What starts as a conversation about weighted blankets, travel, and friendship becomes something much deeper.

In this episode, I sit with Dr. Krista Leh for a soulful conversation about courage, curiosity, belonging, and what it means to stay human while leading in hard times.

We explore:

✨ kindness as leadership practice
🧠 curiosity as resistance
🤝 brave conversations, repair, and trust
🏫 reimagining social-emotional learning
🌍 how travel expands empathy and possibility

One line I’m still carrying:

You can be honest without being brutal.

🔹 Re-examine one practice that no longer aligns with your values.
🔹 Initiate one courageous conversation this week.
🔹 Expand belonging for someone in a concrete way.

Connect with Dr. Krista Leh
📸 @resonance_ed
💼 linkedin.com/in/krista-leh
🌐 resonanceed.com

Connect with Brave Voices in Education
🌐 bravevoicespod.com
📸 @bravevoicespod
📸 @iamcraigaaronsmartin

If this moves you, share it with an educator or leader who needs it.

#BraveMoves

He worked in the Biden-Harris Administration.He helped shape how stories are told at the national level.

But his understanding of power started much earlier — with a poem that helped him finally feel seen.

In this episode of the Brave Voices in Education Podcast, Craig Aarons-Martin sits in conversation with Dr. Chauncey T. Alexander — poet, storyteller, and former U.S. Department of Education leader — about voice, identity, leadership, and purpose.

This conversation moves between the personal and the political:

✨ discovering your voice before the world validates it🤎 navigating leadership as a Black man in national spaces🏫 The importance of representation in education🔥 making sense of today’s shifting education landscape🗣️ Why this is a “season of small voices.”💭 How to reframe your internal dialogue in difficult moments

Chauncey reminds us:

You do not need a title to have impact.You do not need a platform to have power.

You are not weak. You are tired. And you still have something to say.

🔗 Stay Connected

🌐 https://bravevoicespod.com📸 https://www.instagram.com/bravevoicespod📸 https://www.instagram.com/iamcraigaaronsmartin

🤝 Connect with Dr. Chauncey T. Alexander

📸 https://www.instagram.com/drctalexander/💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/chaunceytalexander/

In this episode of the Brave Voices in Education Podcast, I sit with Ron Rapatalo for a deeply reflective conversation about authenticity, leadership, courage, and what it means to remain grounded in the public square.

This is a conversation about truth-telling, relational trust, and the kind of peace that can only come from being held by people who genuinely love you.

Together, we talk about:

✨ speaking truth to power while navigating uncertainty
🤝 relationships as a form of leadership currency
🧠 authenticity, discernment, and how we show up in public spaces
💬 why proximity matters when trying to lead with empathy
🫶 how community helps us stay grounded in difficult seasons
🧘🏽 daily practices that support emotional and mental well-being
🔥 the courage it takes to remain human in systems that often ask us to shrink

One of the most powerful reminders from this episode:

Find your peace through the people who love you.

If you are trying to lead, serve, or simply stay rooted while the world feels heavy, this conversation is for you.

Follow the podcast, share this episode, and send it to someone who may need a word, a breath, or a reminder that they are not alone.

Connect with Ron Rapatalo

📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/phenomeron/
🎙️ Ronderings Podcast: https://ronderings.podcastsmatter.com/
💼 LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/

Connect with Brave Voices in Education

🌐 Website: https://bravevoicespod.com
📸 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/bravevoicespod
📸 Host Craig Aarons-Martin: https://www.instagram.com/iamcraigaaronsmartin