Hustle, Heart & HBCU Love with Latoya Turner

Hustle, Heart & HBCU Love with Latoya Turner

[00:00:00]

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: All right folks. Welcome back to the exit interview, a podcast for black educators with me, your host, Dr. Asia. And. I said this before, we're in season six and it's feeling really good to be back in the studio today. We have Latoya Turner, um, on our show, and I'm so excited for lots of things. One, we are both from Detroit, and I had to say that right away because Detroit folks, as soon as she started telling her story to me in the back, like, uh, our pre-interview, I was like, oh yeah, that hustle culture is real.

And you'll hear about that in, um, her interview. Welcome to the show, Latoya. How are you?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: I am doing well. Thank you so much for having me.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah, of course, of course. Um, go ahead and tell the folks a little bit about yourself.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yes. So my name is Latoya Turner. Um, I'm originally from Detroit, currently living in Cincinnati, Ohio. [00:01:00] I'm a mother to a 5-year-old son. His name is August. Um, he's an author, which is something that I'm super proud about. Um, I'm an educator, an author, A-H-B-C-U graduate, and someone who's really passionate about education. Uh, this year, well the end of last year, um, I turned 40. So I'm in this new space and new era of my life. I'm out of the classroom and, you know, just embracing and awe. So overall, that's kind of the gist of me.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah. Um, I, I didn't know this. I love you said August is your son's.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: His name is August. Yes.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Oh, that's awesome. Well, you know, this is not part of, typically part of the interview, but tell us a little bit about him being an author. I'm interested in that.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yeah, so I'm a author of two children's books. So he would go to different events with me as I was vendoring or hosting events, and he kept saying, mommy, we keep selling your book. I want my own book.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Hmm.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: So me being a [00:02:00] person who loves literacy and his room is full of children's books, um, I was like, you know what?

Let's, let's publish you a book. So he was, he was with me through the whole process, like, what do you want your book to be about? He told me all the things he wanted his book to be about and I was able to get that published for him in 2025. And I will say since he has become an author, he goes around telling people that he's an author and his love for literacy and books have grew, um, prior to him being an author.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Oh, I love that. And what's the name of his book?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: His book is title August University. It's his world. It is a made up university and all the things that he loves.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Oh, I love that. All right folks. So already off the bat, off the bat, go ahead and check out August's book. Thank you so much for sharing that. All right, so let's go ahead and jump into it. So tell us about your education journey. How did you know that education was for you?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yes. So as a child, I was the one, um, who had like the bubbly personality [00:03:00] who other kids wanted to play with, just the person who wanted to help others. So I had the opportunity to, in high school. To do a cadet teaching program. So, although I love the field of education, of being in this role of helping people, but it really wasn't until I was in high school.

I did have some amazing educators and teachers growing up, but. Honestly, that wasn't the reason why I wanted to become a teacher. Um, this cadet teaching program, it was my senior year of high school and it was an opportunity for students to leave for half the day and go to an elementary school and spend half the day at this elementary school to assist the teacher. originally, to be honest, I did it 'cause I was like, oh, I get to.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: That's real. That's so real.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: I was like, I get to leave every day and go to another school and we go. So that was the original reason [00:04:00] why I really did it, to be honest. Um, but once I was in this program and I was able to assist the teacher, it was a kindergarten classroom, and I would have to come up with lesson plans and all these different things. That's when I really fell in love with teaching. And that's when my teaching journey, um, actually started. So after the program, and like I said, this was my senior year of high school, I had a sister, um, I have a sister who attended an HBCU Central, I mean Alabama a and m University. And when she was there, she had told me she went in. Her major was, she was unsure. Her majors wanna be, and she was like, Toya, I'm gonna be a teacher. Me wanting to always follow the role of my older sister, I was like, I just finished this cadet teaching program. When I go to school, I wanna be a teacher too. So it started with the cadet teaching program, my sister going to an [00:05:00] HBCU and majoring in, um, early childhood education.

So then when it was time for me to go off to college, um, everyone thought I was gonna follow my sister role to go to Alabama a and m. I loved her, but I was like, you know what? I'm doing my own thing. So I was like, I'm going to Central State University. So. That's the time when I, um, knew that I wanted to major in early childhood education and receive the education on all the information that I needed in order to become an awesome educator.

So my student teaching and having amazing people who literally held my hand along the way my educational career.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Y you know, it's interesting. Thank you for that, and we'll definitely dig into that some more. I think it's so interesting about this cadet program because I feel, and what year was this about?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: This was 2004.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: 2004. I feel like we're the grow your own programs and things like that [00:06:00] feel like they're becoming more and more popular.

Now as we're talking about a teacher shortage, there seems to be this conversation of grow your own programs in school districts and something not quite this like leave school for half day. I haven't heard about that yet, but, um, that's, it's becoming more and more popular and to know that. Your school was thinking about that in 2004, when, at the time, this was before we had the crash of oh eight, so there was still like teaching jobs and there was this, um, uh, there was still a lot of opportunity for teachers to be able to work.

I love this so much and it's real. The half day program, I, I know that when I was in high school, they had. Uh, different programs for culinary and for people to be cosmetologists, but I never had heard about that teaching, um, program, that cadet program. So that's really, really interesting. Uh, so you get to college and is it what you thought it was gonna be?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Oh,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Tell us about that.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yeah, so I get to Central State [00:07:00] University. Um, I go to Central State University. I don't know anyone there. Um, but as I stated before, I'm a bubbly personality. I'm very friendly. So it wasn't hard for me to find my group and to find, um, my people at Central State University. So my experience there were, there were professors who really cared.

