Building the Black Educator Pipeline: Recent Episodes
Ed Post, Center for Black Educator Development
Brightbeam and the Center for Black Educator Development combine forces to deliver the essential podcast on developing a strong Black Educator Pipeline to ensure our students have the representation they deserve.
Dr. Greg Carr and Shayna Terrell discuss the significance of Juneteenth. They explore the holiday's history, its meaning to Black folks, and the importance of remembering and celebrating the day. They also touch on the commercialization of Juneteenth and the need for critical thinking and understanding of its true significance. Juneteenth is a symbol of black self-determination and a recognition of the blood sacrifice of black people. Juneteenth should be globally celebrated as a marker of black history and resilience.
Renee Moore, an award-winning educator and recipient of the 2001 Mississippi Teacher of the Year award, shares her experiences as a long-time Black educator in the south. Renee discusses the challenges within the current education system, the importance of making learning engaging and relevant, and the impact of culturally responsive teaching. She provides insights into her innovative approaches to teaching, demonstrating how education can be a powerful tool for empowerment and advancement. Join us for an inspiring conversation on the need for systemic change and the potential for all students to excel in school.
In this special roundtable edition of Building the Black Educator Pipeline, we explore the reasons for the underrepresentation of people of color in math and technology fields. Our expert panel discusses the belief gap, the lack of competent teachers for Black students in America, and the role of technology in supporting student learning. The panel highlights responsibility of teachers to use technology effectively and the need for continuous professional development. The conversation emphasizes the importance of addressing equity issues in math education while leveraging technology to enhance learning experiences. The conversation also explores the role of technology, specifically AI, in education and how it can make teacher jobs easier and more efficient.
Dr. Tony Watlington, Superintendent of the School District of Philadelphia, joins the show to discuss the importance of building a diverse, high-quality teacher workforce and why representation is so important for our kids. He shares his background and passion for creating life-changing opportunities for students and his vision for making the Philadelphia's school district the fastest improving in the country. He emphasizes the importance of valuing and supporting all school employees and highlights initiatives to address the decline in the teacher pipeline. He also discusses the need for effective recruitment and retention strategies to find and support effective educators.
Summary
Dr. Stacey Holland, Executive Director of Elevate 215, discusses the importance of philanthropy in education and shares her personal journey as a struggling learner with educators playing a crucial role in her success. She shares her experience in the philanthropy sector and the importance of telling stories to create meaningful impact. Dr. Holland emphasizes the need for diverse and inclusive learning environments that cater to the individual needs of students. She challenges the traditional approach to education and advocates for a focus on the process of learning.
Takeaways
- The importance of diverse and inclusive learning environments that cater to the individual needs of students
- The power of storytelling in creating meaningful impact
- The role of educators in supporting and inspiring students
- Private philanthropy relies heavily on relationships and networking. Black-led organizations often face challenges in accessing funding and support.
- Articulating impact and producing results are crucial for attracting donors. Long-term planning and fundraising are crucial for the success of black-led organizations.
- Building relationships with funders and articulating the organization's mission and goals clearly are key to securing funding.
- Fundable projects are those that have a clear problem statement, a well-defined plan of action, a realistic budget, and measurable outcomes.
Show Notes:
Shayna Terrell interviews Akil Parker, CEO of All This Math, about the importance of math in the black community. They discuss how math can be a tool for liberation and critical thinking, as well as the evolution of math education. Akil emphasizes the connection between math and problem-solving, and how math can empower individuals and communities. The episode highlights the role of math in black history and its significance in ancient civilizations like Kemet. This conversation explores the importance of math and math literacy, highlighting its application in everyday life and financial matters. Akil also breaks down the concept of Histematics, which connects math and history.
Takeaways
Math is a tool for liberation and critical thinking in the black community.
Mathematics is essential for problem-solving and developing analytical skills.
Math literacy is equally, if not more important, than English language literacy, especially in financial matters.
There is a strong connection between math and black history that should be explored and celebrated.
Positive math education experiences and mentorship are crucial for students' success in math.
"Histematics" which combines math and history, can provide a deeper understanding of both subjects.
Black mathematicians and their contributions should be recognized and celebrated.
Ernest Crim III, a former high school educator and viral Black history influencer joins the show to discuss the importance of teaching history, the role of black educators, and the challenges of combatting a Eurocentric curriculum. Mr. Crim shares his journey to becoming an educator and his motivation to connect young people to black history. He also discusses his success on social media and the importance of reaching young people with positive and truthful content. The discussion highlights the lack of historical knowledge and education for young people, the importance of intergenerational spaces and African worldview, and the absence of comprehensive Black history education in schools.
Shayna Terrell and Dr. Greg Carr are here to help you out this Black History Month.They highlight the contributions of Carter G. Woodson, the founder of what is now Black History Month, and emphasize the importance of black educators in preserving and teaching black history. They also discuss the lives of black historians and the need for black institutions to uplift the community.
The conversation emphasizes the need to celebrate and learn from black history throughout the year, not just during the designated month. Shayna and Dr. Carr discuss the commercialization of Black History Month and the need to go beyond February to celebrate and teach Black history. They highlight the importance of addressing curriculum battles and book banning in education. They also explore the challenges of the future, including the impact of technology and social media algorithms on society. They stress the need to merge past and present history in education and flood airwaves with Black history to combat erasure.
Takeaways
Black History Month was founded by Carter G. Woodson to emphasize the study and celebration of black history. Today's Black educators play a crucial role in preserving and teaching black history.
Black historians, such as Woodson and W.E.B. Du Bois, often returned to their communities to uplift and educate.
Black institutions are essential for building and supporting the black community.
Black History Month should serve as a reminder to celebrate and learn from black history throughout the year. Black History Month has become commercialized, with some individuals and organizations profiting from it.
Black history should be celebrated and taught beyond the confines of February.
We should be focused on the evolution of technology, social algorithms, and how "content" is fed to us.
Merging past and present history is essential to provide a comprehensive understanding of the world.
Isaiah Thomas discusses the intersection of education and politics, emphasizing the need for increased funding and support for schools.
