Melissa Harris, Public Education Executive

Hi, Melissa! We’ll start with the first question, which is always the same question – what do you do?

So, I am the Chief of Staff for the Office of the First Deputy Chancellor, with the New York City Department of Education. My part of the Department of Education is responsible for all the schools. So, all 1,600 district schools. We’re responsible for support and supervision of the schools and their principals to get the work done. I’m new to this role of chief of staff, and right now I think of it as air traffic control in one regard, ensuring that we are implementing policy with fidelity, and that the First Deputy Chancellor has what he needs. And then, I also serve as Senior Advisor to the First Deputy Chancellor to ensure the decision-making process is thorough and that the right resources and supports are going to schools.

Can you just share a little bit about what a normal day looks like for you? I know that’s a really hard question, but if you were to take the average of your days – what does that look like?

Well what’s interesting is that since I just took on this role, I’ve only been the Chief of Staff in a virtual setting. So what my day looks like is, I am probably up by six o’clock. I start by checking and responding to emails. Then I give myself a little bit of downtime, but my first meeting is usually around eight o’clock in the morning. And then I go straight through until six in the evening. I’ll probably rest a little bit more, and then I’m on email from nine until around 11 o’clock at night.

Wow. And what types of issues or projects are you dealing with?

Right now, of course, COVID-19. We are reinventing what education looks like at this point in time. And so, my day consists of a lot of policy work, looking at existing policies that govern schools, and reshaping policy in a remote space. Additionally, it entails a lot of going back and forth between different issues that are coming to us from our school leaders. For instance, everyone’s virtual right now, and we had to ensure that any teacher that needed technology, had technology. Plus, whenever the mayor makes a commitment, or the chancellor makes a commitment, it’s up to my team and others to actually implement whatever was committed.

You’ve had a really long career at the department, right?

Yes, so, I have had a super long career with the DOE. And what’s actually funny is, it’s not really a long career. But for us, for the younger set, it seems as though I’ve been there forever, even though there are actually people who have been there 20, 30, 40 years. But for me, this is my fifteenth school year in the Central Office, but I have worked in education or for the Department of Education, in total, for about 17 years.

When you look back, do you feel there are any through lines or themes across your experiences that feel especially salient?

Two things come to mind. The first is not being scared of change. I think that in my entire career at the Department of Education, something’s always changing, and I’ve always been able to just be flexible and lean into the discomfort. I think that’s how I’ve managed to continue to excel in my career at the DOE. Because, I lean into change and discomfort.

Second, I am always utilizing what I know, and being very intentional in learning the things that I don’t know. So every position that I’ve had at the DOE, I’ve gotten in the door because I have a skill, and I know something. But then, while I’m in the position, there’s this search for what is it about this role that I don’t know, and how can I become the master of it? And once I master it, then I keep moving, to continue to master more.

You and I worked in government together, so that was obviously part of my career, and now I’m in nonprofit. I think a lot about how to encourage young people to go into public service. There’s a lot of really rewarding and interesting work that affects communities that look like us. And so, how would you speak to a young person about why it is important to think about public service as a potential career path?

I think that there are very few places where you can have the impact on your community like you can in government. And so, when I look at my own purpose, I recognize that my purpose and everything I do are focused on how I can better my community. And, in bettering my community, I need to be able to have a voice within policymaking decisions, because I am recognizing that the nucleus of control actually sits within these government agencies. And we have to have more people that are like us, that are from our community, that lived within the community, that are actually in these seats of power to create change.

What do you think are some of the challenges behind driving change from within that nucleus?

Not everyone is here for the same thing. Everyone may have a similar purpose where, for example they want to help educate children. But, everyone has different pathways to get there, and they have different experiences that they speak from. And so, that’s what makes it difficult in some regards. A lot of times when you get into the senior level of government, there are a lot of people who are making decisions that are not actually from or currently living in the communities that they’re looking to impact. So what has been difficult for me, as I’ve navigated my way through, is not only am I from but I still live in the same community that I grew up in. And I see things differently than other people. And so, I feel that I had to fight a lot in order to get people to see things the way I see it. Because, the policies that are being created are being created for me, for my neighbors, for my daughter.

Yes, yes, yes. Can you share more on your education experience growing up?

I went to Catholic school. For my parents they didn’t feel that they could send me to the school down the street. And so, my working class parents had to spend their money to send me to Catholic school. Because safety was one of the most important things, but also they didn’t feel that I would get a quality education at my local public school. And so, part of the reason why I’m in education right now is because my parents didn’t have a choice. Or, I should say, they didn’t have a free choice. As taxpayers, you should be entitled to a great education in public schools. And so, day in and day out, that’s the focus that stays center of mind for me. There are so many other families like mine who can’t afford to make that choice my parents made for me. Most families depend on the local public school, and it’s up to policy makers to ensure that those are great schools. What keeps driving me every single day is, when I had my daughter, I moved back to the same community that I grew up in. And the school that I was zoned to, is the same school that she was zoned to. And I still wouldn’t send her there. And so, every day you wake up with more work to do, because you realize that until you have a system of high quality schools, families don’t get the choices they deserve to have when making decisions about their children’s education.

How did you end up in government? Was that the intention, or did you just land there?

It was the intention. So, for me, I grew up in the church. My pastor was really political, and he said that politics is power. And in order to change your community, then, you had to be in the seat of power. And so, that being said, I can remember being in the fourth grade, and very clearly knowing that I was going into education to try and change my community. And then, every step that I’ve taken since high school, has been very intentional, to get to where I am right now. I’ve always been very clear on wanting to sit at the intersections of politics, policy, education, and power. 

I love that. You’re such an intentional person! So, can you talk a little bit about the role of mentorship in your career? And this can be both as you’ve experienced being mentored by other people, as well as mentoring others yourself.

I’ve been fortunate enough to have amazing mentors throughout my entire career. I actually can go back to being in college, and being able to intern with incredible women of color who took me under their wing. They taught me about people, and that while those people may not respect you, they have to respect your position. Those lessons were really impactful to me. And throughout my career, I have always sought out people, not just women, but also men, all races, to guide me into positions that I want to be in. To this day, I employ what could be considered a council of elders –  a group of people that I depend on, to give me career and life advice.

Because I’ve had such strong mentors, I try to be that. So, any given day, you can find me talking to people that are junior in their career – they could even be at the same level as me – and just trying to mentor and support them. I’m very big on development and helping people to lean into their strengths, and recognizing where they have gaps and figuring out how to fill those gaps. I just love to do it. I love helping people.