You gotta think my freshman year, I'm dropped off. I have all of this freedom, but I also was surrounded by so many, um, professors and not even professors, just college through the upperclassmen, um, people who were freshmen as well, who were going on this same journey, who really. me under their wing and, and supported, um, even with like some tutoring sessions and just different things of just trying to navigate being a new college student.

So my experience at Central State University, not only was it fun, um, but it was educational. It was [00:08:00] somewhere where I learned identity and learned that the black culture, like we, we, we, it. And that was also powerful me in my journey into education. But I had some amazing, um, educators taking education courses who really was like, Hey, if you need anything, here's my number.

You can call for anything. Or it was after hours, um, sending emails who really helped me and pour back into me. And also, I'll say this too, my, um. For student teaching. The supervisor teacher who I was doing my student teaching with, she really let me be hands on and I remember telling some of the other people who was doing student teaching, I was like, well, I led morning message.

I did this. I did like I

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: things that I was doing, she would like really let me take over her classroom. And she was, I don't know if she was doing it because she had been teaching for like 50 years at the time and she was an older woman

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: [00:09:00] Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: but she really let me take, and for me that was great.

And I remember she said, I had a quite a few student teachers. Teachers, but you really like, you got it. And she also gave me confidence to say, Hey, like I have what it takes to be an educator, so shout out to Ms. Bone.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah, I love this. And I, you, you said central State? So this is in Michigan,

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: So Central State University is in Ohio,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Ohio. Oh, okay.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: um, there's two HBCUs that's located in Ohio, which is Central State University and Wilberforce University. So I was able to leave home to go there. So even though it was like a four hour drive, I would go home on the weekends and things like that. Um, but yeah,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah, I love this. And it, it, the experience in college is what really for a lot of people, makes or breaks. They're a, a long time in their trajectory of right. How they feel about their, their learning, how they feel about their career. And so for you to not only have excellent professors and like you said, upperclassmen and [00:10:00] just people supporting you, then also going into student teaching and having someone who taught for so long and it seeing so many student teachers and gave you that confidence is fantastic.

I'm so glad you had that experience. So from there, you graduate and what did you do after that?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: So, yeah, so I actually, I graduate in, in December of 2008 and at Central State at the time, they didn't have any, [00:11:00] um, December commencement. So I go, I moved back to Detroit, so I moved back to Detroit and from December to. Of the December to August, I, um, I worked for like this after school program and because at the time I had just, I was finish in December schools,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah, I was going. Yeah, I was gonna say like graduating December. Now we, we both know on the back end there's, like looking for a job in December. Typically they'll say that if a job is opening in, in, you know, when the school year starts, something went wrong. Right. And so that's really interesting. But I'm sorry, go ahead.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yeah. So I finished in December. I was like, am I gonna get hired in December? Um. And I did not, not in a teaching role, but I was able to work for this afterschool program. So here's what's the thing. So when I moved from Ohio to in Michigan, they had [00:12:00] two completely different, um, teaching certifications. So. Ohio, I was able, I had to take the practice and in Michigan they didn't have to take the practice. So some states require different certifications, so that was kind of a setback for me. So I had to get like a temporary license. So I had to go through all of these different things and I think that I wasn't really prepared.

Um, but that following year, in August where I was teaching at, where I was like the after school program, um, coordinator. I was able to start working there. So it was a charter school, um, in Detroit, and I started teaching first grade there. that was my first year of teaching. I was nervous. Um, people think I look young now, but then I really looked like a baby.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: I remember parents would come in and was like, where's the teacher at? Where's the teacher? And I was like, me, I'm Ms. Turner. But no, but my first year of teaching [00:13:00] it was absolutely amazing. Like that year it was difficult of trying to, um, manage my classroom lesson plan. Um. even though I said like I had the confidence in college, but when I was in this new space of being the teacher and I was in charge, I had to really find my way again because I'm the new teacher.

I'm the young teacher. Um, so sometimes I had to like find my way, but that was my very first, first start of teaching, and then I stayed there for one year. Here comes my sister who had already graduated from Alabama a and m University and in Maryland. Prince George's County came, um, recruiting teachers from Alabama a and m, and she ended up moving to Maryland to teach.

So she calls me and say, Toya, move to Maryland to start teaching with me. I'm like, what? Just moved back home to Detroit. So she's like, you should move down here. Now. My sister, I think I stated already, we are one year and five [00:14:00] days apart, so she like come to Maryland. We both can teach here and

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: And what's your sister's name?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: her name is Tasha.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Okay. Okay, Latasha, go ahead. I'll write that down.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Latasha. So I'm like, I, I just graduated. I just moved from Ohio back to you.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: We saw that coming. Latasha is is on the move. She just trying to help you to go up and out. Listen, listen.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: I moved, I was like, you know what? Okay.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: and I moved to Maryland. Um, she literally had everything signed, like lined up for me. She was like, I know the recruiter. Here's our email address. We're gonna get you a job. She, I went to, so I end up, like prior to me moving, I got everything set up, emails, interview, and it was like, we are placing you at your sister school.

I was like, what?

