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Welcome to Episode 4 of the Exit Interview with Asia Lyons and Kevin Adams! This week we hear Shalelia Dillard share her story. It is a similar refrain for Black educators who have experienced institutional alienation and rejection within the education system. We invite you to listen and take in her story of optimism, belief in schooling as an equalizer and in her own brilliance and talents to provide a quality education for children generally, only to see her confidence and professionalism come under attack by the same forces that permeate our system. But, as we have seen during the life of this podcast, the process has been liberatory while still painful. Shalelia has discovered that most dangerous of discoveries: that it is possible to continue to be an educator without teaching in a school. She shares her inspirational path and reminds us of what it means to be not an industry artist, but an artist in the industry. Catch the Exit Interview monthly in the Too Dope Teachers and a Mic feed. The Exit Interview is a production of Too Dope Media. Music composed and performed by Kevin Adams

This week, Kevin and Gerardo connect with Dr. Apryl Alexander, professor and researcher of Forensic Psychology at the University of Denver. Initially, we hoped to discuss Social/Emotional Learning and Trauma-Informed practice as we prepare for a possible increase in in-person teaching and learning, as well as a potential full return to in-person schooling in the fall. What we got was so much more. Dr. Alexander challenges prevailing notions around trauma and sexual violence, comprehensive sex education, and her assertion, as articulated in her writing and TED Talk, that “sexual violence is preventable.” We discuss all that not only as it pertains to a return to in-person schooling, but as it pertains to education more generally going forward. Plus a FIRE top five.

In this emergency episode, Gerardo hosts a roundtable with five Asian American/Pacific Islander-identifying educators from across the United States to discuss the horrific murders of eight Asian and Asian American people in Atlanta a few days ago. Carla, Erika, Tran, John, and Kim share their stories of struggle, triumph, purpose, pain, and invisibility as this threat of violence and death hangs over them, as is has over all Asians since they first came to these shores. In this episode, they express pain, anger, frustration, disappointment, and more than any other emotion, numbness. The draw critical connections to a larger AAPI Civil Rights struggle, acts of murder and violence faced by their community, and ways in which anti-Asian hate and violence are acceptable in our world, as they have always been. This episode is heart-wrenching and inspirational. Listen today and stand in solidarity with our AAPI neighbors and friends.

Just the fellas today. This harrowing adventure of schooling during a pandemic is fraught with contradiction, anxiety, frustration, joy, disappointment and doing one’s best with what one has. We engage in some real talk around returning to in-person schooling, including our own experiences, as well as across the country. Additionally, we shout-out our financial supporters with nicknames (can you find yours?) and look ahead to the final weeks of school. Don’t call it a comeback! Actually, call it a come back. Because we’re literally coming back…to school buildings…

To talk with LaChanda Garrison, the 2021 Department of Defense Education Activity (DODEA), is to be taken to school by next-level brilliance, compassion and intellectual and spiritual depth. Her story is unique and fascinating, and reminded us that each person has a unique path and set of experiences. A self-proclaimed “military kid,” LaChanda shares her story of racial insecurity and a desire to “be received” and be seen for who she is. We could not be prepared for the deeply honest and open experiences that LaChanda shared. She shares stories of her biracial identity, her work in the “family business” of DODEA teaching, and living in Bahrain. She shares her praxis of student-centered, relationship-driven mathematics instruction, and takes us to school. And finally, a wonderfully constructed Top Five rappers/performers that gives us even more of a glimpse into this amazing spirit. A longer episode, and worth every second.

Being a Black educator in the American system of schooling will test the faith of the strongest. In this powerful episode, Doctoral candidate Donna Druery (who has her defense the day after this episode!) shares the long journey through education that ultimately ended with her departure. She shares upsetting experiences, ranging from the hostile to the absurd. An excellent educator once highly recruited and touted as exceptional in her context, she experienced what so many Black educators experience. Her professionalism was not simply questioned, but outright attacked. She was the subject of gossip among White teachers. For over a decade she found herself in a textbook abusive relationship with her job. At times, she felt that “we were turning a corner” only to find herself attacked again. Listeners will find resonance with Donna’s story. The “constant strategizing” simply to be heard in her community the physical manifestations of her racial battle trauma. Through it all Donna’s faith carried her to a degree that is jarring and powerful. Don’t miss this episode of the Exit Interview!

Juliana Urtubey’s family came to the United States to escape the Civil War in Colombia. Their transition was aided by existing citizenship, and Juliana has made the most of her opportunity, not only in her own educational attainment, but as a highly skilled and accomplished elementary educator. She brings a different energy, one that is completely consistent with her nickname “Ms. Earth” a moniker given her by a student. She is a person of many worlds, who crosses borders daily in her quest to humanize the schooling process in Nevada, where she is the first Latinx educator to be named Nevada Teacher of the Year. She is also one of the four national finalists for National Teacher of the Year, and this interview tells you only SOME of what you need to know about this well-deserved distinction. Over the course of an energetic, healing and fun conversaton, Juliana shares her experiences with community gardening at the school, National Board Certification, grassroots teaching and learning, humanizing pedagogies, and teaching to thrive in a space where multiple worlds meet. You will love her insights and stories!