In cultivating those relationships, can you share more on how you initiated them? How do you start?

Just ask. It’s amazing what happens. You can randomly just be in a meeting with people, and then afterward, you send a follow up email. You might say “I’m really interested in learning more about your career and how you navigate spaces to get to where you are.” And people really enjoy talking about themselves. And so, usually that is the first thing that I do. I like to make sure that people understand that there was something about them that made me feel connected. A spark. Then I just go from there.

I don’t initially do the “Can you be my mentor?” conversation. Usually, it goes from me seeking you out, getting to know a lot more about what you’re doing, figuring out where I can be a support. Then, after a while, once I realize the person is really investing in me, I do go through the formal ask. I’ll say something to the effect of, “I would love for you to mentor me and give me advice on X, Y, and Z.” When you talk about being intentional – and I was discussing understanding your gaps earlier – this is where you lean in and talk to your mentor about those gaps. Being open to accepting feedback from them on how to improve. Something that I find helpful is when I’ve identified mentors within the workplace, I actually tell them to give me feedback in real time. And so, they may not be my direct supervisors, but they could be in meetings with me, and afterward I’ll say “Can you tell me what I could have done better there?”

What is some of the best advice you’ve received?

Setting boundaries is one. And so, something that someone told me clearly, early on in my career, is that I have to set boundaries around everything. Set boundaries around your time, ensure that you’re always taking and making time for yourself.

The other piece of advice I would share, especially as we navigate the space of government and being people of color, is what I shared earlier: you may not respect me, but you’re going to respect my position. And so, I am always very clear on who I am, who I am within this organization, and how people will and will not interact with me. Throughout my career, whether it was race, or it was age, or it was being a woman, people would treat me a little bit differently than they would treat others. And I had to learn how to really assert myself in a certain way to ensure that their treatment of me aligned to the position that I carried within the organization.

You’re such a boss. OK, my final question: what are you most excited about for public education?

I think the most exciting thing is that in 2020, everything has turned on his head. We are at the dawn of a new day. It is exciting to me to know that I am a creator of the future of education. And what we create over this next year, over these next five years, will actually be the foundation for generations to come.

Awesome. Thank you, Melissa!

Melissa, with her daughter.

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Candace Hugee, High School Principal

Hi, Candace! Can you share what you do? 

I am first a teacher and an educator. I’m also the principal of the Urban Assembly School for Collaborative Health Care. We are located in Brooklyn. I’ve been at this school for four years. Prior to being at this school, I had started another high school in Sheepshead Bay [Brooklyn], and I was there for four years. In total, I’ve been in education for fifteen years. 

Wow. Did you start as a classroom teacher? 

So I started as a school aide. I’ve been a school aide, a paraprofessional, a teacher, an assistant principal, and now a principal. And I’ve been a school secretary. So I’ve held pretty much every position in a school. (laughs) 

You actually have! (laughs) Can you share more on what brought you to education? Influences that helped you to chart your course? 

I really thought I would be a sportscaster. I double-majored in communications and history, and I minored in dance. I always went to city schools. I graduated high school at 16, and went to college early at a school in the CUNY [City University of New York] system, at Hunter College. I had always worked at camps — day camps, summer camps, after-school programs. I just thought the kids were dope. We had a lot of similarities. I look like them and they look like me. So I was around kids a lot through those jobs.

After I had graduated from college, I did an internship at ABC, and worked a bit at ESPN. I enjoyed the sports journalism world, but it was very misogynistic, full of white men, and I didn't see an opportunity to get where I wanted to be in the near future. I was watching endless games, writing the narratives for the sportscasters to read on on-air broadcasts, and they would just read my notes. They wouldn’t watch many or sometimes any of the games. On top of the fact that it wasn’t really fun, I got stuck watching all of the hockey games. I’m black. (laughs) So that was a catalyst to start thinking of what would be next for me, professionally.

At the same time I was interning, I was working as a school aide just because I needed an extra check, and the benefits. I wasn’t thinking of education as a career choice, but I realized by that point that I liked being in schools, so being a school aide was a great opportunity. So I applied for New York City Teaching Fellows, and was accepted. That put me on the path to becoming a principal. 

I should note that I had attended a middle school called Philippa Schuyler, led by a dynamic principal named Ms. Mildred Boyce who I can confidently say changed my life and the lives of so many others who graduated from that school. The way she cared about us and the way that she held expectations made a huge impact on me in terms of what an educator could be. She’s a real matriarchal figure in so many of our lives. 

You’re talking about influences and so I’m curious who else has been pivotal in your life? How have you paid those lessons forward? 

I teach at a high school because I prefer older kids, but also because I feel that my own high school failed me. I went to a really huge high school. If I didn’t have any drive, if I didn’t have my parents, I could have easily slipped through the cracks. No one would have noticed. I was just a number. Because of that experience and people I’ve met, like Ms. Boyce, I’m now leading a high school. I think the lessons I took from Ms. Boyce, and from watching the other teachers who are more experienced than me, essentially underscored the importance of really knowing your students. Any school I’ve led, I never wanted a student to feel or be treated as though they were just a number. Social-emotional learning is kind of a buzzword now in education, but it counts a lot to me. Academic success is important, but students have to feel as if they belong and that you care. And you’d be surprised. The student who is driving you insane can often be the one who really wants to make you proud. When I think of my own experience as a student, I knew the adults in my life expected me to do my best, and I try to impart that on my students, which I think is why I’ve had pretty successful schools. 

What do you think makes you uniquely suited to be in the space you’re in, and not only to be in those spaces, but to thrive and have successful schools? 

I think it’s because I listen. Over time, I had to create boundaries with my students because I would listen too much. But in taking over the school I have, it was a disaster when I got there. The girls — and the school is about seventy-five percent girls — were fighting nonstop. Although my superintendent didn’t initially agree with my approach, I spent several of my first months there just listening to the kids, listening to the teachers. I went into it setting very clear expectations for everyone I spoke to that I may not give you the answer you want, or give you a quick “fix”. But we’ll talk through the issue in order to figure out what you need to be successful. So I’ve gotten to learn so much about the kids and my staff, and I share things with them, too. I see myself in them, and whether they see themselves in me or not, they always know they have an advocate. 

What is the significance of being a black woman working in your school? 

