Join host Cate Tolnai as she sits down with educator Wezi Thindwa for an inspiring conversation about global identity, overcoming public speaking fears, and finding your path from classroom to edtech leadership.

🎯 What You'll Discover:

The Global Educator Journey 🌍

• How growing up across three continents (Malawi, England, California, Virginia) shaped Wezi's approach to building inclusive communities
• Why regular summers "back home" in Malawi kept cultural identity alive despite constant moves
• The dinner table conversations about international development that planted seeds for a service-centered career

From Terror to Triumph in Public Speaking 📢

• The raw story of literally running off stage during college presentations due to crippling anxiety
• How a professor-dean-parent intervention became the turning point for facing fears
• Wezi's practical toolkit for managing keynote nerves: pockets for shaking hands, dark clothes, internalization over memorization

The Classroom Teacher Who Said "Challenge Accepted" 🎯

• Why everyone told her NOT to teach third grade in Virginia as a first-year teacher (high-stakes testing, overwhelming standards)
• The "scissors cutting" lesson that became a core memory about focusing on what truly matters in learning
• How Mary Plank, her cooperating teacher, modeled equity-focused instruction with refugee and immigrant students

The Unconventional Path to Adobe 🚀

• How being "seen" by leaders led to unexpected opportunities, from instructional coach to tech specialist to culturally responsive instruction
• The Tanya Berth connection that bridged classroom teaching to edtech leadership
• Why tunnel vision on serving your current community creates visibility for future opportunities

Professional Development That Actually Develops 💡

• The brutal truth about teachers signing in and leaving PD sessions
• How to design feedback systems that get honest responses instead of "safe" platitudes
• Why teachers deserve to feel professionally developed, not just compliance-trained

Key Takeaways:
✨ "Every student gets the optimal learning experience" - Equity means meeting each learner where they are, regardless of English proficiency, fine motor skills, or background
✨ Community building isn't optional - When you've felt "othered," creating belonging becomes a survival skill that translates to leadership strength
✨ Passion can follow competence - You don't have to feel called to something to excel at it; sometimes commitment creates passion through growth
✨ Failure is data, not defeat - From failing teacher certification exams to flopped program launches, setbacks become stepping stones with the right leadership support
✨ Speaking your name correctly matters - Small acts of inclusion create the foundation for larger equity work

Connect With Wezi:

🔗 Wezi on TikTok - @misswezi
🔗 Wezi on Instagram - @wezirthindwa
🔗 Wezi on LinkedIn - @wezirthindwa
💻 Wezi’s Website - https://dot.cards/wezi

We apologize for the audio quality issues in this video.