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Oh wow.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: So I was there for like the first, we was at the same [00:15:00] school for like three weeks and I ended up like having to transfer to another school. But I ended up like teaching at a school in Maryland. I end up staying there for five years. Prince George County Public Schools. That's where I had like my first, like I was there for five years, like I taught in Detroit and it was kind of like fast, but there I was able to. I learned a lot in Maryland. I learned a

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Hmm.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: at, um, prince George's County Public Schools, and I became really, really good at teaching kids how to read. I fell in love with literacy, um, when I was in Maryland teaching for Prince George's County Public Schools. A lot of my students, they were below grade level and my first year there, like most of my students left my classroom reading on or above grade level, and it happened again next year and again

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah. Yeah, yeah. Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Like you had a, like a good class or a good group. It kept happening every single year and that was because of the relationships that I built with students and parents. Um, interactive activities [00:16:00] that I would do and just making reading fun and engage in and including the parents. Like I would invite parents to come to the classroom and they really would come and sit in the classroom. Um. But yeah, that's when I really fell in love with literacy and really like fell in love with teaching after being in one place for so many years.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah. What, what grade was this that you taught or grades in that time

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: So I taught, at the time in Maryland, I taught kindergarten. No, I taught first and second grade, um, while I was in Maryland. And then my sister, um. She moved back, she moved to Cali. She was like, I'm with her fiance. She moved to Cali. So I was like, you know what, I'm going back to Detroit.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: you.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: this funny because we was not supposed to even go this way.

We, her dam is so much, but she really kind of shaped. Older sister my way into like, the field of education. So she ended up moving to California and at that time I was like, I'm, I'm headed back to, um, Detroit. So I moved back to Detroit and taught one year, [00:17:00] um, in Detroit, in southwest Detroit. And that was that experience.

It was a lot of, that was different. It was a lot of ELL students. Um, the parents were so active and so engaging, um, and. I was like, okay, so I, I'm, I, I've taught in Maryland, so in Maryland I was able to teach at two different schools. I had taught in Detroit, so I'm like

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: All over.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yeah, I'm

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: around.

But I also saw like a trend, like even though I was moving from place to place, I also saw a trend. And the trend was that our students do need, um, assistance. They do need help. Literacy was. Literacy scores was really low, um, overall, but there was a lot of parents who really cared about their child's education, um, from my experience and really wanted to be involved in, um, their child's life,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Can you hold that thought? Let me hold, let me hold, [00:18:00] hold that thought. 'cause I'm trying to, I wanna ask you a different, a question. Um, a little back a little bit. And I don't, I don't wanna interject just for a second. Um, and this is going back to your sister actually for just one second. And then I wrote down, wrote this down so I don't forget the trend.

So we know we don't get off track. So, you know, you said, you know, you didn't have a plan for it to be this way, that you were gonna kind of be moving around like this. But I think we talked about, I talk about sometimes we talk about pushout in schools and how black educators feel pushed out, but there also, I talk about this idea and this concept of pullout, which is when our family and community pull us out of an education space, right?

Um, and sometimes it's pull out of education period, like all together in a different career, and sometimes it's from one place to another. So when you talk about your sister saying like, come here, come here, come here. I think that it's really interesting. I mean, you did that, you moved and you made a decision like, no, I'm going back to T Detroit.

I'm done with that. But um, when I think about. The people who are [00:19:00] recruiting or human resources or whatever people's job is to get folks into their schools. I think that a lot of folks forget that people like you have a sister, so that the folks in Detroit, they, even though you said you, you learned a lot and it was like you kept working and you, you know, that one year your sister's influence on you.

Had a lot more, uh, push than the school district. And I think that I just wanted to stop and say that because I need folks to understand who are listening, that this is a perfect example of. We try to recruit people, recruit people, recruit people. But if your sibling or your spouse or your parent or whatever says, no, come here or don't work at that place, or, I used to work there and it was a terrible place, it does impact how we show up in the space.

So I just wanted to say that. Um, and then we can go back to the trend. So

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yes.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: you, you can follow up with that if you wanted to, but I did wanna just stop and say that.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: I like the way you put that too. 'cause I don't think [00:20:00] I've thought of it that way. And as I'm telling this story, I don't think I really told, I haven't even told this story and really said it out loud time a story, her name is keep coming up, which is kind of, I'm like laughing, but I really never even thought of it that way. Um, yeah, so the trans of me moving to Maryland, um, in Detroit. It was like, okay, our, our, our babies really need us. They really need assistance. They really need, we need to, um, hone in on, on literacy. But then also I had really active parents too, and I know that's something that people say like, parents don't care.

Our parents are not active. really had, parents were active, but I was active and them in as well. Um, so after the year of teaching, moving back to Detroit. I stayed there for one year and then I end up moving to Cincinnati, Ohio after the year. Um, I,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: you move?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: so yeah, so I came to, I was in Detroit for that one year, um, and [00:21:00] then I moved to Cincinnati for black love, and I moved to Cincinnati for black love and. I was like, when I moved here, I was like, I cannot believe I have moved again. So after the third time of me moving, and it was like, it was worth it because I feel like, um, like my family is here. I ha I've created a family here, and also I've started something bigger than what I ever even dreamed of here.

And then we'll talk about a little bit later.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: But now wait a minute, you gotta back up. So I'm nodding my head. I'm like, yeah, black love, but for the audience, explain.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: So my partner and I, we met at Central State University. Um. We didn't talk for a while after that. And then over the years of me, um, being in like the end of Maryland and back to Detroit, we reconnected. Um, mind you, we went to college together, so we knew each other for a long time. And then I was like, so [00:22:00] are you moving to Detroit or am I coming to Cincinnati? Um, and I end up, at that time I was like, I done move to Ohio before. I mean I went to Ohio, I done moved to Maryland. I just was on a go. I was like, you know what, I'm coming there.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Your boxes are still still not unpacked.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Exactly. that was in 2017? 2008. 17, 2018. I

