When Equity Work Become a Cage with Dr. Danica Moore
Danica Moore, Ed.D. knew she was meant to teach before she even had a lesson plan, from sharpening skills with second graders at 10 years old to taking over her Sunday school class on a dare. With nearly 20 years in education, she's worn every hat: special ed teacher, ESL specialist, reading and math coach, equity facilitator, district office leader, and now founder of Fortified Educational Practices and Program Director for the National Freedom Schools Partnership.
But this episode isn't just a career highlight reel. It's an honest look at what happens when the work you love starts to cost you when equity work becomes a cage. Dr. Danica opens up about the emotional toll of being one of the only people of color in predominantly white spaces, navigating colleagues who never hid their resistance to the work, waking up in tears every day during her first year at the district office, and learning how to reconnect with herself after years of pouring out.
She and I explore what radical resilience actually looks like: not grinding through the pain, but learning to be still, redefining rest, and returning to yourself after the work has tried to reshape you.
Episode Summary: "When Equity Work Becomes A Cage" with Dr. Danica Moore
The Exit Interview Podcast | Episode 91 | Host: Dr. Asia Lyons
Guest Introduction
Dr. Danica Moore is an educator, consultant, and program director with nearly 20 years in education. She is the founder of Fortified Educational Practices, a consulting company that uses educational methods to support racial equity leaders across sectors — including city government, hospitals, mental health organizations, and education systems. She also serves as a Program Director for the National Freedom Schools Partnership, supporting Freedom Schools tied to the Mississippi Freedom Summer movement of 1964 in the Davidson County, Tennessee area.
Before consulting, Dr. Moore worked as a Title I reading and math specialist, an English language learning and multilingual instructor, a district-level equity facilitator, and a pilot equity facilitator. She holds a doctoral degree and describes herself first as a daughter, godmother, auntie, lover of children, shoe enthusiast (Air Max specifically), language lover, and passionate traveler — particularly to the African continent.
Journey Into Education
Dr. Moore traces her calling to education all the way back to second grade, when she first said she wanted to be a teacher "because I loved babies." She also wanted to be a nurse and an astronaut — and famously told her reading teacher that she planned to be "a teacher in space, educating nurses, because they're gonna need nurses in space."
Her earliest real teaching experience came at age 10, when her elementary school in western Kansas selected high-scoring fourth graders to assist in math summer school for first and second graders. Dr. Moore was assigned to teach children how to count change — and at the end of the program, she received a mug filled with what she thought were chocolate bars but turned out to have dollar bills rolled inside them. "I tell people all the time, my retirement benefits should have started back then."
The following year, a Sunday school teacher challenged her disruptive class by saying, "If you think you can teach this better than me, please do." Dr. Moore stepped up — and did. The church then handed her the Sunday school class permanently. She was 10 or 11 years old, prepping her own lessons, designing activities, and teaching her younger brother and cousins.
College & The Pivot to Equity
Dr. Moore applied to one college — Missouri State (Mississippi State) — putting all her eggs in one basket, which made her parents nervous. During her freshman summer orientation, a professor named Dr. Cindy Lou King tracked her down across the entire campus and eventually found her hotel room, running out of breath, to recruit her into the PRIME / Multicultural Scholars Program (MSP) — a program specifically designed to support and fund students of color pursuing education degrees.
Dr. King's pursuit of Dr. Moore — hunting her down because the district had blocked contact during high school — became a defining moment. "She sealed the deal for me. That's the kind of teacher I wanted to be."
Dr. Moore earned her degree through a five-year program that combined teacher certification with half a master's degree, then completed the second half of her master's while teaching. Her master's thesis examined whether the race of a child influences a teacher's expectations of that child — a topic her original advisor dismissed as "not a thing." She eventually got a new advisor, conducted her research at a charter school, and found significant patterns — research that later validated the very equity work she would spend the next decade doing.
Early Teaching Career
After graduation, Dr. Moore stumbled into her first teaching job almost accidentally: she went to meet with a principal expecting a casual conversation, showed up in an oversized hoodie and basketball shorts, sat through a full interview she didn't know was happening, and got offered the job on the spot. She was then escorted to the classroom and spent the rest of the day helping set up — still in her loungewear.
She began as a special education teacher but quickly recognized it wasn't her calling. She found the breadth of diagnoses and behaviors overwhelming and felt she wasn't serving the children at her best. She pivoted to become a Title I reading and math specialist with an ESL certification, working with second through sixth graders — including multilingual learners who spoke zero English — and found her groove entirely.
She stayed at that elementary school for six years, calling her final year there "my best year of teaching." During this time she also joined a Multicultural Resource Team (MRT) through the teachers' union — a cohort of teachers of color from across the state who advocated at the capitol. It was one of her first windows into how scarce Black and Brown educators truly were in her state.
Moving to the District Office
The transition to district-level equity work was sparked by attending a mandatory Beyond Diversity workshop (developed by Glenn Singleton and Pacific Educational Group). Dr. Moore was one of two volunteers from her school to attend the two-day event. The experience was transformative: "I'd never talked about race like this before... I thought getting my social education was it. It was this."
She helped launch the pilot equity program in her building alongside a colleague, Dr. Jessica. When the district created a formal position — Equity Facilitator — both her colleague and her principal independently told her she had to apply. Both women essentially pushed her out of the classroom and into a larger arena.
She was offered the job after the most intense interview of her life, which included a 15-minute task she didn't know was coming, a call to her mother from the lobby, and no paper to write on. She got the position.
The District Office: Isolation, Armor & Survival
The first years at the district office were deeply painful. Dr. Moore woke up in tears daily. On Fridays, she would drive to the park near her old school, sit in her car, and stare at the building. "I wish I could go in the school."
She described entering a building full of strangers — principals, staff, and colleagues she didn't know — as someone who identifies as an introverted extrovert: she can network and pop up places, but she needs one familiar person to walk in with. She had no one.
She developed an invisible armor — monitoring her phone so no one thought she was taking notes about them, regulating her voice so excitement wasn't read as aggression, tone-policing herself constantly. She was acutely aware that as the first person to ever hold this role in the district, and one of only 2–3% of staff of color, any misstep would reflect on every Black woman in the building. "I wasn't just protecting me. I felt I had to protect every single Black female teacher who believed in this work."
Her anchor: a Native American student services coordinator who sat beside her at every district leadership meeting — the only other person in the room with an administrative license. They had each other's backs without words.
She also launched the Staff of Color affinity group — partially out of strategy, partially out of pure self-preservation. She needed her people.
The Nephew
One of the most devastating moments of Dr. Moore's tenure came when her young nephew, who had moved to the same city and enrolled in her district, was called out of Boys Club one afternoon visibly crushed. She asked what was wrong. He started sobbing.
He had gotten in trouble at school after his foot accidentally hit a glass door that the principal believed he had kicked. But when Dr. Moore tried to understand why he was so distressed — it was an accident, it could be addressed — he said:
"Auntie, I know the job you do. And if I'm bad, teachers aren't going to listen to you."
He was five years old. He was carrying the weight of her work. He had been absorbing the significance of her role and feeling personally responsible for protecting her credibility. Dr. Moore later connected this moment to the larger reality: "That never left me."
The Unraveling of Leadership
When the superintendent who championed the equity work retired, everything began to shift. A series of leadership transitions followed. The first woman of color to serve as interim superintendent was promising, but tensions existed. A full-time Black male superintendent brought a honeymoon period — and then quickly began dismantling the work.
In a pivotal meeting, when Dr. Moore's affiliate team pushed back on the superintendent's plan to install a new director above them without any input, he said flatly:
"There is no work that Danika has done in this district that would allow me to give her favoritism to just hand her this role."
He said it twice. Dr. Moore grabbed her notebook and wrote it down in blue ink. She still has the notebook. "You told me where you stood. That's all I need to know."
From that point, her duties were systematically stripped: no more principal coaching, no more district-level workshops, she was required to be escorted through school buildings to observe classrooms. Her last year felt like imprisonment.
The Paddle — A Breaking Point
In one of the most shocking moments of the episode, Dr. Moore describes being called into the office of the new director — a Black woman brought in over her — under the pretense of support after a racist attack against Dr. Moore on a public Facebook page. Instead, the director pulled out a wooden paddle with the N-word written across the top, set it on the desk in front of Dr. Moore, and told her she needed "thicker skin" because she was Black.
The director explained the paddle was given to her by students when she was the first-ever Black female principal in the district — a hate object she had kept as a reminder of her place. She then launched into a "post-civil rights" argument about resilience, weaponized Dr. Moore's nephew by asking what school he attended, and implied she planned to "cross paths" with him.
Dr. Moore's response: "If I even hear about you in his school asking about him, you'll have to deal with me — and you don't want me to tell the rest of my family."
That was the day she knew it was over.
The Exit & the Investigation
Dr. Moore filed a 67-page formal complaint to the union, with HR, and with an investigator — including text messages, emails, and detailed documentation of every incident. After months of process, the final hearing concluded with the investigator having never fully read her submission. The ruling found no fault.
But in the final moments of that hearing, the investigator paused, broke from procedure, and said:
"I've seen the work you've done for years — and this might be the most heartbreaking resignation I've ever experienced. What you do isn't just a job. It's a calling."
Dr. Moore: "The best words of my life."
She quietly resigned, returned her equipment at the end of July, and told her staff of color team in her final summer work session. Her email was cut off the next day. She never got to say goodbye to the rest of the district. Two years later, teachers still find her on LinkedIn and ask if she can come into their classrooms.
What Wellness Looks Like Now
Dr. Moore reframes the concept of resilience entirely. The dictionary definition — something stretched that snaps back to its original form — was designed for objects, not people. She coined the term "radical resilience": the recognition that after being stretched, you don't return to who you were. You shift and grow into who you need to become.
Wellness, for her, means:
- Full autonomy over her time and how it is used
- Allowing herself to grieve broadly — not just physical death, but loss of roles, relationships, and opportunities
- Understanding what her body actually needs to rest — not just sleep, but stillness
- Her original medicine: using her hands — writing, baking, tending to things — rooted in her maternal grandmother, who baked, worked in a flower shop, and had a column in the local newspaper
Her image of being well: sitting on the second step from the bottom of her staircase, legs stretched across the first step, a book on the third, her dog on the fourth. Sometimes music playing. Sometimes singing to herself.
"That stuff — that's my preservation. And what looks like I'm doing nothing is really doing the most important thing."
Shoutouts
Dr. Moore shouted out Dr. Susan King (the professor who ran her MSP program in college), Dr. Shakia Bland, and Dr. Nanette Cannoli — her affiliate team members who changed everything for her as a Black educator.
Key Themes
- The invisible tax of being a "first" — first Black woman in a role, first equity facilitator, first anything
- How equity work extracts a physical and psychological toll from the people doing it
- The ways institutions build programs, then dismantle the people who built them
- Children as both the reason and the cost of this work
- The difference between surviving and being well
- Community, ancestry, and original medicine as pathways back to self
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Peace out,
Dr. Asia Lyons
When Equity Work Becomes A Cage with Dr. Danica Moore
[00:00:00]
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Welcome back to the "Exit Interview," a podcast for Black educators with me, your host, Dr.
Asia. Um, it's another beautiful day out here in Denver, even though I'm wearing a sweatshirt, and it's supposed to be warm, and it's the middle of May. Uh, and I hope that you all have been enjoying the podcast. We're in our episode 80-something, and I cannot believe we're already in our 80s, and I feel like by the end of the year, we'll have our 100th episode, so super excited about that.
Um, but we're not here to talk about me. And I always say we're not here to talk about the weather. We're here to talk, talk to Dr. Danica Moore, who's here to share her story. Welcome to the podcast. How are you today?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Oh, thank you. Thank you. Thanks for having me. I
am grand
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Oh, thank you. Thank you. Thank you for having me. I am great. Awesome. I'm, I, I'm glad you're grand. We just had a whole conversation before we got started about school lunch and milk [00:01:00] on field trips. 'Cause we were talking about how schools, um, will pack lunches for kids and, like, do they s- Do your schools out there, folks, I'm talking to the audience.
Do y'all schools have the milk go with you on the bus, or do kids just bring a water bottle? 'Cause we were trying to decide if that's even sanitary as far as, like, milk spoiling. That was a whole conversation we had before we got started. So if you're listening to this or you're watching this on YouTube, let us know in the comments if you all transport milk or y'all just bring water bottles.
That's a random thing, Dr. Danica, that I just wanted to put out there. Um, but so tell us a little bit about yourself. We'd love to hear more about you.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Yes, yes.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yes. So hi, uh, my name
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Dr. Jenica
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: is Danica Moore. Um, I
am-- I
think I would pride myself most on being
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: a, a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a, a
daughter, a godmother,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: auntie, um, and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: just a lover of children in general.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the only three things that top my love of children
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: or,
or
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'll use a parallel is when I was at Hopkins, [00:02:00] and I said shoes and vocabulary.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I love words
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: languages.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and language. Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: then yeah, just shoes. I'm a big
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: shoe
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: shoe person, but not like a typical, you know, what you would expect a shoe person to be, like big into Jordans or into
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: specific thing.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: things.
Uh-huh.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: of an
Air
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm more of an Air Max. I like... You know I know that. It's
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: crazy because I'm the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: all Air Max.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But all
right. So I, I'm more interested. I love, I love shoes. So yeah, I'm a shoe
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: fanatic. like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like love my shoes, and I love to travel.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: My
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: My love of travel is
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: probably the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the most,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, honorary thing I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: thing I think I've been able to do for myself in this lifetime is exploring,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my passion is exploring
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: off
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: North
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: American
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: first.
Mm-hmm. leave the
motherland due to Africa as much as I can. So that's where that comes in. But yeah, so that's, those are like the big pieces of me,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, before there
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: there was a Dr. Danika, before there was an educator Danika. I think that's who I've been,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, that,
uh, helps
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: me just [00:03:00] navigate the world and remind myself of who I am.
Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in the professional realm,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I am an educator.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I have been in the educational world for--
This is my,
this is my 19th near year now, so I'm about to hit 20 years, unbelievable,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: because I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I still in my head think I'm just like 28. Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: year
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: 20 in
education.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I started off as a
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: special
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: education teacher,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and then when I felt like that this was not the gift that I was given,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: even though
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: though I really was passionate about children, you
know, children with different,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: with neurodiversities and,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you
know,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: different
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: behavioral needs.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So I ended up becoming a
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: title
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: reading and math specialist,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I stayed in that realm and then just added things on in the same title. So I was a title reading and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and math
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: math specialist,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: an
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: an English language learning instructor, a multilingual learning instructor, which I absolutely love that piece as well.
And then I ended up going to the district
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: office world
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: world where I was an equity facilitator and a pilot equity facilitator for the district that I was in, in the [00:04:00] Midwest in Kansas.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And from
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: from there,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, went
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: went into the consulting realm and got really set on just being able to support and guide people in racial equity development
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: at
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: at the school level, teachers, administrators, and then went into the college realm thought I could,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you know, help
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: people
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: coming into the education field develop that lens early at the age of 19.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: then, yeah, became a consultant, built out a
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: company
called
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: called Fortified Educational Practices,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: where I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I am now able to use educational methods to support racial equity leaders in all realms, not just education, city government,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, hospitals,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: mental health
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: hospitals, and cultural.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And then while also doing that, I serve as a program director for the National Freedom Schools Partnership,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: which
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: is
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: a nonprofit that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that helps launch Freedom Schools that are tied to the Mississippi Freedom Summer, the Freedom School movement
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of 1964,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: all
over
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the, um, Davidson
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: County, [00:05:00] Tennessee area.
So I do that with the same time as consulting and supporting
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: across
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: different systems, just based, uh, racial equity alignment and foundations. Now, now folks, Dr. Danika just gave the whole exit interview in the last two minutes. Now we gotta back up and start with our first question. She said, "I'm gonna just go ahead and give y'all a preview, preview of what I'm doing."
