Too Dope Teachers and a Mic

In this episode of Two Dope Teachers and a Mic, Gerardo sits down with Alix Guerrier, CEO of DonorsChoose, to talk about how classrooms become engines of justice when teachers are trusted with resources—and when young people are trusted with big ideas.From robotics programs serving new immigrant students, to youth-led racial justice campaigns sparked by classroom reading groups, to hydroponic gardens blooming on school rooftops in Puerto Rico—this conversation pulls back the curtain on how creativity thrives when scarcity isn’t the dominant story.Alix also breaks down what equity means beyond buzzwords, how data from over 90% of U.S. schools is shaping systemic insight, and why investing in kids is not just morally urgent—it’s economically undeniable.Episode Chapters:00:00 — Opening Question: What needs a remix in education?05:00 — What DonorsChoose Is (and Isn’t)12:00 — Classroom Stories that Spark Movements30:00 — Acceleration vs. Remediation: Rethinking Learning Gaps41:00 — What Equity Looks Like in Practice47:00 — The Next 25 Years of DonorsChoose52:00 — Top Five Rappers 55:00 — Closing ReflectionsLinks & ResourcesSupport Teachers & ClassroomsDonorsChoose: https://www.donorschoose.org ???? Fund real classroom needs across the U.S.Follow DonorsChooseInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/donorschooseLinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/donorschoose/Learning Resources MentionedZearn Math – Acceleration-focused math equity model https://www.zearn.orgMath Mind by Shalinee Sharma — research on accelerating learning instead of remediating gaps

In this in-depth conversation, Washington Monthly editor-in-chief Paul Glastris joins Gerardo to unpack how America’s obsession with elite college rankings distorts our sense of what higher education is for. From his days inside U.S. News & World Report to his years building an alternative ranking system rooted in upward mobility, research, and civic service, Glastris offers a powerful critique — and a hopeful vision for how colleges can once again serve democracy.They dig into:The myth of “best” colleges and how exclusivity became a badge of honorWhy schools like Fresno State and Berea College outshine Ivy League institutions in real impactHow higher ed has become a political battleground — and what’s at stake for our democracyWhat vocational education really looks like when it’s not just political theaterHow students, families, and educators can use data wisely and choose institutions that serve the public goodListen if you care about:Educational equity • Democracy • College access • First-gen students • Public policy • Media and truth-tellingGuest: Paul Glastris, Editor-in-Chief of The Washington Monthly Follow him on X and BlueSky: @glastris Explore the latest college rankings at washingtonmonthly.comHost:Gerardo A. Muñoz — 2021 Colorado Teacher of the Year, educator, scholar, disruptor, and co-host of Too Dope Teachers and a MicMusic by:Kevin AdamsLinks Mentioned:Washington Monthly 2025 College Rankings: washingtonmonthly.com/college-guideWashington Monthly Podcast

In this powerful conversation from the archives, recorded live at the NEA Racial and Social Justice Conference in Houston, Two Dope Teachers and a Mic sit down with the legendary Boots Riley — writer, director of Sorry to Bother You, frontman of The Coup, and lifelong revolutionary artist.Six years later, Boots’ words still feel urgent. He reminds us that art isn’t a luxury — it’s a tool for liberation. From the farmworker fields of California to classrooms and stages across the country, Boots shows how creativity, organizing, and truth-telling are all part of the same struggle for justice.Together, we explore:How art helps us imagine freedom beyond capitalism and compliance.The power of educators as organizers, disruptors, and culture builders.Why movements need artists — and why artists need movements.The difference between success and liberation, and why the latter demands community.What it means to find your own role in the fight for a better world.As we face new waves of censorship, economic inequality, and attacks on public education, this conversation hits harder than ever. Boots reminds us that every one of us has a place in the struggle — whether we teach, create, organize, or simply refuse to be silent.Tune in, reflect, and ask yourself:What is the art I bring to the movement for liberation?Featuring: Boots Riley (@BootsRiley)Hosts: Gerardo Muñoz (@gmunoz) & Kevin AdamsOriginally recorded: NEA Racial & Social Justice Conference, Houston, TX, Summer 2019Subscribe & Follow:Too Dope Teachers and a MicFollow @toodopeteachers on all platformsSupport the show and our work for educational liberation at patreon.com/toodopeteachers

Back in the wake of COVID quarantine, we were graced with the wisdom of Dr. Gholdy Muhammad!????️ Episode 102 (Throwback): “Artist in the Industry” with Dr. Gholdy Muhammad Originally aired in 2021 — Revisited in 2025In this powerful conversation, Gerardo Muñoz and Kevin Adams sit down with Dr. Gholdy Muhammad, author of Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy. Together, they explore how teaching rooted in Black literary history, collectivism, and joy can transform classrooms into spaces of liberation, not compliance.Dr. Muhammad breaks down her five pursuits of learning — identity, skills, intellectualism, criticality, and joy — and explains how these pursuits emerged from 19th-century Black literary societies that defined learning as a communal and purposeful act. The conversation bridges theory and practice, showing educators how to design lessons that humanize, empower, and center students of color.From joyful pedagogy to abolitionist teaching, from curriculum design to hip-hop as literacy — this episode remains as relevant now as it was when first released.???? 2025 UpdateSince our original conversation, Dr. Gholdy Muhammad has continued to shape the field of equity-centered education. Now a nationally recognized keynote speaker and professor at the University of Illinois at Chicago, she has expanded her work through Unearthing Joy and new initiatives that help schools move beyond trauma-informed practices to healing-centered, joy-based learning.In 2025, as many schools continue to navigate political attacks on culturally responsive education and Black Studies curricula, Dr. Muhammad’s message — that children of color deserve brilliance, joy, and excellence — resonates even louder. Her framework remains a beacon for educators seeking to humanize instruction in a time when educational equity is under threat.???? Listen for:The roots of culturally and historically responsive literacyWhy joy is an act of resistanceWhat “abolitionist teaching” looks like in real classroomsHow to center identity and genius in every lessonDr. Muhammad’s Top 5 MCs (you won’t want to miss it)???? Learn more about Dr. Muhammad’s work: www.hillpedagogies.com Follow her on Instagram and Twitter: @GholdyM