I think it makes all the difference. I don’t know what is worth more — being black and female, or shared lived experiences. From the onset, I think it lowers students’ defenses because they know I understand where they’re coming from. To be able to talk about a life that was lived similar to their own, whether I’m talking about the age I had my daughter, or my school experiences, I think that counts for a lot. I think my identity also helps with the parents, and staying in tune with them. And it’s the little things. For example, I’m 35 years old and even though I still don’t know what these kids are listening to, they know I’m open to learning what’s going on and letting them teach me. I think being a black female means I can attract staff who look like me. I’ve had people tell me that they received all these offers to work in different schools, but that they want to come work for me because they want to work for a black principal who really believes in the work. 

Do you do any leadership development where you identify some younger folks to groom, and what does that look like? 

When I first got to my school, unfortunately, I had to get rid of a lot of the older teachers who were just unwilling to get on board with my vision for change in the school. The teachers who came in to backfill those vacancies were young, as in 23 or 24 years old. They’re really energetic, so I try and channel that excitement away from trying to be the kids’ friends, and instead focusing on getting good at their craft. I try to work with them around pedagogy. For younger teachers, many are looking to make connections. They want to do this after-school club and that club. I encourage that enthusiasm, but I do try and work hard on developing their content knowledge and teaching skills while still giving them the ability to do the activities that excite them. 

And at the system level, how do you feel black educators are brought into and developed for leadership roles?

I really struggled my first two years. I felt like I was just hired to run the school I’m currently at because I was smart and a black woman, and the school is predominantly black girls. They were like, “OK, great, she’ll fix this.” I didn’t have any context for what I was getting into and nobody tried to give me any. They just threw me into Narnia. (laughs) As it turned out, the school had a deficit of hundreds of thousands of dollars. So it was a lot. I really resented the way district leadership treated me, and I don’t think it was malicious or intentional -- the system is overburdened. But I was just given no attention. 

In my third year, I was mentored through the Assistant Principal Leadership Institute through the district's Office of Leadership. I didn’t want anyone to go through what I went through so I tried to talk to my peers to prepare them for what they would face. That was kind of my way of pushing back against the system. Everyone wants to talk about DEI, but nobody wants to get real about some of these issues that weren’t going to be covered in our leadership classes. I wanted them to know,  you need to be able to advocate for yourself.

I would say now the system thinks they’re addressing issues of inequity by putting us all through these implicit bias trainings and talking about race, but it’s not authentic. It shouldn’t be that we’re only having these conversations at designated times in these facilitated spaces. We should be able to discuss DEI issues in all settings, regarding all aspects of our school system, our students, and its leadership structure. 

Is there anything we haven’t touched on where you want to get into it? 

I think what I really want to get out there, I’m starting a social media blog. It’s called Your Favorite Principal. I need to get it up and going but I’m excited about that. 

Also, I can’t leave this conversation without saying that this profession — education — needs people. The system desperately needs teachers. Quality teachers. There are so many teaching preparatory programs cranking out people who are routed directly into teaching positions. I think we need to bring the integrity of the profession back to front and center. We need people who are going to really take this as their life’s work, and see their work as investments in generations to come. I’d love to one day work on a national initiative to draw people into teaching because it is a great career, and there are great perks. But I would love for those teachers to look like the kids in the communities where they work. 

Wonderful. That’s a great note to end on. Thank you, Candace!

Antoinette Chukudebelu, People and Talent Maximizer

Hi, Antoinette! What do you do and how would you describe it to someone unfamiliar with your space? 

I’m the Managing Director of Talent at Relay Graduate School of Education. My primary job is to think thoughtfully about our people. I think about how they perform in their jobs, how they can do them better and how we can keep them here. I think about their development, and how we’re engaging them as an institution and ensuring we’re considering diversity, equity, and inclusion in all aspects of our work. I also think about how home office operations — how the organization runs, how it functions, how it’s in the service of our mission — works for our people so that they feel supported and satisfied. 

That’s such a wonderful way to view people management. How would you describe your career path? 

I would trace it back to being a kid. As a child, I just liked people. I’m naturally someone who is more of an extrovert and I can connect with people across a variety of backgrounds. I always refer back to those experiences as my first opportunities for leadership and being around a lot of different types of people. I played soccer and gymnastics, and was the captain of those teams, and those were also valuable experiences where I learned so much about leadership. 

I started my career as a kindergarten teacher and that fostered my love for learning and education. I stayed in teaching for six years before thinking about how I might support my peers, and ultimately transferring over to a role where I could support other teachers. When I first came to Relay, I started as an assistant professor of practice — essentially, teaching how to be a great teacher. But I realized that wasn’t what got me super excited. I actually really liked learning more about the people I work with and bringing them on board, getting them integrated into the organization. And so that is when I transitioned over to talent. I believe every strong talent leader should be a recruiter because you’re only as strong as your network and the people in it. So I was a recruiter, and then I went back to my roots to focus on teaching and learning, focusing on professional development, staff performance, organizational culture, DEI, and home office operations. 

How would you describe your typical mindset as you move through your work? 

It’s very “We the People.” My job is to be the voice of the people and listen when it comes to engagement and culture, and bring those revelations to light for the executive team. I would say, similarly, when it comes to assessing the performance and development of staff, I’m always trying to think of what’s best for the people and the institution. And I believe people make the institution. I also try to maintain a growth mindset. We all have opportunities to grow and to learn, and you have to keep that mindset each and every day when you’re in a role that works to develop people.

What’s most fulfilling to you? 

I get an opportunity to see these glimpses of people being very successful in their role, and taking something they learn in a professional development session and applying it and feeling really happy. I feel good about the work I’ve done when I see people fulfilled in their roles. I’ve had very meaningful conversations with managers and institutional leaders who really like where they are and choose to be here. And you want people to choose to be in their roles. I want people to feel they have a choice and they choose Relay. 

What are some experiences that have informed who you are as a professional?

Leadership is something I have started to study -- what makes leaders, characteristics of leaders, why some leaders stand out. In sports, I learned that you have the opportunity to control your own game. You decide your own destiny. How much you practice can inform how you perform. I’ve applied those individual lessons to work and to life. Also, my mom is a quieter personality, and I learned from her what it means to be humble which is just an important quality for any leader in any space.  

I feel like there’s a common theme that keeps coming up, which is this sense of agency. Why is agency so important? 

People need to feel free, to feel liberated, and to have a sense of destiny. In order to feel that way, they can’t feel forced into doing something. When it comes to something as important as our mission — ensuring every child has a good teacher — our students should want to be that and work toward it on a daily basis. 