As a young college student, LaGarrett King knew somethin was up. A student of history who had a profound understanding of himself as a complex human being, he knew that the version and framework of history he was being offered in his program was limiting and myopic. “I didn’t have the language” he explains, “but I knew there was more to it.” As a teacher, “I was on the traditional track for a Black male educator,” which meant administration, but after a few months “checkin hall passes” he decided that he wanted to dig more deeply into the work of studying and understanding Black Historical Consciousness. Now Associate Professor of Social Studies Education at the University of Missouri and founder of the Carter Center for K-12 Black History Education, Dr. King is setting schools ablaze with powerful abolitionist ideas around the importance of Black Historical Consciousness. He dives deep into contentious, unsettling historical study and drops so many gems we thought we’d just robbed a museum! Gerardo and Kevin had the experience of hearing Dr. King teach at professional development, and now you get to hear his ideas. Get a pencil and paper, because class is in session!

The systematic attack on Black teachers continues across education, and the great city of Denver is no exception. The ways in which Black and Brown teachers are often scapegoated and experience proxy attacks on the communities from which we come and which we serve. The designation of schools with Black and Brown student populations, and those which employ Black and Brown educators as “low performing,” “not meeting” or, locally, “red” is a well-established and researched problem in our system. We sit down with secondary teacher Neelah Ali, one of the founding members of Denver’s Black Educators Caucus, about the continued marginalization of Black teachers within our system and the caucus’ recent #dpssoracist campaign. Neelah speaks at length about stories shared with the caucus regarding atrocities committed against Black teachers, especially in the form of stereotypes, professional bullying and other microaggressions felt keenly in most schools which employ Black and Brown educators. Follow the BEC, the hashtag on Facebook, and support Denver’s Black educators!

Our first repeat offender guest is the amazing and brilliant Jessyca Mathews! She chops it up with the fellas, offers humor and heart, and gives us her top 5 MCs. A must-listen if you are down for some critical intellect and optimistic spirit!

This one is a goody. We sat down with the amazing, brilliant, and powerful Dr. Bettina L. Love for track 3 of the Revolution Summer Mixtape 2020! Author of We Want to do More than Survive, Dr. Love’s Abolitionist teaching manifesto has proven prophetic, instructional, and inspirational. We spoke with her the day after the launch of the Abolitionist Teaching Network, had some laughs and discussed her top five MCs. A memorable conversation, thank you, Dr. Love!

José Luís Vilson, NYC Math Teacher extraordinaire, wrote his way out, and writes like he’s runnin outta time. His This is Not a Test: A New Narrative on Race, Class, and Education (Haymarket Books 2014) remains a staple in the library of any educator who claims to be committed to antiracism and equity, and he shows up as his authentic self on the daily. He generously gave his time to the fellas on July 7, and what ensues is a passionate, engaged and fun conversation that was some combination of the academy, the teacher’s lounge, the front lines of a movement, and the front porch on a sweltering NYC day.

Summer is here, and while temperatures have been moderate, it is still probably going to be the hottest summer on record. The block is hot, but we hope that everyone gets something of a reprieve to recuperate, reflect, recharge, and reload for the work that is to come. We present to you the first track of our summer mixtape. Denver Board of Education Director Tay Anderson has forced conversations that have made some uncomfortable, while inspiring others (most of us, if you look at election results from 2019). He has demanded justice for communities of color with pained relations with law enforcement, LGBTQIA people in our schools, and has demanded change in terms of how we hear youth voice, as well as represent ourselves to the wider community. Tay took the time to sit with us after the rally to change the name of St*pleton, and he takes us all to school about what it means to keep pushin, and to say that we cannot wait any longer. Track 1. Summer Revolutionaries Mixtape.

In this difficult time, it is critical to hold onto and #hustlehope. Our young leaders are engaged and fired up, as they have been for YEARS. Youth activism and leadership is nothing new; we are still learning to listen to them. We’ve remixed our January 2017 episode #TooDopeStudents as a reminder that the energy of the young ones is contagious, and gives us a wave to ride to true change and justice. Enjoy!

Kevin and Gerardo attempt to wrap up the school year. As always, ish is wild. With protests sweeping the nation following the killing of George Floyd at the hands of law enforcement, a strange end to remote learning with nothing but uncertainty ahead, the fellas try to make sense of the present to build optimism for the future.

Re-posting Episode 1, how it all started! #HistoryLessons #CollabBegins #TooDopeNationBegins