1 00:00:00,200 --> 00:00:03,240 , I wanna tell you about one of our partners, 2 00:00:03,440 --> 00:00:05,200 Katal Education Consulting. 3 00:00:05,390 --> 00:00:09,760 Getz All Education Consulting is a queer black and indigenous women owned firm 4 00:00:10,190 --> 00:00:15,080 offering anti-racist consulting, pd, coaching keynotes, workshops, 5 00:00:15,080 --> 00:00:20,080 and more. Their newly released abolitionist teaching workshops series coaches, 6 00:00:20,300 --> 00:00:25,160 and prepares teachers to further develop abolitionist practices in the 7 00:00:25,160 --> 00:00:25,910 classroom. 8 00:00:25,910 --> 00:00:30,240 Find out why they have been called The Future of Educational Justice by Dr. 9 00:00:30,310 --> 00:00:34,480 Betina Love. You can book a free consultation with getza by calling 10 00:00:34,480 --> 00:00:37,920 five one ten three nine seven eight zero one one, 11 00:00:38,250 --> 00:00:41,360 or visiting getz ec.com. 12 00:00:41,360 --> 00:00:45,720 That is Q U E T Z A L E c.com. 13 00:00:45,900 --> 00:00:49,680 And if you mention you heard about them through tudo teachers, 14 00:00:49,900 --> 00:00:54,840 you will receive a 5% discount on their abolitionist teaching 15 00:00:54,850 --> 00:00:56,360 PD series. Once again, 16 00:00:56,420 --> 00:01:01,280 you can book them by visiting katal ec.com on 17 00:01:01,280 --> 00:01:03,280 their connect with Us page. 18 00:01:25,790 --> 00:01:26,530 Before I. 19 00:01:26,530 --> 00:01:30,120 Go. Hello folks, how is everybody doing? 20 00:01:30,120 --> 00:01:34,400 Welcome to another episode of Your favorite podcast, 21 00:01:35,460 --> 00:01:36,840 the exit interview. 22 00:01:37,070 --> 00:01:39,720 That's right. That's right. Their favorite, everybody. 23 00:01:40,420 --> 00:01:42,520 How are you doing today, Dr. Lyons? 24 00:01:43,070 --> 00:01:46,680 I can't complain. Got a little cold here. I brought back from Mexico City. 25 00:01:46,680 --> 00:01:48,040 I was partying too hard. 26 00:01:48,380 --> 00:01:49,010 All right. 27 00:01:49,010 --> 00:01:50,600 Um, but I'm feeling good. 28 00:01:50,650 --> 00:01:54,720 No complaints whatsoever on this beautiful Sunday evening in October. 29 00:01:55,380 --> 00:01:58,120 Yes, yes, yes. Well, 30 00:01:58,120 --> 00:02:03,040 we are glad to have everybody here with us tonight. Uh, we, 31 00:02:03,130 --> 00:02:07,800 we are blessed with a very special guest that I think we've, 32 00:02:08,100 --> 00:02:10,840 you know, behind the scenes, Asia Herardo. 33 00:02:10,840 --> 00:02:14,680 And I have been really looking forward to, uh, 34 00:02:14,930 --> 00:02:18,160 sitting down with, uh, we, we, 35 00:02:18,210 --> 00:02:22,440 we are fortunate enough this evening to bring you an exit interview with 36 00:02:22,990 --> 00:02:27,760 none other than the legendary Brata Locke. Whoa. 37 00:02:29,280 --> 00:02:31,240 Thank you. Legendary. That's. 38 00:02:31,560 --> 00:02:35,360 legendary. Yes. Yes. Doing big stuff. 39 00:02:35,580 --> 00:02:37,840 Yes, for sure. Trying . 40 00:02:38,400 --> 00:02:39,150 . 41 00:02:39,150 --> 00:02:41,040 Yeah. You famous out in these streets. 