Award-winning educator and author Bryan Christopher joins Gerardo Muñoz to share the incredible story behind his new book Stopping the Deportation Machine. From Durham, NC classrooms to the halls of Congress, students mobilized to defend a classmate from deportation — proving that student voice can stop even the biggest machine.0:00 – Welcome2:40 – Immigration and Identity7:36 – Meet Bryan Christopher9:26 – The Book: Stopping the Deportation Machine12:38 – Durham’s Changing Landscape19:51 – A Student Arrest Sparks Action27:05 – Why Can’t He Graduate?33:48 – Stopping the Machine38:41 – Impact on Community & Students47:12 – Lessons for Educators51:54 – The Power of Student Voice54:59 – Closing ThoughtsResources Mentioned:Enrique’s Journey by Sonia NazarioBryan’s blog post: When Learning Gets Personal (NCTE)Walking Undocumented (Learning for Justice)Connect with Bryan:Student Paper: thepirateshook.comX: @BryanChristo4 | IG: @bchristo4Support Two Dope Teachers:Patreon: patreon.com/toodopeteachers Socials: @toodopeteachers

In this solo episode, Gerardo processes the shooting death of right wing influencer Charlie Kirk by exploring the hidden dangers of teaching debate the traditional way. Drawing on previously published writing that draws a line between traditional debate and the "own-the-libs" take-no-prisoners style of Kirk, Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson and others, as well as personal experience as a debate coach, he argues that when debate rewards domination over empathy, it doesn’t just distort classrooms—it fuels toxic politics and real-world violence.

In this episode of Too Dope Teachers and a Mic, Gerardo is joined by Sahba Rohani, Executive Director of Roots Connected, to dive into what it means to center belonging in schools. From her TED Talk on the power of names to her decades of work in intentionally diverse communities, Sahba shares how small shifts in mindset and practice can transform classrooms, staff culture, and whole school communities. Together, Gerardo and Sahba unpack anti-bias education as more than a curriculum add-on—it’s a lens, a practice, and a path toward joy and justice.Show NotesIn this powerful conversation, Gerardo and Sahba explore:The story behind Sahba’s TED Talk on names, identity, and belonging.Why belonging isn’t “soft work”—it’s the foundation of learning and thriving.How small shifts in practice (like reframing a simple classroom question) can have big impact.Roots Connected’s dual process for change: internal transformation + practice shifts.Building intentional community with students, families, and staff.Staying grounded and persistent in the face of DEI pushback.The radical power of joy in justice-centered education.And of course… Sahba’s Top 5 hip hop & R&B legends (spoiler: GenX R&B family, this one’s for you).Resources & Links:Roots ConnectedSahba’s TED Talk EmbraceRaceFollow Roots Connected on Instagram and LinkedInListen in for practical takeaways, mindset shifts, and a reminder that joy itself is radical.

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Jamila Sams—educator, visionary, and founder of We Do It 4 the Culture—to talk about the movement that’s transforming school culture through hip hop, empowerment, and equity. From classrooms to district offices, Jamila’s work helps educators center student voice, cultural relevance, and joy in learning.We dive into her journey as the founder of this unique resource, what it means to lead with authenticity, what it means to think critically, dialogically, and with joy, and how hip hop continues to serve as a cross-generational universe of healing and liberation. Jamila shares the origin story of We Do It 4 the Culture, the real meaning of culturally responsive action, and what schools must do if they’re serious about social emotional wellness, critical thinking, and liberation.If you’re about that life—about students, about joy, about liberation—this conversation is for you.Plus an absolutely fire top five RIGHT HERE.

One of my favorite quotes about problem-solving on a systems and institutional level is that "the answer is in the room." This means that when there are problems that need to be solved, even big ones, the person, perspective, or idea that will solve it doesn't need to be sought outside of those who know the work best.As teacher recruitment, training, and retention remain persistent challenges to districts big and small, Grow-Your-Own programs have been developed and launched, especially in districts serving highly impacted and very diverse populations. GYO takes many forms, including but not limited to cadet programs and para-to-teacher efforts.Enter Dr. Jeff Geihs, longtime educator, leader, and thought leader. Working with the Silver State Education Foundation as Executive Director, Dr. Giehs and team have brought together GYO and concurrent enrollment opportunities for the next generation of teachers, especially students of color.Dr. Geihs joined Gerardo for an exciting and motivational conversation. To learn more, follow us on Patreon!Follow us on all platforms! @toodopeteachersEmail: [email protected]

One of my favorite quotes about problem-solving on a systems and institutional level is that “the answer is in the room.” This means that when there are problems that need to be solved, even big ones, the person, perspective, or idea that will solve it doesn’t need to be sought outside of those who know the work best. As teacher recruitment, training, and retention remain persistent challenges to districts big and small, Grow-Your-Own programs have been developed and launched, especially in districts serving highly impacted and very diverse populations. GYO takes many forms, including but not limited to cadet programs and para-to-teacher efforts. Enter Dr. Jeff Geihs, longtime educator, leader, and thought leader. Working with the Silver State Education Foundation as Executive Director, Dr. Giehs and team have brought together GYO and concurrent enrollment opportunities for the next generation of teachers, especially students of color. Dr. Geihs joined Gerardo for an exciting and motivational conversation. To learn more, follow us on Patreon! Follow us on all platforms! @toodopeteachers Support the podcast: www.patreon.com/toodopeteachers