Are there any experiences where you’re better or stronger for having gone through it?

I’m probably going through that period right now. (laughs) I have a lot going on. I’ve had three babies in three years and I’ve had some health scares. I’m in a place where I could be down and out. But I choose to have hope, and optimism, and empathy, and gratitude. These things have helped me overcome so many hardships. I make the best of what I’m given. I’m not the kind of personality that shies away from tough situations. 

What makes you uniquely suited to do what you do?

My ability to relate to people. People are capable of learning and improving, and that brings resilience. Everyone has their own story that people don’t know. In a role that focuses on people, you know lots of stories and things that others may not. You have to value every story, because it’s very special when people trust you in that way. 

Any parting advice for those who are interested in your field?

My advice for black women, generally, is to know and learn about yourself. Take time to know yourself and take time to advocate for yourself. That means knowing your worth, and making sure that you find supportive people who will help you practice speaking up for yourself so you can do it in jobs and other places. I think we know that many systems weren’t built for black people, especially black women. It takes a lot of knowledge to navigate in these spaces. We don’t inherently have the knowledge that others are walking in with, especially in leadership positions. But you should know that whatever you want to do, you can do that with determination, hard work and support. I’m still learning on a daily basis and it’s critical for the field of talent management, and developing people.

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Mounia Asiedu, Math Teacher

Hi, Mounia. Thanks so much for doing this. We’ll start with the basics. Can you tell me what you do?

I am and have been a teacher for 8 years. I’m also a part-time graduate student pursuing a Master’s in School Counseling.

And so how did you come to be a teacher? I know that’s a big question. 

It’s kind of a long story, but I think that I’ve known that I wanted to be an educator for a good while -- at least since before I attended college. Unfortunately, I made the mistake of not following my heart and took the long road to get here. I’m a second generation American who was raised by a single mother. Just to give you some context, we lived in a three-bedroom apartment in Flatbush with other family members and at any given point, there were at least 13 of us living there. You can imagine that when we had conversations about future occupations, my mom’s main concern was how I would be able to take care of and create a better life for myself. The push definitely wasn’t to become a teacher. It was either you became a doctor, a lawyer, or some kind of business person. 

When I finally attended college at Temple University, I double majored in legal studies and international business administration. During my junior year, I had my first opportunity to teach through an Americorps program called Jumpstart, where I worked in a pre-kindergarten classroom with students from underprivileged backgrounds. I loved it, but I knew that it couldn’t pay the bills. 

After I graduated with my Bachelor of Business Administration, I moved back to New York and worked at a non-profit within the criminal justice system. I often describe it as soul-crushing work. For three years I worked as a Release on Recognizance (RoR) interviewer and I watched defendants who were a majority Black and Brown kids, being shuffled in and out of cells, shackled in arraignment courtrooms, and treated in some of the most unfair and inhumane ways. At a point, I took some time to reflect and I came to the conclusion that I wasn’t a part of the solution for these kids. The thought of that wore me out and ultimately, I had to make an exit. I decided to apply for the New York City Teaching Fellowship program in 2012 and I’ve been in the classroom ever since.

I think it’s interesting that you worked in the court system because having been in public education administration myself, the school to prison pipeline is something you constantly hear about. How did what you experience in your role as an RoR interviewer influence how you approach teaching? I’d imagine you would implement a kind of counterbalance to the justice system’s very deficit-oriented way of viewing black and brown students.  

The school-to-prison pipeline is very real! I remember interviewing so many kids and overwhelmingly, most of them had not graduated high school. So many of them had stories about being pushed out of school. I think that my background offered me very unique insight on what the other side could actually look like for my students and there is no way that I could ever want that for them. So, I have always tried to keep that in mind. I try to remain hyper-aware of what the consequences of suspensions could be, of what a classroom removal could lead to for my students. Additionally, the data is out there that shows that these things don’t work, so why would I utilize these tactics?

What we know works is fostering meaningful relationships with your students. We know that restorative justice programs and efforts are more effective than suspensions and harsh disciplinary actions. What has the potential to work is keeping love and care for your students at the center of your practice. For me, that has been the way that I have been able to connect with some of my toughest kids. It was never through isolation. I want them to know that I will hold them accountable and even when we struggle, when we don’t agree, and when they don’t like me, I’m still going to love them and be right there for them the next day. Also, I think it helps that I’m a Black woman teacher who is from Brooklyn just like them. I’m familiar with their neighborhoods and we have some stories in common. I believe there is truly something powerful about representation, visibility, and feeling seen. 

You spoke about being heavily encouraged by your family to go into certain careers -- medicine, law, engineering -- which ended up not being fulfilling. That emphasis on STEM careers is one that I think is probably familiar to a lot of immigrants, or children of immigrants, or even just African Americans who are focused on upward mobility. It’s this gold standard. As a math teacher, how do you alleviate that pressure to excel in math or STEM, and allow your students to really lean into other subjects they might be passionate about? 

I think that I’m still learning and evolving in this area. Given the structure of our deeply flawed education system -- one in which students’ standardized test scores are tied to your overall teacher rating -- a lot of educators, especially those who may be untenured, are forced to prioritize these subjects. It’s extremely intimidating and to be honest, it wasn’t until I received tenure during my third year that I felt a lot more comfortable with the idea. As weird as this sounds coming from a math teacher, my main focus is no longer math content itself. This isn’t to say that it’s not a focus, because I definitely love math and want my students to also love it. I just think that before we can get there, before I can ask my students, most of whom have not had a great relationship with math in the past, to dive in and even embrace it a little bit, we really need to build on some other things. 

I have the luxury of being a part of a program in my school that allows me to have some of my former students as teaching assistants in each of my classes. My classroom is structured around relationship-building and working on skills like resilience, critical thinking, and questioning, first and foremost. Students complete their work mostly in groups and learn that success can’t be experienced in isolation. They learn to depend on one another and I try to instill in them the idea that they are responsible for each other. We operate as a unit. These are skills that I believe can extend beyond math class and will help my students in whatever fields or trades they decide to enter in the future. Over the last few years that’s where I’ve focused my energy, on building a community.

Who are some of the role models or influences you’ve had that have helped you shape your approach? 

Ooh, several! So I am fortunate enough to work in a school with administration that understands the importance of the whole child, versus seeing a child as a test score -- as a one, a two, a three, a four, or as a pass or fail. I’ve had a lot of support through my principal -- thank goodness -- and my assistant principals and some of my colleagues who were there before me and have dedicated their lives to empowering children and fighting racism through education.