So now let's go ahead and get-- Let's go ahead and dive into that 'cause there's a lot to discuss here. And I remember you talking about Freedom schools and what you're working in, in supporting those. And I know that the audience is gonna wanna learn more about that. The last time we had someone in our space that talked about freedom schools, it was Branta Lockett who was trying to open one here in the Denver area.
And it wasn't, yeah, and it wasn't successful 'cause she couldn't get a charter.
Um, and so, you know, I think we, we should revisit that and have a conversation about what that, that work looks like, um, in 2026. But we'll start off with the, our first question or our second [00:06:00] question, which is, uh, what was your journey into education?
How did you know that education was for you?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So I was one
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: one of those...
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: kids that in second grade, I remember if anyone asked me what I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: wanted to be. I think it's about
like the
first or second grade realm when you ask a kid what they wanna
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: be. typically it, I remember in my era,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: which
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: is late '80s, early '90s,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that it was kids wanting to be nurses
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: or
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: or doctors, teachers
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: or
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: astronauts.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And somehow
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yes.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to be all
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I wanted to be all three of those. But when I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: said
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: first and second grade, the first time I remember being asked ever what I wanted to be when I got older, I said a teacher because I knew I loved babies.
I wasn't even thinking about children that could walk and talk. I was thinking like infants. Yeah. And when I would say a teacher, I was really thinking like a daycare
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: nursery, n- like,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and
then later on
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: really adamant that I would teach nothing above kindergarten.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But then somewhere in the second, third grade transition,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I would
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I would tell people I wanted to be a [00:07:00] teacher
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and a nurse.
And before fourth grade I was saying an astronaut.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so then it would sound like people were out, these things were not connected.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: thinking in my head,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I remember saying it out loud
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: reading teacher,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to my reading teacher, Ms. Howard. I think I'm gonna be a teacher in space.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm gonna be educating nurses because they're gonna need nurses in space.
I remember like having
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this whole-
Uh-huh ...because I was gonna combine astronaut and teacher and nurse, but it wasn't even I was going to be doing the nurse and astronaut. Astronaut was just about getting in space. Nurse was about helping people, and then teacher was like, I wanna pick people up. That was- Yeah
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I land there
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Until
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: literally
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my senior year of high school.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And then senior
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was
like,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of high school, I was like, but I kinda like pediatrics. I kinda
like anything
with babies. I even rattled off, I wanna go to grad school and be like a child welfare, like a welfare lawyer.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and then all those things redid out quickly simply because I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: despise
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: science.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Like,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: [00:08:00] Hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the strong suit for me in high
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I was not the strongest student in high school, um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: other
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: other than biology. It was like, of course, biology, physics, chemistry, all that other stuff became
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: had zero
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: desire.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: astronomy, so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so space was definitely out.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, so I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so I just wasn't a science person. So I held true to teaching through, but what was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: amazing for me
was
early on I got a lot of experience in the teaching realm as a 10-year-old and then 11-year-old that most kids don't get afforded.
Um, I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: ha- I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I went to a school in western Kansas at that time in elementary,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and they had a program, the summer school program with
like the certified summer teachers.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: if
you had
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Where if you had a certain score in math as a fourth grader or a fifth grader,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you could help teach the summer school.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: got placed as
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I remember as a
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: grader going into fifth
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: fourth grader going into fifth grade as a summer school assistant,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I assisted a teacher who was over math summer school for like first and second graders,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and my [00:09:00] entire task was,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "It is your job to teach the children
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: how
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: how to be able to count
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: up
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: up with money."
So
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: able
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: able to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: by
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: count by tens until they got to the next five or ten,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
then
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and then dimes, nickels, quarters,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and basically essentially building up the skill of being able to count back change
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: by the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: by the time they were in fifth grade.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Because
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: wow.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: elementary school,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: If you could
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: count
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: count back change in fifth grade, you could work at the middle school sports concession stand.
Oh, w-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Yeah.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Okay, hold on, hold on. That's-- What you just said is a lot because we talk about grow your own programs,
right? And, and I don't know if that was necessarily what their focus was, but that is really interesting, especially because you said a fourth grader going to fifth grade. So you are s- nine, 10 years old,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Mm-hmm.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: doing this work of supporting second grades, which I think is brilliant, right?
Because it teaches patience, it teaches all types of skills to both the, the second grader into the fifth grader, but then also the counting change and [00:10:00] the concession stand. Like, that's a lot of skills in such a short amount of time. Yeah. Yeah, they are there today. And it's interesting because I went to, I don't remember, Burger King, who knows, just recently, and the, the, the change, the...
I gave the guy ca-cash, and he gave me back two dimes, and I said, "You-- No, you're, you're-- I need seven more cents back." And he's like, "Oh, oh, oh." And I told my daughter, who was sitting in the seat next to me, I said, "You have to pay attention because even though the money was right there on the screen and he could have just picked up the pennies, he's still not using those skills, so you have to pay attention."
So to know that that which you're describing, I can imagine child labor, that's not all the ways that people could say that was a, the, uh, the incorrect thing to do or not right, that it was a skill and still a skill that people need today that, like you just said, they're not using.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Yeah.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And it, and I, and like when I think back to it,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I remember the teacher and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: myself remember her [00:11:00] name.
Maybe it was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Ms.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Mrs.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But I don't, I
mean, there
was never a lesson plan. They would just tell me,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this is the task you work on for the entire summer school program."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was designing my own activities for how to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: They might print a worksheet that
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I had to put in, but I was doing my own independent teaching-
for those second graders.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: graders and trying to figure
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so I like-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: are we
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And then at the end of the day for our little, you know, it was a rotation, so she would-- maybe I do remember that.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She would-- she had a kidney-shaped table over here.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I don't remember if it was reading or math or what exactly she was teaching,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: they rotated in groups of like three or four.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and sometimes I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I would get one kid to come to me, and so it was just independent one-on-one.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm gonna teach you what I know about counting change. That's all I remember. But I do remember that that experience is where my love of numbers came from. Sure.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: school
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And then middle school math about took me out. I don't know what happened, but middle school math, I really got stuck.
Mm-hmm. The teacher talked really, really fast, and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it [00:12:00] was either sixth or seventh grade. And I was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: just
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: No, "
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: No, I
can't
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: keep up." Because we had the teachers
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: for our whole level. There wasn't any
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: different math teachers
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Mm-hmm
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for all
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: level.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I wasn't thinking I was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: gosh, he
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: gonna catch up in that same class. I'm trying to catch on the numbers.
But
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: have a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I do have a very numeric mind.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I didn't know that until much later.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: just
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: That was like a thing. Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so yeah, that
was,
that was actually the start.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I loved it.
Like, I
just remember like in
the,
the summer
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: getting
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: trunk,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: mug
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: with
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: with little chocolate bars in it that was like a thank you from the teaching staff and the kids.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I'll never forget it because she said,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Now "
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Now, when
you eat all these chocolates,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: be
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: be careful who you share them
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: with." And I was like, "Yeah, got it." And then throughout the summer, I remember the first one I did. So they actually weren't chocolate. Some of them were, some of them weren't. They were
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: money wrapped
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in chocolate bars.
Oh.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Hershey's and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: know what I'm saying? So like sometimes they might be like a $5 bill, a $10 bill. And so it took a couple of weeks where I was like, "Wait a minute, this
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: candy
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: must have melted." And I open it like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: [00:13:00] "Oh
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "Oh gosh," 'cause I wasn't-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: this, there's money," like, "Give me
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was money wrapped in it. And I was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: all.
But I'll never
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "This is so cool."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and in my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: learned the first lesson of appreciation.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: week
early.
Like, ooh,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She just
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: gifts and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: me-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: there's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like, you know what I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But like, you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: mean? I'm young for my grade level.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was only thinking like, "This is really
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: quick.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: cool.
Like, this is awesome." Yeah.
I
can do this right.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so that
was, that
was take one.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And then fast-forward another year later,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: entered
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the spiritual world
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: because uh, I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I had a
Sunday school teacher at church that the kids were kinda
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: cutting up,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: up.
And
I,
I remember she said, "If you think you can teach this
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: better than
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: than me, please do."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I remember taking my little Sunday school booklet being like, "Actually, I can." "Okay, but sit down. We're gonna do
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this." So I taught the Sunday school that day after her, and we would exit Sunday school and go in with the adults and, you
know, sit still, quiet, [00:14:00] share with everyone- Yeah
a picture.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I thought, you
know, if this girl do that,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: He
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: just gotta phone a congregation
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like, "Actually, I didn't teach today,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so she's gonna share with you guys Sunday." And so I did that. I remember being super nervous
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: thinking, "Oh
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like, "I can't believe her class today.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: gonna
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I don't even think I was in her class." Sure.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I thought that was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I taught, I thought
she was gonna come. Right. I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: super glad
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: leaving
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: would leave the church and she was like, "So
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: how was the class?"
Like, what? I was like, "Oh,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: m-
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: uh, well, Mom,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Mom,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: he, he offered. He literally said if I thought I could teach it better,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: teach
it."
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it." And so,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: yeah, so sixth grade that summer
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the, like somewhere between
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like somewhere between summer and fall. So the Bible came, so fourth grade when they first,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: summer
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: school.
The next year,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I just, because of this,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: they passed off Sunday school class for the church.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: at church.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Oh, wow.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: teaching,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: teaching like my younger brother was in the class, one
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: years
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of the group was a part. Like, then
the,
the church is
like, Oh,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so if I'm teaching my little cousins, like they're going to be able believers." And now I'm a teacher.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So [00:15:00] now I'm prepping lessons at home-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: reading over my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: story. So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So yeah, so I got like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: curriculum
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: planning lessons, planning my own activities. Like what crap.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I got that at 10, 11 years old. And so I tell people all the time, my retirement benefits should have started back then. They really should have.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so my life is full of teaching, and I just feel like I should really try it.
Like it's-- And I have not stopped. I do summer school every year from that year on.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, found
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: found ways to volunteer in one,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: be
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: be in one. It didn't matter. So- Yeah
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: years
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: know, was
my
actual career start. So if I only gave hope, I did it 32 years a year. Like we
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: haven't looked back and said- I love that. This is a first for us.
I mean, and I'm sure that some folks have had Sunday school experience, um, but not, not told this in the way you've told it. Uh, bec- And that's important to share because a lot of folks come on and say they've known since they were really young that they wanna be educators. They taught their siblings and, you know, in the [00:16:00] basement they played school or thing-- in the neighborhood kids and things like that.
But I love to hear all the ways that folks come into like a traditional education space from other places. So you go to college, you go right into education major, I'm assuming.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Yeah. Um, knew from jump applied to One college,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my eggs in that one basket, which made my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: one,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: nervous,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah ... but I, I knew that going back- Yeah ... my parents were a little nervous but got into the school I wanted to. Now
the,
the quest of getting into education, yes, I knew I wanted to be a teacher. Now I knew I was going through the freshman summer orientation- Mm-hmm
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: When They
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and they offered an education focus.
And a lot of girls were
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in my classes.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: What
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: What I didn't know is,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my, uh, high
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: high school counselor, there was a program on my campus called PRIME. Didn't know what PRIME stood for.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: person
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: leading
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Dr.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Cindy Lou King,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: talk to
her
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to her to this day still.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I
remember we're at the hotel
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: night
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: one of orientation.
Me and my mom had driven four hours, four and a [00:17:00] half hours, six and a half hours doing all my summer orientations. And we're at our hotel and this like someone comes pounding on the door. And I had-- My mom is a very social person and so I
was like, "I want to watch TV." And I was
kind of looking at her like, "Who's at the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: We didn't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: door?
We can order some food." And I said, "No,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: who'd you befriend
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: now and this is important." And so we opened the door and this lady's standing there, child, probably was like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And she's out of breath.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And
mind you, I, and I think this is just like telling just how far we've come in terms of like security- Yes
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: she
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she came in the room, and she was the only MSP student. And I'm in the virtual mentoring program.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: We
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: We recruit,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, uh, multi-ethnic,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: multi-racial, multi-cultural, but for reasons from multi-cultural.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: at the time.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Mm-hmm. I approached her and said, "Hey, I heard there's money available." My mom was like, "Money?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: on
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Come on in." Yeah.
Keep-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: on the bed, sitting up like, some lady's in our
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And she comes in like, "Some lady from hotel," like, "This is really you, right? I picked you up at the gym, too." Probably.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so she was like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm "
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm trying to figure out why she's out of breath," right?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: she telling my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: [00:18:00] like,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I don't
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: know, like, what kind of golden
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: know about what kind of bold child you were, but
like, you know that we have been calling you about in high school for months on end trying to get
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: with
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in touch with her.
We had the school block us from having contact with her.
Mm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you money. We
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Money's about to come in. And my mom was like, "Wait, what?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so I'm like, "Wait a minute,"
like, I "
know her character."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like, "You brought my money?" Mm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: forms for you. This is what the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so she gave us brochures and did a whole run through of it. And by the time she left my hotel room,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Now
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but mind you, I was already on
like a
pretty big academic drive
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: already,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and so she just added to the pot.
So I ended up in this summer college prime thing, got renamed and kind of repurchased
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: about a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a year later to the MSP program, Multi-Cultural Scholars Program, and they were putting them all over the campus. And so,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so then I was like, "Okay, now I'm definitely going to education." So
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: woman was like apparently running all over this orientation of thousands of students.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my undergrad school was Mississippi de Leon, so it's a pretty big college about,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I would say, 30 plus thousand undergrads- [00:19:00] Sure ...
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: med
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: school plus undergrad.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: schools
on campus.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah. So she was running all over this campus trying to find me that first day, like after,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you know, the students like had to say their names, and so that's why she was out of breath.
So she--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I don't even know how she found the hotel, but somehow
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: asking
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: around, she found out what hotel we were in.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She went to the desk, said our name, and they're like, "Oh yeah, she just got back. I think
like, you know, today between 11:00 and noon." No, yes. And was able to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: then get to our room and knock.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so I-- my mom
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I have been forever grateful to her.
She is
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my first--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and then like my first contact of a professor of color on campus-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: right?
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Sure, yeah ... her name was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: King.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: yeah. So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So then she made sure like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "I'm gonna take care of you." And from that day on, the next day orientation,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: looked
for
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: for her in the crowd.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: My
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: My mom signed off on the paperwork, and so now I was like, "Okay, now I'm for sure
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: an
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: an educated student."
Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And my mind also was kind of
like, "Well, it might as well be pre-law, might as well..." She was like, "Listen,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we're [00:20:00]
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we're locking this money." It's like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "You're with
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: with us." Yeah. It was like the done deal. So I left orientation,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, June,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: July of '20 or 2002,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: locked in at "
like, You're
going to be an educator," and like that was kind of- Yeah
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So shout out Dr.
King.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, I
think
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I think that's the definition of what, like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to even think about what it looks like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in a predominantly white high school. My high school was all white when it was me. My sister was already gone. My brother was still in mi-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: school. There,
I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I had
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: maybe
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: maybe one or two
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Mexican
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: peers
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: across the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the school- Mm-hmm
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: one
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: peer from India,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: That
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and that was it.
Mm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And for
like, for a Black woman to track down a
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: star at a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Black scholar at a Black and white school to make sure that we had access and opportunity,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
she,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she
sealed the deal for me. Like, that, that's the kind of teacher I wanted to be like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "I'm gonna make sure my daughter, Black or mixed, make sure they get-"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: they get what they want. So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that addition going
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: going into
college," and that was my intro to college with
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Dr. King. Shout out to her. Um, I love that [00:21:00] story. A- yeah, a- and like the dedication. You're right, security wouldn't go with that now, but I'm glad that they, that they, you know, they gave that information up. So you, you finished school.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Mm-hmm.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: us about those first years of teaching.