One of my favorite quotes about problem-solving on a systems and institutional level is that "the answer is in the room." This means that when there are problems that need to be solved, even big ones, the person, perspective, or idea that will solve it doesn't need to be sought outside of those who know the work best.As teacher recruitment, training, and retention remain persistent challenges to districts big and small, Grow-Your-Own programs have been developed and launched, especially in districts serving highly impacted and very diverse populations. GYO takes many forms, including but not limited to cadet programs and para-to-teacher efforts.Enter Dr. Jeff Geihs, longtime educator, leader, and thought leader. Working with the Silver State Education Foundation as Executive Director, Dr. Giehs and team have brought together GYO and concurrent enrollment opportunities for the next generation of teachers, especially students of color.Dr. Geihs joined Gerardo for an exciting and motivational conversation. To learn more, follow us on Patreon.Follow us on all platforms! @toodopeteachersEmail: [email protected]

Back in October, Sofia González, teacher, thinker, writer, speaker and activist and Gerardo finally found time for this interview. This was prior to the 2024 election and all that followed. What ensued was a great conversation–provocative, humorous, and energetic. As we brace ourselves to face another four years of anxiety, frustration, fear, and state-encouraged violence, this conversation remains a reminder that the struggle is truly beautiful, and full of opportunities for all of us to engage differently, as the people we are. To quote the great poet Audre Lorde, “We are the ones we have been waiting for,” exemplified by Ms. G. Sofia is 2019 teacher of the year with the National Society of High School Scholars, nonprofit leader for organization Project 214, and education activist from the Chicagoland area. She is a sought-after public speaker regarding the state of education who is known for her cutting-edge presentations and dynamic illustrations with a passion that’s infectious. A High School teacher, 15-year veteran, teacher leader, and alum in a variety of spaces like Fulbright, Latinos for Education, Latinx Education Collaborative-Storytellers for Change, and Urban Leaders Fellowship, Sofia’s passion and energy towards education equity remains a leading voice for the 21st-century classroom and beyond.

Sofia Gonzalez is 2019 teacher of the year with the National Society of High School Scholars, nonprofit leader for organization Project 214, and education activist from the Chicagoland area. She is a sought-after public speaker regarding the state of education who is known for her cutting-edge presentations and dynamic illustrations with a passion that’s infectious. A High School teacher, 15-year veteran, teacher leader, and alum in a variety of spaces like Fulbright, Latinos for Education, Latinx Education Collaborative-Storytellers for Change, and Urban Leaders Fellowship, Sofia's passion and energy towards education equity remains a leading voice for the 21st-century classroom and beyond. Sofia believes that education is a fundamental right and not a privilege for the select few, and aims to lead from her Latina identity. Her recent focus has been taking her seat at decision-making tables and traveling the country as a keynote speaker where she can amplify the lived experiences of the Latino community for the sake of social change and informing education policy. Plan your financial future with Alex and Tori!Support the podcast on Patreon!Link to episode 184 of Have You Heard

About two years ago, Kevin and Gerardo’s paths diverged. Facing burnout, Gerardo left the classroom to manage aspiring and new educator programs at the central office level, and Kevin became an assistant principal. The last two years have been challenging for us both. Questions arose as to whether the podcast would last. What would happen now that Too Dope Teachers were no longer in the classroom? Could the fellas ever ever ever coordinate calendars?It has been a challenge, but this season, we bring to you “OG Episodes” that bring us back to our roots: no guests, nothing flashy, just a couple of educators remixing the conversation on race, power, and education.This episode was supposed to be out prior to the announcement of school closures, but instead we are bringing it after. Check out our emergency episode, a conversation with two students from one of the closing schools for an in-depth look.We hope you enjoy this episode, whether to get needed affirmation and levity as you continue your important classroom work, or if you are considering other options, while still wanting to remain in education.Visit our sponsors!Support the pod!

Citing declining enrollment, demographic shifts, and building under-use as primary factors, Denver Public Schools superintendent Dr. Alex Marrero announced his proposal to close or consolidate a number of schools. On school that is proposed for consolidation is the Denver Center for International Studies at Baker, where we met. It is a school that we feel profound affection for and belief in.In this emergency episode, we speak with DCIS students Sophia and Camila, who are helping to organize their peers and families to protest the re-structuring of their school.Very frequently, students are the last to know about decisions and policies that directly impact them. Oftentimes, across American public education, "student voice" is trivialized, downplayed, dismissed, and disrespected. If you go back to our emergency episode with students in the opening months of the COVID-19 pandemic, you will see that students were not included in that discussion either. This is, unfortunately, not a problem unique to this district, it is everywhere.Student voice matters. Yesterday, today, and always.

When Fatimah Basir reached out to the podcast to promote her book, I’m a Big Fish, Not a Guppy, we had to know more. Not only is this energetic and motivating educator imaginative, creative, and joyful, she also sets a powerful example for how to take on important work for youth and communities. Miss B knows her purpose, knows what she is up against, but more importantly, she draws strength from her family, friends and beloved NYC community.Miss B has a captivating story, contagious energy, and a powerful message. Listen and enjoy!Buy the book! Follow Miss Bee!Plan your future by visiting our sponsors, Tori and Alex! Support the Podcast on Patreon!

John "Sunshine" Arthur is really like this.Always smiling, always joyful, this passionate and dedicated teacher has continued to push forward for students and communities from which they come.A veteran teacher, John has always sought ways to elevate educational opportunities and equity in his community and beyond. Even as he runs for the Utah state board of education, John humanizes his opponent and the people of his state. This despite a ballot initiative pushing for increased privatization, which presents a threat to young people who would MOST benefit from a powerful and uplifting educational experience.In this episode, John will share with you his journey, his commitment to students, and ways you can support public education for ALL.support the podcast!Visit our sponsors!

