Episodes

In this episode, the hosts interview Crystal Gillis, an educator whose journey spans from recording engineering to teaching and coaching in the Cherry Creek School District. Crystal shares her experiences as a Black woman educator, detailing the challenges she faced, including lack of support, racial battle fatigue, and systemic inequities within the school system. She discusses her transition from teaching and coaching to becoming deeply involved in equity work, advocating for minoritized youth, and eventually leaving the district due to persistent complacency and lack of meaningful change.Crystal highlights the importance of authentic support for both students and teachers of color, the need for action over rhetoric in equity work, and the power dynamics that often hinder progress in educational spaces. She also shares her current work with YAS PPA (Young Aspiring Americans for Social Political Activism), an organization focused on youth voice, healing, and social activism, and …

Scholar, Author, Entrepreneur, and Educator Desmond Williams has been there, done that. A talented and effective classroom teacher, he quickly moved up the ranks to become a building leader. But even as a principal, Desmond was not achieving the impact he wanted to. He found himself in frequent conflict with fellow leaders and gained clarity.That sense of clarity has manifested in his DEI firm Nylinka, a book, The Burning House, in which he echoes Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s question about racism as a system that perhaps African Americans should try to escape, and frequent speaking engagements and training. Desmond shares his story, questions the notion of Racial Battle Fatigue, and gets out the receipts. Do not miss this one!

Arvian Harper is a “Denver Public Schools lifer.” A graduate of the hallowed halls of East High School, she received a full ride engineering scholarship, later changing to pre-med. Like so many of us, she heard the call to the classroom, and she heeded, teaching Early Childhood Education, becoming a Team Lead and eventually moving into leadership.After a series of difficult challenges–a violent incident at the school, a strike, COVID-19 and a racial reckoning, she began to reflect on the Racial Battle Fatigue she had experienced. As she began to peel back the layers of trauma, she realized “There’s a whole person in there.’Since her healing journey began, she founded Awakening Cafe and has entered a consulting role with none other than our own Dr. Asia Lyons. Healing is possible.

After a turbulent year locally and nationally, Dr. Asia Lyons and Kevin Adams are back with your Back to School shopping list. They break down issues facing educators of color and the communities they serve as super-producer Gerardo Muñoz sits in the virtual producer’s chair! Asia discusses life after PhD matriculation, Kevin shares the trials and tribulations of the now-completed Master Agreement contract negotiations in Denver Public Schools, and we evaluate the way forward for teachers of color. Should they follow Dr. Asia, our pedagogical Harriet Tubman, to liberation? Will Kev teach forever? Does Gerardo have the attention span to make this interview pop?

When a former director of equity in a school district joins our podcast you know it’s gonna be good.  Stacey Brandon shares what led her to become a social worker in a Denver Metro school district, her journey to becoming director of their equity department, and consequently the decision she had to make realizing that it was time to move on. Enjoy another great episode!

Another fire episode!  This time we are speaking to Dr. Jeanette Patterson, a former principal who now finds herself supporting the youth of the Denver Metro Area in a whole new way.  Tune in as Dr. Patterson shares her education journey, what she thinks school districts can do to support educators, what’s bringing her joy these days, and her plans for the future.

Since last season, on the Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black educators we have brought you stories that are heart-wrenching, painful, and traumatic. Examples of racial battle fatigue, professional violence and PTSD, which, even though most have experienced a measure of healing, or begun that healing journey, are difficult.In some cases, Black classroom teachers depart the classroom to make a wider impact. This was the case for Dr. William Anderson, History teacher extraordinaire, who was just minding his own business, working on his doctorate, ready to return to the classroom for the 2021-2022 school year when he was tapped to take over the Teacher Education Program at the University of Denver, the first Black man to step into that role.Dr. Anderson knew this was an opportunity to impact the profession in a more powerful way, and went on a journey to make it happen.This is a provocative episode, and we encourage you to put on your intersectional lens as you digest this in…