Where did you teach? What grades? What was the experience like? Did you have to move? Um, tell us all that, those details. So my first year teaching, I was commuting. So I stayed in my college city,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I was commuting about 45 minutes over. Um, and then with graduate classes, which I was in, um, fourth grade classrooms,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I knew from my student teaching and my internship
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: when it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it was time to sw-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you have to do a half a year in, you
know, a older grade level and then you have to do a lower grade level.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: My
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: second half of student teaching put me in second grade, and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: again, in my mind I was going to be a
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: teacher.
Mm-hmm. But these kids,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I liked second grade and was like,
"Hmm, we can't go lower than this." Like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like- Oh, interesting
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I missed fourth grade. That
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: them
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: missed me so much. And so [00:22:00] I told myself like this is
the,
the prime
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: grade for
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: for me is fourth grade.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I taught in,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it's called
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it's called Shawnee,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Uh- In
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in a really awesome school. There were-- Well, ESL was just forming. Like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the US was just getting a handle on to have ESL programs in schools and ESL teachers. So,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was like, "Ooh, I gotta get my certification in this."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I actually stopped teaching in the middle of the school year and went on a break.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: one, the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: one of my kids
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was, even
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you know, so dominant. I was in home schooling classes. So I was like, "Man, who these children are gonna be?" Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I decided to go back to school to get my master's right away because my undergrad, we were
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: one
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: one of the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: first
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: groups to graduate within group education to a five-year program.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So that fifth year, you're basically getting everything for your teacher certification
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to get the actual license and half a master's.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So I always had to go back and get that other half
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: of the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of a master's and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: add the specialty of ESL on. Okay. The entire time I came [00:23:00] into teaching, even in second grade,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I knew from second to fifth,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I had never had a grown teacher even working in the school.
Mm-hmm. Yeah. Middle school,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: no
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: no grown teacher in the school.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: into education
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: thinking
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I need to be
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: visible
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to more Black and brown students Sure
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Because I knew racially what Black and brown meant because both my parents are from Africa.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the elderly are remaining Black Southern plus Mississippi.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And they were, during the summertime, they would buy clothes and take me, my granny, my father's house.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So I knew what it meant to be a Black woman and felt the difference in school. Sure
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was never a safe place
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: me.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was a safe place for me. Home, church,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: everywhere
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: outside of school was never that way. I was raised with my
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: both
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: grandparents, both parents.
Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my grandma on my mom's side has
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: 12
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: siblings-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so all
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: aunts and uncles. So I knew what it meant to be in a space where, like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: felt like normal to say certain things I happened to say. Yeah[00:24:00]
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: kept
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: when I kept teaching in the back of my mind, it was always, I gotta be...
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: In
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: In my mind, I was going to be the first ever Black or brown teacher because I could see it.
Mm. Didn't exist yet.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for me K-12.
So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Wow.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I held
onto
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It showed up to that point. But then trying to figure out how that fits in,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it was like there was still this thing in the back of my head like there's gotta be more to do than just teach in the classroom.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So when I discovered this thing of ESL, I love language. I already had two languages
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so I thought, okay, ESL is exactly my
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for me."
Like I'll--
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: calling.
That, that thing has been still like burning inside me is gonna come out with language. So I got my ESL certification,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Then
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: then I went local. So this whole thing was to go back to school,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: not
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: teach.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Again, it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: didn't tell us how far we coming to tour. Mm-hmm. Living maybe
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: five
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: blocks from the campus,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: walking to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to and from, uh, school, going to classes, School of Education building.
And one day this call came in from the local school district in the city where my [00:25:00] college was at, and I believe I was going to put my name in the visa. I was trying to figure out how you would do that
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: 'cause I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: because I was
focused, focused on school. I couldn't
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: imagine
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: working, going to school full time and it was crazy.
So I was like, "Hold on a minute." Yeah, it is. I was like, "I'm tired. I don't want to deal with it." And so I don't even remember her name. She called and she was like, "Hey,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we got your information from so and so." And
so I was like, "What the fuck? Me?" I was like, "Oh, word."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And so she
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah. And then she said, "We
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we would
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: would love for you to come to the school."
The school was literally a block from my apartment. Oh, wow.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: says, "Can you walk
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you walk to
the school
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: tomorrow and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and do the principal?" And my-- And when she said it was like it clicked off in my brain. Right.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: 21,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: 21,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: My
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: goal was, okay, I'm gonna get up, go meet with her real quick. I'm going back to bed. I'm gonna forget this.
Most people don't forget this, but it's right there. I got up
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and put on a hoodie and some baggy basketball shorts. I'm talking like oversized. I looked like I was going to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the, the gym.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: walked
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it was the school. It was [00:26:00] a full-out interview. Now I'm looking around
like, I "
thought we were just talking. She didn't tell me.
Oh, did I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Oh,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: tell you?" I didn't tell her.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for
anything.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So I think
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm gonna run home to sleep. So I sit down
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: entire interview. I still have the hoodie and the sweatshirt my
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in, if that tells you
any
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: mom gave
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: oversized they were. This was my true loungewear. I'm getting back on the couch
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: when we had our workers' meeting. Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I interviewed, and I have no clue what was happening. And so by the time we left, she's like,
"Well, the special ed position is not filled.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: School
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: sorry, about a month ago," blah, blah, blah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: yada. I said,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I said, "Okay, I hope y'all have something
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I, I need to go
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: by Friday for the school. I hope you guys are
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: at this time.
I need
to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: moving differently. I gotta get in the classroom." Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: she
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she says, "Great.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm ready to go home and go out to bed." She said, "We're gonna show you the classroom."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: The
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: The classroom that they were vacant was vacant,
like, historically.
It had all the extra furniture- Sure
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like, "If you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we couldn't just get the room set up. It would be about a [00:27:00] couple hours.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: By
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this time, it was the library VIP day.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm on
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Oh, you were, you were get- you were hired the day.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Yeah.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah. You-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: there
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: They were so
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: didn't go back to bed. I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: proud of me. They were like, "The principal picked the school."
You know...
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: a pen, nothing. day
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: They were Like "That's amazing." That is the best. I love that story because so many people prepare for interviews, right? They, yeah, they have time to get nervous, and they do all-- And you went in there and said, like, "No, I'm just gonna..." And then you ended up with the job. Did you tell your mom that story?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: You
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: You know, I don't know
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: mom's ever heard the full
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: if
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But, um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: her or not, but I know-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I, I, like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she was like,
"You know, you gotta learn
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She'll be like,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to listen that
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: a lot of looks that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: day."
Like, then I go to this
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: PD where
s-
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: where it's like a,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I don't know,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: instructional
literacy
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: literacy training
thing. And I'm like, "I'm gonna talk to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It
was a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She's gonna train for Friday."
Mm-mm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: letter has a, um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I'm like, "I'm like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I don't even remember.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: [00:28:00] I am...
She said, "Buy some
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Ichthyosaurus, and like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm like- Oh,
yes, yes, yes.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: yes.
yes.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And I'm sitting at
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I'm sitting at my table, and people are like, "Oh, you've been here." I was like, "'Cause again, my attire was giving"- Sure.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: here.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And so I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: remember all the looks, and I'm sitting
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and I'm sitting at
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: at my table, and I'm like, "Oh, no,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: gonna be the SPED
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm gonna be a teacher." Like, people are like, "Wait, what?" Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: come In
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "This happened."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: outfit?"
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So yeah, and then mother was like, "Didn't you just interview today?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: how are you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was like, "Sitting here. I don't know." I never asked. Never. Yeah. To this day, still
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: know. Her
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: her name. She was like, "Tyler. That will be nice." Do not know how Tyler in their HR ever got my cell phone number or ever got anything. I had not made an earned pause yet about several to not even know what happened with this club.
It was probably your mom. She's probably chatting people up and gave your information.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: still
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She's like, "You
did good."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: or five hours away, so that's what's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was like, "It just happened." Yeah. So yeah,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: [00:29:00] just, so yeah, so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so it ended up taking like a whole pack of my email stuff one day,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: including
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the principal finally-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: little bonus, make it to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Sure
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: days, yada.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I think we had our post interview and not only
me, my husband was, we got offered a position.
But then I had planned
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: plan to go into
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: on staying for two years. Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and so we got
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: no
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: break, no applicant
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: pool.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: said, "You know what? I love these kids so much,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'll
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'll stay." So
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'll
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'll do the other missing masters over here.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it was great. It was fabulous. Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: um, the special education within that school was double dip with ESL as well.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: perfect.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: They
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: gave me what I needed, so I was able to leave early,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you know, twice a week 'cause my classes began,
you know, three o'clock, two thirty,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: They
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: They
ended the day at two forty-five, two fifty. I was teaching a time class. So finished out that year and the principal came back and I said, "Listen," I... So it was a lot 'cause I...
It wasn't just like a... You know, like now
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: different
IEP
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: IEP kids
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: get
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: get categorized like, "So this is the[00:30:00]
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: class for
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: for the ones-"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like maybe autism, and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "This
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: one for like the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: is the class,
you know, this
is the one for like the high behavior kids. This is the one for
like the lower performance kids." Yeah. It was traveled together
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I saw different
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: levels of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of diagnoses.
I was like, "There was this kid,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: textbook in my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: hitting the wall."
Mm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: had never seen a
kid
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: With anger issues, like having a reaction, like short temper-
Mm-hmm
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: ...kids.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So
last thing I knew like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: yeah, I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I might be able to help a kid to calm down quickly,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but I was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: just in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in shock half the time not moving.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, and so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and so I just felt it wasn't for me.
So interviewing with the principal again,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "So what'd you think?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: wanna
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: You wanna stay on?"
Like, gosh, would I speak to stay?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I said,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Um, not gonna
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: not gonna
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you know,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: don't... Th-it wasn't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this, it wasn't my calling."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She said, "Great, we got one more."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: We got
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So that was like, okay.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "You know what?
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So that was like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: this reading and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: okay. So then I took a step and tried to do- Yeah ...and found my love.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: quickly,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Believe what I am grateful and even though I,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I did recognize [00:31:00] special education was not my calling, not my strong
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: suit
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: suit
Yeah. In terms of me feeling like I was in my best
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: children.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: times
I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I felt like this child would be so much
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: better and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and have
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: progress with someone
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: coming from actually,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like came in
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: really
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: strong like-
Mm-hmm ...I'm sitting here putting through IEPs and it's like- "
Mm-hmm it sounded good
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in the face of class size.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Real
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Real time, there was so much coverage
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: with
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: couldn't have helped me
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the other teachers and I just felt like I wasn't the best leader. So I stepped down because I was, I was questioning, turning on- Sure
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: field,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: ...but I did still feel like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it was awesome getting to know the kids and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: hated math.
And I think that that made the connection where like,
oh,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: growing.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: math in second grade,
but
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Mm. And like, oh, I need a master's. Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Kids
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Kids with IEPs were hitting math and I got to have that space.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So I
got
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I got offered
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the tutoring in that special school for...
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It was supposed to be
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: fifth
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: fifth and sixth grade, [00:32:00] and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: by the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the first quarter we were expanded all the way to seventh
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: grade
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: groups,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Next year- At the same time using
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So now I've got
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: ESL because I've got an ESL license under my belt.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so now we've got that happening simultaneously.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So, um, I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I did
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: second through
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: through sixth grades,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: different
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: kids coming in about every 40 to 45 minutes, different little kids. And it was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: second through
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: through sixth grade intermix. So I might have one group that was like a second grader, a third grader, two fifth graders.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: many of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of them, about maybe half the group in one group,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: spoke
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: spoke zero English.
Like couldn't even- Sure. Sure
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, and multiple
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in one room. So these
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the language they learned was, "This one might speak Spanish. Now I'm doing English. This one speaks-- Or for me it's now I was in English. This one speaks..." And so all I was rattling my brain was communicate in Spanish.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: That's it at the time. So it's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So that
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Spanish,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to English,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: teaching reading and math,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: co-teaching with
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: with special education teachers, other ESL teachers [00:33:00] across grade levels,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: creating
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: sheltered classrooms. Loved it. And so just discovered that I think
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my attention to detail,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I, I,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I do multitask, but I have to do
like, have this pencil,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I go
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I wrote a number- Sure
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I went from the individual world where I learned about myself
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: really good at looking
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like this
is this student's form, digging right in.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: You can just stay
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Sure.
I
love that. And so the math piece for me was exciting to bring the love
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of math and like literacy pieces to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: pieces to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that love reading too. So yeah.
So I did. I loved that first year, um, because
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it-- Like, that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that was my first time doing a whole
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: building round.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: had left out of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Over the school semester.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So yeah. So from that point on, I stayed at that elementary school for six years. I, I never left.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, same
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: position.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: All they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: they did was I moved to a different classroom every year.
Like they would move the room. We would rearrange the classrooms, have a new
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: group here.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: same
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: position,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and they might change [00:34:00] the grade level. So it did eventually shrink down because
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: then the country was still growing their ESL support and what that looked like for public schools.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
by
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: by the time I left teaching there, they were finally to the point where like they had a ESL person for every grade
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: level.
So eventually I got to focus on
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: fifth grade because
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: because- Sure
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: sixth
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was teaching sixth grade, fifth grade, middle school. So it became a K-5 school,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: K
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: K-5 district.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I got to focus on
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: grade
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: math skills,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: fifth
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: fifth grade reading skills, ESL,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Kids with
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: with IEPs, dual identifiers. It didn't matter if they just had an IEP, they went
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to that instructor.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So I got to do a little bit of like, you know,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: kids that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that were,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, higher
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: level but functioning in the classroom.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: than the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: That was
sort of a new report.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So yeah, six years in that position.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: loved every minute.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I think my last year there, I always tell people I thought it
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: best
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was my best year of teaching.
Mm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: left that school building.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So I have two questions for you and, and thank you for [00:35:00] sharing that story 'cause as you're talking, I'm just thinking about that's a lot of energy, a lot of planning, a lot of tr- you know, talking to other teachers to make sure that the second grade teachers, um, knows what you're doing, you-- and the all the things, right?
General education, second grade teacher. S- when you described your sit- your, your experience coming into the school, really like you say, I came for a conversation, and then you stayed there for the six additional, six additional years. So that
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Mm-hmm.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: one year and then six additional. During that time-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that one year and five, so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: One year and five
Oh, one and five. Yeah. Thank you.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Mm-hmm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: time that you were there, were there other Black educators in the building? And also, did you experience or did you, were you offered mentorship programming? I mean, I know that people have mentors that come help because they want to, but were there some type of program that you went to or someone that came to you to support you as you were learning?
So that's two questions.
Yeah.
So,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: ha-, Um, so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so I remember
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: coaches [00:36:00] from the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the district office.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in. So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So the year that I was a special education teacher, my
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: coach And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and also my SOAR,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Ms.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Ms.
Hamilton, came
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: from
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: from the district office and coached me through like how to support IEPs, helping, you know,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: teaching me the kids' goals.
And I knew that I had that support
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: when
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I was on that side.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Then
the
second
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: through
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: sixth
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: years,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it was like the learning coach model
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: didn't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: exist yet.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so there
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: there wasn't a lot of coaching. There was just team meetings. I was asking my teachers,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, other
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: other ESL teachers,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: A lot of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a lot of people took me in their wings.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but what
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what really helped me have a space to go to,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it was two things.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Number
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Number one,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: there
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: there was a sub in the building, an
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: older
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: older Black man
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Mr.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Mr. Butler. And one day Mr. Butler was subbing for my colleague who was ESL for
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: lower
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: lower grade levels.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, we were
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we were in a portable together,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and so her room was the first room right when [00:37:00] we walked down a little walkway going into the building.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: when
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So when I would have to leave, I'd walk through her room. And so Mr. Butler had subbed for her one day and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: other
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: other friend, Bob McNear.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So they were out talking. I came out the room to see like people just gleaming, deep voices.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: think
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I think Mr. Butler was the first Black male that I'd ever seen.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so they were like, "Oh, he subs for Ms. Franco." Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: he--
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so I remember he looked, he was like, "How old are you?" We had been just, you know, chatting. I joined their conversation and we were kind of getting close and they were like fully
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: old
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: holding on to me, my parent.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so they were all talking. I joined in and he was like, "How old are you?"