42 00:02:41,040 --> 00:02:43,680 We've been trying to track you down for a little bit, 43 00:02:43,680 --> 00:02:48,200 so we're glad that you got a chance to come on and tell your story. Um, 44 00:02:48,540 --> 00:02:50,160 for our audience, uh, 45 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:54,480 I know like quite a few folks may recognize Bronte's name from B L M 46 00:02:54,480 --> 00:02:56,760 52 80 and her work there, 47 00:02:56,760 --> 00:03:01,200 and maybe some other folks in d p s might recognizer from there and all other 48 00:03:01,200 --> 00:03:05,200 places within community. So, yeah, we're just gonna go ahead and dive in. 49 00:03:05,320 --> 00:03:08,840 First question, Brenda, our favorite. Um, 50 00:03:08,840 --> 00:03:10,560 tell us about your journey into education. 51 00:03:10,560 --> 00:03:12,440 How did you know you wanted to be an educator? 52 00:03:13,510 --> 00:03:15,880 Okay, yeah. This is a complicated question. 53 00:03:16,070 --> 00:03:20,400 I will start by saying that my mom is a teacher, she's a music teacher, 54 00:03:20,740 --> 00:03:25,040 and she's been a teacher my whole life. And she, very early on, she was like, 55 00:03:25,040 --> 00:03:28,520 you're not gonna be a teacher. So we'll start with that. . . 56 00:03:29,310 --> 00:03:33,000 I tell, I tell my daughter the same thing. My kids, I tell both of them, 57 00:03:33,080 --> 00:03:35,880 don't be a teacher. Yeah, you do. Don't be a teacher. 58 00:03:36,030 --> 00:03:39,320 Yeah, don't be a teacher. Now. She's like the, I told you so. Right. 59 00:03:39,320 --> 00:03:43,520 But . Um, but yeah, I think when I was in high school, 60 00:03:44,110 --> 00:03:47,600 I, I went to high school in Miami, Florida, and I was in the IB program there. 61 00:03:47,860 --> 00:03:51,040 And, um, it was a majority black high school. However, 62 00:03:51,040 --> 00:03:53,240 the IB program was not majority black, 63 00:03:53,620 --> 00:03:56,640 and I experienced a lot of anti-black racism, 64 00:03:57,180 --> 00:04:01,320 but it wasn't from white people, it was from people who identified as Latinx. 65 00:04:01,320 --> 00:04:05,160 Right. So like, yes, that was my like, like, okay, 66 00:04:05,160 --> 00:04:09,600 there are differences in education opportunities, um, and how people, 67 00:04:09,900 --> 00:04:13,000 the resources that people are told about mm-hmm. . And, um, 68 00:04:13,090 --> 00:04:13,960 it was a lot of it, 69 00:04:13,960 --> 00:04:17,000 like my best friend and I and other black woman navigating it. 70 00:04:17,000 --> 00:04:21,480 Like luckily we had the help of our parents who were highly educated to help us 71 00:04:21,480 --> 00:04:24,960 through that process and to get into colleges and whatnot. But it, 72 00:04:24,960 --> 00:04:29,480 I really noticed the differences way back in high school. Um, fast forward, 73 00:04:29,630 --> 00:04:34,280 I graduated from Vanderbilt University and I didn't know what I was gonna do. 74 00:04:34,280 --> 00:04:38,600 I ended up getting a major in African-American studies and minored in 75 00:04:39,520 --> 00:04:44,480 European history. Um, and from there I was back home in Miami 22 being like, 76 00:04:44,480 --> 00:04:48,440 okay, so what's next? And my mom's like, you're going to grad school. So, uh, 77 00:04:48,680 --> 00:04:52,280 went to grad school, still not knowing what I wanted to do. So I, um, 78 00:04:52,280 --> 00:04:57,200 studied cross-disciplinary studies as a professor of mine told me from 79 00:04:57,200 --> 00:05:00,480 Vanderbilt, that's a complicated degree. 80 00:05:02,480 --> 00:05:04,240 knows what that means. . 81 00:05:04,500 --> 00:05:06,680 Now what, what does that mean for our audience? 82 00:05:07,150 --> 00:05:11,320 It's like, um, interdisciplinary studies, but they, they say cross-disciplinary. 