“Education is political.”

Juanita Walters

Special Education Coordinator, Math Coach, Assistant Principal

Awaken Your Joy (Journal) - https://a.co/d/94yW3w7

Tuesday’s At Seven: The Healing Circle - https://a.co/d/2MwmpKD

“This system was never designed with Black children in mind.”

This week, we are joined by special education coordinator and former correctional officer Juanita Walters, as she unpacks her journey through education, leadership, and advocacy in New York. Drawing from roles spanning the classroom, administration, and pupil services (and her time in the criminal justice system), Juanita exposes the parallels between schools and carceral systems and names the urgent need for Black educators to be disruptors.

“Compliance is not engagement, and burning out is not a badge of honor.”

Juanita challenges the manufactured literacy crisis, scripted curricula, and systems that ignore culture and context, while calling for collective action and independent, Black-led educational spaces rooted in student voice, autonomy, and joy. She also models sustainability, discussing her commitment to boundaries, harmony, healing, and authorship through her journal Awaken Your Joy. Grounded in purpose and community, this episode is a call for Black educators to reclaim power, remove their capes, and build liberated learning environments where both children and adults can thrive.

Dr. Charlynn Small & Taylor Small

Black educators are advocates, protectors, and culture keepers.

In this powerful intergenerational conversation, Dr. Charlynn Small and her daughter, Taylor Small, reflect on their journeys as HBCU graduates and Black educators, discussing the critical role representation, cultural understanding, and advocacy play in the lives of Black students and families. Drawing from Dr. Small’s 30 years and Taylor’s 3 years of experience, the duo unpack how Black educators counter biased assessments, hostile school environments, and systemic inequities with care, expertise, and humanity.

Education should be child-centered, not profit-driven.

The episode also takes a clear-eyed look at the state of Black education today, including the impact of school vouchers, school choice, and legislative rollbacks on public education—particularly for Black, brown, and immigrant students. Together, Dr. Small and Taylor emphasize the importance of boundaries, self-care, and community to sustain the work, while naming a shared legacy rooted in love, equity, and preparing students to be not only successful learners, but good people.

“Education is the foundation”

Jamarquan Houston

https://www.allmylinks.com/Stairkeepers

“Representation shows you what’s possible.”

In this episode, educator and author Jamarquan Houston shares his journey from the classroom in Milwaukee to broader work advancing BIPOC representation and leadership. With experience teaching across K–12 and coordinating programs that expand opportunity, Jamarquan reflects on why Black educators matter, how seeing yourself reflected opens doors, and the realities of navigating the profession as a first-generation educator balancing purpose, pressure, and persistence.

“Don’t limit yourself—pack light and reach for the stars.”

Jamarquan discusses the state of Black education, the importance of intergenerational leadership, and staying ahead in a rapidly changing world shaped by technology and innovation. He also shares how continuous learning, authorship, and storytelling sustain his joy, including his books Entitlements: The Right To Be Happy, Vol. 1. Grounded in legacy, self-discovery, and service, this episode highlights Black educators as guides helping students (and communities) turn struggle into possibility.

“It is the heartbeat, the drumbeat. It's the heart line, it's the pipeline, it's just so many wonderful things that Black educators do.”

Dr. Mazella Fuller

https://antiracismandequity.com/antiracism-book-promo/

“Black history is American history, and equity is not optional—it’s essential.”

Dr. Mazella Fuller shares her journey from K–12 classrooms to higher education, clinical social work, and national anti-racism leadership. She reflects on the power of Black educators to provide representation, cultural understanding, and pathways to student success—especially in spaces where Black voices are often marginalized.

“We have to move from optics to outcomes.”

Dr. Fuller is a licensed clinical social worker and educator who’s spent nearly three decades transforming student support and developing outreach programs at Duke University’s Counseling and Psychological Services. She co-authored the recently released "Antiblackness and the Stories of Authentic Allies: Lived Experiences in the Fight Against Institutionalized Racism" and also co-edited "Treating Black Women with Eating Disorders: A Clinician’s Guide." Her advocacy centers on real allyship, mentorship as reparations, and integrating mental health with culturally responsive education.