He got
like right in my eyes. He's a really tall man,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And he
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and he was like, "Look at me for a minute." And I was like, "Yep." He was like...
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And
I, I,
I said something really jokingly about like, you
know, like my age or like, oh, well my soul feels whatever.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I said something about my age. And he goes
like, Look at my eyes."
And I looked at him and he was like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Nah, you
got
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: He got a lot of fire in his eyes. He was like, "You, there is no way you're He was that old.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: came
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: back, he filled in for someone for
like a couple [00:38:00] days at this point during training. On either his second to last day or his last day, he came back and just said, "I meant to ask you,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: are
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: are you part of a,"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: don't even know what it's called, "some kind of cohort of Black teachers that was through the state and the teachers union?"
Mm. "
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: No, I don't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was like, "No, no. I don't know anything about that.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm pretty young. I don't
need..."
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm pretty young." '
Like, because in my mind again, undergrad
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: what
we
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we knew about unions was like, that's where you go if you have like a law suit.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like, you
know,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So he's talking about this union
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of Black teachers and they
go, they go, to
the capital and have all this stuff.
And I was like, "No, no."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: He
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: He was like, "Okay, well
I'm, I'm,
I'm the rep. I help recruit.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
really
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I want you to consider it."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I looked into it, and sure enough,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: only
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: only was there like this front group of Black educators for the state
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: were
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the union
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: union groups would
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: support, they had an entire caucus that
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that had
uh,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: had their own
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: insurance in Salt Lake City, Utah.
So-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: called, I think it was called
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I think it was called the MLK team.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I think it was like the multicultural
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: state
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: representatives
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: team. And,[00:39:00]
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: um, they picked people with teachers of color from all over the state,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: small
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: own district, rural districts, urban districts, suburban.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: said:
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: said, "Sure, I'll join this team."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Flew
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: We meet at Salt Lake City, and my team to this day,
I
know of every single one of them by their first name.
There were-- We were all young teachers.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: there
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: there were two Black males,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a woman from Cambodia.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so yeah, we got to represent the state for teachers of color.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It w-
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And it was like once you committed to the team, it was a two or three-year commitment.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: getting to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: then you go to those conferences. That was my first chance recognizing like how scarce
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Black
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and Brown teachers are.
Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Not even just Black, but
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Not even just Black and Brown, right? Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like: Man, like, I didn't really think
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I was like, "Man, like I didn't think about this." So in my school building,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it was myself
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the speech language pathologist was the only, she was 25
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: people
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: years old. And
she
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: she had
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: had been there for a while. Um, and then
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: there
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: countless
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: girls.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: of [00:40:00] color, paraprofessionals, um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Native
American,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Black,
Asian,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I don't even know what the professional was.
It was just like you could get representation of so many
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: racial and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: ethnicities, but the teacher identity was white
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the two
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and mostly Black. Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: remember
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I can't remember any other...
Well, okay, going back.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: By
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: By my fourth year, we did have a Native American teach art teacher before me. I do remember that. And then they did cuts during the
big budget, the
big budget crisis
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: around about 2008.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: across
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Eight, nine. Yep. And she was one of the first ones to go because they used the last hired, first fired rule. Sure.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I remember just being crushed that she was leaving because I had never even thought about being-- other educators of color outside of Black. So having a Native peer with me,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and she was just maybe a year or two younger than me,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and then losing her, I was like, "Oh, man."
Like,
you know, Speech
Path would be like share schools.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So there would be many a day when Speech Path wasn't there.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Sure. I would look for Cassie Carter and Ms. [00:41:00] Margaret Kara.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I knew who to go greet. But
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But yeah, as far as school advice, it was me and a speech path. Yeah. I-- Thank you for sharing that. I'm thinking about, you know, like your connection to the union because someone paused long enough to say, "I think you should do this with the union."
Or like you said, you're, you're, you're looking to see who you can greet, who's there today, uh, and how much that connection is so important to make sure that other-- that we see each other in this work,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Mm-hmm.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: um, that folks don't feel ignored. So you, you were there for six years, but you decided to leave, it sounds like.
W-What was be-- Or, or that decision was made for you. So what, what was that transition like, and where did you go next?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: interestingly, I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I wasn't trying to leave. Mm. Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my district under the superintendent's leadership, they were moving into,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: racial
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: equity development. They were on a whole initiative,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: uh,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: pulled a whole
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: pool of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of money over to make another budget fund
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to fund racial equity
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: for actually looking at data.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: [00:42:00] So now
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: now we're
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: about
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: 2013.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: now my principal, and we had a staff meeting.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: They
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: They were trialing this, um, workshop called Beyond Diversity,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and they needed to have two staff to volunteer to go.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: kind of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: kinda gave a basic description. I remember being in the library for this meeting,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the description,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I was
like,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was like, "I don't know what y'all talking about, right?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But in my mind, she said, "Two-day conference, stuff provided."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: said,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: said, "Sure."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in, put me in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Sign me up. Yes.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm gonna do.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yes.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: fun to me. And so,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so, um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I don't even remember there actually being an ask,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but I do remember there were
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: some issues brought
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: names
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: about the names of them. I remember, though, it didn't click with me until a little later. And whether she did this on purpose or not,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I remember that they were picking two people to go.
It was me
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Jessica, well, now
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: not
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Jessica. And,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And, um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Je-
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Dr. Jessica,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: her
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: her dad is,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, Mexican. Her
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Her dad is also my college professor. He was one of my mentors in the time program I was in. Oh, wow.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: program
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: In the program we come out of.[00:43:00]
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: dad,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Dr. Dallas, not Dr. Kirkman.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Had to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I would text Dallas later on in life and say, "Oh, you're his daughter.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: know
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I did not know that."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, because she
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she didn't present with the last name, so I would have never picked up that she had a married last name. Sure.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we go to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: both applied for it, and I was like, "Whoa,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I didn't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I ain't never talked about race like this before." Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It was amazing,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It was amazing. It was even a conference.
It was a, it was
a workshop. Mm-hmm. It was like processing things with like your own racial identity.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: helping
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I think even
like the white
folks even think about their ways and how it shows up. Not even trying to educate you. It's
like, let's sit back for a minute and take you back to when you were five and the first time somebody told you were Black or the first time
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you were
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you were whacked or whatever
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: right?
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it was, right? Yeah. And so
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was just
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: mind blown,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like, and it clicked for me that day.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: This, this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this is what I should be teaching. I thought getting my social education was it. It was this.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah. Talking about race
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: how
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: how it affects education
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: for the teachers,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: student. And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I was like, okay. And my facilitator then
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was Mr.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Will
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Will Walker.[00:44:00]
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I remember talking to him at lunch,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: How did you even get in this world? Like, how did I get to a school like this?" Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: with
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Teachers and about cultural learning.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: seeing
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Seeing myself in the curriculum and the books, and how did I get here? And he was like, "Hold
on, hold on." And I pushed off. I was like, "Man, I'm first coming.
I just gotta come in."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So he
kind of gave me the rundown,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I just... I
mean, I-- to
that day, I held that. But me and Dr. Jessica
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: would
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: talk later on,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and be
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and we were like, "
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Now,
your
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: your dad,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like, you do
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you didn't
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: identify
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: identify as Black or
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: something like...
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we're
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Wait, hold on.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Was, was
there
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: did y'all your names that Hamilton made us go because
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: who we
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of-" We were...
Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: yeah, but we
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but we ended up getting in here. So then the, the district did sign off on this whole initiative. They hired like a
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: their
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: hundred year old consulting company.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: They
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: They brought in that workshop,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: made
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: made it mandatory for all staff, a two-day workshop. Uh-huh.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, and
tied it to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to grow and develop as learners. And the p- the plan
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: company had,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Educational
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: educationally, the plan
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that there was like different phases the district had to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: out,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: [00:45:00] out.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And one of those phases involved an early school lead
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: what was called
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: pilot program helping- Yeah ... early years school being developed.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So me and Dr. Jessica helped launch that
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: launch that for our building. So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: from that point,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, two
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: two years in it, and like everything that we were ready to do early, we started the school
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: pilot program.
Mm-hmm. The schools and district made it phases like first year phase, you
know, we
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: 10 schools are gonna start.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to prove next year grade 10, like getting growing in phases.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So we hit the fourth year trying to do grades 15. We were gonna build out to
like look at
like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: cultural relevancy in the curriculum and lessons that you teach. And the district had decided, I'm not sure if they had some consultation put in this way, but they
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: needed to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to form this position at the district office level
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that
was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: who was gonna help lead this work on the school to school.
Mm-hmm. So they had launched it with that. But I saw a pop-up on the website. I think school was,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like, like next week. And I was like, "Oh, that's low. This is a job I was trying to apply for." I thought it was school internal only. And so I didn't think-- I read and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "This is interesting.
Who's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: this
job?
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: [00:46:00] like, "This is like an English job.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a really big job." And so they realized
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: early
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: on,
like, we posted
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: school's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: by trial.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Now
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: pull a teacher,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was like, "Which?" Yeah. Yeah
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: back to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like the wrong door.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: released again next spring.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I remember one day, um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Dr.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Dr. Jessica
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: had
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: had emailed me,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Hey,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "Hey, can I come talk to you really quick?" I said, "Oh, by all means." 'Cause I'm still in my classroom.
We're sitting there,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I'm thinking like,
you know, I thought y'all something big, like something happened with her. I'm all in with my salad,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And she
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she says, "Okay, so I know you seen the job openings."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I was
like,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I was like, "Yeah, I thought, I
thought maybe
she wanted to like, you
know, talk
about
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: gonna
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we gonna do this, like what we gonna take on."
And I was like, "They in?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Yeah,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I know you probably love it here, but you're gonna need to go."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "I'm sorry, what? Who are you talking to?" She's like, "I mean, you're just so amazing for our team, like they need
you."
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She was like, "I mean, you know, you got a baby on the way." She was like, "They need you." Yeah. I was like, "Okay, I'll think about it."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She left my room. I didn't think about it. I think the next day she was, "You think about it?" "
"Yeah, yeah, I thought about it.
I got it." Like I had to, I had to go
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: didn't go back to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: back to application.[00:47:00]
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Then a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: couple days later,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Maybe
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: maybe it was the next week,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: principal asked me in her office. And we're sitting down doing, you know my like...
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: might have
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: might have done like some evaluation or something
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that we're gonna go
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of children and children. And she was like, "So I know you,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like you were so,
like this is your realm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and as much
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Plus I'd hate to lose you."
She was like, "If you're not very often, I recommend someone, but go on up."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But she was
like,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But she was like, "I, I, I have to let you go. Like you have to go.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I need
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I need you to apply." It doesn't sound like you were t- Yeah, I'm like, it sounds like they was p- like pushing you. You-- Yeah, you had, like you just said, "I-- They told me I had to leave out of there."
Interesting. Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But it, but it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But it, but it was also like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: if you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: if you remember I said earlier that last year there, I thought I had-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah, you said that. Yeah. I was like, "I'm in
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: streak.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: streak.
Like what do you got me up here for?" And all I thought about is like the condition about this coming building.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It was like they always wrong or bummed.
Sure.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "That's not the kind of person I pr-
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: That's not the kind of person. Like I got a call one night from my- Yeah
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: [00:48:00] just
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the stigmas I had about being a district leader. And so
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: after
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: after a while, so I ended up going with
the, the position and what it was gonna entail. And I'm like, "Man, I really do
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like the pressure here. Like I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I feel
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: feel like I can do something."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And then when I did my master's thesis,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I had did one on just like, um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my thesis was around
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: does the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the race of a child
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: influence the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the teacher's
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: expectation of the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of the child?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so my advisor was kind of "
like, "Anne, this is, this "
is not a
thing."
Mm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: times that my thesis got
rejected to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to even do the research.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And finally, um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: there
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: there was my advisor and they-- I asked for a new advisor, got a new advisor for my master's.
He connected me
with a, with a
charter school in,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, outside in a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in a bigger city right next door.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I did my research and I remember thinking like, "Yep,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so then that master's had this, and this is
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: is
about
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what I agree with laterally."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: with going to this
Workshop.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I [00:49:00] was like, finally there was multiple choice, right? And even the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: kids
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that I interviewed were high school kids in two
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: high
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: high schools, one that
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, Spanish-speaking,
one, predominantly
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Black. And I also interviewed 50
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: staff of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of all races. And just like it was a,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: qualitative
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: study to understand what are the patterns of how,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: they've talked about their students'
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: expectations, experience
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Mm-hmm ...of their efficacy, their growth, et cetera.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and so yeah, I just had this resource I could then-- where it was like, yeah, I found
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: things.
Like I could say,
"Well, Ron claims this, this, and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: along comes Mr.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Ron," but like this
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: session.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like actually there was more to it, right?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So now
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Pieces are
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like, things are clicking. So we get to
like, I
think it was April, it was about this time. I was just gonna be like...
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I went back and I said, "Fine, I'm gonna apply." So I applied for it, did my interview.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a week later,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: got the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the call. They want you. And it was the superintendent, the assistant superintendent, and their entire,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: uh, district
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: leadership [00:50:00] cabinet. And that-- I don't know how many people I would interview. That was insane. So I got the job. The hardest interview I've
ever, ever done in my life.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: h- I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I sat
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: for the task.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: The orientation
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: tasking that they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: they interview you in the lobby. You're doing the task.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: called my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my mom. They give you like 15 minutes.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Wasn't
even
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: are they doing?" Text, called my mom. "Mom,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: they got me in here.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like I'm supposed to plan a workshop and come present."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like- Yeah ... "A workshop?" "Yes." "Why aren't you in the task?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: My
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: My mom was like, "Yo, call-- call, call my
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: sister." She
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She was like, "Wait, what?" I'm like seven minutes. I haven't done a task. I haven't done anything. I didn't even have paper on me.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So it was a very hard interview.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I just-- I wanted to walk out.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but I did. I did the task.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for
15
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: planned
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was the most intense task. I had
like four other people re-interviewed.
And so yeah,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was the birth of like where I was supposed to be.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: education in the classroom was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and tasks are always supposed to be interacting. Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it took like these
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: two women
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to come and tell me like, "
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: This is
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: is for you." Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: again,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And my-- That was my second principal I'd ever worked [00:51:00] for. And she,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: even as
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: as a Black woman represented on the power as a young
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: woman of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of color.
It's like this,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "I've
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: watched you. Like this is you. Um, I believe you can do it." So it wasn't a push out like in a negative sense. It
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: an
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: an elevation.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: were
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I feel like- Sure.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: me, and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Sure ...I just stepped on "
like, But I "
love my kids. I love-" Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: with the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "I love these parents. Like I'm doing great with
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my reading curriculum. Like kids are growing."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: just
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: just in the, in the
very like
the the business of teaching and in that hub, and I just never saw myself as principal. Like I knew I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I never
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: never wanted to be a principal because I was never administrative. Like it wasn't something I wanted to do. And I wanted to be close to kids in classrooms. And so the thought of going to this big building over here and,
you know, the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: brother, with the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what the people call it big brother,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I just was like, "Oh man, there's some teachers- Yeah
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But the role and I felt like I had great support to get there and support when I got there was started out great.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But [00:52:00] entered the role and I felt like I had the right support to get there and support when I got there to start that way. Thank you for sharing that. I have, I have a couple things I was thinking about as you were talking. One, you talked about your master's thesis, and I remember in a courageous conversations training that I was a part of, so as a s- as a teacher,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Mm-hmm.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I wasn't training to become an, uh, to work with them as affiliate or anything.
Um, but I remember them
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: up, do they call
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: talking about the access gap, and I don't know if they called it access at the time. They might have called it achievement. Opportunity gap, achievement gap, access gap, and how they were saying that children of color, specifically Black children, no matter what their financial, the, the, the income of their families, that they were gonna still, according to the data, and you probably talked to some other people, they were always gonna lag behind.