83 00:05:11,320 --> 00:05:15,480 Cause I think there's, um, I, I guess they wanna be different , 84 00:05:15,480 --> 00:05:18,400 but a lot, like I, we talked about like conflict resolution. 85 00:05:18,400 --> 00:05:22,640 I learned a lot about like, higher ed management in education. Um, 86 00:05:23,180 --> 00:05:26,360 and yeah, it was kind of all over the place. However, , 87 00:05:26,690 --> 00:05:31,600 my practicum took me to this nonprofit in Miami. Um, and they, they had a lot. 88 00:05:31,600 --> 00:05:35,480 They provided wraparound services. It was, um, ran by three black women. And, 89 00:05:35,610 --> 00:05:39,960 um, I helped them with their program that helped with, um, young, 90 00:05:39,960 --> 00:05:43,880 young students who had been incarcerated or, um, 91 00:05:44,560 --> 00:05:46,520 arrested for like minor offenses. And so, 92 00:05:46,520 --> 00:05:48,520 like a part of their probation was to complete these, like, 93 00:05:48,760 --> 00:05:50,880 workshops with their parents. And so I, 94 00:05:50,880 --> 00:05:53,720 I gathered from like these youth that again, 95 00:05:53,720 --> 00:05:56,960 I was seeing the differences in, um, resources that, 96 00:05:57,000 --> 00:05:59,360 that were available to them. And at the same time, 97 00:05:59,360 --> 00:06:03,120 I was working at a Jewish school, a private Jewish school in Miami. Right. 98 00:06:03,120 --> 00:06:07,200 So like, it was like in my face. And then on top of it, 99 00:06:07,200 --> 00:06:11,280 I was working as a tutor and a Title one school. And so, like, wow. 100 00:06:11,670 --> 00:06:13,400 Yeah. It's their contradictions. Yep. 101 00:06:13,400 --> 00:06:16,560 Yeah. I'm seeing all of these things and I'm like, well, 102 00:06:16,800 --> 00:06:21,040 obviously like skin color was the biggest difference, right? Like, how, 103 00:06:21,040 --> 00:06:24,320 how are they different from each other? But then like, money, 104 00:06:24,460 --> 00:06:29,320 and then understanding how money can impact how your education looks 105 00:06:29,320 --> 00:06:32,200 in your life path. So at the end of that program, 106 00:06:32,200 --> 00:06:33,760 after talking to that professor who was like, 107 00:06:33,760 --> 00:06:36,800 you have this complicated degree from the school, this complicated name, 108 00:06:36,900 --> 00:06:40,040 she was like, you should look into like, schools of education. So that's, 109 00:06:40,110 --> 00:06:41,440 I was like, all right, let me look. 110 00:06:41,440 --> 00:06:46,440 And I end up going to Brown and studying Urban education policy. Um, 111 00:06:46,440 --> 00:06:50,440 and that was an amazing program. Um, but there I was like, okay, 112 00:06:50,440 --> 00:06:53,520 well if I'm gonna get into policy, I need to get in the classroom, right? 113 00:06:53,520 --> 00:06:54,353 So I don't wanna be. 114 00:06:54,470 --> 00:06:55,303 Yeah. 115 00:06:55,550 --> 00:06:58,720 Like, making decisions without understanding how school works. 116 00:06:59,100 --> 00:07:02,200 And that brought me to Denver , where I, 117 00:07:02,410 --> 00:07:06,320 my first teaching job was at a charter school in Denver. Um, 118 00:07:06,820 --> 00:07:09,040 and it was horrific, but. 119 00:07:09,200 --> 00:07:10,840 . Yeah. Horrific. 120 00:07:12,000 --> 00:07:14,760 Horrific. By October of my first year teaching, 121 00:07:14,760 --> 00:07:17,600 I knew that I didn't wanna teach anymore. . 122 00:07:17,600 --> 00:07:18,433 Yep. 123 00:07:18,980 --> 00:07:23,280 But I stuck it out. I stuck it out a bit longer. Um, but yeah, that's, 124 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:24,920 that's how I got into teaching. 