Vouchers are violence.Privatization is violence.Failure to see that school privatization is a tool of Christian Nationalism and White Supremacy is deadly. To the future prospects of the students they exploit for flash-in-the-pan snake oil pedagogies. To the very possibility of civil society.Dr. Josh Cowen joins me for episode 132 of Too Dope Teachers and a Mic to discuss the peril of school vouchers and the destruction they have wrought upon education and society. He discusses his new book, The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School Vouchers.Whatever you believe about vouchers, let me assure you, after reading this book, and talking with Dr. Cowen…it’s worse. Worse than you can imagine. The outcomes are awful, and the deception is dystopian. You’ll see why so many of us see privatization and all it’s cousins as a slippery slope that ultimately will destroy public education. And while there are abstract and unproven arguments about the unfulfilled promise of public education, there is still a promise.It is now October. Many of you in Colorado, Kentucky, and Nebraska have this choice to make, and those of you in fourteen other states have a lot of work to get these repealed. This episode is a hard listen, but essential for anyone who wants to see systemic justice in education.Visit our sponsors!Support the podcast!Buy The Privateers: How Billionaires Created a Culture War and Sold School VouchersProPublica Report Cited during interview

This week, Gerardo is joined by the eminent and brilliant Elena Aguilar, scholar of professional development and leadership! In this, Elena’s second visit to the show, she discusses her most recent coaching book Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching. Elena shares her purpose, identities, and processes of writing, shedding a bright light on both the art of coaching, but also the art of writing itself. She shares her perspectives on both the value of writing that comes from academia as well as from the people. In this episode, Elena also shows us why her intuitive and human-centered approach is so powerful. An unexpected moment of vulnerability arises, and she receives it with heart and profound empathy. And. Stay tuned. An in-person conversation may be in the future. Hispanic Heritage Month: From now until October 15, if you sign up for Patreon at the $10/month level, you will receive our series of Hispanic Heritage stickers! Subscribe to Elena’s Bright Morning podcast! Sign up to get updates from Elena and Bright Morning team! Purchase the book, Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching and other powerful writings of Elena Aguilar. Visit our sponsors, Tori and Alex, and plan your financial future no matter your income!

This week, Gerardo is joined by the eminent and brilliant Elena Aguilar, scholar of professional development and leadership! In this, Elena’s second visit to the show, she discusses her most recent coaching book Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching. Elena shares her purpose, identities, and processes of writing, shedding a bright light on both the art of coaching, but also the art of writing itself. She shares her perspectives on both the value of writing that comes from academia as well as from the people.In this episode, Elena also shows us why her intuitive and human-centered approach is so powerful. An unexpected moment of vulnerability arises, and she receives it with heart and profound empathy.And. Stay tuned. An in-person conversation may be in the future.Hispanic Heritage Month: From now until October 15, if you sign up for Patreon at the $10/month level, you will receive our series of Hispanic Heritage stickers!Subscribe to Elena’s Bright Morning podcast!Sign up to get updates from Elena and Bright Morning team!Purchase the book, Arise: The Art of Transformational Coaching and other powerful writings of Elena Aguilar.Visit our sponsors, Tori and Alex, and plan your financial future no matter your income!

As the 2024-25 school year kicks off across the nation, math teachers, students, and parents of the students face a familiar foe: self-confidence in mathematics. According to a Gallup poll before the COVID-19 pandemic, over 40% of students aged 13-17 reported that they were "struggling" or "not proficient" in math. But no one knows this reality more than math teachers themselves.Cole Nussbaumer Knaflic, herself a mathematician and data analyst, has spent her career teaching adults to tell impactful and motivational stories using data. She has published professional books on the subject, but comes on the TooDope Teachers and a Mic podcast to share her latest book, which could change the tide for young people in our classrooms. Daphne Draws Data is a wonderful book on using data to tell stories. Cole joins Gerardo to kick off SEASON 10 of the podcast.Visit our sponsors, Alex and Tori!Support. the podcast on Patreon!Check out and order Daphne Draws Data!Find old episodes of Too Dope Teachers and a Mic!

Dr. Richard Charles has probably forgotten more about mathematics and technology than most of us will ever know. This brilliant scholar and change-maker of Trinidadian and Venezuelan heritage joined Gerardo for a conversation that is only the tip of the iceberg. An authentically intellectual and curious learner, Dr. Charles represents most what what we dream of being in school district leadership. He is philosophical and a problem-solver, and his passion for prime numbers is only out-matched by his determination that ALL DPS students have access to the best education available to them.Dr. Charles shares his passion for ways in which generative AI can support us at all levels of education. You will feel a little out of your depth on this episode, but stick with it. There is much to glean from this conversation.Support the podcast!Visit out sponsors at Cetera Investors, where Tori and Alex can help. you plan for the future!

The state of public education is...tough right now. But it isn't because of teachers or students. It's because our systems have spent too much time overthinking the challenges we face, when in reality, it's all about respect, resources, and professionalism.Colorado Education Association present Amie Baca-Oehlert joins Gerardo and Kev to discuss the state of education. She names the harsh realities but also demonstrates the simple ways that we can right this ship for ALL kids.Read the state of education report here!Plan your financial future with our sponsors, Cetera Investors!Support the podcast on Patreon! www.patreon.com/toodopeteachers

Zandra Jo Galván joins me for a fun and inspirational conversation on this week's Chicanologues! Celebrated by the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS), Zandra Jo now leads the school district that raised her, Greenfield Union in the Central Coast region of California.Growing up the youngest child of Mexican immigrants, Zandra Jo was inspired to become a teacher by her older sister. At just 10 years old, Zandra Jo knew she wanted to take this journey. When she was elevated to serve as superintendent of the district that educated her, 90% raza, she became everything that a leader should be: joyous, engaged, motivational, and creative.But she is not simply a "big energy" leader. She is a problem-solver who acts on data in meaningful ways. She shares with us her biggest successes, and reminds us that educational justice that is culturally sustaining and empowering is possible from the superintendent's office.Oh, and her top five is absolutely next-level.Support the podcast at patreon.com/toodopeteachers (money is helpful in navigating capitalism).Visit our sponsors, Tori and Alex! https://toriandalex.ceterainvestors.com/toodope.