And it wasn't because of the, the children's lack of understanding or capability, but it was because of bias in the [00:53:00] teachers. And so for, for you to say that that was your dis- your, your master's thesis, and they said, "No, that's not a thing." And I-- As soon as you said it, I was thinking that was a
thing in co- courageous conversations 'cause I remember thinking about it and then going over and talking about fi- finding this space.
I just think that's just so interesting that you, you were writing and thinking about this, and it came to you, right? A place to, to, to apply that information in real time. Um, it's really interesting to hear the parallels of you learning about courageous conversations and going to the trainings, and I just keep re-reflecting back on my own experience and how I felt too, what, like totally lit up.
Like you said, we've had this conversation before about how excited I was about courageous conversations and in my district, we were like one of the first districts to have that program. I think we were the first district to have that program maybe, um, or at least outside of... It-- W-were they in-- They were in New York or California.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: California.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Diego or something, San Francis- something like that. Um, [00:54:00] and, and I was just like, "Yes, this is so, so exciting." And then it's like, "Nah, go back to class and keep teaching math." Right? Like, like we, we're just doing that just because it's, we're required to as a, as a school. And how it would be so great to have had experience where people were n- like nurturing that versus saying like, "Yeah, that's just a requirement that we send you to that thing and, but we're really g- we don't really gonna do that.
So go back to whatever you were doing." Um, so you were at the district level and that, that reality, I love that you said, you know, "I didn't wanna be the one scrolling. I didn't wanna lose my teacher friends, but I also knew this is really important for me." How did you make that adjustment? What was that experience like once you got there?
I'm quoting here for there. Did you lose your teacher friends? Was it what you thought it was gonna be? Tell us about that.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I remember one of the first,
you
know, we had
like four bishop
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: days, like back to school,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I remember the assistant superintendent coming around. [00:55:00] She was like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Number
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "Oh,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you know, you got 30 schools packed up in here.
Like, where am I going? Who do
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: who do I sit with?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you know,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I said, "Because
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was just
wild. Like I knew all these
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: now.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: buildings now." And so she was like,
"Well, go sit
with your school."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was headed to that table like, "I'm gonna go find my people."
Um,
but w-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so the first part
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was terrible.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: tell
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Mm. I remember every
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: single
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: day
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I would
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I would wake up in tears to the point that on Friday
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
would
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I would go to the park at my old school and sit in the park and I just
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: cry and look
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and look at the building like, "I wish I could go in the school."
It was,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it was heartbreaking.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And it wasn't because of the folks in the division office. Like my superintendent was amazing. I have had great superintendents. They're like, "Yeah, go in there as well. Build the positive relationships with the type folks. This is
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: do
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what-
you do." It was a lot of the schools I'd never been in.
Like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you know,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: when,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: when when I was in teacher world,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I knew my staff,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my principal, [00:56:00] and the superintendent. Anybody else that visited there, didn't know them. Any other
school, school staff didn't know them. Maybe like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: people
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: people in my division or the schools from like PE who got visits. Yeah. Every day having to pick.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like and I, I'm one of those people, I'm a
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: introverted
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: extrovert.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I have no problem popping up at places, saying hi, speaking to people,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: bouncing around
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: around networking.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But when it comes to like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: people
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: people I don't know, I require one person I know to walk in and go with me. And this school said like-
Hmm ...a wedding, a movie theater.
So we're gonna movie, movie theater, you gonna be
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: theaters. and you're gonna be
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: late.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm in the car until you get there. We miss half the movie, we--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: walk in with you.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: gonna cheat.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so I--
that was--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to have that as a social,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: layer
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in this position was tough 'cause my task was now
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it's not just know who I'm connecting,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: The
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but beginning year one,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I wasn't even facilitating connections.
I wasn't facilitating nothing.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It was just, we all know who we were and most times they had it.[00:57:00]
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: We
need
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: We each had to find our new role.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I would just have to pick schools that had the goal of four schools a day to make it through the whole bishop by the end of the week,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, if I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: if I could. And I was just working more than I had before 'cause
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: building, not
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: now. I had, you know, college tours and I was doing that.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: walking into schools, signing with the office,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: greeting
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the secretaries like, "Hey, this is who I am. I'll be coming around."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Going to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to meet the teachers and trying to memorize names and faces and what you do and just talking.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the number of people that were so against this work-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: walking into buildings
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "What
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what do you do?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so I, I just had to figure out how to make it work. And so there was some nasty introductory tables that by the time,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: um, like,
you know, 10 years later, like now they were the best nationals ever,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but the beginning was rough. It was like some of the--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of my colleagues did not want me there. Yeah.
Like they didn't even have any kind of filter for "
like, I'm gonna
tell this Black woman how I feel about her and the company [00:58:00] we're working
with and
the workshop and this and that, and the day we gotta keep showing about our kids and our scholarship.
Like they, they had no filter. And so I remember just like, all right, I have to get in here.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I remember walking in the kindergarten classroom and she was always getting my stuff. I said, "You know what? I'm just here to help you with your beginning of school tasks. Like you got a kindergarten summons," and you know, kindergarten probably like on a half-full schedule in the room or
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: whatever,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
kindergartners
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So the teacher should have more time.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I just
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: just sat down with her. She was helping
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: her
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: her to do this, and I was shutting it down. I didn't talk about my rural with
like anything with
race. I said, "Oh,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: a... I gotta
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I got, I got, to sharpen 100 pencils."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Great. Do you have
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: You have the sharpener?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I sat there with her, and we just sharpened pencils for
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: about
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the both of them.
And
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: just
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: just had to learn like how do you even navigate this space?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: You
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: You
know, the
district at the time
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was like
3%
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of color, and that might be high. It might've
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: something or
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: been 1%
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I remember
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: or 2. But I remember like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: first
year,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: year,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: ran
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Kay ran a story in the pencil that they had
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: raised
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: raised the staff [00:59:00] of color by 25%, and she was like, "Oh my gosh, this diversity's labor, right?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: What she didn't know was that was 25% of
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: 2%, um, which is
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: adding
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: teachers in the whole
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: right? So-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: there
was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Le-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: notion.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: let me ask you a question 'cause I keep imagining, you just said, "I was in a silo. I worked with my teachers and my f- folks, and I was comfortable, and I knew my people." What kind of shock was that? Because then you started-- If you're excited about learning about race and you're excited about telling people, and then you start to see over and over again that people, like you said, are unfiltered in their racism, how did that shift...
Like I understand the strategy that you were using to get in the door to talk about it eventually, sharpen the pencils, building relationships, but that had to be like very disruptive to your mind, your mentality, or like the way you showed up to see like, oh my God, there's a lot of folks out here who [01:00:00] support children, so they say, who are racist.
Like what was that like for you? And let me tell you, and that was what I get to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: first unpack that,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it was Tanisha Abdul-Salam, and I got assigned to her as a mentor from PG to
like go to the other end of my phone was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "You
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "You have some trauma in you." And
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: what
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what I discovered was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I, I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was so in my head about filtering
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: what I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I said,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: how I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I said it.
I was tone policing myself. I had to figure out a way to say, "Um-" emotion out of it. I couldn't even have an excited voice because someone would say I was yelling at
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um,
and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and so what--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But it wasn't just I'm doing these things because of them.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: In
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: In my head, what I knew was I'm the first person to ever have a job like this in this district,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I'm a Black woman.
This district only has-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you know, 20%
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: people of
color and this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah. I had to keep thinking about
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: if
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: if I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: mess
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this up,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: [01:01:00] if
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: if I do the wrong thing,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it could be one mistake. There-- All these
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: 2,000
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: teachers and staff are gonna be like, "Oh, that's how
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Black
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: women are." So I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: took
on
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: on this role of being the representative. So to the point
where I got into the space,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I made sure my phone wasn't visible.
I didn't want them thinking I was like typing notes or sending a message to someone about them. I had to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like, it'd
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: even, "Oh, I walked in and did this. Oh, she made this look. Oh, I must have been this." I was so,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: conditioned to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to have to be on like this super fine line of like, did not mess up. And here-- But here's where the weight got heavier.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my
brother
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: moved to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to the same city as me,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: started his
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: his family there.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Years into
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: into this position,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I now have a nephew in this school district. Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And my first thought was, "Oh gosh,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: if they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: they know he's
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: [01:02:00] mine, I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I gotta make sure I do this to perfection because I can have him."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And the breakdown for me,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: he
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: he was in kindergarten, and I, I didn't see it coming.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And this time I knew
like, "Oh, we
gotta do something different."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I went to my nephew at the school because his mom called me
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: he was in Boys
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Club,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Club, and they called him to have him come out.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: when,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: he
came out,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: he
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: he looked so down. And I was like, "Oh God," like he didn't say hi, he didn't run and give hugs.
He gave me no hug and gave me his phone. And,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we're
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we're getting-- We're walking to the car and he's just head down and I was like, "Hey, stop. What's wrong?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so he just starts sobbing and bawling. So I'm squatting down on the cement ground into a car yet,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and he's talking about how he got in trouble at school.
And I was like, "What'd you do?" Like he's talking about a teacher like, "She yelled at me."
"Well, what happened?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So he
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: he said, "Yeah,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: when
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: when
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: when they called and said I was dismissed," because, you
know, they-- We had
probably had "
like, Hey, I'm picking him up today."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and by this time most people in the district found out I have a nephew in school.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: [01:03:00] and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and again, never imagined I'd have family living in the city. So that was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: amazing for me to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to have my brother there and have a nephew and be a first-time auntie.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: only nephew. Um, and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: My own. Um, and so
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: he
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: he said
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: well,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: when, someone went to the
door, the door was glass. And so you know how kids like the door will be closing
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and they see if they can run through
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: without having to touch the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: having to- Yeah
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that.
Well, in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in doing that, his foot hit the door.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: The
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: The principal thought he had kicked the glass.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this is him getting dismissed to me. Now, I didn't witness this. It was inside the building. I'm in the rock side corridor. I was the waiting area at the school.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this exchange
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: where
he
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: believes she yelled at him,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my nephew's a kid that very much wants to do what's right.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But I could not understand, like, you
know, I'm asking
like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Well,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: did you mean to kick the glass?" And he was like, "No, but the door just hit my foot. I didn't mean to, Auntie. I didn't mean to." And again, five-year-old- Yeah, yeah
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so I'm just like, "Okay, okay."
Like, and parents are walking by us
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: their
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: looking at their kids like, "What's wrong with this kid?"
Right?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I said,[01:04:00]
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "All
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "All right, I'm just gonna ask.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I just don't understand
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: why
you're
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you're so upset.
Like, it was an accident. You told her okay.
Well, maybe, you know, principal can
be like, 'This is wrong. Maybe something happened with her. It's not your fault.'" And then he starts telling me how sorry he is, and he's surprised I even knew.
And I said, "Okay, well,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Auntie
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Auntie doesn't understand,
like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: didn't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: didn't
hurt
me.
Like, I'm fine."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: he
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: he said,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Auntie,
I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I know the job you do,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and
if,
if,
I'm bad,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: teachers, they're
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: they're not gonna listen to you." And I-
Mm ...was like, "This is wrong." And now I'm crying, and I was like, "Oh, my baby."
Like, oh-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: what's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: thinking
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that never left me.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like, okay, I gotta
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: figure
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: figure this out because my nephew is in the principal's office.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I remember people telling me like, "Oh," the teacher's like, "Oh,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I know your auntie. Your auntie's my friend." And I remember
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my favorite color
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she said
like, "Well, ask her on my favorite color." Blue is my favorite color. And so he used to
like fire those
things back[01:05:00]
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in, in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in, in, in first grade.
People would be like, "Oh, I saw your nephew." 'Cause he always knew. And so I didn't know that he was taking that on as a weight. Yeah. Five years old,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "It wasn't his fault."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in my
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: mind it's like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm like, "I should have stayed in the classroom," right?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but yeah, that--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So yeah, he was born,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I think
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: born,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: he was born, I stayed that first school year.
So by, like I said, by he--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: he, Yeah,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my s- by
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: by my son's grade 12, he's
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in school now. Yeah. That I just didn't see
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it coming.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: coming. But that's what I was carrying back in my mind the whole time. The image he reports to it at the age of five before me.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So I didn't make the connection- ... for the first couple years.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It was my nephew and then
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: assigned a mentor
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you're
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: three
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: with PPG,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Tanisha and her nephew. I put the two together,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: voilà.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: is
why
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: felt
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so boxed up when I walked in the school. Yeah. Then that person
analogy I would
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: is
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: use with people is like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: when I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "Yeah, well, I've already
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: support."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: [01:06:00] The
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: air there
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: is
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: is like a pollution. When I get to my house and then I carpool there,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm in the freshness and that's where I can be myself and breathe naturally.
To go to work every day,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it was about putting this mask and Google's to make sure I don't get the same bad air, but it was like a way to mask myself.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But it was always about
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in that space, in that world,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I wasn't just protecting like me.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I felt
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: felt that I had to protect every single Black female teacher who believed in the work the way I did, because if anything I did got misinterpreted,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that was gonna mean they would
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: feel the brunt of it in their classrooms, in their teacher lounges.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So yeah,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I held onto that because it was me.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my greatest resource by year one,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: We
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we would go to the DELTA meetings,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Equity
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: leadership meeting, and the Native American
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: student
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: services coordinator
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I caught like from jump.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, we
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we were the only two in that room in those meetings like discussing of these equity problems in the district, of a
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: hard
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: [01:07:00] conversation,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: what are
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what are we gonna officially do
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: make
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: after we make changes for this or that.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: We
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And we were the only two in that room
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: who-- Well,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Well,
we weren't
the only two that were colored. There were other district admin of color.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: We were
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: We were the only two in that room that had an administrator license. So it was more likely that we would say
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the deeper perspective pieces
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and be
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: be,
you know, the like one side of the room.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So when
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: when we recognized that unspoken in the room on day three eye contact and that they are,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we
knew
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we would sit by each other.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we were the people in
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: gonna have each
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that room that had each other's back because we knew
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we're the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the ones that are,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we're
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we're able to be removed because we don't have
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: have the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the license. So we're not district admin, we're not principals,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: this or
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we're not this or that.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: have this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this certificate
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and we're able to do this job here,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and we get the pleasure
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to be in this room with all these big timers,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that we don't have.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we had
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: have to find ways to support each other. So yeah, so the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: term from
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the mask and the armor became
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my person. I wanna tell you,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "You're
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you're my person.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Figure out when I give [01:08:00] you this work,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: jump in and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in and take over. I'm like, "Okay." And you give me this, I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: had to, we would meet
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: can absolutely do it. We can go to her office,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, and have these
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and have this conversation. And that was how I survived
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: building. Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: wasn't there in that building.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Was there. I'm gonna... We-- You and I met through Stacy Brandon, correct?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Yes. Mm-hmm.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I-- Your s- your story and Stacy's story are so similar
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Hmm.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: two different states and the way that Stacy would talk about...
It's like, I wonder how Glenn Singleton, I wonder if he understands the amount of racial battle fatigue that people who were trained under his programming, not that it's his fault, but programming have taken on, and the ways that it impacted the families and communities of the people who took on this work,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Mm-hmm.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: right? Because you're a shield to a lot And I just, and [01:09:00] so is Stacy, right? And I just think about you all. So I, I j- I th-- it's, uh, several of you that I've... Julia Berry. I've just interviewed so many people who worked for that organization and worked in schools, and the amount of, like, harm that people experienced.
