Videos

In this eye-opening episode of The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, we tackle the deeply troubling and often overlooked practice of soft expulsion in early childhood education. From repeated calls to parents to pick up their child early, to outright suspensions and expulsions of toddl…

When Work Stress Follows You Home | Black Educator Wellness, Emotional Burnout & Family Impact What happens when the version of you that walks through the front door is unrecognizable—even to your own family? In this powerful and emotional clip from The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educator…

What does it mean to try to do liberatory work inside a system designed to break you? In this searing clip from The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, Jamilah Pitts invokes the words of Toni Morrison and Audre Lorde to name the spiritual and emotional cost of working in toxic educationa…

What was the situation that caused you to leave #education ? That's the question I ask during every #interview . This was the first time that I heard a guest describe school as violent and I can't agree more. It may sound extreme, no one is physically getting harmed, but what about the emotional…

Imagine how differently you would think about teaching if you had completed internships abroad. The way that we function as educators in the United States would be shaped so much differently if we were required to teach in India, Spain, South African, anywhere outside of the country. #education #…

Schools and districts expect miracles when they hire consultants to undo years of harm and toxic culture but how is that even possible. This is the conversation that we have to have especially as consultants. Are we able to fully undo years of harm independently, especially when so many people mo…

What happens when the harm doesn’t come from the system—but from another Black woman in leadership? In this bold and necessary clip from The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, host Dr. Asia Lyons reflects on the painful, often hidden truth: not all skinfolk are kinfolk. There’s an unsp…

How does becoming a global citizen change the way you teach? Jamilah Pitts shares how her experiences traveling to Beijing, the Middle East, and Cape Town while studying at Spelman College transformed her vision of education forever. Jamilah reflects on how Spelman cultivated not just her leaders…

What if we valued being heart smart just as much as being book smart? 🖤 In this moving clip from The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, Jamilah Pitts shares why cultivating empathy in the classroom matters more than test scores—and why true education must start with the heart. Jamilah …

What does it cost a Black educator to stay in a system that refuses to heal? In this episode of The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, Dr. Asia Lyons is joined by Jamilah Pitts—writer, educator, wellness leader, and global traveler—to share her unfiltered story of love, harm, resistance…

What happens when an educator's deep love for liberation collides with the realities of traditional schooling? In this episode of The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, Dr. Asia Lyons sits down with Jamilah Pittseducator, author, yoga teacher, and founder of She Imprintsto explore her …

What does it actually look like to live a life rooted in authentic wellness and liberation as a Black educator and leader? In this episode of The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, Dr. Mary Hemphill—leadership expert, author, and visionary—breaks down what it means to be well from a pla…

What does it really mean to be well as a Black educator or professional in today's world? In this powerful clip from The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, we dive deep into the true meaning of wellness—not as a trend, but as a form of liberation. Wellness isn’t just bubble baths and br…

In this clip from The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, we unpack the complex and often disappointing experiences many of us have had transitioning from K-12 education into the nonprofit sector. What happens when a nonprofit promises liberation, wellness, and equity—but delivers more …

In this powerful clip from The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, therapist and educator Josephine Ampaw-Greene shares a transformative reflection on wellness, self-worth, and accountability. She reminds us that being well is not about perfection—it's about understanding that our value …

Josephine Ampaw-Greene, LCSW, MFTC, MA, delves into the journey from survival to thriving for Black educators and their families. Drawing from her expertise in trauma-informed care and identity-based therapy, Josephine emphasizes the importance of community care practices—such as rest as resistance…

In this clip, Josephine Ampaw-Greene shares a powerful, accessible tool for managing stress and nervous system dysregulation — especially during high-stakes moments in schools. As a former school social worker, Josephine reveals how keeping a bottle of ice water nearby helped her stay grounded: hol…

In this deeply honest and reflective clip, Josephine Ampaw-Greene shares a moment every educator can relate to — the day none of her students turned in their homework. Frustrated and burned out, Josephine was met with compassion and wisdom from a mentor, Dan Hoffman, who helped her pause, reflect, …

What do we do when we put on the oxygen mask and the plane still going down? That's the question that we need to continually be asking ourselves. It may be time to eject our seat out of the plane do something else as a career or whatever situation we find outselves in that isn't giving us joy. #…

When will we give herself permission to rest? How do we take our time and not jump from on degree to another, one job to another, one way to prove ourselves to another. What are we rushing for? Who are we rushing for? #wellnessjourney #healing #slow Check out the podcast's website: https://ww…

"If we’re not talking about the racism happening at work, we wouldn’t have anything to talk about." In my doctoral research, I heard this from two different families—one couple, one mother-daughter. Both were supporting Black educators facing racism in their workplaces. Their entire relationships …

In this powerful episode of The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, Dr. Asia Lyons sits down with Josephine Ampaw-Greene —a licensed family therapist and former educator—to explore what it truly means to sustain wellness while navigating the demands of education and racial battle fatigue…

The impact of racism-related stress on educators and their families The role of community and family in educator wellness Practical regulation tools for teachers, like the ice cube trick How Josephine builds a teachi…

This Teacher Appreciation Week, let’s go beyond “heroes without capes.” In this powerful video, we ask: What if we honored teachers not with clichés, but with healing, wellness, and truth? Join us as we reflect on the real human experience of educators—those who face burnout, racial trauma, and sys…