Gerardo is joined this week with a brilliant and passionate storyteller.Leticia Ordaz is a Publisher, Award-Winning Bilingual Children’s Book Author, Literacy Advocate, and Television News Anchor/Reporter.Leticia is the founder of the bilingual publishing house Cielito Lindo Books and a ten-time award-winning children’s book author at the International Latino Book Awards, the largest Latino Book Awards in the world. A proud Mexican-American, Leticia is an Emmy Award-winning anchor/reporter in Sacramento, California, where she’s covered some of the biggest stories in the country. Leticia is the author of The Adventures of Mr. Macaw, That Girl on TV Could Be Me! The Journey of a Latina News Anchor, Mr. Macaw’s Paleta Adventure, The Carousel King and the Space Mission, Mr. Macaw Lost in the Big City, and 2024 release Super Peanut and the Big Bully: The Power of Kindness. As a literacy ambassador, she is excited to share bilingual stories with children around the world. The mother of two young Latino boys is working hard to break barriers and change statistics that currently show only 7 percent of American children’s books feature Latinx characters or subjects, and only 10 percent of authors and illustrators in the US are Latinx. She recently teamed up with the Antelope Valley Union High School District to publish the Anthology, We Come From Greatness. The heartfelt project shared the stories of 88 migrant youth from Los Angeles County and transformed students into published authors. All of the proceeds benefit a scholarship program for the district. When Leticia is not on the news being a voice for her community, she is busy visiting schools, hospitals, and orphanages to spread the love of reading in English and Spanish. Reach out to bring her to your school for a dynamic assembly.CielitoLindoBooks.com, [email protected] Twitter: @LeticiaOrdazTV, @CielitoLindoBks LinkedIn: Leticia Ordaz Facebook: @CielitoLindoBooks. Instagram: @LeticiaOrdazTV, @CielitoLindoBooks

We are partnering with Carney, Sandoe & Associates to bring you cutting-edge insights and opportunities to learn from and with members of their communities. In today's episode, Kim Garner and Brandon Jacobs join us to discuss DEIB (the B stands for Belonging), the importance of DEIB work across all educational spaces, and the chance for folx in the Philly area to attend their Hiring Forum DEIB event this coming Friday!Kim graduated from Suffolk University with a B.A. in International Business. She began working at Carney, Sandoe & Associates in 2000 as an Operations Associate, and became Associate Director of Operations in 2005, Director of Operations in 2006, and Director of Operations and Conferences in 2010. Kim was promoted to Managing Associate in 2012.As Chief Operating Officer, Placement Group, Kim manages operational budget, oversees operations staff, and explores new technologies to optimize efficiency within the Placement Group. She coordinates hiring, training, and onboarding for new employees, and plans and coordinates all aspects of faculty recruitment conferences, located in cities each year across the country.Kim has also spearheaded the development of CS&A's Women's* Institute (which held its inaugural event in 2017) which focuses on empowerment, professional and personal development, and mentorship of women in education at all stages of their careers. Kim is extremely passionate about the importance of women supporting other women and providing safe space to learn from one another.Brandon is Practice Leader, Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging (DEIB) Consulting Practice, Search & Consulting Services and also supports our Head of School, Key Administrator, Catholic Schools, and Diversity Leadership Search Practices. Brandon has been instrumental in growing our DEIB Search and Consulting Practices. He has worked with dozens of independent schools, colleges and universities, and education organizations, running retained searches for DEIB practitioners and leading consulting engagements around implicit bias, equitable hiring, BIPOC faculty and staff retention, and other topics.Thanks to financial assistance from New Jersey SEEDS, a nonprofit organization that places high-achieving students from low-income families at selective day and boarding schools across the country, Brandon and his three younger brothers were able to attend The Hill School (PA). At the predominantly white boarding school, Brandon served as the first Black All-School President and, seven years following his high school graduation, would return to his alma mater to assume the dual roles of Director of Inclusion and Diversity and Student Activities Coordinator. While at The Hill School, Brandon was also Director of Student Activities, Class Dean, and Assistant Director of College Advising.Before joining CS&A, Brandon served as the Director of Diversity and Inclusion at The Shipley School (PA) where he led the development and implementation of policies, procedures, and programs that sustained an inclusive school community and curriculum and fulfilled the School’s diversity and inclusion goals. Working closely with school administrators, he directed recruitment and retention initiatives to broaden the diversity of the student body and among faculty and staff.To learn more, visit www.carneysandoe.com/toodope.Visit our sponsors and friends of the podcast, Tori and Alex of Cetera Investors and enter code TOODOPE for a discount.Support the podcast on PATREON.