He shares his personal journey in education, highlighting the impact of mentorship and programs like Freedom Schools. Thomas emphasizes the importance of teachers and mentors in shaping the lives of young people and calls for higher wages for educators.
He also discusses the role of the federal government in education and the need for systemic changes in how schools are funded. Thomas concludes by urging listeners to participate in elections and support candidates who prioritize education.
Takeaways
- Mentorship and programs like Freedom Schools can have a profound impact on young people, shaping their future aspirations and instilling a sense of service.
- Teachers and mentors have the power to make a lasting impression on students, not just through academic instruction, but also by how they make students feel.
- The intersection of education and politics is crucial, as elected officials have the power to allocate resources and make decisions that directly impact schools and students.
- Higher wages for educators are necessary to attract and retain talented individuals in the teaching profession.
- The federal government should provide more funding and support for education, including addressing capital deficits and investing in innovative approaches to learning.
- Changing the funding model for schools, particularly by increasing resources and making education a top priority, can lead to better outcomes for students.
- Individuals should participate in elections and support candidates who prioritize education and are committed to improving the education system.
Host Shayna Terrell celebrates the birth of the young king Adonis, and returns to her hosting duties on the Black Educator Pipeline Podcast, speaking with returning guest Dr. Greg Carr ahead of MLK day 2024.
The two discuss how the same sanitized, whitewashed stories get told on this holiday every year, as well as discussing how we can best start the new year while fighting for the education and liberation of our Black students.
What should we be most concerned with in 2024? What do we need to leave behind in 2023 and how do we continue the beautiful struggle and resistance in building a better world? Dr. Carr (Associate Professor of Afro-American Studies at Howard University) helps us answer these questions in the return of BTBEP.
Michael Simmons
Michael Simmons has been a domestic and international human rights activist for 60 years. Beginning as an organizer for the Student Nonviolent Coordinating Committee and later as Director of European programs for the American Friends Service Committee, Michael’s work has taken him to Africa, Asia, Europe, and the Middle East. For 18 years, he co-founded and ran the Ráday Salon, an independent human rights learning and discussion program in Budapest, Hungary. He also taught courses on African American History and US Elections at the Budapest campus of McDaniel College.
Gwendolyn Zoharah Simmons, Ph.D
Dr. Simmons is a retired Professor Emerita in African American and Religious Studies and affiliated Faculty in Women Studies at the University of Florida. She obtained her BA from Antioch University in Human Service, her MA in Religious Studies & her Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Temple University in Philadelphia, Pa.
Simmons became active in the Civil Rights Movement during her freshman year at Spelman College in Atlanta, Georgia in 1962. She became a SNCC (Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee) field secretary two years later in the summer of 1964 when she joined hundreds of other college-age volunteers who traveled to Mississippi to work in the Mississippi Freedom Summer Project. Since her years with SNCC, Simmons has served as an organizer with the National Council of Negro Women, serving as their Mid-West Field Director for their Project Woman Power and later with the American Friends Service Committee, where she held a number of program and administrative jobs for over 20 years.
Freedom School Literacy Academy Junior Servant Leaders are taking over Building The Black Educator Pipeline Podcast for the day. We hear from current high school students who have joined the movement for liberation and discuss their Freedom Summer ’23 experience and current events.
'Servant Leader Apprentices' from Freedom School Literacy Academy are taking over the Building the Black Educator Pipeline Podcast for the day. We hear from current college students who are future educators in the field discussing Freedom Summer ‘23 and current events.
From armed revolutionaries to revolutionary artists! In this throwback episode, Shayna was joined by two Black Panthers, Baba Jamal Joseph and Baba Zayid Muhammad to discuss all things art, activism, history, and education.
Dr. James D. Anderson, the renowned author of The Education of Blacks in the South 1860-1935, and Professor Emeritus of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, joins Building the Black Educator Pipeline to discuss the history of Black education in this country.
Dr. Anderson's scholarship focuses broadly on the history of U.S. education, with a subfield in the history of African American education. In this episode, he shares what inspired him to become a researcher into the history of Black education and his own life journey. He shares the history of Black people working to build their own system of education and the obstacles they faced along the way.
Host Shayna Terrell and Dr. Anderson discuss competing educational philosophies for Black folks in the South, and how we see some of the same debates in modern discourse. They discuss the politics that went along with fighting for improved education for Black students and compare the current state of education with the past.
Finally, Dr. Anderson shares what he believes is leading to the attacks on African-American studies, as well as the increase in book bans, and censorship of certain curriculums throughout the country.
James D. Anderson is Edward William and Jane Marr Gutgsell Professor Emeritus of Education at the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign.
In 2021, Anderson was elected to the American Academy of Arts and Sciences, one of the oldest honor societies in the nation. He was sworn into the Board of Trustees at Stillman College in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, and inducted into the Stillman College Educator Hall of Fame—both in 2020.
Additionally, the AERA awarded him a Presidential Citation in 2020, its highest award. In 2012, Anderson was selected as a Fellow for Outstanding Research by the AERA and received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the American Association of Colleges for Teacher Education. Anderson was also elected to the National Academy of Education in 2008.
Dr. Meisha Porter, President and CEO of The Bronx Community Foundation and former Chancellor of NYC Public Schools joins us to discuss the importance of community support in education.
Dr. Bettina Love is an educator who teaches, writes, researches, and advocates at the intersection of racism, education, and abolition. She is the author of the book We Want To Do More Than Survive: Abolitionist Teaching and the Pursuit of Educational Freedom.
Dr. Love joins the show to discuss what abolitionist teaching means to her, and the work of the Abolitionist Teaching Network, whose mission is "to develop and support those in the struggle for educational liberation by utilizing the intellectual work and direct action of Abolitionists in many forms." She also shares what inspired her to write her new book “Punished for Dreaming.”
Dr. Love and host Shayna Terrell discuss the education reform movement and what it will take to achieve educational equity. They also consider what education reparations could look like and how we can advocate for them.
Finally, Bettina shares how hip-hop can be implemented into education and how schools can be more inclusive of diverse populations.