And what are some of the things you’ve learned from them? Key take-aways or lessons they’ve imparted on you, that you continue to return to in your career? 

At my school, we have two unofficial slogans, “An injustice to one is an injustice to all,” adopted from words spoken by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Also, we say “We are all working on something.” Both are constant reminders that as an educator and as a human being, it is my job to continue to work towards equity and creating opportunities for my students to be successful. My students and all students are deserving because they are here. Period. Anything that goes against that idea is worth fighting against. When I’m feeling inadequate as a teacher and generally overwhelmed by how brutal our world can be, I return to these words for purpose and hope. They keep me going and remind me that you don’t stop. You don’t give up. This work is extremely important and we all need others who will continue to show up for us, especially our children. 

You said you were in a graduate program. What is the program?

I’m at Hunter College right now for school counseling. So this is interesting. Applying for the program came about similarly to how I got into education. I can't remember exactly what it was, but some big world event had just taken place. At this point, it seems as if there is one every day. I’m going over my algebra lesson and looking out at my students and I had a moment of pause within myself.  I thought “Why am I doing this? Why does Algebra matter in this moment when our world is on fire? Why does this matter when some of my students are going through some extremely traumatic stuff in their everyday lives?” I think that every few years I have these periods where I start to reflect and re-evaluate whether or not I am doing what I need to do to be helpful to my students and to others. And so like my experience with my role in the courts, it came to a point where, yes, I love math and I love teaching, but I see myself being able to support students in a different way, in a way that I believe is a bit more meaningful right now. Given the state of America, and the entire globe really, it’s hard not to think, “Why am I standing in front of students talking about equations?” For me, being a math teacher is limiting at this point. I’d like to devote more time to helping students navigate issues in their lives. I want to have more conversations with them about what’s going on in their worlds and the world at large and help them to find ways to be a part of a solution. 

What do you do to make sure you keep your own mind right? 

Woo! (laughs) First and foremost, I spend a lot of time talking to some of my colleagues who have been in education for a long time. The individuals that I call my friends at work have a firm grasp on why we’re doing this thing -- they get it. I can turn to them with questions or when I just need to vent. Oftentimes, that’s my therapy. Recently, I also started to do a lot of reading for my own pleasure again. I listen to lots of music. I meditate, and use a singing bowl to clear my mind and center myself. And traveling! Having summers off is a great thing. I go on a solo trip every summer and it does wonders. I always come back feeling refreshed and renewed. Lots of meditation, positive affirmations, reciting mantras, all of that stuff. 

In your career as an educator, what has been a misconception you’ve uncovered? Or an “a-ha” moment? 

That teachers, or even adults for that matter, have the answers. In fact, I believe that young people are the ones that have the answers and that we need to listen to them more. At any point in history, they have been at the forefront of movements for change and progress.

And what have you learned from your students? 

To be patient. To be humble. (laughs). I’m trying to remain teachable and open to feeling uncomfortable. More and more, I’m embracing the idea of giving up my power as a teacher to empower my students. That definitely was not my experience as a student and not what education typically looked like when I was growing up. I don’t know it all, even with these degrees. I’m taking my cues from them and I’m really just learning to listen. 

Since we’re on the topic, what are you excited about for the future? For yourself,  for the world, or for your students? 

Just the idea that change is in motion. I think that we can very easily get wrapped up in the notion that things should happen quickly, but if you know anything about change, you know that even though it may be slow to come, it comes. I trust, knowing my students, that the world is going to move in a more progressive direction. It will move towards a place where people are free to be themselves, a place where we’ll have less hate in the world, and more people will be caring and loving, and interested in the well-being of the collective rather than the individual. 

Awesome. So, finally, I like to leave a space where you can share anything we didn’t get to that you’d like to put out there. 

We need more Black educators and more diversity in the classroom (laughs). We definitely do. It’s important for students to see themselves. I hope that soon we get to a place where we really make representation and equity in education a priority.

Yes! I’m really excited for you to become a counselor because what you’ve shared about how you think about your students, and how you view them so holistically as these beings in constant transformation and with infinite potential, I’m so glad you’re in front of them at this time in their lives. To have a counselor who can speak to the socio-emotional side of education, who has a shared background is just so rare. 

Thank you! And thank you for doing this project. I’m excited for you. It’s admirable that you’ve taken on the incredible task of highlighting the everyday Black woman in her field of work. I think we have a tendency of assigning value based on who is in the spotlight and who isn’t. The truth is that every single one of our stories matter and deserve to be told. I hope this project encourages many more of us to do just that. 

I appreciate that! Thank you so much, Mounia!

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NaaAmerley Badger, Educator, & Fashion Stylist, Designer, and Photographer

Hi, NaaAmerely! Starting from where I always do, can you share what you do?

I do a lot! (laughs) I’m an educator. I support teachers through coaching and development at a grade 6-12 school. That’s my day job. I’m trying to switch to the mindset of having two jobs. Lagniappe By Badge LLC has come out of things I’m excited about, particularly within fashion and style. It’s a way for me to be creative through styling, designing upcycled pieces and avocado dyed clothes, modeling when people ask me to. I love photography, and I’m getting more into video editing and multimedia. 

That is a lot! Let’s focus on education for a moment. What attracted you to that space? 

In college I did some internships in public policy & with an elected official. I wanted to gain clarity around how public policy could impact change in black & brown communities and then go back to DC to help make those policies. I applied to Teach for America and was placed in Philadelphia teaching second grade. During my first year teaching I realized how absent the impact of public policy was for the children and families I served. The need was where I was in the classroom and I chose to stay, going on to teach third grade then middle school English—my favorite—for three years. So I think ultimately what attracted me to remain in that space was being able to see the fruit of building relationships and working hard to ensure my students were learning in a safe environment. Five years ago, I transitioned to school leadership after, frankly, experiencing school leadership that was ineffective, personality-driven, and didn’t proactively influence adult culture or embrace change in ways that allowed students to thrive. I’ll never forget the time I created a system to address the problem of teachers sending students out of class frequently. I presented it to my school leader and they told me, “We’re not looking to make any changes.” That’s when I knew it was time for a change. 