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Was it in 2017? 2018. And while I was here, as I spoke about August, um, we now have a, a, a child, um, who is such a cool kid,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Thank you. I, I, I just wanted, I, I just had to clarify the black, I love black love. I have black love myself, but I wanted to make sure people understood like, is that a book? Is that a movie? What is that it? Black Love is what it sound like. So thank you for clarifying. Yeah. I.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: so yeah, that's how I end up in, in Cincinnati. And I'm still here in Cincinnati. I'm Ohio, so moved to [00:23:00] Cincinnati, Ohio. I'm like, okay, let's, let's get it now.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: So you do, you have to, with your license and stuff like this. How is that working? All these moves with your, with your teaching license? How did you negotiate that?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: I was able to use my teaching license, my practice that I originally took when I was at Central State University. When I originally took it for Maryland, I was

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Okay.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: it.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: It's a sister state.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yes. Yes.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Okay.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: term. Yes. Um, so I was able to use that license, um, for Maryland. Honestly, I don't even remember what I, no, I think Maryland also took the practice, um, license at will as well that I did in Michigan.

I mean, that I did in Ohio, but Michigan did not.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Okay.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Maryland accepted it, the practice. And then Ohio also accepted, but Michigan, that's where I had like a, the mix up and some trouble.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Oh, okay.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: So, yeah, so now I'm in Cincinnati. I, I [00:24:00] get a job teaching at, for Cincinnati Public Schools. I started teaching second grade when I, I moved here, started teaching second grade. Um, was at that school, one particular school for one year, and then I transferred to another school and. I stayed in the classroom in Cincinnati for five years. Now. My experience in Cincinnati, um, it kind of was almost the same as like the other, my other teaching experience. It was, um, I, I saw the trend again here, honestly, like I saw that our students really needed assistance.

Honestly, I kind of was thinking like, you know, we really need more black educators because I saw what. I was able, like what kind of influence that I was able to have on kids. I really think that was part of it was because there was lots of things that I was able to relate to with students. Um, [00:25:00] and it, it kind of shaped my, my education career.

So when I was in Cincinnati, so like I said, I stayed here for five years and. Was love and teaching, but that was 2000, like I said, 17 or 18. I, I think 2017, I was like, when I was here, that's when I kind of like started, like my author journey and I started like this business in the classroom. Um, I was like, you know what? I fell in love with literacy when I was in Maryland. I wanna, I wanna write children's books. Um, and started doing that while I was teaching, but also in 2020, um. I was, I got pregnant and that really changed everything for me when I got pregnant, gave birth to my son, um, in 2020, and then the world just kind of came crashing down in 2020.

So I gave birth to my son. I gave birth to my business that same year in 2020. And it was just, it was a lot [00:26:00] happening and going on.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah, I wanna, I wanna talk about, um, you birthing your business. During, while you were working, because this is something, this is something that I love that you told us this story. Um, and I, I said this, I, I have a very similar experience myself. Um, can you tell us about, you know, you said you were doing author visits at lunch breaks.

I, we'd, I'd love for you to share more what the audience, what this could look like. And, and the reason why is because I know that there were probably folks who. Want to write a book or do something along with teaching, not necessarily quit, right? Maybe not, maybe 10 years from now. Maybe ne whatever, but they trying to figure these pieces out of like, when am I gonna find the time?

How do I do the things? And so could you talk a little bit about that particular part of your journey where you were trying to do two things at once and what that felt like, what support you had or didn't have, or wish you had?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yes, so it [00:27:00] was 2020 and I was like, you know what? I'm going to publish a book. also I was pregnant at the time, but. When I decided to publish the book, I just started writing. Like, I didn't think of how the book was gonna get published. I didn't even know how to publish the book. I didn't know who to really call for resources.

I just started writing. And as I started writing, I started figuring things out, um, along the way, and then the world shut down.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Mm-hmm.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: So I had time to actually get those things done, but. By the end of 2020, I gave birth to my son and I had a, a published book. So I was working the whole time doing those things.

But when I went back to the classroom, um, I think we went back to the classroom that following year, was it 2021? Um, and at this point I have a baby and I have, and I have birth to book.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: I knew that I wanted to. [00:28:00] Pump the book up. And the only, I couldn't do it really when I left the classroom and go home.

'cause now I got a baby to take care of.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: this point, I was probably 10 years in the field of education and I kind of, I had it figured out, like I would have my lesson planned. Sometimes I would like forget the lesson plan. I, I know what to do at that point. I have found my rhythm. Um, so on my lunch breaks at this point. would be like drafting up one pagers. I remember, um, had reached out to me like, Hey, can you do an author visit? And I'm like, what time?

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: You.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: I had a lunch break at this time. I have like 30 minutes during this time and I would like instead of me, 'cause sometimes I would have to like not have to, but sometimes I'll like leave the building and not often, like leave the building, go get some coffee, just to kind of step out of the classroom because I started to feel like I was in this box.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Mm-hmm.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: And I feel [00:29:00] like I was in this box. And then also I was at a time where I wanted to be creative, like more creative than being a classroom teacher. So I was like, what time? It was like, well, what time do you have? I was like, I have a 30 minute break. So I would start doing things like that. So doing author, hosting, author visits during my lunch break or if I had like a little bit of extra plan and time and teachers really don't have time to do all this. But I literally made it a point to do all of this. And then I will say this to the principal, um, Dr. Mack, she was very supportive. I was like, can I host the author, visit and have the whole school involved? And she was like, yes, we can do that. And she like purchased my books for

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Mm.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: interview for the news.

Like I have reached out to the news for an interview just about like my author journey and I was like, can they come to the school and not go library and have an interview with the news? And she allowed me to do that.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: to really do with, [00:30:00] like the school itself. This had everything to do with my business.