Dr. Bettina Love:
Dr. Bettina L. Love is the William F. Russell Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University and the bestselling author of We Want To Do More Than Survive. In 2022, the Kennedy Center named Dr. Love one of the Next 50 Leaders making the world more inspired, inclusive, and compassionate. A co-founder of the Abolitionist Teaching Network (ATN), whose mission is to develop and support teachers and parents fighting injustice within their schools and communities, they have granted over $250,000 to abolitionists around the country. She is also a founding member of the Task Force that launched the program In Her Hands, distributing more than $15 million to Black women living in Georgia. In Her Hands is one of the largest guaranteed income pilot programs in the U.S. Dr. Love is a sought-after public speaker on a range of topics, including abolitionist teaching, anti-racism, Hip Hop education, Black girlhood, queer youth, educational reparations, and art-based education to foster youth civic engagement. In 2018, she was granted a resolution by Georgia's House of Representatives for her impact on the field of education. You can preorder her new book Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal wherever books are sold.
Dr. Greg Carr, associate professor of Africana Studies and chair of the Department of Afro-American Studies at Howard University rejoins the Building the Black Educator Pipeline Podcast to give us a history lesson on the life and legacy of Martin Delany. Dr. Carr explains why Delany is considered an icon in Black nationalist thought and contrasts him to modern-day activists.
Dr. Carr and host Shayna Terrell discuss the connection to academic work in today's social movements and lay out strategies that ancestors would have used to address the crisis of education and curriculum today. Dr. Carr gives his thoughts on the movement to ban books and exclude topics from the curriculum in schools and the effort to erase parts of our history.
Shayna and Dr. Carr talk about how we can get students active in engaging with these education bills across the country. They also discuss the NAACP's recent "travel advisory" to Florida, calling the state hostile to Black Americans.
Dr. Khalilah Harris leads the education policy team at Center for American Progress and is a non-resident senior fellow with the Maryland Center on Economic Policy. She’s worked on expanding access to educational opportunity, community organizing, youth advocacy and building an inclusive workforce while viewing those challenges through a racial equity lens. Dr. Harris served as first Deputy Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African-Americans during the Obama administration and led the development and implementation of the first White House Summit on Diversity and Inclusion in Government.
In addition to being a proud alum of Morgan State University, she also obtained a law degree from the University of Maryland School of Law, and a doctorate in educational leadership from the University of Pennsylvania. Her most important role is mom to three beautiful daughters.
Dr. Donna Y. Ford, a distinguished Professor of Education and Human Ecology and Kirwan Institute Faculty Affiliate at The Ohio State University's College of Education and Human Ecology, stops by Building the Black Educator Pipeline to discuss Multicultural Gifted Education.
Co-Founder and President of the National Parents Union, Keri Rodrigues, and Deputy Director of Parent Voice and Outreach, Maritza Guridy, join the show to discuss the impact of parents on the education system and the importance of parent-centered spaces in education.
Civil Rights, Education, and the Fight for Freedom! We connect with Charlie Cobb Jr., Dr. Zoharah Simmons, and Dr. Charles Payne to discuss applying the principles of SNCC Freedom Schools to modern education and the impact of Black Teachers.
Building the Black Educator Pipeline is joined by Devin Morris, Co-Founder of "The Teachers' Lounge," an education-based nonprofit organization "seeking to drive unprecedented student outcomes by greatly diversifying the people, thoughts, and actions of the educational workforce in the Greater Boston Area and beyond. "
Devin is also a member of the Commission on Black Men and Boys with the Boston Mayor’s Office and joins the show to discuss the importance of teacher diversity and educational equity.
In this episode, host Shayna Terrell and Devin discuss strategies that districts can implement to increase teacher diversity, as well as how to support teachers of color who enter the workforce. They discuss major reasons educators of color don't feel supported and what drives them to leave the profession.
The conversations also touches on policy and how we can hold legislators accountable when it comes to increasing the number of teachers of color.
Brandon Nicholson, CEO of The Hidden Genius Project, joins host Shayna Terrell to talk about reaching Black boys through mentorship, entrepreneurship, and technology.
The Hidden Genius Project, a national nonprofit organization, was founded in Oakland in 2012 by five Black male entrepreneurs/technologists who were unnerved by the dramatic juxtaposition between the high unemployment of Black male youth and the plethora of career opportunities within the local technology sector. To address this challenge, the founders established a program to connect young Black males with the skills, mentors, and experiences that they need to become high-performing entrepreneurs and technologists in a 21st-century, global economy.
In this episode, Brandon breaks down his own journey, the importance of introducing black kids to the mostly white-dominated technology space, and shares success stories from the Hidden Genius Project.
Our resident guest, Dr. Greg Carr, Associate Professor at Howard University and host of "In Class with Carr" and "The Black Table," joins us to honor the life, legacy, and lessons of activist and author Randall Robison.
A leader and activist, Robison wrote "The Debt: What America Owes to Blacks," where he called for America to teach the history of Africa and its people, and outlines what he said white Americans owe Black folks.
In this episode, host Shayna Terrell and Dr. Carr discuss the life and legacy of Randall Robison, the movement for reparations, the teaching of accurate history, and what it means to be an American citizen.
As Women's History Month comes to a close, we return to a powerful throwback episode of Building the Black Educator Pipeline with activist Ericka Huggins and Sharif El-Mekki, CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development.
Ericka Huggins educates us on the role women played in the Black Panther movement and shares about her leadership role in the party. Sharif El-Mekki talks about his earliest memories recognizing that he was a "cub" in the movement and talks about life as the son of a Panther.
The rest of the powerful conversation talks about the importance of education to the Black Panther party, and the parallels between community education of the time, black liberation schools, and more recent examples of Black independent schools.
We are joined today by Dr. Elizabeth Todd-Breland, author of A Political Education: Black Politics and Education Reform in Chicago Since the 1960s, and Associate Professor of History in Black Studies at the University of Illinois Chicago! We talk about the politics of education and building the Black educator pipeline.