Um, not even at his organization necessarily, um, maybe they did or didn't, but at their schools or in their districts.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Yeah
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so I'll ask you a question. N- thinking about your nephew, thinking about the teachers, thinking about your, your, your colleagues and the struggle. At that time, what were you doing to take care of yourself?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: The
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: The only thing I had
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in the professional space,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, it was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it was the one task I was given off the PPG
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: by the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: by the superintendent to go knock out.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: They
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: They had skipped the staff of color,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: uh, group that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: leadership plan in phase,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I think it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I think it was [01:10:00] 1B.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: 1A was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: put, uh,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: put- implementing beyond diversity within
the leadership of school.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: 1B
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: 1B was staff of color. Then phase two was care team.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: had
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: They had skipped that phase.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: skipped
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: They skipped it because it happened right before the position was designed. Superintendent know what you with it, know what is happening, but they skipped it and moved on.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: When I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: When I came in, they were like, "If you wanna do it, launch it."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I got
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I got selfish.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So I had the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I had the choice to launch that.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, I told
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I told my superintendent,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: an older
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: male that always
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: little white male that always had my back, always had my back.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I said, "Yeah,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I said, "Yeah,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we're-- I'm gonna launch
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm gonna launch that phase."
Mm-hmm. "I'm gonna invest in it." So they said, "Okay.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: call
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: call PPG,
you
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: out what
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: out what it does, how you start it, what you do.
We'll help you plan it. We'll help, we'll do whatever."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But when I told my second-in-command, Fat Ron, like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: again, year
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: year one,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: trying to figure out the program, what it does, how you
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in it,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: tell
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to tell them,
like, this is what the job should be. We got the skeleton bones of a job description.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I didn't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I knew what our tasks was.
The tasks was every week I went to Delta and pulled it back.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: [01:11:00] This
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: This week, here's all the things I did.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: That's
what
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: That's what the first year was.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So to take on this task,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my thought was,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I gotta
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "Okay, fine." 'Cause again, remember they released a study that like year one,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the teacher of color population dropped. Mm-hmm. I'm trying to pivot.
According to the percentage,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it says now there should be
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: 90, it was
either
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: between 93 to 96 teachers of color across the school district.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Me, I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm over here okay, so-and-so needs to...
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you. I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I got the last six. Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Where these other
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: What are you doing with 90 teachers?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Okay, we
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we gotta make this move." Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: of us out here
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: 96 was our employment. I need to see people who look like me.
Yeah. Me,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I thought, "Oh,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: if I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: if I get to make this group and it's like job description for my principal, I get my people."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my support."
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: first task.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yes. I decided, okay, beyond, you
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: getting to know,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: know
teachers and building my
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: equity team
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: equity team people, I was gonna help with staff of color.
and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that's
exactly
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I said that was my mission. Okay.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for me. It wasn't,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It was me. It was,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: even
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I wasn't working for
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for me
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the AP.
It was me. Yeah. And now my time on the[01:12:00]
MRT
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: what it's called, the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: team was over. My term on that was up,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and it was up before I even got this position. So now I have nowhere I'm going to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: have
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the reps right now.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: mob of people who look like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in my future. So no MRT involved. There were no suggestions in
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: addition to me- And remind folks, MRT is a union group.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Yes, it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Uh-huh. A local resource team. Yeah. Okay. Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So yeah,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was--
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: now
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: there's
been a two-year gap
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: from
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: from my time on that team
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: up,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: up,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and then even by this point, I wanna
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: say two
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: two years after my time,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: then the states got rid of it. They don't even exist anymore.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: They
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: They changed the name. I think Practice Schools went to like Quick Schools.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It--
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it's, yeah, it's very different from my time. It's not how it was now. But so yeah,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this is my first chance to put something like that back in the book
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: without
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: having to drive to Salt Lake City every year- Yeah ... for the RLA
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: conference. So I went for it. I was like, "Okay, this is, this has to happen." Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm not doing [01:13:00] well up here,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I'm one of four or five places in the middle
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: three
people
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: people have
high licensure with superintendents, all this other director stuff.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I have to find the people on the ground who have licensure questions.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like this,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this is a no-brainer. Yeah. Thank you. On the, on the... So thinking about that experience, and you're, again, you're not there now.
What was it-- How long were you doing th- the work in that district at that capacity? And again, the same question I asked before, like what w- how did you know, maybe it was your nephew, maybe it was accumulation of things, that it was time to do even s- something beyond that? Because you mentioned in the beginning, like, "Yeah, I did this, and then I was at the district, and then I did this work, and then I, you know, I'm doing the Freedom Schools."
So what, what was it? Because you were doing the, you were lobbing them back to them. You were sh- joining the care team, making care teams, and then putting them together. But what was the thing that said it was like, "I, I think I'm done right now. I'm thinking I'm gonna do something else"?[01:14:00]
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: The
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: The start
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the thing was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of it was a change in administration.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: The
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: The superintendent who led the equity
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: work
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: work and brought it back, brought the division from, um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: another establishment within the higher up,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: um, he,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: he
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: he retired and went on to be like a,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: a,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: um, um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: coach for
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: or superintendent down in Georgia State College.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that was a heartbreaking day for me.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, matter
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: matter of fact, myself and my person,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: when
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: when that retirement was announced,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: resignation, we
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we didn't go to work that day.
It was a day of grief.
Mm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: superintendent
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: superintendent
called me and said, "Do whatever you have to do."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um,
when
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: when they announced the new superintendent,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Oh, I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: stay." Because this was someone who was supposed to be on the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: away with not coming to those meetings for over a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: district leadership team and got in the way of not putting those needs first.
So that was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: meeting that day.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: After meeting that day,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we had two interviews.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in the
whole year, no meetings on that,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like no
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: no [01:15:00] connection.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So the question was asked like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: well,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "Hey, how are we gonna-- like, how are we gonna move this work forward?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: our leader?
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Who is our superintendent? Who gets it, right?" Mm. Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I got
to, I
got to be
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: not
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: not a part of the interviews,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but I was positioned
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: be able to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: see the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the candidates up for the role that got chosen to hire.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So They
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: they had me facilitate a small workshop out in like an open area,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and they would escort the people on the different rounds of their interview. They would move from this group to this group.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so I got to see the candidates come through. So one of them, they were backed up in time. He couldn't go in the room.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: He
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: He sat in my session. I got to ask questions.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, man
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: man of color from Minnesota,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: didn't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: didn't get the job. Um, another woman I could choose from, like Chicago maybe came through, didn't get the job.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Internal
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: candidate did. Of course.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: They
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was not
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: got it in. Was not about them. It was not because of them. Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: year
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: year one,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: stuff was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was stumbling back.
Sure.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: day one we
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: then we, they, we don't have a superintendent at this point in Spokane, and people that were on the [01:16:00] road waiting for the work to go away got excited.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: a one and done
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: got a superintendent,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and then we ended up having to go with the interim superintendent next year.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: First
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: ever,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: pr- um, person of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of color in the role.
But again, things weren't my comfort. The job title
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: happening.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: really help. That didn't really shift too much because the depth of work
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: individually that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: just, just what I was looking at. The depth of work individually to be leading that role as a chief learning and person of color across districts, I was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: kind of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: kind of
like half of the team.
So the like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we need
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: new people we brought in to have me do it
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: wasn't gonna
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: gonna be great either. There was a lot of tension there between
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: me
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: me and my figurehead. And then,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so then to go from that, we then move on to a,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: uh,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: um, they run
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: another
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: year interim who's gonna be a full-time superintendent.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So,
you know, now we have our first ever full-time Black male superintendent,
and I
thought, "Okay, I'm gonna stay because I wanna be granted the deal
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to be here to back him."
First couple [01:17:00] of years were kind of our honeymoon.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And then next thing I know, I started watching people get moved around to positions. We're bringing people in that are gonna do better work, making jobs
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: up that,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and then like they put someone
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: above me,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: me, but they advertised the position.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: My,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: affiliate
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: teammates,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: affiliate team that we had been able to build across those last three years,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: asked their superintendent like, "Can we silo onto a position?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Now
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Now mind you, I had read it
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and then crossed my mind to apply for it because I saw at the bottom they had
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that you must have a superintendent license. Like I already did. So my team went to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: with
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: me with the superintendent to talk about it,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this is when I knew I had--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that it was definitely time to consider something different.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so they were bringing the position in. Uh Affiliate team leader,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: had
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: met with our team like, "Hey, there's a change that's coming in charge of your world."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: she
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she said she couldn't tell us much on the superintendent. So my team asked to meet with him, and we're going through this. And so at the time, like people were telling me, even some principal said I was gonna get the [01:18:00] job
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: 'cause I mean, it was given to me.
People were telling me like, "Oh, can't wait for... I'm sure it's gonna be exciting." I was like, "What are you talking about?" "Oh, this job is for you, right?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Not that I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that I know of." So my team
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: is
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: is asking questions, you know. So,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: today's Wednesday,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we just took, got online
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Yesterday, what
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: What do you mean you're interviewing tomorrow and Friday, and you plan to announce the candidate by Monday?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: morning at the board meeting?
Um,
there
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: there were just things we, there was common every mixed things, right? Like for example, he said
like, you know, We're gonna interview
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: all
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: all weekend if we have to."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Interim
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: superintendent, they was all about "
like, "We're gonna interview all weekend."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Right?
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Right?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So stuff, it started to get a little sketchy.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So then in this space,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my white peer
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: says, "I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "I guess I'm just concerned as to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in this process why aren't the affiliates being utilized?
We have interviews- Yeah ... any questions, anything like that to get the most qualified candidate for this position
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: if
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: if [01:19:00] you're gonna put them over us."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And he basically
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: told her in
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a nutshell,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "You
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "You know,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you all are taking this affiliate nonsense seriously."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: The
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: The example that he gave to
like leverage this
with her
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "You guys aren't affiliates
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: who
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: who happen to be teachers.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: You're
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: teachers who
happen to be affiliates."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: He
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: He was like, "That status can go, come and go as
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: needed." Mm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: again, this is the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She said, "Okay, this is the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: person on this call. Everyone
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: white person in this shop, and we're not gonna get any color from them."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And she says, "Oh,
mm, not a big deal." But she's "
like, No,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm gonna
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: gonna take this affiliate role with me wherever I go.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: If
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: If I choose to not be a teacher,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'll
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'll be a plumber with an affiliate." Yeah. He tried to leverage and say no. He was in a Greek letter
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: letter
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: organization.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: He
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: He said, "I'm not
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a Greek letter organization member
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: who
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: who just happens to be
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a superintendent.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: [01:20:00] I'm a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a superintendent
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: who
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: who just happens to be in my four alpha phi beta."
But,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: hmm, that's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that's different, right? Because black Greek letter organizations
for
black, for black people,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you know,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you know. Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: That's what that means. So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So I was in the main alpha phi alpha.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So she
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she kept going. But at this point,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: she knew,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: knew, and
this is, this is how Shonda
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Rhimes was built. As one of two white women on the team, but the only woman that could lead.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: she
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She knew five Black women colleagues in the space.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I like to step
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: up and- Yes ... like Bernard, and she
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: how to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: had dealt with grace and also
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to have the conversation cross the racial lines as a white woman to a Black
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: way to have a conversation
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: across social lines with white women too by friendship too. Pause. Thank you. Pause This is the first time I think I've heard you say this is a, a Black man.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Yeah. Yeah. So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So in conclusion, so
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I had a photo
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but I did say
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: with
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Went from
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: first Black
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: black guy for a picture with the principal. Oh, you did say this. You're right.
Honeymoon [01:21:00] period, then everything started to fall apart.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Yeah. Yeah.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, he was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was basically
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Saying,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "You're asking too many questions.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Do you not trust me?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So now we go around the call, he's asking each person by name,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Danika, do you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: do you trust me?"
So and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I said,
"Um, with like, with the protocols we've been asked and we've been trained on
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: years and to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: for
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, your
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: many years in June? No. Um, your vision for the district? Sure."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Right?
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Right? He's talking about financial transparency because we
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: go through the whole,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: told my bosses we couldn't answer his question.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So then my colleague says,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "I guess I just don't understand.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: if
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: If Danika was in the role from
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: jump,
you're
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you're bringing a new one that nobody even has met her. It's going to be an overhaul.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Why
would
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: would you just not position her to have the role?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And he said--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Mind you,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you, I barely talked this meeting.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I thought-- 'cause my goal was to be a listener. I really wanted to hear,
like, what is about to happen because again, we've been tipped off about this shift in
like an individual phone call.
It's like, "Hey, I need to meet with you [01:22:00] anyway." So I need to know what was going
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: on. So my goal was to be a listener, but I was already ke- like it didn't go well.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And he said,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "There is
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: is no
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: work that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that Danika has done in this district
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that
would
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: would
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: allow
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: me
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to give her favoritism to just hand her this role."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I know the quote exactly
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: because he
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: he repeated it twice.
By the second time, I had grabbed my notebook and pen and wrote it down. Still have the notebook.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: written to this day.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It's written in blue ink. And I, I knew I wasn't gonna talk the rest of that meeting. Like I have the notes.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: You
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: You told me where you stood, and that's all I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: know.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to know.
That was
when I knew
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm gonna spend the rest of this year
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: figuring out
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: out how
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm going to go to my next stop.
New
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: director of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of whatever she--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the title was, it was a long, fancy title with all the buzzwords. Equity was in the title, inclusion, diversity, all involved in the title.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She comes
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: build the whole team around [01:23:00] her.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: From
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: day one,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I took my summertime off that I'm given in the role, which was about six weeks, spent the same with
the, the teachers on
the ground.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Came
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in, you
know,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: just
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we were very pushed out.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: by
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: by August 1, I was already in HR.
Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you know, like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "We
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "We don't want you to do the PD orientation. We need you to be here in this meeting."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Oh,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Oh, but I'm the only one trained to do
this, this
workshop for the staff that was supposed to be an orientation for
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: new
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: all new hires to get their house in order workshop at work.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: equity work."
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Mm-hmm In those that
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Now I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm pursuing non-profit, that was, that was
the first day of that new year.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so I knew that year,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: if
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: if I make it to the end of this contract year, this has gotta be my last one. Honeymoon phase is over.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: This is
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: is not-- There's no-- I'm not a representative standing back for anybody anymore except my children.
But in that space,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm still taking blows left and right.
Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and so the final [01:24:00] threshold for me came.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Of course, a bunch of things happens,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: schools get
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: get closed, but the, the, the district itself was in such shambles in terms of,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: of leadership,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: vision,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: decisions,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: actions,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: just
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: elements. There's things happening on the media,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: defaming.
And, um, I think my final take when I knew like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: yeah, this is definitely it. I, I don't even have-- I don't even got a
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: plan, was the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: public had started a Facebook page
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: discuss their,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: discuss
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: their disgust
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: with the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the announcement to close one of the schools
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: on
the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the east side of the city,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: which
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was where
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: more of the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of the Black and Brown kids who went to school out here.
And the school that was going to be closed,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: That
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that same school I had proposed
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: maybe
let's look at a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: become
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: school
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a charter school,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: right?[01:25:00]
Um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: teachers,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: principals go to this meeting 'cause I wasn't gonna be in any meetings about like school closings and renovating or, you know,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: picking a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a different way to run the school.
The goal was gonna be to find a way to bring back numbers 'cause there was some kids intensely in the district. And principal of the last school shared that in one of these meetings or whatever.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Apparently,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: they chewed her out for bringing it up
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: told
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: for writing what I was talking about.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: You couldn't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Couldn't have a meeting on a charter school, those weren't exists, but they did 'cause we had a board member who countywide.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: founded one in Texas.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so she
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she comes back and tells me like, "Yeah,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: shut me down. They-- She said, 'You're gonna turn my school
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: blah.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So now they read
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: school
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: about to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to close or whatever, and they make this page called Save Our Schools.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
don't-- I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I learned early on this position,
never
leave a comment. Don't comment on Facebook groups.
Social media is not my outlet anyway. And people start screenshotting the comments in here, [01:26:00] and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: they are
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: are talking in this group. And so one of our staff members from the board commented, people screenshotting, she said like,
you know, they're
talking about
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: superintendent, this director lady we brought in, and calling
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like all kind of
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
these,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: racial...