So my, the principal, she was very supportive of what I was doing. And it all tied back to literacy and it all tied back to. Community and family engagement because when I had this author visit, I was like, the parents can come too. So it, it, it worked. But for any educators who think that you can't do, teach and do something else, I feel like education is the, is the perfect career to do something else.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yes.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: you don't have. You could choose to have long work hours, but you really don't have long work hours unless you choose to stay at the school until six or 7:00 PM at night. Um, you have the summers off, you have breaks, so use your time wisely and whatever it is that you wanna do, get it done.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah. Thank you for sharing that. I, I know that there's some folks, lots of folks who come on the podcast who started businesses and done different things, and I just wanted to emphasize to folks that people [00:31:00] aren't quitting their jobs and then writing the book or quitting their job and then doing, starting the business or building the website.

A lot of folks are, like you said, like 30 minutes at a time. 30 more minutes. 30 more minutes. And you know, everyone doesn't have the support of an administrator or a family, but we know that if something is important to us, then we'll just carve out that 10 minutes a day or that whatever we can carve out until the thing is done.

Right. So, like you said, we get to choose how many hours we we spend on things. We just got finished. This is January when we're recording. And we just had two weeks of break. And so hopefully there are educators out there, there are folks maybe in nonprofit sector who spent that two weeks building their dream or continuing building their dream along with rest of course.

And I hope, but I, I appreciate you, um, answering that question because I really think it's really important that people understand that two things can be done at once with some balance and some [00:32:00] like, some, some support if you can get it. Um, so thank you. I appreciate that.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: You are welcome.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: So sounds like your school was supportive.

Sounds like everything was going well, but you're not in the classroom now. So what happened? What was that transition?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yeah. So, you know, I told you like I felt like I was in this box

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Mm-hmm.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: I am in this entrepreneur, entrepreneur space. Um, I'm in this space. I wanna be creative. I'm a new mom. I'm tired. Um, 2020 is happening. The students come back. We can't go to the gym, kids can't eat in the cafeteria. I just felt like I gotta get up outta here.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: and like was betting on myself, so I originally was like, you know what, I'm gonna leave. The the class, I'm gonna leave being a classroom teacher and I'm gonna just focus on my business. And I didn't even have a plan for real, [00:33:00] but I really saw the, I, I saw something big for me. Like I saw the light at the end of the tunnel and I didn't really know what it was like.

I just wanted to be an author. Really Saw that was it. Um. But before I left the, like just up and left the classroom without the plan on the news, it was a program that came on the news like black male educators, new tutoring program coming to Cincinnati. Um, me and between the ages of 18 and 24 years old are gonna be placed in preschool classrooms throughout Cincinnati to, um, help to develop the a teacher pipeline and to implement literacy resources. I was like, oh, that is so cool. That's so dope. Like, I wanna do that. I wanna like, I wanna coach the, the young men. I had a coworker who worked at, um, the first school that I worked at in Cincinnati, and she was like, she text me like, Hey Toy, did you hear about this program? I was like, actually I did.

And she was like, [00:34:00] hiring for a, um, a literacy coach and I have an interview and they looking for someone else. I was like, she was like, would you? And I was teaching. She was like, would you leave the classroom? I was like, yes.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Hmm.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: and you gotta think like at that point, I'm 13 years in the classroom, so

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: yes.

Like that, that's, that's, that's scary for a lot of, I mean, it's scary for me too,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: But you had already decided, like you already felt in your spirit it was time to go. So really before the phone, you kind of manifested the phone call, right? Because you like it's time, it's time. You didn't know how, but you just felt like you had accepted that in your spirit. So that's interesting. Go ahead.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yeah. So I was like, yeah, like, yes, I'll, I'll leave. I, I saw this program on the news, so she was like, okay, I'll, like, I'll give your, um, send me your resume. I'll pass it on. And I had the interview and I got the job, so I accepted the job. It was [00:35:00] like May of, I forgot the year. Probably May 22, 22, May, 2022. When I left the classroom, I knew I wasn't coming back

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Hmm.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: had got the job and I didn't even tell anybody. Like I knew that I wasn't coming back to the classroom. So I had, I was like packing up and in my classroom it looked really empty 'cause I started like taking stuff out the, out the classroom, like put into my car, like things that I wouldn't normally take. So.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Staplers pencil sharpener, light fix.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Like take slowly taking like things that I probably normally would not have taken,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: I was just coming back. So I'm like slowly taking stuff, but I knew that I wasn't coming back You know, the summer had passed and actually for this position we had started like in July, just like training. This is a new program in Cincinnati. Um, it was originally in, um, DC leading me in Fellowship. That was the name of the program, um, leading me in Fellowship and. We started in July and I was like this, like [00:36:00] this would be amazing. So now I'm about to go from teaching kindergarten, first, second grade students to coaching young black men between the ages of 18 and 24.

They did not have a, um, they did not have a degree. They had an interest in. Some didn't even have an interest. They was just curious. They, but they had an interest in teaching kids and the goal was for them to commit to one year as a preschool tutor. And then after that year, the goal is for them to go off into the field of education to

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Um.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: teachers.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Mm-hmm.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: I had the ability to coach them, um, to coach them for from 2022 until this 2025. When we were, um, the program ended 'cause you, I guess you can't say black male educators now, so we were laid off. But for the past three years, um, I was able to coach a total of 90 black men between the [00:37:00] ages of 18 and 24 years old who are placed

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Wow.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: preschool classrooms.