Dr. Todd-Breland tells us all about her educational journey and helps break down the ties between politics and the education field. The conversation touches on educational inequities and how a child's zip code is tied to their quality of education.
Host Shayna Terrell of the Center for Black Educator Development and Dr. Todd-Breland discuss the role of Black leadership in education reform and whether Black liberation can be a priority in a reform movement.
Finally, the discussion focuses on Women's History Month and the role of higher ed in developing K-12 schools.
Join Shayna Terrell as she highlights the voices of the Black Women leaders who built and continue to build the Black Teacher Pipeline. She'll be joined by Dr. Allener M. Baker-Rodgers and Fasaha Traylor authors of They Carried Us: The Social Impact of Philadelphia's Black Women Leaders.
Dr. Ifetayo Flannery, Assistant Professor and Chair of Undergrad Chair of Africology and African American Studies at Temple University helps us better understand the difference between Africology and African American Studies.
Dr. Flannery talks about how Africana Studies changed her perspective of herself and the world and how it can be applied to K-12 education. Host Shayna Terrell of the Center for Black Educator Development asks Dr. Flannery to share the impact African American studies can have on young students, especially Black children.
The conversation touches on how to best incorporate Black studies into curriculum and resistance to teaching Black studies. The episode also covers Black psychology, the term "Black" when referring to the African diaspora, and more.
Our resident expert, Dr. Greg Carr, Associate Professor at Howard University, and host of "In Class with Carr" joins host Shayna Terrell to discuss what it means to be a citizen of the United States. Dr. Carr helps us answer the question: "Is there a cultural component to being American?"
Is there a unified culture in the United States? How do culture and history intersect in the country? Does being an American citizen make you anti-black by default? These questions and more are answered in this powerful episode.
Educator, activist and all-around thought leader Jason B. Allen joins the show to discuss the importance of hearing and seeing Black men in education.
Jason shares his journey to becoming an educator and what led him to found Educational Entities, which helps share, develop, and create stories that educate. He also discusses his podcast 'Speak Black Man'.
The full conversation touches on the erasure of the voices and presence of Black men in the education space, strategies for recruiting more Black teachers, and how public education interacts with the Black community. To close, Host Shayna Terrell gives space to Jason to #ThankABlackTeacher and touch on the importance of Black History Month.
Dr. Martin Ryder
A Philadelphia native, Dr. Martin Ryder worked forty-three years on behalf of children and their families. His career included work at all levels of education from high school mathematics teacher to college administrator. His job titles include Rollins College and Norfolk State University department chairman, education administrator, and trainer, Executive Director of the Mid-Atlantic Network of National Teacher Corps, and his final position as the Chief Executive Officer of World Communications Charter School.
Janet Hammond Ryder
In addition to serving as a teacher in the Philadelphia School District, Janet also worked for the Philadelphia Federation of Teachers (PFT), PA Federation of Teachers, and finally, The United Way of Southeastern PA and the Philadelphia Council AFL-CIO. In those positions, she held progressively responsible roles including; legal services administrator, political director, and Vice President of Community Services. While serving as a political director she held the distinction of being the first African American and woman to serve as a lobbyist and political director for that union.
2016 Minnesota Teacher of the Year Abdul Wright joins the podcast and shares what motivated him to get into education and how the journey has been. Mr. Wright shares how he incorporates Black History into the classroom during Black History Month and all year round and what we can learn from the legacy and foundation of our ancestors. The conversation also touches on how schools and educators can make Black History more engaging for students.
Host Shayna Terrell (Center for Black Educator Development) and Mr. Wright discuss the need for more Black male teachers and how we can get more of them into the profession. Mr. Wright discusses how it felt to be named Minnesota Teacher of the Year and what that experience was like.
Dr. Greg Carr, Associate Professor at Howard University, and host of "In Class with Carr" joins host Shayna Terrell to drop some knowledge on the actual history of "Black History Month."
Dr. Carr speaks on the importance of elevating and preserving Black History and on the events taking place in Florida (and around the country) where Black history and teaching truth seem to be under attack. Shayna and Dr. Carr discuss Critical Race Theory, Black Queer Studies, and Intersectionality and how these topics are now seen as "indoctrination" by those on the right.
Finally, the episode touches on the term "woke," and how we can move beyond the basic narratives and tropes that get trotted out every Black History Month.
What an honor it is to be able to sit down with the man who gave BTBEP its start, Chris Stewart, CEO of brightbeam. Today we will be talking all things media and education.
(5:00- 28:40) How they got into education
(28:45-46:00) Bridging the gap between old and new school
(46:00- 1:00:02) Freedom and saying ‘gay’ in black spaces
(1:00:02 - 1:16:00) Being fearless and authentic
(1:16:30 - 23:00) What should be done after BMEC
Sharif El-Mekki, CEO of The Center for Black Educator Development, joins us to discuss the evolution of The Center, the quest to rebuild the Black teacher pipeline, and the state of education.
(0:30- 8:00) Jordan Harris and Tomás Hanna share who they are and why they do the work
(8:15- 9:15) Marriage between education and politics
(9:15-10:30) Sometimes people don’t want us to be Black
(10:37 - 14:40) How do we attract youth to the profession
(14:45 - 21:00) Getting the bag and teaching
(21:00- 23:50) The tough days on the job and the joy
(23:50 - 30:30) Teachers in the neighborhood
(30:30- 34:40) The work of paraprofessionals and where they fit
(34:40-41:40) School funding and legislation
(41:40-45:50) Priorities for the legislative session
(41:40-55:50) Jordan Harris and Tomás Hanna thank their black teachers
Social Handles
Twitter: @TomasNHanna
Instagram: @thanna65
Twitter and IG: @RepHarris
(1:00- 6:48) Who is Dr. Maulana Karenga past and present?
(6:52-8:11) What is pan-Africanism?
(8:11-18:00) What inspired Dr. Karenga to be an educator
(18:24 - 25:40) Using education for collective liberation/freedom and following the ancestors
(25:45 - 39:40) What is Kwanzaa? And why did Dr. Karenga create it?