I had no idea that January was National Mentoring Month, but this is perfect timing. At a critical moment in my life, donnie l. betts, legendary actor, director, playwright and filmmaker, but most importantly, mentor to so many.I was fifteen when I met donnie, and he changed my life. He showed me that men of color from my neighborhood could be artists and movers, and that art could matter. We have remained in touch for over thirty years, and it is my profound honor to bring him and his story to you.In this episode, you will hear how donnie came to the arts, the people he has met and learned from, and his undying conviction that art can make a difference. As in his new film, Stop Resisting, which, in the wake of unending police violence visited on Black communities in Denver and beyond. donnie continues to leverage art and stories to affect change, and he shares his passion with us.Go to Carney Sandoe's Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging Forum this month!Get to know our sponsors, Alex and Tori at Cetera Investors!Donate to the podcast!

For nearly fourteen weeks, genocidal events have been brought upon Gaza. To be honest, we struggled with how to best show support. We are a podcast that centers Teachers of Color and issues of Human Rights and Justice for all. So we have chosen to bring you stories of Palestinian American teachers. These stories are long-form, so they defy the sound-bite 24-hour news cycle. We ask participants to tell their stories with authenticity and courage. So yeah, this episode is longer.Amal is a teacher in California who is proud to be Palestinian. She knows that her perspective is different, living stateside and not in Gaza, which has been described as of January 7 as "uninhabitable" by the United Nations. The days drag along as Amal tries to teach and support students. The courage to teach while your world burns is something Kevin and I cannot fathom.But know that this story has emotion, passion, and knowledge. You will learn things that have not made it into the news cycle. You will learn how one teacher sees and experiences this horror.Click here to learn more about the Carney Sandoe DEIB Conference!Visit our partners, Cetera Investors!Support the Podcast on Patreon!

Gerardo and Kevin are here to accompany you through this holiday season! Whether you celebrate or not, we gotchu, and we hope to bring some affirmation and encouragement to you in these times that defy description.As you know, Kevin has moved into school leadership, halfway through his first year as an assistant principal. He shares the highs, the lows, and reflects on being positioned to make a greater impact for the students in his community. Gerardo shares the hard-earned lessons of sixteen months as a central office manager, and shares the encouragement he has found in his work.But ya boys haven't forgotten what it's like to be a classroom teacher. Teaching is our mother tongue, and no matter what other jobs we learn and become proficient, conversant, even fluent in, our hearts and minds will always be those of teachers. We hope we can encourage you to rest, reflect, and appreciate yourself.Plus we share our holiday wish lists.Visit our sponsors!Help us remix the conversation on race, power, and education!

It is no secret that the teaching profession has become increasingly challenging, especially since the COVID-19 pandemic. For those of us who taught before and through the pandemic, it was never easy. Always challenging, always demanding, always underpaid. Kevin and I have both left classroom roles (although being an administrator is also difficult), and we are both still a little, what's the word, surprised? When folx choose teaching in these times.Filmmaker Adam Gacka, founder of Production House in Chicago, was hired to make a promotional video for the ambitious Chicago Teacher Residency and during the course of filming, got to know many of the teachers in the school. In particular, as he learned about Nkanga Nsa, a resident in the program, he felt that her story needed to be shared. So the result was Teacher, a film that would document her journey through her residency, as well as that of the community around her. As Adam boldly declares, saving our teachers will save our democracy.Adam and Nkanga join us for an in-depth conversation on one teacher's experience, the ongoing work to ensure that our American teaching corps better reflect children in most classrooms, and the ambitious dream to become "an island beyond oneself" in Nkanga's words.Buy the film, TEACHER on Prime Video!Visit our sponsors!Support TooDope Productions!

For over two months, violence has raged on the Gaza Strip. Since the world snapped to attention on October 7, just under 20,000 Palestinians and 1300 Israelis (around 400 IDF soldiers) have died in the so-called "Israel-Hamas War" a carefully curated framing of the violence. This is an awful moment, and has led a number of experts to name the actions visited upon Palestinians as genocidal.Kevin and Gerardo join the conversation. Perhaps later than some would hope. But we wanted to learn, listen, and elevate before seizing a social media moment.Enter Abeer Shinnawi, our friend, a Palestinian teacher in the United States. Abeer calls upon us to teach the Palestinian struggle as a social justice/civil rights movement. She shares with us the privilege she has by living in the United States, but the pain she feels, as the Palestinian experience has been largely minimized, demonized, and erased. But in the midst of it all, she still believes that teachers can make a difference, to help students see that there is a civil rights imperative at work here.Visit our sponsors and plan for your future!Support the podcast!

This episode was supposed to come out during AANHSAPI Heritage Month (Asian-American Native Hawaiian South Asian Pacific Islander) but for a host of reasons, it did not. Hear Gerardo break down his ambivalence about heritage months and why we actually decided to put the episode out.John Arthur is the 2021 Utah Teacher of the Year, and a finalist for National Teacher of the Year for the same year. In the two years since being announced, John has found a new level of advocacy and activism, speaking out for the dignity and value of teachers and public education, students and families from marginalized and minoritized communities, and taking every opportunity to stand up for all kids.In addition, John is sunshine personified. You cannot be in his presence without feeling his warmth. Enjoy this episode, it is full of joy and motivation.Support BIPOC-created media!Visit our sponsors Cetera! Plan the future!www.toodopeteachers.com

Deepali Vyas is the Founder and CEO of Fearless+, an EdTech platform that is on a mission to empower the younger generation. Deepali is a serial entrepreneur, advisory board member, career strategist, and executive search consultant with a recognized eye for spotting talent, rising trends and breakout business models. Deepali has over 20 years of experience in executive recruiting, having reviewed more than 100,000 resumes and placed thousands of executives in Fortune 500 companies. She has advised companies like Disney, JP Morgan, Uber, Google, IBM and the NFL to name a few.Visit Fearless+Check out all our projects!Plan for the future with Cetera Investors!www.toodopeteachers.com

Gerardo met NYC teacher and social media phenomenon Sari Rosenberg at the NNSTOY conference in July. For a long time, we have followed Sari's Instagram where she posts Reels of her pushback against racist, sexist, homophobic, transphobic and anti-Semitic ideas and policies that seem to be all too common in today's civic discourse. Sari, whose path into teaching was considerably more tentative than her life as a teacher-activist, has become an outspoken voice for equity, justice, and teaching history honestly.We have a fun conversation, which includes Sari's early forays into popular music and innovative entertainment technology, and her how she really feels about the trolls and hate groups on social media platforms (spoiler: she honestly does not care), and we hear a terrific Top Five (ish)Visit our sponsors, Cetera, and get a discount to plan your financial future!Sari's WebsiteSari's Work!Sari's Top Five!Support the podcast on Patreon!