And out of the 90 men, more than half are enrolled in college right now to become

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Oh wow. Oh wow. That's awesome.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: So it that for me, if it wasn't, I was able to go from school to school. They were placed throughout Cincinnati. So I was able, and we had, I had a caseload, I was able to go to school to school and observe them, implement, help them to implement literacy strategies, coach them on everything, literacy.

And what was amazing about that is not only was that beneficial for them to learn to teach students. Some of them were fathers, not a lot, but just the thought of when they become fathers, they know how to teach their kids letter sounds and how to write their names and how to, so that, that was really powerful me, that transition.

In the midst of that, I was still doing my business that I had started in the classroom, which is being an author, um, which turned [00:38:00] into being a filmmaker and a, a nonprofit leader.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Now hold on. Now. Wait a minute. Now you going to hit, hit us with the, and I'm a filmmaker and I hope now just pause for one second because I, that definitely, I wanna talk a lot about that, but I can, I just wanna say something that really needs to be some timing to be spent on. You said like some of them were fathers and some of them weren't, but you knew that if they became fathers they would be able to teach this to their children.

And the Im when you said that, I just got chills because the impact on community. 90 black men understanding literacy at the very beginning. The letter sounds that, that the, um, gross motor skills, right, the fine motor skills to be able to hold a pencil and to be able to teach it to their nieces and nephews, children, grandchildren, like the ability to put in a community, these seeds of literacy.

Amazing. And I [00:39:00] know your program ended, and this is something I feel like the Center for, uh, black or Center for edu Black Educator Development out of Philadelphia, Sharif.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: yes, I'm familiar with them.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: I need Sharif. I need, if Sharif, if you could hear this, anybody listening to Sharif knows Sharif, tag him on this because he needs to fund this program and bring it back because 90 seeds were put out into community that's gonna have so much fruit in the community when it comes to literacy and advocacy, right?

The number of children that will know. Be able to do these things that may have experienced challenges if they didn't learn it from a nephew an a uncle. Like I said, like I, I think it's an amazing program and it's really unfortunate that. This administration has caused the end of something so beautiful.

And of course that's on purpose, right? Of course that right. But we need to figure out how to get that funded again. So I just wanted to pause and say that that is some dynamic work and I really appreciate and applaud [00:40:00] you for that. And it is a, is the, the program in DC that started it is also closed, or just the one in Ohio?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: It is completely changed. It's not, it's not only for, excuse me, it is not only for black men. It is open to anybody. So it's a, it's a tutoring program.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah. So completely rinse down from what it was at one time. I hate to hear that.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yeah, was like, I didn't sign up for this. I signed up to coach black

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: in the ages of 18 and 24 years old. So the program has definitely changed. Um, but yeah, it's, it's, there's 90 men in Cincinnati, young men have those skills and who are now in college.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: become teachers. So we definitely created a pipeline and it was four of us who started it, the branch in Cincinnati, um, started the program in the branch in [00:41:00] Cincinnati.

And we did dynamic work for those three years of getting funding. Um. And really just being who we are in like there were six different regions, so it was in Atlanta, it was in Baltimore. But we were really successful in Cincinnati because we were in the community anyway with our own entrepreneur ship journeys and was able to have all of these connections, um, in the community.

So. That, that work, I'm definitely, um, proud of

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: we call 'em fellows and I see the fellows often, they follow me on social media and it's just amazing to know that I've had an impact all of these black young men who will become teachers of the pipeline we created.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: You know what's interesting? It's also like a very full circle moment. 'cause you yourself, were part of a pipe pipeline program,

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yes.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: And so to say like you, you were slave was planning you. Yeah, you wanna skip school, but in the end, end of the [00:42:00] day, you had this like beautiful career in half still. And we'll talk about what you're doing now.

This beautiful career that started with someone creating a pipeline program and then you being able to do the same thing in your community is to be a part of a, A program so many years later is so beautiful and such a beautiful full circle moment. Now I'm gonna go outta order. I'm not gonna forget this time to ask about what you believe that districts could do to keep black educators, but I do, since you started into talking about this, I do want you to tell us like, what are you doing now?

We love to hear all that information.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yeah. So as I stated, um, in 2020 when I was a classroom teacher, I became an author, um, of a children's book titled Brown. He Has White Sand, and I was able to bring that book to life at the school with the students. So I started like, oh, hosting these events at the school and, you know. Inviting parents to come out.

So I was like, this is more than a book. This is like [00:43:00] community driven work. So by 2021, I had published another children's book titled Brown Hands, black Schools, HBCUs to Educate Kids about HBCUs. 'cause I often would tell my own personal story about my experience at Central State University. Um, I didn't learn about HBCUs until high school. But I would talk about that and then all the students would say like, what's an HBCU? What's an HBCU? So that's kind of what birthed Brown Hands, black Schools, HBCUs. Now that particular book, it just like, it started like taking off like tons of people were buying it. like hustling, like I'm promoting, I'm reaching out to people.

I'm on social media every day promoting, promoting, promoting. But I wasn't just promoting like the book, like, Hey, buy this book. It was a, it was a movement that I was creating.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Hmm.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: had one to donate, um, t-shirts for all of the students and in my class. So we all wearing like central state shirts, HBCU shirts and. [00:44:00] It created something more than just a book. So the work that I'm doing now, it's, it's called, it's a nonprofit organization. So I started a nonprofit called Brown Hands Literacy, and our mission is to educate kids about HBCUs at a early age, through books, through fems, and through events. Now. In 2023, I was able to get the book turned into an animated short film, a animated film with live action, um, educating kids about HBCUs and importa of literacy. So overall, the work that I'm doing now is one, educating kids about HBCUs through hosting events. Um, I partner with HBCUs and their College of Education department because I think it's important for aspiring educators who are at not only HBCUs, but particularly HBCUs. Um. see someone who looked like me, see someone who was an education major as well, who

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: ears in a classroom.