(39:40- 42:50) When the haters say Kwanzaa is a “made-up holiday”
(42:50 - 50:40) What does Kwanzaa mean to the African diaspora
(50:40- 59:44) How can educators incorporate principles of Kwanzaa in school curriculum and activities
(59:44-1:03:00) Dr. Karenga thanks Black teachers
(1:00- 8:00) Amanda shares her life story and how her parents are at the core of why she does the work
(8:10-15:30) Amanda talks about the work of Latinos for Education and why she saw the need to create a pathway for Latino leadership in school administration
(15:50-18:00) Shayna and Amanda talk about the difference between “representing” and “speaking for” the community you belong to
(18:00 - 26:00) Amanda discusses the challenges students and schools face from not having enough Latino representation
(26:00 - 32:30) Shayna and Amanda celebrate Latino educators and the joy and culture they bring to schools and affirm families and students
(32:30- 39:00) Amanda shares the policy work happening to recruit and retain Latino educators
(39:00 - 48:30) Shayna and Amanda talk about the difference between Latino, Latinx and Hispanic. What it means for Amanda to be white presenting but Latina
(48:30- 54:00) Shayna and Amanda talk about Black and Brown allyship and shared common ancestry
We are joined by Sandra Dungee Glenn, Founder of The Growth Collective, Member of the Pennsylvania State Board of Education, and Leader of the Philadelphia Community Stakeholders. With 30 years in public policy, electoral politics, education advocacy, and community organizing, Sandra sheds light on being an unapologetically Black Leader.
Ilyasah Shabazz, daughter of Malcolm X and Dr. Betty Shabazz joins us live from The Center for Black Educator Development's 13th Annual Black Male Educators Convening to discuss the power of education, community sovereignty, and controlling our own narratives.
Why do we continue to not to tell the truth in education? This is the question that guided this throwback episode of BTBEP, originally live-streamed ahead of Thanksgiving in 2021.
Join us in this classic episode of Building the Black Educator Pipeline where Dr. Greg Carr joined host Shayna Terrell to discuss the importance of always including historical context in the classroom.
In the episode, Shayna and Dr. Carr discuss the tradition of American education lying to students about the history of the nation and the role educators play in making sure our students are presented with the truth.
Listen in to get the real story of Thanksgiving and contrast it with the one often told to young people. Dr. Carr also breaks down the motivation certain educators as well as the system of education as a whole have for perpetuating lies to students about American history. Shayna and Dr. Carr also discuss resources for examining and telling the truth in the classroom.
Finally, the episode touches on how we can honor our Native American family and promote their legaciy and contributions.
As we embark on the 13th Black Male Educators Convening and 5th National Installment, we invite two long-time supporter participants, Winston Cox, Chair of the Board for CBED, and Dr. William Hayes, CEO of Boys Latin Charter to join us on the opening day of the convening to talk all things BMEC!
Guest Bio
Jéri L. Ogden is an educator, writer, and facilitator with a passion for and emphasis on equitable practices and cultural competence. Jéri graduated from Howard University with a B.A. in Communication and Culture and from American University with an M.Ed in Educational Leadership and Policy. Upon her undergraduate graduation, she spent one year working at DC’s first all-boys public charter school as a substitute teacher and assistant director of the after-school program before her training as a Summer 2010 DC Teaching Fellow. Jéri has taught at both public and charter schools in DC and Houston, as well as an international school in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates.
With over 14 years of progressive teacher leadership, Jéri most recently served as the Director of the Professional Learning Community at ASCD. In addition, she is the founder of P.U.R.P.L.E., a consulting firm that provides purposeful, uplifting, and restorative professional learning experiences to organizations and communities. Jéri is currently pursuing her Ed.D in Educational Leadership and Organizational Innovation at Marymount University. She is a former member of the adjunct staff at Trinity Washington University where her courses focus on restorative practices, relationship building in school systems, and empathy. Her work is rooted in the philosophy that equity is not a buzzword.
Twitter: https://twitter.com/jeri_teaches
Website: http://jeriogden.com/
Resident guest Dr. Greg Carr, associate professor at Howard University, joins the show to discuss the upcoming national election and its impact on America and education.
Dr. Camika Royal is an urban education expert with more than 20 years of experience. Her work focuses on the intersections of race, politics, history, and urban school reform. She spent seven years as an urban education professional in the public schools of Baltimore City and Washington, D.C., teaching, coaching teachers, and helping to lead a charter high school. In 2006, Dr. Royal returned to her hometown—Philadelphia—and transitioned to higher education, first by teaching pre-service teachers at Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, then for other colleges and universities in the Philadelphia and Baltimore regions, while she continued to coach and support urban school leaders and teacher educators.
We welcome Edwin Mayorga, Assistant Professor in the Department of Educational Studies and the Program in Latin American and Latino Studies, and co-researcher of the Education in our Barrios Project (#BarrioEdProj) to BTBEP podcast!
In this episode, Mr. Mayorga shares about his journey and what inspired him to become an educator. He shares with host Shayna Terrell how race and culture can be at the forefront of how we engage today’s youth, and the importance of affirming our own identities and the identities of the students we serve.
As #HispanicHeritageMonth comes to a close, the episode centers around Latinx communities, educators and students and what "culturally relevant curriculum" looks like for these communities. Edwin Mayorga shares about his "Barrio Education Project," the term "LatinX," and the importance of Black and Brown unity in this work.
Is education political?
Dr. Greg Carr, Associate Professor of Afro-American Studies at Howard University rejoins the show to answer this question and more. Host Shayna Terrell and Dr. Carr discuss propaganda as a tool used to control the masses, and how we educate our students about propaganda and how to think critically about it?
The conversation moves on to book banning and whether it is a violation of the first Amendment, and what the process should be to get books banned? Dr. Carr shares what educators should be doing to support the 1st amendment right of our students, and how can educators organize to ensure a right to freedom as teachers?
Finally, Shayna asks Dr. Carr about what we should be teaching in schools, the difference between activism and advocacy, and how we can best prepare our students to be mobilize once they are equipped with knowledge of the world around them.
