms. Adia and I’m fairy. She told me you were looking for treasure...look for the things other people overlook.”

“After I played basketball overseas in Romania, I was questioned by an elderly woman in the airport. I was the only Black American on that plane, coming out of Bucharest. I guess she just wanted to know why – why was I on that plane? I told her, I played basketball. But then she said, what if that basketball stopped dribbling?" Two weeks later, Dominque received a text from her middle school assistant principal, “Can you work at my school?” In this pilot episode, “Starting 5,” tenacious teacher Dominque Johnson talks about how she has defied the odds on and off the basketball court, and why she took her passion as a professional athlete to the court of student achievement, helping lead her public school post-pandemic to reading levels 3 times higher than any other in the nation’s capital, outpacing national averages.

Dominque Johnson is the ELA chair and a middle school teacher at the Friendship Blow Pierce Elementary and Middle School campus in Washington, D.C., where over 80 percent of the student population represents groups most severely impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.