And I think that's important too because none of this [00:45:00] would have happened if I wasn't a classroom teacher. All of this was birthed through me being a classroom teacher, so some education consultant and working with school districts on culturally relevant, um, materials. So I'm full-time brown hands literacy when I got laid off in June of this year. I never look for another job. So yeah, I was just like, this is when I have to work. So a little bit of education consultant, um, author visits, and I just kind of been finding my way of just doing different things. Under the umbrella of Brown Hands Literacy, we hosted events. Um, HBCU Sendoff have taken students to HBCU HBCUs to expose them. Um. through the work that I have done, like 2023 Brown Hands Literacy was accepted, um, to be an exhibitor at the White House Initiative at H-V-C-U-E conference. Like we were the only nonprofit there. It was like the US department of this, this, this, and then it was Brown Hands Literacy. [00:46:00] Um. year, well, not last year, 2020.

Ooh, 2026, 2024. Um, the film got accepted into the Essence Film Festival. Uh, last year I was inducted into Central State University Alumni Achievement Hall of Fame for all the things that I do to give back. So it's not just like I have created this, like a business to sell things like I've created like Hope, and

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: created. A movement. I've created a space where literacy is fun and educating kids about college and career readiness at a early age. So Brown Hands Literacy is definitely my, um, full-time business. And it was all birthed the classroom. Like my students pushed this, like they, they're the ones who helped me to start Brown Hands Literacy.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: I love that. I love it. And I love that when you chose, chose to leave the classroom, that you continue to do that work, right? Um, [00:47:00] of talking about your book, like the teacher, everything, all the movement and all the action. It wasn't a, well, I have a job now. It's really cool. I'm gonna focus on that. It was a, a little bit of both, right?

I'm just gonna shout out Detroit and it's, and it's, uh, hustle culture for that.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: let's do that.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah. Because Detroit hustle culture is not for games. Folks, listen, I say this all the time in Detroit. Folks when I was growing up, and this may not be for every single state, but we, you know, Tencent pop bottles and you can go and get 10 of those and get some chips and get this and this and this.

And so the idea of like allowance, like allowance, go find some pop bottles and go whatever. And so like this ability to figure things out to, to barter, to trade, to come up with a second or third or fourth income. Um. I always wanna, I always wanna give shout outs to Detroit for that because maybe that's not everybody's experience, but I feel like, um, a lot of us who are from Detroit, we, it's served us well over the years.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: It served us [00:48:00] well and then even by me like seeing, like I moved, I was in Michigan, then I moved to, I was at Central State, which is in Wilberforce, Ohio. Then. To Maryland then now I'm in Cincinnati.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: It has followed me and just doesn't go away. And I have learned that when I say like my parents and I made a post about my father rest in peace yesterday, but I, I get the hustle and I had said like, I get this Detroit hustle from him.

And he was a hustler in different ways in Detroit,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Mm-hmm.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: I'm a hustler in ways that I wanna give back. I want to, that keeps the drive going. Like, and this is no shade to anybody, but like I worked with people on several projects and I was like, like I'm already onto like the next project. Like I

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: You not moving fast enough for me?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: pace

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yes. Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: a extra fast pace. And I don't know if that's good. Maybe it is, maybe it's not sometimes, but. It's like, okay, let's get this done, let's get this [00:49:00] done. And that's kind of like a Detroit mentality. We, we are definitely, um, our hustlers.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah. Oh, a thousand percent. Shout out. Um, okay, so then my next question, I mean, you talked about being, feeling like you're being boxed in and it was time for you to break out and be more creative, but also having the support of your, um, principal and administrators when it came to your work. Thinking about your time in education, the black educators that you've worked with, folks, whether you had educators to support you as mentors or not.

What do you feel like schools and districts and unions could do to retain black educators?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yeah, so I think the recruitment, I'm not gonna say it's, it's easy now because I think it's, it's really even hard to recruit now because I feel like there are so many, um. Stories on social media. You gotta think. Social media is where everyone is at. It is 2026. They're on social media and there's a lot of, um, burnt out teachers and they're he and aspiring [00:50:00] educators who want to become educators. They're hearing these stories of how difficult it is and it is you, it is. Education is a calling, but they're hearing constantly hearing. of these stories of difficult education is. So I think in order to retain teachers, one, it, it could take someone like or someone who has been in the field of education to share their experience. Um, if I was to go in, it is. Teachers who's been in the game for the teaching field for three years, and I go in and say like, Hey, I was in a classroom for 13 years and after 13 years I was able to pivot. But that was a game changer for me because in 13 years I was able to learn all of these things in the classroom. having educators who's either out the classrooms or just. OG educators to speak to younger, the younger [00:51:00] generation of educators caters to tell them like their positive experience. Also to retain teachers. I mean, you, you have to pay teachers. Um, you have to give them the space to be creative. Uh, when we think of educators, we know our job. We know our job, we know what we need to do with our students, and a lot of times teachers are not given creativity in the classroom to do all the fun stuff that they wanna do to implement lessons the way they want to. They don't get the freedom to do things like that. Also. I don't even have, honestly, I don't even have all of the answers of what, because I've, I've thought of different things, but the rate that is going now and how fast technology is moving, ai, you, you gotta really stay [00:52:00] up on like technology.