Enjoy one of the greatest hits of the Building the Black Educator Pipeline Podcast, with this season one episode featuring Joyce Abbott, the inspiration behind Quinta Brunson's critically acclaimed show, Abbott Elementary!
In this flashback episode that was originally live-streamed, Mrs. Abbott shares memories of having Quinta Brunson as a student, well before she would go on to creating the hit show Abbott Elementary. She also discusses what it felt like to be the inspiration behind the show's name and what lessons we can draw from the hit series.
Mrs. Abbott also talked to host Shayna Terrell about what inspired her to be an educator and why she has stayed in the classroom for so long, as well as how her time in the military shaped her and the impact it add on her as an educator.
Finally, the conversation touched on the importance of Black educators, bridging the gaps between schools and communities, and how we can truly achieve educational justice.
Building the Black Educator Pipeline celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with special guest Pedro Rivera, president of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and former Pennsylvania Secretary of Education.
In this episode, Pedro Rivera and host Shayna Terrell talk about building innovate pathways in education and how we can better serve our students. Rivera shares his educational journey and inspiration for getting into education as well as how his time in K-12 Education prepared him for his role as president of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology.
The wide-ranging conversation touches on identity and labels such as Hispanic and LatinX, advocacy and activism for marginalized students, and the various roles and politics within the education ecosystem.
Finally, Pedro shares which practices he believes can help us increase the numbers of Black and Brown educators in classrooms throughout the country.
Rivera is a lifelong educator, as a practitioner and a leader, with a focus on ensuring equitable access and funding for education. In September 2014, Rivera was honored by the White House as a Champion of Change for his efforts to transform urban education with his holistic approach to student success. He also served as President of the board of directors for the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and was a member of President Elect Joseph Biden’s educational transition team.
A first-generation college graduate, Rivera earned a Bachelor of Science degree from The Pennsylvania State University, a Master’s degree in Education Administration from Cheyney University and his Superintendent’s letter of eligibility from Arcadia University.
In this throwback episode from season one of the Building the Black Educator Pipeline Podcast, Dr. Gholdy Muhammad joined the show to break down the rich history of Black educational excellence and how it can help reframe the way we think about curriculum and instruction today.
Dr. Gholnecsar (Gholdy) Muhammad is an Associate Professor of Literacy, Language, and Culture at the University of Illinois Chicago, where she studies Black historical excellence within educational communities. Dr. Muhammad’s scholarship has appeared in leading academic journals and books, including Research in the Teaching of English, Urban Education, Journal of Adolescent and Adult Literacy, Language Arts, and Written Communication. She has led a federal grant with the United States Department of Education to study culturally and historically responsive literacy in STEM classrooms.
Dr. Muhammad is also the author of Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy, in which she presents the concept ofHistorically Responsive Literacy**, derived from the study of literacy development within 19th-century Black literacy societies. In this episode, Dr. Muhammad explains how this framework is essential and universal for all students, especially youth of color, who traditionally have been marginalized in learning standards, school policies, and classroom practices.
A 25-year veteran of the classroom, Kurt Russell was first inspired to become a teacher in middle school, when he encountered his first Black male teacher. Now as 2022 National Teacher of the Year, he plans to advocate for classrooms to better reflect the students within them — from a curriculum that reflects their backgrounds and identities to a more diverse teaching profession.
Kurt teaches history at Oberlin High School in Oberlin, Ohio, where he was born and raised; his classes include African American history, which he has taught since the late 1990s, and Race, Gender and Oppression, a class he developed. He also serves as faculty advisor for the student-led Black Student Union, whose work has led to positive impacts for students across racial groups.
In addition to his classroom and extracurricular duties, Kurt is the head coach for the school’s varsity basketball team. He sees basketball as an extension of the classroom, and a place where young people can learn about working together and how to handle both adversity and success.
Kurt shares what led him to become an educator and why he has stayed in the classroom for so long. He discuss the importance of diverse curriculum and class offerings and how African-American history and culture is under attack. Finally, host Shayna Terrell and Mr. Russell discuss how teaching is a political act and the importance of recruiting and retaining Black educators.
Resident Baba Dr. Greg Carr, Associate Professor at Howard University and host of "In Class with Carr," brings us a lesson on "
"Black August," a time that celebrates “the struggle”, and “the rebellion."
Dr. Carr gives us a history lesson on rebellions and revolutions and shares important historical rebellions that we should all know. He also describes the origins and history off Black August, and addresses the idea that it is an alternative to Black history Month.
Host Shayna Terrell and Dr. Carr discuss how teachers can make sure our youth are educated with an accurate depiction of what rebellion and resistance are. They list recommended books for English and history teachers to teach and talk about rebellion with their students?
Finally, Shayna And Dr. Carr discuss the commercialization of other movements and how we can avoid the same thing happening to "Black August."
Had you heard of Black August before today?
In this episode of the Building the Black Educator Pipeline Podcast, Host Shayna Terrell speaks with Lynn Jennings and Eric Duncan of Ed Trust during their recent "Creating and Sustaining a Diverse Teacher Workforce Convening."
The Education Trust is a national nonprofit that works to close opportunity gaps that disproportionately affect students of color and students from low-income families. Through our research and advocacy, Ed Trust supports efforts that expand excellence and equity in education from preschool through college, increase college access and completion particularly for historically underserved students, engage diverse communities dedicated to education equity, and increase political and public will to act on equity issues.
Lynn C. Jennings, Ph.D., is the senior director of national and state partnerships for The Education Trust. She leads strategy and advocacy initiatives to ensure school systems are equipped to provide an excellent education for the nation’s most underserved students.
Eric Duncan is a P-12 data and policy senior analyst, specializing in policies related to educator quality and increasing the racial diversity of the educator workforce.
Larry Irvin, CEO of Brothers Empowered to Teach shares his unique life story of overcoming adversity and what led to him becoming an educator.
The mission of Larry's organization, Brothers Empowered to Teach is "to provide mentorship, apprenticeship and pathways to careers in education through early exposure to teaching and targeted experiences cultivating an organic love of teaching children."