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: again, some of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: some of these folks like, you know,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: hardcore
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: pro-racial words, Black families,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: They're,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but they're using a lot of language that like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: be
well-intended, but the racism
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but the racist undertones- Sure. Yes ... I've learned from-- this is another lesson like as A white ally advocate.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: how do
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: How do you advocate
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: against
Black
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Black and brown people
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: who are
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: who are
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: wrong, causing
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: causing harm
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: people
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to people without looking at this particular situation?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: a whole, uh, dissertation right here
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It takes years to build relationships. So one of our staff members, a white woman who
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: h- I've
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I've been to bat for
her,
her brown son in the school many times,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um-
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: followed this
kid
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this kid from sixth grade up to high school or middle school now,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, with issues around
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: along the way. So his teachers and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: been [01:27:00] with
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: bringing her every step of the way and meetings, all these things.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, she
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she was like,
"Well, you know,"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: sh-
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so she made the comment about his page. She was telling the families,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "You know,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "You know, you all keep talking about the two
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: leaders,
but I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but I know Dr. Lauren. She's not with them."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this lady said,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Who's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "Who's that?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: now mind
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: mind you, my name's been all
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: over the paper for all kinds of stuff, not
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the same things they were being said about,
you know, disrupting school,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: interviewed for different things I'm doing in classrooms, all these
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: these things they're doing in classrooms, all these things.
And the lady says,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "I don't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "I don't know who that is. Sound like three fools with a trench coat to me."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: now someone is resigning Bishop. Someone's moving on to another bishop's entrance to some Kenneth Copeland. She was building a team over with the new bishop in Queens, the global.
Mm-hmm. And now they're having goodbyes
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: or
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: or whatever.
I'm in the line. She decided to take a question to this young man. I looked at him and he
said
like, he said
like, "Hey, how are you?" Just came back. Tom Brady wins those because
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: anyway at
this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: good point.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I said, "Oh, I'm good." I said,
"You know, I'm trying to process,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you know,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I've
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: heard
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: heard about these comments about [01:28:00] us online.
Like, I'm not going to focus on it.
Like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: about
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: not my job. I got--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: They said
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: said three. Just
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: leave me alone." Because again, director came before she was worried about me.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And he
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: he said,
"You know, I heard
something about that.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I, You know,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: You know, I'm gonna meet with you. We're gonna, I'm gonna help you process this." Um, by the way- Oh, really?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I get an email to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to go into the director's office. He was down the hall from mine. Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it. I'm... It is the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this end of day, it's like 4:00. It's time to go home, so she doesn't come around this.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I thought it was gonna be something quick, so she told me to sit down and close the door.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So she
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she was like,
"Well, yeah, I just want you to know
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: came
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: came to me, told about the whole thing.
You
know, you feel some kind of way."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So I told her, "Don't even worry about it. I'll meet with her." Now again, I have no text or email saying, "Hey, Danika, never mind. Meet with her instead. She'll, you know, she'll process you." Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I don't even remember what started what,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but I
remember where I knew like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm not sure how we got here.[01:29:00]
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: said,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Now
I "
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Now I just need you to go thicker skin. You're
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Black. You're
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: You're supposed to be able to handle this." She
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: out
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: out-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Again, we're in the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we're in the district office. She pulls out a paddle.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It has the N-word across the top. It says, "N-word beatings."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: puts
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She puts it down in front of me.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She's sitting on the edge of her desk.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She's
like,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She goes, "Take a look at the paddle." I-- And I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: look
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: look up.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm crying tears
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: anger, Like,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like, just rage coming out of my eyes. Like, it's not even sad because I'm just mad. I said, "Why is this in the building?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She said,
"This
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She goes, "This is a reminder for us." "
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: About
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "When
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "When I was the first ever
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: principal in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in this whole damn district over here in this state,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the kids made this for me 'cause that's what hated me so bad.
And you have it on display here for what?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: To
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: To remind me of who I am, once was me and my place," or whatever she said.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I said, "Oh."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I said, "Well, yeah, well, you and I are the same."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So then she starts taking N-word up, [01:30:00] all these shots like, "This is my
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: seven-times
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: times great-grandfather. He couldn't read. He couldn't do this.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: You
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Do this. He wasn't this. You think he was worried about racism? No, he was worried about survival. This is my..." So there are these pictures all over the office. She's taking some down. So we get to the final straw because she went after the whole like, "I'm post civil rights" thing. I said, "If that's the case,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: why are
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: are we doing this work?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Why,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: why are we in schools helping teachers organize their own biases
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: with the authentic,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: authentication
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: authentication of curriculum and making it culturally relevant and telling the real history to kids?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Why
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Why are we even doing this for kids like my kid?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She said, "You know,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I heard
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you had a nephew in this district,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I just feel so sorry for him.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I have a..."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'd
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I never heard this before. She said, "I have a great-great granddaughter,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: goddaughter,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and
we
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: raise
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: her for a world
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that's gonna make sure that
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: she
gets
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she treats everybody. And it is a [01:31:00] shame that your nephew is raised in a family
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: where he
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: he is not being taught the reality of what he's supposed to be.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So I hope
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: can't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: wait
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to cross paths with your nephew."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: What
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "What school does he go to again?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: My
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: My nephew's in middle school at the time. He's in
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: grader.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: school. I said, "That's information you're not talking to me."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I said, "If I even hear about you in his school asking about him,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you'll
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you'll have to deal with me,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and you don't want
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: me
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: me to tell the rest of my family." That was when I knew we were done.
Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was the day. Superintendent never
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: came back to me, checked on me.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Hey,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "Hey, did she talk with you?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Nothing. That
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: That was supposed to be the conversation
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that made me
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: feel some
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: some sort of better
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: about being
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: being called
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: three
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: weeks worth in a trench coat attached to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: t- those
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: their choices
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: their
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and their decisions and their leadership and what they had explained for all these white folks and the whole community for this whole [01:32:00] time.
That was, that
was, that was what that was supposed to be. Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I ended
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: all the while
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: a massive complaint against both
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: both
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: In
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: In
the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: hearing,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: whatever you want to call it,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the investigation said the mind was very open till June and July.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I have it in mind on paper.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: coming back. I had
already
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I know I told them like, "Make sure that I push for that so I can move."
It's not like I told my staff of color that they would have known if they came to the end of year staff of color event and let the staff weigh in near the end of year totes. But for what,
you know, going back and forth.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I tell staff of color this. They could have, they been there, they learned. So I told staff it was June, July happening.
And July 3rd was when we were in
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the final
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: hearing,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like, and the ruling or whatever. I knew it's by massive complaints
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: by the union, legal team, all this space. And
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: um...
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So the whole thing was the superintendent had to be able to come in that space and give,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like, the [01:33:00] final, I'm not gonna say the legal situation.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: The
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: The goal was get me out permanently, remove her,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: maybe
remove
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a room, something make y'all stay. That was really in my head the entire
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: part
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: time.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: nor
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Nor did my-- The legal people know that I was leaving. The, I, the whole thing with the staff of color, they found out in June I was leaving the legal team and the union
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: They
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and they told me, "You
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: publicly that you're leaving."
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: announce publicly."
Why not? If you announce, they can drop the whole thing.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So who I--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we'll keep
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: keep it quiet that you're leaving.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I had
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I argued honestly.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So I had to keep it quiet from June, July. Matter of fact, June,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: did
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: didn't you? Did everything, worked it out and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I wasn't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: finally we were able to get the ticket. We get to July 3rd and the,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: they said the,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the whole ruling was
noth- They found no fault on it.
Out of 67 pages of things I had submitted, including text messages, emails,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: including text
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: text messages came out about the country, reps by phone,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: all from the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the director.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: then there wasn't anything.[01:34:00]
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: superintendent
came
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: came to the room and said
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the issue of the tension between Dr.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Moore
and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and her
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: is
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: is simply because Dr.
Moore,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: has
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: has forgotten
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: um, duties of her job description.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what
I'm learning to rule towards the final pieces is
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I will personally document the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Moore at the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: start of school year, we'll review her duties and things, and then we can start the due process. And I should not have got
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what I wanted to do with her.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: This whole time they've been taking, scaling back my duties.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was no longer allowed to work with principals, no more coaching of principals,
um, no
more E-team workshops at district office two times a year. I have to be escorted through school buildings now to even walk through buildings and meet with teachers and just observe classrooms
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: pop-ins
and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: gently.
But last year, I will be like I was imprisoned in my own job.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, pandemic
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: actually saved
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: getting to be
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: me hope and joy because-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: everything virtually.
It
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Mm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: 'cause this is
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Mm-hmm
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'd gone through the whole time.
so,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: um,[01:35:00]
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I said,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: said, "Okay."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So I said,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I went out to Santa Clara out there. I said, "If that is the case,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: if
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: if you're saying
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: all this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of the stuff that we've sent you, if that's the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that's the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: case, then you
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: don't even have to finish this out.
I'll, I'll make it easy." So the investigator paused
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and said,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a little bit, then he said, "Can you just
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: walk
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: us through?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: You
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: You know,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: on, 'cause you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you
know, it-- the...
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
don't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I don't know if you ever seen, but the way you have to make the formal complaint,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you have to,
like, make your bullet points. You have to hone on, like, three main, "
like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: are
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: these are my three things.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: three.
There
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: There's a whole structure you have to write in. So I have my three things,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Then
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: then on the very last
page,
page 67,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
put
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you put your,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: conclusions
and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and the recommendations that you're wanting to make, the three things
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: more
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you want attacked, right?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: second
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: main issue was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the lack of support.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: First
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was just like not being able to do the job duties, like
limiting, limiting my
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: skills, all these things.
The
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like the middle one was like the support piece of the job.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: [01:36:00] they asked me to say on the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: this little
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: initial hearing, whatever, "Well,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you mentioned no support, but on her little memorandum in here, she's listed all the ways she supported you.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: because you said that there was no support, give me examples.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: why
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Why don't you just tell the whole panel here, tell us an example of how she supported you?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I said, "Oh, okay, sure."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So I told
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the story about the office and the ink. Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: pa--
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: The whole... Again, that was in
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: affidavit.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: yeah
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: had written. They didn't read
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: of it.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: They
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: They had my two-page, but they weren't listening. He starts looking in the packet like, "What page that on? This wasn't in it."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Again,
this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this is the final
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we're
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: we're gonna make a decision-
Mm-hmm on your behalf, or this is the final we're gonna discuss this or whatever it's gonna be done. And they have my copy. We started this whole thing
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: April.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: The
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: The whole thing was done in May,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: handed
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: which is 10 months. There are three copies that went out.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: One
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: One goes to HR,[01:37:00]
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the union labor team has one,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and the investigator has one.
And it's to make sure that
they, they all have it. Then we have,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: This
67
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: this 67
pages,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: The claims have not been read, so now we're in this
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: hearing, flipping
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: flipping through
like, I didn't see that." This letter,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: now
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: now everybody literally is like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "What in "
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: What in the world?" Like- Yeah
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but we still didn't say she's not at fault.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: The
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: The issue was I didn't know my job description. I was trying to do above what my job asked
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: me. But
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: how'd my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: had my nephew not been there-
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: What's that got to do with my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah, yeah
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: so
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: on the thing, I was like, "Okay." Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the investigator
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: believe it. Everybody just stopped
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: stopped talking
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: they said-- He said, um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "I don't do this often,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but Ms. Moore,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I've
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I've seen the work you've done for years,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and this might be the most heartbreaking resignation I've ever experienced."
The best words of my life. He said,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Because what
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what you [01:38:00] do isn't just a job."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: He
said,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: He said, "What you do is a calling."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: He said,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: He said, "And I gotta sit with this for a minute." "You sit with me all you want. I'm gonna go get a bag."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So flew
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: moved back
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the end
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: at the end of July,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: 'cause I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but I still had their laptop and everything, iPads, all the tech employees.
Again, I moved. They didn't know
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: fly
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I-- By the end of July,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I got them to agree to let me do a final summer work day with one of my teams,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I did that work day.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: announced to that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that's that team that really was out. That was my first team I got to tell. They had my email cut off the next day. Couldn't even tell the rest of the district.
Two years into being gone, I still get emails from teachers
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like, "
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Your
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "Yo, your email bounced back, so I found you on social media, LinkedIn. Can you come into my classroom?" Because
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: they didn't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: they didn't retire behind me.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: This is what I make in a year.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: They
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And this guy's been made up of almost literally combined
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: her
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: her old world above me and mine, the one
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: last
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: last school
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: on year
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: year.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So y'all can be sure of that. So yeah, that-- So yeah,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: how
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that's how I knew it was time to go.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, the,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the phrase I hung with was,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "When
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "When it began [01:39:00] compromising my values or my sole purpose,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it was time to go."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And I, if
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I-- If I'm being honest, I stayed about three years too long. But at the same time everybody here,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I wasn't leaving my nephew for sure.
Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Like, he's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: he's in-- He's still there. He's in high school now,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but he's got language and words and, you know, he knows he's gonna come home.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: up the phone. But
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in the baby phases,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the three years,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the number of things I did
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and didn't do
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and put
him at the priority of it,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: even
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: even like in personal life.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: If I wanted to go
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: move
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: move away 'cause I wanted to,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Oh,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: oh, my nephew.
Like, I did that for a long time.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the three years
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: stayed,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: stayed,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I needed
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I had to make sure he was gonna be good too, 'cause
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in the school I'm supporting.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I didn't know what happened to him.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So I had to stay in my mind.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Even with
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But still a loyalty,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: me, I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I, I had to
stay.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and my team knew
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I knew it too. I would tell them all the time.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Like, I,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I, I had actively [01:40:00] applied for jobs throughout those three years.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um,
it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it wasn't even like not getting the job was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: or interview.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: even the dream role that I wanted.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It was a simple thing of wrong number on the application.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: they called,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: when they
called, they called
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: conference.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the wrong number. That was my husband and wife line. By the time I found out they had called the wrong number, it was like two weeks past the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: wanted
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: time I wanted to interview.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So I sobbed about that
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: dream
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: job for a whole school year.
Um, every
time. "I'm not supposed to be here."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It was supposed
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: week." And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And my team
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "What are you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: about?"
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like, "What are you talking about?" Like, "Oh, it's okay." So yeah, there was ac- there was action,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but it was like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: looking for
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: for jobs is a full-time job in itself. Yeah, it is.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Trying to have the mental and emotional stability to keep going to work every day
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and look for a job, and then get off work and feel like I had free, like my me time, my self-preservation time for like, you know,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: going on a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: on a walk, going on a run, going to play volleyball,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: writing a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: a poem,
reading a
book.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: That
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: That wasn't there. It was just work and sleep,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: for years.[01:41:00]
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And then
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in the middle of all this, and also like my bachelor's was new.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It was the last year that I was there
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: for my degree. Mm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: all
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: all of this was happening
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in those three years I buckled down and got into my master's too.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: For the love. With a mother who was sick.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: couldn't
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: tell
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: even tell her I was in my master program.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She found out I was in my master program
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the day I was finishing.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: My
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: My sister was the only person I told when I got
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: into school, and I kept it that way because I knew that my mom's young
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: bogged her
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: daughter's young,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: or that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and that she was struggling to make ends meet on her corporate thing.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So yeah, so I made sure
like to make my sister like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "Hey, I'm about to do this thing. Here's what I need from you. Like, here are the things you can do. Here are the things you can't do.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'm like, if I fall down, like I need you to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I need this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: protect this. It's between me and you. If something pops up and we need to go to the hospital,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I might be in class.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It's gonna be on you." And so yeah, my sister was the only one that I knew the deal while I was back in school
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: going through all
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and, and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and, and work every [01:42:00] day. My mom knew about a lot of work stuff, not all of it.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to the point that my classes at night,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I would
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I would go out of my way
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: That's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: about--
I mean,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so my mom, her mind was like, I remember she would say, "These people are working you to death
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: then they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and they treat you so bad.
Why are you still there?" Like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for, it to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: so- Yeah. I was trying to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: degree
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: get this degree so I could go out and do, do more of my thing. Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: do what I need to do and go to the next thing."