You gotta stay up on AI or just reading something This morning it was like, okay, Ohio, we have adapted this AI technology system. If you don't know how to do that. Teachers are gonna feel lost. So honestly, I'm trying to think of an answer and I really, I really don't know. It's kind of scary times for the field of education, but I'm, um, positive that. That it would go in the right direction and we definitely, for sure, for sure need more black, um, black educators in the field. What is it going to take, maybe telling stories like this to say, Hey, I was a teacher, I was in the field of education for 13 years and out of, even though I had to pivot, look what the, look what I have done for me in the long term.

In the long run.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah. Yeah. I appreciate your honesty with that, and it is becoming more and more challenging to answer that question, I feel, especially like you said, with technology, with social media, with ai, with the Department of Education being torn down literally day after day. Um, and students [00:53:00] still need to be taught, and students should still be taught by folks who look like them and understand their lived experience and wanna support them.

Uh, but I always wanna ask the question because you just never know what people's ideas are. So I appreciate you saying that. Uh, our next question is one of my favorites, which is, is there, I mean, we already talked about Latasha. Latasha's already out here doing great. Right. We already talked about Latasha out here doing great things.

All right. But is there a black educator or educators that you would like to shout out on the podcast?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yes. Um, Ms. Booth, Ms. Anita Booth, when I was in Maryland, um, she was the literacy. Maybe literacy coach. Literacy. Literacy, something I can't re, I don't remember her title, but she would, she would come into the building two or three times a week maybe. She just had a contract with the, the district. But she would come in and she would support teachers on literacy, um, initiatives.

She would come [00:54:00] in the classroom support teachers, not only the teachers. She would like. Poor groups in my classroom and work directly with students. But I think I stated that that's Marilyn was, is when I fell in love with literacy and it was because of her, like I, she was so passionate about helping. You gotta think. I was, that was probably like my third year of teaching, second or third year. And I remember her just coming in and being so hands on and. Really teaching me some skills that, um, that I probably didn't learn in student teacher or in college, like teaching me like genuine things that she's learned from her teaching experience over 20 years. And I learned a lot from her. So, Anita Booth, she's in Maryland. Um, shout out to her,

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: You. Thank you. And those, those folks who come in from, like you said, they could be consultants, they could be at the district level and just kind of visit multiple schools. I feel like so many people shout that particular group out, instructional coaches because, um, their, their patience, their [00:55:00] willingness to support their, um, all the strategies that they learned.

I also had. Someone in that same space who just opened my eyes to so many skills that just as a second, third year teacher, I had no idea. So yeah, shout out to her, uh, Anita Booth. Um, so my last question is, you are now working for yourself. You're like, there's no turning back. I'm doing what I want to do, what I love to do.

My son has a book, I have books. I'm a filmmaker. I'm doing all these things, and in the midst of that. There's always this conversation like, what does it mean to be well? And so I'll ask that question to you. For you, with all that's happening in your business and all this excitement, and you still, you, you still have a young child.

What does it, yeah. What does it mean for you to be well.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: So for and just even in general, I told myself that like, I have to say no more. I [00:56:00] have to say no for things that I really don't wanna do. And sometimes I like, yeah, I, I can, I can do that. I intentionally have to say no to things that does not serve me well. Um, also being well, looks like rest. Yes. I said I have like this hustle mentality and I'm like going, going, going, but that also means that I have to rest. And I told y'all I turned 40 this year. Well last year. I just feel like, you know how I'm feeling really grown. I'm feeling really grown. I'm feeling very grown. So, you know, like I've been, like, lately I've been like journaling. Um, when it's warm outside, I go for walks and when I need a break, I, I state that like, hey, I, I need a break.

And really just. I know my plans for this year is to go on more vacations, not to a conference, not to a work event, out of town with like, intentionally to go on [00:57:00] a, um, relaxing vacation. So being well for me now looks like saying no when I don't wanna do something, not thinking that I can do everything, not hustling to the point where I'm wearing myself out. Um, and really just resting and taking breaks. And as I stated, like I do have a 5-year-old son who's. Busy as ever. Um, and for me being a mother, besides the other things, that also looks like even like taking a break from motherhood, because that could be exhausting as well. When I say take a break, not leaving, like, but

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: You gotta, you gotta say that to people.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: you gotta go over grandma house for, for today, or something like that.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: um, yeah, that's what, that's what being well for me looks like now.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah, I appreciate that and I appreciate you naming like a break from motherhood too. I think you're the first person who's talked about that on the show of like, it's okay to send to grandmas or whatever, you know, or leave the house and be somewhere else away from, [00:58:00] um, your tho that particular type of responsibility.

So I really appreciate that this has been. A fantastic episode. I've really, really enjoyed it. Uh, this folks, um, Latoya is out here doing great things. Latoya tell us, how can people find you, schools, organizations, individuals can, what, where can they find you if they want to reach out and get some support from you?

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Yeah, so they can reach out at, um, brown Hands literacy@gmail.com on social media. Um, our handles are Brown Hands Literacy, and then our website is Brown Hands literacy.org.

dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_2_01-07-2026_102817: Yeah, and she'll also, her information will also be on the show notes for this particular episode. Thank you so much for coming on the show. Uh, I really appreciate you spending some time with us and folks. Make sure that you're taking care of yourself. If you are not from Detroit, I feel bad for you because it's a, it's a whole vibe.

Um, and make [00:59:00] sure that you take a look at our show notes. Take a look at Brown Hands Literacy on Instagram, on your socials, and we'll talk to you later. All right, peace.

latoya-turner-_2_01-07-2026_122817: Thanks.