In this episode host Shayna Terrell and Larry discuss a few of the core values of BE2T, including “remaining relevant” and "defying convention.”
The conversation touches on how we can better support aspirating black educators to be respected for their intellect and instructional expertise and not used for the relational value with students. Irvin also shares tips for school leaders to support and sustain Black male educators as well as recruit more young men into the field of education.
Shayna and Larry discuss the impact that Black male educators have on kids and how policy changes can increase their numbers.
Dr. Christopher Emdin is the Robert A. Naslund Endowed Chair in Curriculum Theory and Professor of Education at the University of Southern California, where he also serves as Director of youth engagement and community partnerships at the USC Race and Equity Center. He is also Scholar/Griot in Residence at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts.
He previously served as Associate Director of the Institute for Urban and Minority Education and Director of the Science Education program at Teachers College, Columbia University. Dr. Emdin is an alumni fellow at the Hip-hop Archive and Hutchins Center at Harvard University and was STEAM Ambassador for the U.S. Department of State and Minorities in Energy Ambassador for the U.S. Department of Energy.
Dr. Emdin holds a Ph.D. in Urban Education with a concentration in Mathematics, Science, and Technology; Master's degrees in both Natural Sciences and Education; and Bachelor's degrees in Physical Anthropology, Biology, and Chemistry. He is the creator of the #HipHopEd social media movement, Science Genius BATTLES and the CREATE Accelerator. He was recently named one of the 27 people bridging divides in the United States by Time magazine and the Root 100 list of most influential African Americans.
He is the author of numerous award-winning works including the award-winning, Urban Science Education for the Hip-hop Generation and the New York Times bestseller, For White Folks Who Teach In the Hood and the Rest of Ya’ll too. His latest book. Ratchetdemic: Reimagining Academic Excellence and STEM STEAM Make Dreamare currently available wherever books are sold.
Resident Baba Dr. Greg Carr, Associate Professor at Howard University and host of "In Class with Carr", rejoins the show to talk about the Constitutional fight for quality education and the work Junior Servant Leaders are doing within that fight.
Host Shayna Terrell of the Center for Black Educator Development and Dr. Carr begin the episode by defining what "a quality education" is and looks like in practice and whether or not it is actually a constitutional right.
They discuss the themes of equality, equity and the historic distribution of educational resources in the United States and what it has meant in Public education.
Finally, Shayna and Dr. Carr spend some time discussing the role of teaching as service, anti-racism in education and the future of quality education as a constitutional right.
It's a throwback episode to our BTBEP live-streaming days with the second ever episode of the Building the Black Educator Pipeline show.
In this episode, Dr. Constance A. Lindsay joined the show to discuss the effect a Black Teacher Pipeline will have on Black student achievement. Dr. Lindsay and host Shayna Terrell discussed how Black teachers can help close the achievement gap for Black students, and what supports are needed to recruit and retain more Black teachers.
Dr. Lindsay’s areas of expertise include teacher quality and diversity, analyzing and closing racial achievement gaps, and adolescent development. Her work has been published in such journals as Educational Evaluation and Policy Analysis and Social Science Research. Lindsay received a bachelor’s degree in economics from Duke University and master’s degree in public policy from Georgetown University. Before doctoral study at Northwestern, she was a Presidential Management Fellow at the US Department of Education.
This episode Streamed live on Mar 4, 2021: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HIqdwTtp624
Christian Sabree and Maleah Thomas-Thornton, future black educators and servant leader apprentices at the Center for Black Educator Development join the Building the Black Educator Pipeline Podcast to discuss the journey to becoming an educator.
Christian and Maleah share with host Shayna Terrell about their inspiration to become educators and their experience with freedom schools. They also discuss working as servant leader apprentices at the Center for Black Educator Development and the impact it has had on them.
Finally, the conversation touches on the overall importance of recruiting more Black educators, the impact that they have on students, and why we desperately need more of them.
Mama Debra Watkins, Executive Director of ABEN joins the Building the Black Educator Pipeline Podcast to discuss the work of her organization, A Black Education Network.
ABEN combines and disseminates evidence-based research findings, education strategies, and culture through offering professional development opportunities, student-focused programming, and curricula designed to empower the educators of Black students and Black students themselves.
Host Shayna Terrell and Debra Watkins discuss what African-centered education looks like and why it is important for Black students. They also cover how education can serve as a vehicle for liberation and discuss how we can achieve justice for Black students.
Resident Baba Dr. Greg Carr returns to his monthly slot on Building the Black Educator Pipeline Podcast to talk all things "freedom." Dr. Carr let's us know why he personally always feels free and discusses some symbols of freedom in the United States.
Shayna and Dr. Carr also break down the history of the 4th of July and Juneteenth and what they represent while discussing who gets to define what it means to be free and what that looks like.
Finally, the show covers the right to a quality education and how that is tied to our freedom or lack thereof.
Dr. Archie Moss, Jr. was born and raised in beautiful Miami, Florida. Dr. Moss is currently a Partner on the School Design Services team at Transcend where he coaches and supports school and district leaders on School Redesign across Texas. Prior to joining the Transcend team, Dr. Moss was a Teach For America Charlotte Corps Member where he taught 6th and 7th grade math at Whitewater Middle School. Dr. Moss also served as the Dean of Students for fifth and sixth grade at Whitewater K-8. Dr. Moss is a graduate from the University of Florida (Bachelors in Family Studies), University of North Carolina Charlotte (Masters in Middle Grades Education), and a recent graduate from the University of Memphis (Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies).
Dr. Moss’s passion led him to founding The Gentlemen’s League, an all-male mentorship program that serves boys of color. Dr. Moss served as an Impact Leader for Profound Gentlemen, where he supported male educators of color across the country.
After leaving Charlotte, NC, Dr. Moss moved to Memphis, TN to serve as the Resident Principal at Bellevue Middle School before being named Principal at Bruce Elementary School. Dr. Moss was the youngest Shelby County Schools principal and the first Teach For America Memphis Alum to lead a district school. During his tenure at Bruce, Dr. Moss led the school to State of TN Reward School Status, went viral due to his weekly bedtime stories series, and was featured in USA Today and on the Ellen Show. Through his nonprofit, Dr. Moss founded Shelby County Schools' first ever Elementary Basketball League. Dr. Moss also had the opportunity to deliver a TEDx Talk on Small Ideas leading to Big Change. Dr. Moss is also the CEO of Black Boy Joy Consulting LLC.
