"Why is it so Hard? Shining through the Shadow of Resistance” with Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Newman Leak

Most people don’t realize where they have bias, yet we all have them. But how does it show up? And when does it show up? In this episode, Dr. Tonya Breland & Erika Leak share examples of recognizing your own bias and some of their own personal experiences.

Join us for this conversation in this episode of TESO Consulting Group's DEI Podcast Series, "Why is it so Hard? Shining through the Shadow of Resistance."

We'd love to hear your thoughts.

What does it mean to belong? What happens when we are on a team but we don't belong? Can we offer our best or be the best version of ourselves when we don't feel like we have any connection to the people around us?  Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Leak discuss these topics and more in the latest episode of their DEI Podcast, “Why is it so Hard? Shining Through The Shadow of Resistance.”

When a person feels like they don't belong in a setting, it can hinder learning, production, and achievement. Tune into this podcast episode where Tonya and Erika discuss the meaning of belonging and ways to ensure that each person feels like they belong and can show up as their authentic self ready to offer their best to their environment. 

What exactly is privilege? Why does it matter? And why are there those that refuse to acknowledge that they may have privilege? These questions and others are discussed in this episode. Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Leak discuss how privilege affects everyone in society, regardless of race, gender, sexuality, religion or other identity markers. 

In addition, Dr. Tonya Breland shares the challenges that she experienced when her educational privilege and marginalized social identity intersected. Join us for this conversation in this episode of TESO Consulting Group's DEI Podcast Series, "Why is it so Hard? Shining through the Shadow of Resistance."

We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Leak discuss cancel culture and the challenges related to ostracizing people who commit micro - or macroaggressions. They consider whether it's even necessary to cancel offenders. In addition, they answer the following questions: Who decides what's offensive? What do you do when somebody says/does something offensive? Where do forgiveness and grace come into play? These topics are discussed in TESO Consulting Group's DEI Podcast Series episode, "Why is it so Hard? Shining through the Shadow of Resistance."

What do you think about cancel culture? 

We'd love to hear your thoughts.

In the latest TESO Consulting Group's DEI Podcast Series episode, "Why is it so Hard? Shining through the Shadow of Resistance," Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Leak discuss whether our society's standard of success is fair and appropriate. When the success of students and adults is measured, are we measuring the right thing? Why are there continued disparities among black and brown students? They also explore whether one's success should be determined by their socioeconomic status or by one's fulfillment in life.

What do you think determines success? 

We'd love to hear your thoughts.

Should schools ban certain books? What are they trying to hide from students?

In the latest TESO Consulting Group's DEI Podcast Series episode, "Why is it so Hard? Shining through the Shadow of Resistance," Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Leak share their thoughts on book banning and the missed opportunities for teachable moments. They also talk about their personal experiences as youth and as educators. They discuss how African American Author Toni Morrison’s books have been and continue to be banned in some schools as well as the 1619 Project, whose perspective does not come from a white-centered lens. They also explore whether students should read controversial books that mention the N-word and much more.

What is your opinion about banning books in school? We'd love to hear your thoughts.

What is the role of discipline/behavior in school, and what is its impact on the future of black and brown students in society?

In the latest TESO Consulting Group's DEI Podcast Series episode, "Why is it so Hard? Shining through the Shadow of Resistance," Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Leak discuss the roles they've served in their educational career and share their perspective and experience with the discipline policies in schools and how they are disproportionately unfair to Black and Brown students.  

They also discuss restorative justice, the "adultification of black girls,' how policing black bodies trace back to slavery, and how to improve engagement between the teacher and student through empathy.

How do you feel about school discipline policies? We'd love to hear your thoughts.

In TESO Consulting Group's DEI Podcast Series, "Why is it so Hard? Shining through the Shadow of Resistance," Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Leak discuss how dress codes in the workplace and schools are inequitable for specific groups of people.

They share personal childhood stories about their experiences with dress code regulations they had to follow. Tonya and Erika also explore biases and messaging about gender-specific clothing standards and how policies express cultural terms that often target children of color. How have you been impacted by dress codes? We’d love to hear your thoughts.

Why are students of color underrepresented in AP/Honors enrollment? How can schools create opportunities for all students to gain access to high quality, rigorous learning experiences?

In TESO Consulting Group's DEI Podcast Series, "Why is it so Hard? Shining through the Shadow of Resistance," Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Newman Leak discuss how inequitable AP/Honors enrollment policies marginalize students of color. Tonya and Erika discuss their experiences with academic tracking as teachers and as students.  They explore how these enrollment policies create academic tracks that predetermine an academic path and eventually impact a student's post-secondary education journey in life. 

Will You Stand Up When No One Else Will?

TESO Consulting Group's DEI Podcast Series, "Why is it so Hard? Shining through the Shadow of Resistance," Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Newman Leak discuss the birth of their partnership through working at a state education agency and how they got started addressing inequities in education. 

In addition, they will provide examples of how to bring people together to confront inequities and discuss the challenges of risking your relational/social "capital" in the workplace when you stand up to injustice.