This week's guest is a direct challenge to how many of us are living our education lives in 2023. Believing is hard. Optimism is something we can switch on with students, when we need to maintain our authority in the classroom, but we struggle to live in optimism. Look, we get it. Teachers are entering yet another school year of unrealistic pressure, political attacks, and dwindling capacity to teach our students and live joyfully. Rebecka Peterson has an idea for all of us.Rebecka Peterson, the 2023 National Teacher of the Year, is a math teacher who loves stories.Rebecka has taught high school math classes ranging from intermediate algebra to Advanced Placement calculus, for 11 years at Union High School in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Amid a difficult first year of high school teaching, she found the “One Good Thing” blog. She credits daily posting there to helping her recognize the beautiful and positive experiences occurring in her classroom, which inspired her to stay in the profession. She has since contributed 1,400 posts to the blog. As Oklahoma Teacher of the Year, she has visited teachers across the state to highlight their important work through the Teachers of Oklahoma campaign. As National Teacher of the Year, Rebecka plans to use her platform to highlight teachers’ stories of the good that’s happening in education. Teaching is a profession that affords creativity, autonomy and purpose, and Rebecka believes that highlighting the stories of joy happening in classrooms across the country will help encourage current teachers and attract new educators to the profession. Rebecka is a proud immigrant of Swedish-Iranian descent and lived in several countries around the world as her parents traveled as medical missionaries. Her own experience with supportive teachers who celebrated her diversity and math abilities informs Rebecka’s efforts to create a supportive and accessible classroom for students. She values listening to students’ stories as a way to better understand them and elevate their voice. Before joining the faculty at Union High School, Rebecka taught for three years at the collegiate level. She holds a bachelor’s degree in mathematics from Oklahoma Wesleyan University and a master’s degree in mathematics from the University of South Dakota. She lives in Tulsa, Oklahoma, with her husband, Brett, and son, Jonas, and she enjoys reading, crafting and playing board games.Visit our sponsors, Cetera Investments! Use the Code TooDope to get started! Teachers can build generational wealth, too!Support the podcast on Patreon!Or simply buy us a coffee!

The 2023 Summer Revolution Mixtape is here, at last! It's late, but as friend of the podcast Marylin Zuñiga told us so many years ago, we gotta decolonize time, y'all! We know you are mostly back in the teaching game, but the time for radical imagination is always RIGHT. NOW.The mixtape series is when we bring experimental, cutting-edge and unexpected ideas to you to consider as you enter another year guiding students. We hope to challenge and inspire you with these conversations.Generative Artificial Intelligence, best identified through apps like ChatGPT, stands to hit education like that meteor that did the dinosaurs in, and if we aren't careful, it will do the same to us in education. So argues our guest, Ben Farrell, a principal at a school that had the audacity to embrace this terrifying technology.Is it the pedagogical equivalent of Oppenheimer's experiment, or is it like the invention of pockets? Sorta depends on who you talk to. If you talk to Ben, he will tell you some of his school's generative AI practices, and how we may all learn from them. No spoilers, tho. Y'all gotta listen.Support the podcast on Patreon!Check out the great work of our sponsors, Alex and Tori!

Laura Cortez was a soccer player in Texas. Her coach required that players run track and cross country in order to maintain their fitness for the season. A self-identified tejana, she grew up with community, culture, and of course, Selena.Having relocated to Colorado, Laura, along with Victor Fallon, formed the Trailtinos, a Latiné running collective that spans generations, experience levels, and culture. I had a chance to run with the crew, a nice 7-miler that was extremely hard without water. The conversations were incredible, and it was beautiful to see so many members of our raza prioritizing fitness, wellness, and community.Laura joins me to discuss the formation of the Trailtinos, and the importance of community wellness.Support the podcast on Patreon!Plan for your financial future with our sponsors, Alex and Tori at Cetera Investors!

I'm angry today. As I attend meetings, webinars, read social media posts and articles that feature people with the actual power to improve the diversity (actually ESTABLISH diversity) in the teaching profession, I also see people in the same positions continually ostracize, ignore and otherwise sanction raza educators at every level of this work. It's plain to see that the system desires our faces, our surnames and our pedigrees, but not our convictions, beliefs, and humanness. And often, the agents of this process of icing out gente who truly represent the hopes, dreams, ambitions, the social and political convictions of our communities, are people who look like us, claim to be us.We have to stop caping for a system that asks us to commit cultural, spiritual, and political self-harm. We have to have the courage to support each other, even when we have everything to gain from shutting each other down.It's the Chicanologues, episode 3. Please subscribe! website: www.gerardomunoz.cosupport: patreon.com/toodopeteachersFollow Gerardo:Twitter: @toodopeteachers & @gerardinho9IG: @toodopeteachers