“Honestly, education found me…”

Higher Definition Leadership and Empowerment Coaching

Professor LaToya Green

https://www.higherdefinitionlec.com/

“When I think about the future of education, it is just being incessant and being absolute about access for all students...”

In this powerful episode of the Black Educators Matter Project 500 Podcast, Professor LaToya Green shares her journey from an unexpected start in communication studies to becoming a nationally recognized debate coach, educator, and leadership developer. With teaching experiences in Kansas, North Carolina and Southern California, she reflects on the mentors who shaped her path, the challenges Black educators face in predominantly non-Black spaces, and the transformative impact of authenticity, representation, and cultural connection in the classroom.

“In this space, we are going to live and move in some freedom.”

Professor Green offers a candid look at the state of Black education, discussing its systemic barriers, its resilience, and its brilliance, while highlighting the classroom moments that reaffirm her purpose and the self-care practices that sustain her. She also discusses her leadership coaching company, Higher Definition Leadership and Empowerment Coaching, where she empowers individuals and organizations through workshops, keynotes, and curriculum rooted in personal growth and equity. With a vision driven by intersectionality and opportunity, she calls for continued investment in Black educators, Black institutions, and the communities they champion.

"We are the only ones that are going to save us."

Kecia Austin

Middle School Co-Teacher, Student Council Facilitator

"I've always said that Black educators represent liberation."

Kecia Austin, a Chicago middle school co-teacher and student council facilitator, shares how her path into education was shaped by a principal who saw her gift early and by her journey as a mother advocating for a son who learns differently. She reflects on why Black educators are essential to liberation, representation, and advocacy. Kecia describes the challenges of navigating school systems as both a parent and educator, the realities facing Black families amidst socioeconomic pressures, and the need for compassion in an era where social media often devalues education.

“They need to see someone who understands their world, that speaks their language, that validates their brilliance.”

Kecia’s approach centers joy, connection, and student voice. She creates a non-traditional classroom filled with music, movement, flexible seating, and leadership opportunities, ensuring students feel seen and supported holistically. She speaks candidly about sustaining herself through self-care, the urgent need for more Black men in education, and her desire to leave a legacy rooted in genuine care. With gratitude for the Black educators who shaped her, Kecia offers a vision of education anchored in representation, compassion, and the belief that every child deserves someone who truly sees them.

“I’m always trying to connect with them - that’s how I keep it joyful.”

Ms. Jazmine Cooper

Dancing with MISS COOP - https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCLZpL03egB4R0hbOT59IsjA

“Yall know yall love my energy.”

In this inspiring episode, Chicago dance educator Jazmine Cooper shares her journey into teaching, shaped by growing up with almost no Black educators and wanting to become the affirming presence she seldom saw. She explains why Black arts educators matter and how dance has become her tool for healing, empowerment, and identity-building for students. Jazmine opens up about the challenges Black arts teachers face in undervalued, underfunded, and over-tested school environments, and how she lets her choreography, her classroom culture, and her students’ transformation speak for themselves.

“Education should be as diverse as the students we teach.”

Jaysyn Green

History Teacher, Debate Coach

This week, we are joined by Jaysyn Green, a history teacher and debate coach from Compton, California. Jaysyn reflects on her journey into the classroom, inspired by an eighth-grade history teacher who helped her see the power of connecting personal experience to historical truth. She shares how moments of social unrest and the challenges of the last decade deepened her commitment to creating safe spaces where students—especially those who are first-generation or marginalized—can see themselves reflected and empowered through learning.

Jaysyn discusses the importance of Black educators in shaping classrooms that honor identity, truth, and critical thought. From navigating racism in private schools to coaching debate teams that amplify student voice, she highlights the need for culturally grounded teaching and diverse perspectives in education. The legacy she hopes to leave as an educator is being remembered for strength, innovation, and believes in the power of education to help students make sense of the world.