I did a program called Philly PLUS through The New Teacher Project, earning my administrative certification and was placed as an assistant principal at Mastery Charter Pickett Campus in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. President Obama actually shouted it out in 2010. Serving as a school leader reinvigorated my focus because I saw and continue to see a lack of cultural competence among teachers and school staff, especially for Black children who are disproportionately impacted by trauma and poverty. The most soul-irking thing to me is a mindset of doubt or skepticism as it relates to what our children can achieve. Sometimes I think it’s because there’s a sense of not really having any skin in the game. When I walk down the hall, I’m thinking that kid could be my son -- he’s chocolate as hell! And so I’m in a position to lead these conversations, about mindset, about checking our implicit bias, about what is and is not okay in our school community. I’ve had some wild experiences, especially with white women. And their tears—so many tears—that shift the focus from our children and from feedback that can help move the needle. Despite that, I keep coming back for the children because the way they navigate this human experience called life is resilient and inspirational. 

And how did you begin to lean into your creative side?

I recall an Oprah Super Soul podcast episode with Elizabeth Gilbert called “The Curiosity-Driven Life.” She makes the case to follow your curiosity and remain open to various outcomes that come as a result. I’ve always leaned into my creative side, and, when I’m doing it consistently, is a major key to balance. But as of late I have been more curious which has spurred me to try my hand at a variety of things. In college, my side hustle was photography, I’ve always expressed myself through style, having done so for friends, and having done some interior design. During my time in the classroom, I remember the kids would see what I was wearing and say, “Did you make that? Why don’t you make clothes? Why don’t you model?” 

The “lean” toward my creative side became more of a push, or a calling, that I couldn’t ignore around May of 2019. Having set the intention to transition to work in a creative environment, I became more intentional about putting my work out there by building a portfolio. Then again came the recurring theme: the affirmation of young people, an unexpected outpouring of support and collaboration. 

Black kids are inspirational, and I do feel like they need to see an example of an adult who can follow more than one path at a time, be more than one type of person, if that’s what is needed to express the breadth of their humanity. So often in schools we don’t make space for childrens’ creative curiosities and I know so many students I have taught or been in community with who are now designers, models and amazing creatives. It’s funny because adults are confused, like how do you have the time to work full time and pursue this other thing, and on very little sleep? But the kids, they get it and they are so supportive. They’re like “I saw your IG, Ms. Badge! It’s poppin’, You different! You need to do that. Period, pooh. You cute!” They crack me up. 

I’ve been doing styling and photography, doing shoots. But I’m most excited about designing and to create in a way that aligns with my sense of beauty, to say something without saying it, to serve a needed function. I’m almost finished with a 30-piece upcycled collection called first born, which is the meaning of my name, that I plan to sell and loan pieces from and that’s been truly liberating. I was only able to make this collection because I followed my curiosity which led me from one opportunity to the next, so now I’m able to see the fruits of focusing on progress versus perfection. 

What are you ultimately seeking to do with your creative endeavors? 

Frida Khalo said, “I’m my own muse.” I used to think a lot about others perception of me but now if I make something and I like it, that’s what matters most. I’m getting to know myself better and really engaging in that process. I’m ultimately seeking to use my creative endeavors to be with myself and my family as much as possible through financial independence, to collaborate with other creatives, and to tell my own story. 

I’m also seeking to keep things close to the earth and focus on sustainability. That is important to me. I’m mostly plant based and the place I get organic avocado pits and peels from to dye clothes is one of my favorite restaurants. The people who run it are great humans. I use what I need to dye clothes and compost the rest. I also go to the farmer’s market where there’s a guacamole stand. I ask them if they’re willing to part with their avocado parts and go into the garbage where they’ve disposed of them to retrieve the avocado peels that create a deeper pink dye. It also makes the process more community-centered because most people I talk to haven’t heard of avocado dyeing and are surprised to hear it turns clothes an earthy pink, hence why I named the line New Earth. I want to remain aware of my environmental impact by recycling, thrifting, and using donations as much as possible. 

Beginning in February, the first born collection will be stocked at the flagship store of a sustainable brand called Lobo Mau Clothing in Philadelphia, and I’ll be running the flagship social media while simultaneously learning the technical aspects of fashion from the brand’s designer, Nicole. Definitely a “god wink” and a brick in what I’m working to build. 

What recommendations would you make to people who are interested in exploring other parts of themselves?  

Just start. Experiment. What held me back is the ideal of perfectionism — I’m a Virgo with an Aquarius moon. I thought that in order to work on my creative projects, I needed a certain amount of time or that once I could get past this one hurdle then I could focus on creating. I put so many limitations on myself and I just got sick of my own shit. So now, if I have five minutes, I’ll try to do something. Creativity has no limits. It’s how you express yourself.   

Take time for yourself and be intentional about it. If you have a packed schedule, you can’t do what you need to do. This weekend I’m not leaving the house. I schedule ”blackout weekends” to immerse myself in what I’m exploring. 

Also, lean into being in community with new people. I’ve been exposed to an entirely different and supportive community that’s so different from those I interact with in schools, which I’ve been in for 10 years. It keeps life interesting. You have to find the right people that are going to nurture the best in you, inspire you, and expose you to new realms. 

There are so many trends and phases in fashion. It can be a tough space for maintaining or asserting your sense of self. As you think about placing yourself more squarely in the fashion industry, how do you think about preserving your unique style and perspective?

Beyoncé inspired this notion for me that ownership matters. You hear about people who get their intellectual property stolen on the internet all the time, so in this day and age, that’s one way I’m going to preserve my perspective. I prefer to present things that are at a finished stage as opposed to telling people “I’m about to do this thing” which can feel very performative and “for others”. I’m working on getting some things trademarked, considering my branding strategy and how I can put my stamp on the things that mean the most.

This isn’t a question I’ve ever considered before, mainly because I’m always striving to be more me and I think placing myself more squarely in creative environments will spur new evolutions of my style and perspective. Visual expression is a big part of who I am and I’m additionally mindful of the brief time we as spirits get to have this human experience, so I’m trying to spend every moment developing my style and perspective in the most authentic way I can. This can all go away tomorrow, plus if I die that’s my ghost outfit forever. (laughs) To me, being creative is about being fully engaged in life and in the present. 

Your career has encompassed very different professional spheres. In retrospect, can you identify any continuous threads in how you’ve approached your work throughout?

Doing my best, resisting boxes, and labels, continuously improving, and being present are definitely continuous threads in how I’ve approached the work. 

You know I’m a huge fan of yours because you just show up in such a bold way wherever you go. Can you think of a moment when you started to leaning away from convention? 