Dr. Kristal Moore Clemons has advanced racial and gender equity through her work in K-12 education, higher education, and nonprofit management. In her academic leadership, she has shaped curriculum and fostered positive academic experiences in face-to-face and online environments.
She is the national director of the Children’s Defense Fund (CDF) Freedom Schools® program. This program uses culturally relevant pedagogy and high-quality books to deepen scholars’ understanding of themselves and all they have in common with others in a multiracial, multicultural democratic society.
Dr. Clemons is a native of Chicago, Illinois and a graduate of DePaul University having earned her B.A. in Women’s Studies and Political Science. She earned an M.A. from Washington State University in American Studies, her PhD from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in Education-Culture, Curriculum and Change and a graduate certificate in Women’s Studies from Duke University. She and her partner reside in Virginia with their children.
Frankie Smith and Andrea Rogers, LGBTQIA+ youth activists and students of Hill Freeman World Academy of Philadelphia, Pa join discuss the best strategies to create more inclusive environments for LGBTQIA+ youth.
Now more than ever, having Black Leaders in education who can be competent change agents in our communities is crucial! Dr. William Hayes, CEO of Boys Latin Charters Schools, joins the show to discuss the current state of education and the importance of Black educational leadership.
Dr. William Hayes is the Chief Executive Officer of Boys' Latin of Philadelphia an all-male college preparatory network of two schools in West Philadelphia. He began his career in education in Boston, Massachusetts as a teacher, college counselor, and assistant principal. He went on to serve as a Pre-K to 8th grade turnaround principal in Cleveland Ohio and then transitioned to become a founding principal of both a middle and a high school in Camden, New Jersey.
Dr. Hayes holds a bachelor's of science in psychology from Morehouse College, a master's in education from Harvard University, and a Doctorate in Education Leadership and Policy from Vanderbilt University. He is a native of small town Hartsville, SC and an advocate for equitable access and opportunity for students of color.
What is the purpose of education?
Our resident Baba, Dr. Greg Carr rejoins the show to answer this question and break down how our system of education functions and the purpose it serves.
In this episode, host Shayna Terrell and Dr. Carr discuss how formal education has shifted over time in America and how different cultures see the role of education. Dr. Carr addresses the unique role of a public system of schools in a capitalist society, and the conversation touches on a parent's right to a quality education.
Shayna and Dr. Carr discuss the curriculum in our schools and who and what gets taught to children, as well as the spiritual and cultural violence that Black children often face at school.
Finally, the conversation touches on the recent school shooting in Uvalde, Texas and what the aftermath will be.
In the second part of our "Mothers of the Movement" episode of Building the Black Educator Pipeline Podcast, we celebrate and uplift the work of Mama Camara K. Jordan.
"Consider others as you would want them to be considerate of you." - A principle that Mama Camara leans on as a lifelong philosophy.
Camara K. Jordan was born and raised in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, where she completed college and graduate school. She was proudly employed and personally and philosophically engaged with the Nidhamu Sasa Schule (an independent school) for 8 years which ended with the school’s closure. She remains involved with the founders and students of the school to date.
Following those years, she worked for a total of 34 years in several non profit organizations including the American Heart Association, Travelers Aid Society and the United Way of Southeastern Pennsylvania where she has worked in non-profit capacity building for 22 of those years in fundraising and program management.
Make sure to follow the BTBEP podcast on your preferred podcast platform and leave a review if you enjoy these powerful conversations.
Host Shayna Terrell of the Center for Black Educator Development speaks with Maisha Sullivan-Ongoza about the role that Black mothers have historically played and continue to play in organizing and achieving societal change.
Maisha retired in 2014 from the Philadelphia Chapter of Say Yes to Education, Inc, which served as a Family Scholarship program and has served as adjunct professor at various universities in the Delaware Valley. She was also a popular radio talk show host for six years of “Fertile Ground” which focused on African American and African diaspora culture, history, communities and struggles.
She previously served as a Director within the Rendell mayoral administration in Philadelphia, PA, as part of the Mayor’s Children and Families Cabinet. UPDATE: You can now catch Building the Black Educator Pipeline on your preferred podcast platform. Make sure to follow the show leave a review if you value these important conversations.
Today's guests:
Ansharaye Hines is the Program Coordinator for Liberation Academy at The Center for Black Educator Development, a multi-year program that provides high school students with an intellectually rigorous, collaborative environment designed to foster a love for educating, personal and professional character development, and a strong foundation for pursuing long-term careers in education.
Brandon White is a former middle school ELA teacher and Restorative Practices educator for the Rochester City School District. In addition to providing these elements via traditional school settings, for seven years he was a servant leader intern and site coordinator for Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools Summer Literacy Programs located in Rochester. Currently as an ELA specialist for UnboundEd, Brandon selects, adapts, and sequences open educational resources, as well as supports the creation of professional development materials and resources that promote grade-level, engaging, affirming, and meaningful instruction.
Resident Baba Dr. Greg Carr, Associate Professor of Africana Studies and Chair of the Department of Afro-American Studies at Howard University, returns for our special re-launch episode.
Host Shayna Terrell and Dr. Carr dive into Teacher Appreciation Week, with an eye toward Black educators and the need to uplift their work and let them know they are appreciated.
Dr. Carr gives some historical context to the plight of the Black teacher, and Shayna shares the #ThankABlackTeacher and #WeNeedBlackTeachers campaigns that the Center for Black Educator Development are running.
Aired on 2/25/2021
In this original episode of Building the Black Educator Pipeline, host Shayna Terrell was joined by Dr. Greg Carr, Chair of the Department of Afro-American Studies at Howard University.
The two discussed the guiding principles for Black educators, and how we use the legacy of Black education moving forward.
Watch the original live conversation here.