For Asian American/Native Hawaiian/South Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we are spotlighting the stories, the experiences, and the wholeness of AANHSAPI teachers, their histories, and the communities they serve. They are part of our teaching force, battling inequities on behalf of their students and themselves. Whitney Aragaki (she/they) is an educator, parent, and learner from Hilo, Hawaiʻi. She supports students to learn through a lens of abundance that honors place, people and cultures. Her teaching focuses around conversations, practices and systems that sustain the intimate inter-relationship of public education, community and environment. Aragaki is the 2022 Hawaiʻi State Teacher of the Year and National Teacher of the Year Finalist. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in Adolescence and Young Adulthood Mathematics. Check out Whitney’s writing, connect at https://www.whitneyaragaki.com/ Whitney’s socials: Twitter: @sayuri_neko Instagram: @mamasayuri Check out our website www.toodopeteachers.com Support the podcast www.patreon.com/toodopeteachers

For Asian American/Native Hawaiian/South Asian/Pacific Islander Heritage Month, we are spotlighting the stories, the experiences, and the wholeness of AANHSAPI teachers, their histories, and the communities they serve. They are part of our teaching force, battling inequities on behalf of their students and themselves.Whitney Aragaki (she/they) is an educator, parent, and learner from Hilo, Hawaiʻi. She supports students to learn through a lens of abundance that honors place, people and cultures. Her teaching focuses around conversations, practices and systems that sustain the intimate inter-relationship of public education, community and environment. Aragaki is the 2022 Hawaiʻi State Teacher of the Year and National Teacher of the Year Finalist. She is a National Board Certified Teacher in Adolescence and Young Adulthood Mathematics.Check out Whitney's writing, connect at https://www.whitneyaragaki.com/Whitney's socials: Twitter: @sayuri_neko Instagram: @mamasayuriCheck out our website www.toodopeteachers.comSupport the podcast www.patreon.com/toodopeteachers

We are one week into Asian American, Native Hawaiian, South Asian and Pacific Islander heritage Month, and we thought it would be meaningful to re-releaase our roundtable interview with AANHSAPI-identifying educators from around the country. At the time of this interview, COVID-19 was raging, and the all-too-predictable hatred toward people of Asian descent as somehow culprits of the pandemic was palpable and harmful. In this episode, brave AANHSAPI teachers speak on their experiences, their pain, and their hope as they demand to be celebrated and seen. toodopeteachers.com Support PoC Grassroots Media!

We are one week into Asian American, Native Hawaiian, South Asian and Pacific Islander heritage Month, and we thought it would be meaningful to re-releaase our roundtable interview with AANHSAPI-identifying educators from around the country. At the time of this interview, COVID-19 was raging, and the all-too-predictable hatred toward people of Asian descent as somehow culprits of the pandemic was palpable and harmful. In this episode, brave AANHSAPI teachers speak on their experiences, their pain, and their hope as they demand to be celebrated and seen.toodopeteachers.comSupport PoC Grassroots Media!

Please forgive the poor audio quality. I wanted to re-record it for you but I had class late and just don’t have time this week. I will make this up to you! Cinco de mayo can still mean something to our gente. It could be a time for warriors if we let it be. Support the podcast!

Please forgive the poor audio quality. I wanted to re-record it for you but I had class late and just don't have time this week. I will make this up to you!Cinco de mayo can still mean something to our gente. It could be a time for warriors if we let it be. Support the podcast!

As it turns out, solo podcasting is hard! While there will be guests, friends, and crews on this show, there will be some solo stuff, like this episode. In this one, you can learn a little about what is motivating this new podcast. I’m in a search for myself, as a researcher, scholar, advocate, friend, and human. The best way to support this podcast is to subscribe! The episodes will be here until we get up and running on a separate feed, but please check me out there! Visit our sponsor, Carney, Sandoe & Associates! Subscribe to The Chicanologues! Support the podcast!

As it turns out, solo podcasting is hard! While there will be guests, friends, and crews on this show, there will be some solo stuff, like this episode. In this one, you can learn a little about what is motivating this new podcast. I'm in a search for myself, as a researcher, scholar, advocate, friend, and human. The best way to support this podcast is to subscribe! The episodes will be here until we get up and running on a separate feed, but please check me out there!Visit our sponsor, Carney, Sandoe & Associates!Subscribe to The Chicanologues!Support the podcast!

Welcome to the Chicanologues! Join me, Gerardo Muñoz, as I examine my identity as a researcher, scholar, and person. In this episode, I explain a little bit of what went into my decision to create this podcast. In the future, we will have guests and topics that will expand your critical conscience and hopefully, entertain you!

We’re dropping this emergency episode from the organizers of a Mayday walkout tomorrow. This group of concerned citizens–parents, teachers, youth and others is hoping to spark a larger general movement to demand common sense gun policy. Listen for details, and find them on Instagram and Facebook, Mayday Walkout!

We're dropping this emergency episode from the organizers of a Mayday walkout tomorrow. This group of concerned citizens--parents, teachers, youth and others is hoping to spark a larger general movement to demand common sense gun policy. Listen for details, and find them on Instagram and Facebook, Mayday Walkout!

You may remember the summer of 2020. We were caught in the grip of the initial months COVID-19 pandemic. A racial reckoning was beginning to materialize across the nation and, frankly, the world. When our guest that summer, Dr. Bettina Love, spoke with us at the NEA Racial & Social Justice Virtual Conference that year, she uttered the words “it is good to be here” and it was. We were surviving under constant threat of disease and violence. Nearly three years have passed since this incredible conversation, and we wanted to revisit it. Dr. Love is a light of joyful tenacity in our work, and we look back and realize with greater appreciation, how much she got us all through it. Many of you have reached out to ask us for this episode, so please enjoy this throwback to a more bootleg time for us (audio much less cute than now), but this beautiful liminal space that we found ourselves with great minds and spirits. Visit our sponsors at Carney, Sandoe & Associates! Support the podcast on Patreon! Find current work of Dr. Bettina Love and the Abolitionist Teaching Network here!