dr. franita ware

In this heartfelt episode of The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, Dr. Asia interviews Dr. Franita Nita Ware, an educator, author, and creator of Warm Demander Teachers. They discuss Dr. Ware's unexpected journey from substitute teacher to scholar, focusing on her purpose, joy, and community that fueled her career. Dr. Ware discusses how her entry into education changed her life, the lessons she learned at Spelman College, and the challenges she faces as a Black woman principal navigating racialized experiences in Denver. She shares her experiences with the trauma of pushout, her healing process, and how she turned her recovery into the Radical Self-Care framework—an impactful professional development series helping educators reconnect with themselves, rewire for wellness, and find joy in teaching. Listeners will learn about the warm-demander approach, which balances care with high standards, and how schools can build cultures based on authenticity, rest, and community. W…