Whew, I can’t think of a moment in particular. More like an era. Definitely after I was completely independent from my parents, I think around my fourth year of teaching. I’d previously worked at a school where we as staff had to wear uniforms. I was definitely a habitual line stepper when it came to those constraints. I transitioned to working at an African-centered school where, thankfully, I could wear what I wanted and that’s definitely when I started leaning away from convention. I was surrounded by beautiful  Black educators on a daily basis in amazing prints, the children wore brightly colored dashikis as uniform shirts, unlike that drab eurocentric navy blue one at the previous school. I’m Ghanaian on my dad’s side and had a lot of pieces from my last visit in 2011 that I never really got to wear because of the oppressive uniform requirements, so at this new job I began to really let loose and experiment with style. I never really looked back since then. 

And finally, what do you think makes you uniquely suited to do what you do?  

This question is a banger, fyi. Reminds me of the question Oprah ends all of her podcasts with: ”What do you know for sure?” What makes me uniquely suited to do what I do is one, God has a purpose for my life. Two, the way I see the world is unlike anyone else. And three, attention to detail.

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Alia McCants, Higher Education Administrator

Thanks for speaking with me, Alia! Can you share what you do? 

I lead all prospective student recruitment at Relay Graduate School of Education. So from the first touchpoint at recruitment through team entry and enrollment, I’m responsible for those teams. I’ve been in this role for one month. Before that I was leading the recruitment team and learning  for prospective students. I’ve held multiple positions here at Relay if you want to discuss that...

Yes, please, let’s do it! How would you describe your path? 

Interesting? (laughs) I’m a curious person and I joined Relay when we were growing really quickly. There were a lot of opportunities to learn and step into new functions. When I was fresh out of grad school, I considered myself more of a skilled generalist -- solving problems and developing systems to sustain those solutions. I started working on a leadership program and then alumni affairs work for a couple years. But then I moved to strategic projects functioning in a way that was almost like an internal consultant, ascertaining what was needed and setting metrics to determine whether or not  to launch new campuses. I led our strategic planning process to produce and solidify our first-ever three-year plan. 

When I first started at Relay, I had been close to the students. When I moved to more executive work -- with high responsibility, high visibility, high-profile stakeholders -- I didn’t feel as connected to students. So I pivoted to lead the recruitment team so I got to connect with our students to inspire them and encourage them to become teachers. That was satisfying work. 

I’m also in a position where I have to align a lot of pieces of our model. For example, we have a couple different teams that grew up as silos, and so now I’m working with those teams to break down those silos. So that’s kind of been my trajectory. 

What is the biggest challenge of what you do? 

Change management. It’s all about having a clear vision, understanding the people involved, and giving them an opportunity to honor the work they have done, grieve the loss of work that they now must share or pass onto someone else, and understand the new opportunity before them. I also manage a really diverse team of people. I share an identity with some people, and some I don’t. So I focus on making sure I’m leveraging the diversity of our team so all voices can be heard, and so that we are creating an inclusive culture at the organization. I’m modeling these behaviors and practices so they can model for their own teams. 

When I left my role leading our internal and external work for our DEI strategic plan, the leadership changed and that body looks very different now. From my current role, I still work with that team. There are a lot of white women who have done a lot of work to be mindful of their privilege and biases, and we’re all working as a team to evolve and grow. But I think it  will be a challenge to determine the best way I use my voice in that space and continuing to be mindful of how I show up. It feels different than it did before. I’m also mindful of the fact that this is how it is now, and we do have a diverse bench of emerging leaders coming up. 

It’s interesting, this dynamic you bring up of supporting existing leadership while also cultivating a new generation. How has that experience been? 

It’s exciting. It keeps my brain busy. I feel very responsible for my teams, for their success, for their happiness. I know I am responsible for a wide swath of Relay’s work, and I feel that responsibility. That means continually thinking about the people, reflecting on how I show up, asking a lot of questions -- I ask so many questions! I’m always checking for their understanding and my own understanding. So it requires a lot of coordination. I find that work deeply satisfying. I like people feeling satisfied and successful in their roles. That’s one of the best parts of my job. 

What you’ve described seems as though it requires a balance of harder, more technical skills, and softer, people management skills. What is it like to have to use both of those skill sets? 

I’ve had the benefit of having really good experiences that have prepared me. Whether business school with more formal management training or as an informal learner at Relay as I learned how to lead our change management sitting in a variety of different roles since being here. I think that I’m really committed to people, and just having empathy. I hope I can lean on both sets of experiences for future success.  

It’s also important to have a sense of what I don’t know. In any organization, a solid change management approach requires having little to no ego. Our mission is what is most important, so if I have trash idea, I want you to tell me. I honestly feel like I have the best team to come up  with the best answers, and so it’s about just being comfortable with letting others step in and learning from them. 

I also think my position gives me insight into what all of our teams are doing. So I understand the bigger picture but that doesn’t make me an expert. People are experts in their own experiences so it’s important to know what you are and are not able to bring to the table.

How would you describe your leadership style?

Quirky. I think I present as a quirky person. I was an “awkward Black girl” before there was representation of us on screen. (laughs) I think if you ask my team, they’d say I’m a good big-picture thinker who can understand a vision and connect seemingly disparate pieces of information. I think I pair that with a servant-leadership mindset. I see my leadership style in support of my teams. I clear the hurdles so that they can do the work they want to do and do it well. Management and leadership are very different. Who I am as a leader is someone who is focused on building team culture, setting a vision, and remaining humble. 

Is there an early moment in your career or education that still influences you today? 

I find myself referring a lot to how I felt at Spelman where I attended undergrad. I definitely benefited from learning and growing as a human being, outside of  the identity markers that others used to define me up to that point. People see you as a Black woman, but at Spelman everyone was a Black woman, and they were all smart! I try to reference that experience when I describe to people how I want others to feel at work. I want my colleagues to be able to bring their whole identity and not worry about how others might define them. My experience at Spelman gives me the confidence to show up as myself in all spaces because my understanding of who I am came from within, and was developed outside of the white gaze, the male gaze. 

That is such an incredible insight. What are you most excited about the future? 

So many things. I’m excited my kids are going into kindergarten, and at a traditional public school. I’m excited to have school-aged kids -- I’m very excited for that. I’m also petrified by the journey. (laughs)

I’m also excited to show my kids what it’s like to be a mom who is working at a mission-oriented organization. I just taught them about the Freedom Riders and Diane Nash, who really bent the arc of history in a way that I admire. I want to show my kids that if you care about something so much and believe in it, then you work really hard for it and get good at it. I’m hopeful that my future can have that kind of impact. I really enjoy my work, my team, the people, and so I hope the future contains deeper relationships. We’ve done some really good work that we can build on and smooth out.