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: That's what led to the degree, going back to school. Going out of this space of
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: after
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: being limited for so long, um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I decided
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I got to get some more potential, maybe I didn't- Mm-hmm. My leadership role was not taken seriously for my skills.
It was, it was, it was stereotypical. So
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my-- the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the solution was to go back to school.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I get this potential instead,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: then I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: then I can do something with it.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So school
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: school That's
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: like some kind of
pseudo solution that
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But in my mind
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: was gonna fix [01:43:00] everything.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it didn't fix everything Did it? Did it fix everything? No, it just
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Dr. Moore
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: got worse.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: nothing
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Nothing
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: worse.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: changed.
It got worse. Of course it got worse. Of course it got worse 'cause now you have even more education and now they're more intimidating, right? Um,
that's a lot. That is a lot of story. Um, I really appreciate you sharing that. Um, and to know we still have a little bit more left to share. Um, mm, mm, mm. mm, mm, mm.
I just keep going back to, like, now I'm curious as to like w- w- the what happens to the folks who do not just [01:44:00] courageous conversations, but like work like that across the country?
Like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Mm-hmm.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: they now? Where are y'all up to? What have y'all been up against? How are y'all healing? What does the wellness look like now? That's something to be investigated, right? Especially because of this cognitive dissonance that it's like, I thought I knew you as a teacher and now I'm talking about race and now I see that you're, this is how you really believe it and the grief that must come from that.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Yeah.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Right? And, and it's, it's different maybe, maybe than having the same type of job in like banking or real estate because you're not talking about kindergartners and five-year-olds and, and right? You're talking about grown adults and having conversations with grown adults who may have their own families, but it's just not the same.
I would, yeah, my-- the, the, the, the need to know how [01:45:00] folks took care of themselves or are taking care of themselves at their jobs exists. The implications, the health implications, the mental health implications, the relationship implications from standing in that gap like you just said over and over and over again, um, and then just being like pushed out and gaslit, and then does anyone ever go back and check on these folks?
You know what I mean?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: One
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of the things that I remember,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in the middle of my term in the district office
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: between
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: superintendents, um, Tanisha Ebdus-Salaam told my advisory because they had...
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Well, she
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she was over the advisory team. She wasn't in my-- She was my advisory- Like they would do what they're gonna take care of someone else.
And so, but she was already a full team. And when
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Tanisha would
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: would come to visit and we'd do like
our,
our coaching and our virtual sessions weekly
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: or
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we--
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: two weeks. So there [01:46:00] was a time where
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: wanted Tanisha to sit with
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: affiliate
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: team lead, who
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: who actually didn't
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: go
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: do the
full, full career process.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and kinda
like watch
how Tanisha debriefed us after the Beyond University.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Diversity,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like she was in the middle of Beyond University at one point then, and she took out her little notebook and Tanisha kinda had to be like, "No, "
like, put
that away 'cause you can't do what I do."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I, I just remember thinking like, "Yes, you can." Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: when
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And then when we were doing our one-on-ones, we were processing
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: said,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: different things, and Tanisha said to me, "You, you gotta lock in on you."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She said, "
I
will, I will come back here to this city for your wedding.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I will
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I will come back for graduation. I'll come back for a birthday."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She said, "I will not come back here-" Mm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And then she told
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: our
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: our district leader that in the meeting.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She said, "I just want you to know I told Nico this.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I'll
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'll come back to celebrate her for anything that she can do and what she does,"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but she said, "I will not come back to bury her when y'all have [01:47:00] her."
Mm. And she told me that. And then when she left our next one-on-one with my evaluator, she was trying to like slyly ask, "So how are things? Tanisha been discussing your evaluation timeline. She made..."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, and I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I was just like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "You "
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: You know,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: know,
what
we've
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: you know the second."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: But just
the, the
impacts of this work on Black women specifically
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and health
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it...
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: is, yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And at the time I didn't know what Tanisha was saying.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Yeah. Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: phase my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Keep in mind,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like I was the only one voting
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: at
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: at that time.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: then like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: years
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: were then able to see the data coming out. It's like, "Damn, she was right."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: wouldn't come to bury me.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So- Yeah
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: when I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: when I got the doc degree,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I still felt like I was trying to be, like, like someone was trying to bury me,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but I was so proud of that online degree just like to get it with all that I had went through.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, she
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she was the first person I invited
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: her know I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: one-on-one at my doc. I like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I sent a little picture out with my, my invitation 'cause I was like, "You wanna come bury me?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: But it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It was like- Yeah
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I want [01:48:00] you both to go to the white jerk, stick me in the ground. But it like that was like a small thing that she told me that just really helped me.
Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like I was, I would say my last two years there
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: were
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: were very dark,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and all of my self-preservation came from the connections I made at Stack and Code,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my affiliate team.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And outside of work,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: everything was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was dark.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like the innocence and joy of my nephew, if I could just hear him laugh- Yeah ... that's
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: world didn't exist.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what I missed.
Like if I were with my nephew, the joy of just being with him, all the family,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Being
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: being able to go back to my,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, ancest-
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: especially my, my grandparents,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: uh, hometown, th- their
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the very many foods and things
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: walking
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: wrapping in. It
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: all
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: like all of my came
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: from digging into the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: from visiting with my ancestors.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Uh, and that,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: think
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I think that got stronger for me
once the pandemic started because
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I think--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: don't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I don't remember her name.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: do
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I do remember she came from PG.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: came
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She came [01:49:00] to help with,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: one of the leadership workshops. It wasn't Beyond Diversity. I don't remember her
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: ethnicity, but,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but, um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I know
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I know she came from like the north, the significant north part.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: she
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she had posed this question to the room
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: about
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: when did you stop playing the music?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: When
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: When did you
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: dancing? And then I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And then I believe Cortland added more language to it around being able to get back to your original medicine.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And I did a,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: interrogation through a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in a workshop with him about original medicine and discovered my original medicine tied to the use of my hands.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um,
I'm not
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: not being on gardening and dirt,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: try-
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: which I'm trying to find out
what, what my
hands should be doing.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And he said that your original medicine has to tie back to your ancestors and what they were doing
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: long
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: before technology,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: long
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: before self-care teamwork, which is like pedicures and massages. And I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: tied
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: into
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my maternal grandmother
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: because
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that's who [01:50:00] taught me
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to read and write.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She didn't know she taught me to read, but she did.
Mm-hmm. And that's how I dedicated my bachelor's degree to. And she was my first teacher.
Like, if I really think about who my very first teacher was, it was my gran--
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She was also my childcare when my mom was working.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: My
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: My grandma had me since I'm a child, kids.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, she
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: she also worked for the newspaper.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: She
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: She had a column in
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So, but
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but she also was a baker in a flower
shop. She would bake. Everybody wants her baking. So for me, getting back to my hands, like my original medicine,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: had to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: had this all my life. I
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: doing
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: doing writing again. So even my doctoral degree, I had transformed that to be my medicine
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: write
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: my capstone.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like that became- Yeah.
a way to self-preserve.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And even
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: even though it did feel like a break from my courses,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: my
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Black peers in my doc program,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: all of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of that was part of like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the sustainability of me surviving that final year without feeling like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was going to be taken out
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: [01:51:00] or was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was just gonna like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: end
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: end up in jail cell. Because the amount of rage I had to report,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it had to come out somehow.
So it came out through writing. Yeah. And writing about Like the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: capstone,
what I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what I wanted to investigate, like being able to write and process that,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I really got to take that last year to think about my topic. My topic for my capstone was,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I wanted to analyze and assess the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: quote
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "training or development"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of school leaders when they join districts that have a racial equity initiative or some type of platform,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: what
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: their
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: teachings and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and learning, what has even
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: shape them
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: them to lead that kind of work.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: really interrogate
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like in a school principal setting. And I looked at what
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: look like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: school principals are really like in K through five, or
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: if
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: if they're from a growing or urban district.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was looking at those [01:52:00] particular districts outright and assessing those and
like
find- like finding out like things of like this is why
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the school principals I worked with are struggling.
This is why they want to do a style of school.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: yeah,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: yeah, I tried to make that my medicine like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was finding a cure for something
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and that helped kept me invested in
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: that work and really work every day because in some ways like,
you know, but then I also like,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I just
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I just didn't want to be in that district anymore.
I mean, it was like I could be
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: out in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: out in the woods, out in the woods. Even when they banned me from co-teaching with teachers, like I got banned from co-teaching with teachers,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I still found ways to get in the schools. Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: teachers
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Walking the back door,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, of
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: of high school.
Like, yeah,
I,
I,
was still like putting in co-teaching with teachers in my life
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I always say when I left the classroom,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: teaching and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and being as close like co-teaching children,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it's kinda
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it's kind of like when,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: these
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: electric cars, they have to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: get
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: get
fueled back up.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: For
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: For me,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: fueling
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: back up meant to be around children and get out of this adult [01:53:00] space that was always so toxic. Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Um, and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and so yeah, back into a classroom and just sit on a bunch of kindergartners or, you
know, fourth grade, wherever I was at,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
that was
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was how I made it through every single day was when I took school.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So when they
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So when they took that from me,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: that was when
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: was when
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: apart.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I was like, "All right.
Well, now that's where I have to rely on
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: just the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: just enjoying my nephew." Like when I get home, I'm coming and I'm gonna pick up school.
Mm-hmm. We had a trail we walked every day and we count- counted turtles on the pond and sunbathed on logs.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Like
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Like my nephew,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um,
became the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the most beautiful thing 'cause he was like the joy and fulfillment child. At the same time, every time he would refuel me for
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the fight
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: 'cause
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: 'cause I knew I was fighting with and for him and so many more kids. It was all worth it.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: It still is to this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It was all worth it. Yeah. Yeah. I'm going to... Um, this has been a fantastic interview and we are two hours in.
Um, and I [01:54:00] have so many questions that I'll have to, we'll have to, to chat some other time about. So I'm gonna ask this last question. I'm
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Mm-hmm.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: ask two questions. The first is I have to ask you, is there a Black educator that you would like to shout out? So we'll start with that.
Uh,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Uh,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Dr.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Susan King for sure,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Susan King,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: shout
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: for
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: affiliate cohorts members, Dr. Shakia Bland and Dr. and Nanette Cannoli. Like those three Black women changed everything for me
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: sure. Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: as a Black educator.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Um, put that one in. And then I will shout out my affiliate coworkers, members, Dr. Shakeela McCann and Dr. Kenia McMillen. Like, those three Black women changed everything. Mm. Mm. Thank you. And then when you were working at the district, you talked about having these, the affinity groups, right? The care teams, but they're not-- You don't have them anymore.
So tell, tell us, for you now, on the back end of all these things and all these realizations and talking to [01:55:00] Tanesha in, in your 30s and all this, for you now, what does it mean to be well?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: For
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: For me,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Wellness. I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I use this phrase, um, you know how people
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: will use
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: use the term resilience all the time?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and it's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: It's
like, for some
people, it's
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: me."
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: just like, "Oh, it's all right." So
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: decided the term to, like, fit the model of what I want to say
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: radical
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: resilience. Um,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: because the,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the, if you look up the definition of resilience, you'll notice that it's defined that something is stretched and snaps back to its original
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: is
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: form.
Mm-hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: be
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And that's what resilience is meant for objects, not people.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So if I'm
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: So if I'm going to be, quote-unquote, "resilient,"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I have
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I have to be radically resilient,
which
means that, one, recognizing
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: don't
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: don't
snap,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: back to your
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to your original form. You, you do shifting and you do stretching of you
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to figure out [01:56:00] what's going to work best for you moving forward.
Yeah. And to do that, I have to recognize and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: work in a
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in a way that benefits me and helps me.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: even
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: even small things like
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: bereavement
leave,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: leave, three days
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: per
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: per death. Who said that? Who said three?
Right?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And so I had to find ways,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and I still do,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: finding
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: ways to
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: take this
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: the time and space of
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: having
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: time to grieve for myself, and not even just
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: physical
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: physical death
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: just
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what I was talking about, that the
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: bereavement
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: makes you,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: really
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: tight and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: broad.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: broad.
So,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to be well for me
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: means to
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: to have full control and autonomy of my time and how it's used,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and also
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: recognizing what
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what it actually means to rest
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: and
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and being okay
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: with when
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: when that rest means sometimes just [01:57:00] doing
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: nothing. Someone
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: asked me today,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: what
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: or my former mentor
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: for
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: myself last night,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I told two people this in the less than 12-hour span.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I sit
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: in
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: in the staircase of my house
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: on
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: on the second step from the bottom.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I stretch my legs across the first step and I read a book on the third step and my dog
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: the fourth step.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: sits on the very first step. Yeah.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: Sometimes there's music playing.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Sometimes there's music playing. Sometimes I'm singing to myself.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And to me, that stuff, that's my preservation.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: And it's a total mental space and I had to be okay with being a person who what looks like I'm doing nothing is really doing the most important thing. And that is my definition of being well,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: is
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: is when the thing that feels like you're doing absolutely nothing
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: is
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: is actually doing something. Yeah. You're able to accept that
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: we are
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: conditioned to be like healing and all these things is like movement and
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: action.[01:58:00]
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: Sometimes the most powerful
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: not,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it's
stillness. But the question how we define the term rest,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it wasn't until last year someone asked me,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: How "
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: How do you
actually know..."
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: No,
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: No, he said,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: "Do you
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: "Do you actually know what, do you actually know what
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: it means for your body to rest?"
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: And I'd
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I'd never been asked that question before.
I was like, "No.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I need sleep. I didn't know what
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: So I
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: rest was." So I spent all last year tapping into
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: what
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: what does my rest look like?
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: How
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: How do I know when I'm actually
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: rested?
And when
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: when I'm well rested, I'm well,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: it's
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: but it's not just sleep. And in my mind, that's all I could do. When things are going bad,
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: more
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: more sleep. And when you get more sleep, things will get better.
Um, so yeah.
Hmm.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: of well, is that it comes in so many
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: I've thrown so many phones. Literally thrown out a
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: but I found
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: window. But I'm feeling my rest is stillness.
dr--danica-moore_1_05-20-2026_164141: um, 'cause there's a lot of reflection there.
dr--asia-lyons--she-her-_1_05-20-2026_154141: and
then I have a question for you. Dr. Danica, thank you so much [01:59:00] for coming on the podcast, for sharing your story, for staying the gap for not just your nephew, for so many Black educators and students, folks of color, the community who would have never have met you, but you've impacted. Um, and I'm glad that you're finding, you're coming back to this new shaped self of you and loving that about yourself.
Um, and I appreciate you And folks, make sure that you all take care of yourselves, take care of your communities, uh, be still, be radically resilient, and we'll see you on the next episode. All right. Peace
Founder/Facilitating Consultant
Professional Biography
Dr. Danica M. Moore is an experienced scholar, practitioner, non-profit founder, CEO, shoe and sports fanatic, and lifelong learner with demonstrated history working in education management systems. She possesses highly recognized skills in program evaluation, Curriculum and Program Development, Research and educational leadership all intersecting with racial equity work. Her early career as an educator began in religious organizations at age 11, redesigning youth education content and lessons for K-5 students; later she became involved with K-5 summer school opportunities for a public school district in a rural area. These experiences created a foundation for her B.S.E. in Elementary Education from the University of Kansas, followed by an M.S.E. focused in Curriculum and Instruction with an emphasis in TESOL. It was during her graduate program she launched her research centering student identity as an impact on teacher expectations using urban and suburban public school districts. She completed her Doctorate in Leading and Learning in Organizational Change from Vanderbilt University’s Peabody College, studying the learning and development in educational leaders’ preparation for leading racial equity in schools. Dr. Moore has served as an elementary classroom teacher, special education interventionist, a Title Reading and Math specialist, and an English Language Learner interventionist for K-6 before moving into district leadership roles as an equity facilitator and racial equity consultant, founding 4tified (Fortified) Educational Practice…Read More