And I’m excited to relax and take some trips, spend more anniversaries with my husband, have our dinner together at night. Nothing fancy. But those are the things I’m excited about.

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Portia Newman, Educator & Doctoral Student

Portia! I’m so glad you’re talking with me. Can you share what you are doing right now? 

I’m a full time student, getting my PhD in education leadership, policy and justice. I’m also  working in the graduate school working on professional development and mentorship programs. I also started an education consulting business on the side. All of that, and I’m also really into wine and decided I want to be a sommelier, so in my free time I study wine. My goal is to host tastings where we also hold critical conversations about race and equity.

Wow, that’s a lot! Let’s start with the consulting business. Tell me more about that. 

I started a year ago to focus on racial equity work in order to revolutionize education for kids. It’s fairly new and I haven’t told too many people about it. I’ve had about 5-6 clients in the last year. I conduct DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) trainings, lead DEI workshops, support organizations—primarily schools and nonprofits—in strategic planning. I typically get contracts by word of mouth, and I’m part of a hub of diversity trainers, so I also connect with clients through that group. I just finished a proposal for a small teacher collective doing talent acquisition work, and I’m constantly writing for one of the organizations, doing education blog writing. Additionally, I’ve been working with an organization to develop an early introduction to DEI for small nonprofits who are new to or really early in their diversity efforts. 

That’s incredible. When did you realize that you want to start your business? 

About three and a half years into my last role at an education reform organization, I got to a place where I realized I’m actually really good at my job. I was one of two black people in a leadership role, which was humbling, but it sometimes felt frustrating. I had all these ideas about the direction of the work. At one point I told my colleagues that we could bring in additional revenue if we create a professional development program to train other organizations but that was met with opposition because they said this was something we didn’t have the capacity to do. But I knew it was a good idea. I said, “Um, are you sure? I’m pretty sure people need this service.” (laughs) 

So a colleague of mine and I tried it out anyway. We found a client who hired us to build and facilitate a training for them. I was really proud because as I’d said it would, it worked. But I was annoyed because all of this work I’d put in was outside of the normal scope for my role. I did all of this additional work but my organization got paid instead of me. I could have that extra income!

After that I thought, I’m not going to keep giving you all my ideas. Which is why I started my business after leaving my last organization. And it’s been cool because it’s been an opportunity for me to hire the homies. (laughs) I have projects and they have a skillset and can fill in the needs for different scopes of work, and we can all get paid. Or they will call me to say I have this job I need to do, and I think you should step in and be a part of this. So it’s been great.  

Let’s talk a bit more about your desire to be a sommelier. When did you realize you had this interest in wine, and how did you come to connect it to your professional work? 

I feel like this was very organic. I use to have a supervisor, and when we went on work trips, after the day was done we would always go drink wine together. I realized, I actually really like wine. For some background, I grew up in a small town and wine wasn’t a thing unless it was a five-dollar moscato. 

At present, there are a little over 100 sommeliers and  fewer than five in the world who look like me. Only about 20 are women. We as people of color have a limited presence in this space. We’re growing the grapes, harvesting and processing them, having people buy our land from us to grow their grapes. So I started to do my research. I found that there are a number of Black- and brown-owned vineyards and wine companies—Brown Estates, Ceja Vineyards, the McBride sisters and Andre Mack. We’re starting to have more of an influence. Being a sommelier is how I’d like to be a part of that movement. 

Also, wine is a way to build community and forge connections. So many Black people haven’t had access to different types of wines. And as a matter of access and inclusion we know that in graduate school, for instance, there are these mixers or events where wine knowledge would be beneficial, so a big part of my interest in learning more about wine is being able to educate my cousins and the homies so that when they’re in these different settings, they aren’t only familiar with the five-dollar wines. (laughs)

I want to take a step back. Sometimes we look back and in retrospect, we are able to identify moments that are so clearly connected to where we are today. What do you feel are those circumstances or those moments for you? 

Being from Wilson, North Carolina. It’s absolutely who I am. Born, raised—everything about how I was brought up is connected to Wilson. So I would say the first big moment is just being shaped by where I call home.

I also credit going to UNC-Chapel Hill for college. It changed my life. I don’t think in high school, I realized my own potential. I knew I was going to go to college, but when I was applying to schools, I just kind of  applied to Chapel Hill because I saw the people in my class doing it. But it ended up changing everything about how I understand the world. 

I often joke that I’m “first-generation everything.” I was the first to go to college, to get a master’s degree, to pursue a PhD. Just first at so many things. When I went to UNC, there were so many people unlike anyone I had ever met before, and there were so many things I didn’t even know about. I thought the only way to be great was to be a doctor, so that’s what I was going to do, and I failed chemistry (laughs). 

So I talked to the dean, Dean Harold Woodard. He said, “You love kids. You should be a teacher.” I was like, “Um, no, that’s not the move.” (laughs) He told me not to come back to his office until I actually thought about it. And I did! I thought about it, and it started to feel right to me. I’m so glad I chose to be an educator. It has afforded me so many opportunities. To lead, to connect, to serve. It’s something I never would have considered as a child. It gives me a personal connection to the work that I do. I already know that I’m a lifelong educator. Seriously, I don’t get tired. I mean, I do physically, but every day after all these years I still wake up and I’m excited. I’m always thinking, OK, what else can I do? How can I make things better for young people?  

That’s beautiful. 

You know, my grandfather is 91-years-old. He has very little formal education. He can’t read a book. I would be foolish not to take advantage of the opportunities that come my way—if not for me, for him.  

Do you remember those hats? The “#1 Grandad” hats? I remember my mom got one of those for my grandfather and she would say, “Portia, you need to go read this to him.” I was young and just like “Mom. Really?” I didn’t realize until I was older that he actually couldn’t read it. This PhD is going to be for him. 

I’ve considered the other degrees I’ve earned and the other things I’ve done to be for my cousins. They’re for my god-kids, whoever else’s kids I claim. I want them to know they can be educated, drink wine and do whatever they can imagine. I want them to see that they can be the first to do something, until eventually someone comes and does it with you, and another, and another. Until there is a world where we are everywhere, and there isn’t anything holding us back from opportunities. We’re just propelled forward.

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