125 00:07:24,920 --> 00:07:27,920 It wasn't like something that I dreamed of as a little girl at all. 126 00:07:27,920 --> 00:07:31,600 It wasn't something that I was encouraged to do. It was just something that, 127 00:07:31,600 --> 00:07:35,680 just like the steps just kept making sense that I eventually ended up in the 128 00:07:35,680 --> 00:07:36,513 classroom. 129 00:07:36,950 --> 00:07:41,080 Talk, talk about that experience. Uh, you know, because I think right now, 130 00:07:41,080 --> 00:07:44,760 you know, in terms of educational policy, like why, 131 00:07:44,760 --> 00:07:48,120 what was your experience and, and, and charter versus public, right? 132 00:07:48,120 --> 00:07:51,720 Because I think this is important cuz some people think, well, you know, 133 00:07:51,720 --> 00:07:54,600 public schools have all the answers and charter schools have all the answers. 134 00:07:54,850 --> 00:07:57,600 Or, but like, I think there's a complexity between it all. 135 00:07:57,770 --> 00:08:01,360 So tell us about that experience that you had at that charter school that made 136 00:08:01,360 --> 00:08:05,000 you realize by October, yo, this is not for me. 137 00:08:05,430 --> 00:08:10,360 Yeah. Well, I'll tell you what they did to me. . So they had, um, 138 00:08:10,360 --> 00:08:13,600 they had that no excuses model. And, um, 139 00:08:13,950 --> 00:08:18,840 I was the only black teacher on my campus at that time. And, um, 140 00:08:19,550 --> 00:08:23,600 I was seeing the impact of their behavior management system and the impact it 141 00:08:23,600 --> 00:08:27,440 was having on students of color, particularly my black students. 142 00:08:27,660 --> 00:08:31,760 And so I was like, I'm not doing all these things. I'm not giving kids checks. 143 00:08:31,760 --> 00:08:35,040 I'm not like making them sit in star. I'm not gonna, oh, 144 00:08:35,040 --> 00:08:38,120 your shoes untied till you have a check. You have these mini checks now. 145 00:08:38,120 --> 00:08:38,760 You can't go. 146 00:08:38,760 --> 00:08:40,440 Hold on, will you, hold on. And what, 147 00:08:40,440 --> 00:08:43,760 tell the people what star is because I think people like, 148 00:08:43,760 --> 00:08:45,200 cause like when we talk about like, 149 00:08:45,200 --> 00:08:48,120 controlling black bodies explains what star is. 150 00:08:48,500 --> 00:08:51,480 Yes. Sit up straight. Um, 151 00:08:51,480 --> 00:08:56,360 you have to cross your hands on your desk, like pay attention. And, um, 152 00:08:56,360 --> 00:08:59,160 yeah. And they also taught the kids how to walk in the hallways. 153 00:08:59,160 --> 00:09:02,240 They used to walk on lines in the hallways of the school. 154 00:09:02,460 --> 00:09:05,160 And I remember going home winter break, watching lockup. 155 00:09:05,310 --> 00:09:06,240 I used to love watching. 156 00:09:06,240 --> 00:09:07,040 Lockup. Yep, yep, yep. 157 00:09:07,040 --> 00:09:08,840 Yes. You know, the Tension Center. 158 00:09:09,140 --> 00:09:12,400 And I saw these kids walking on the line and I was like, oh my goodness, 159 00:09:12,430 --> 00:09:17,400 this is a gel. Like this school model is based on what they're doing in gels. 160 00:09:17,500 --> 00:09:21,480 And I was teaching kindergarten, so like, just, I was just like, 161 00:09:21,480 --> 00:09:25,320 I am not doing this to these babies. I was like, I went to school. 162 00:09:25,470 --> 00:09:26,880 I didn't have to sit this way. 163 00:09:27,150 --> 00:09:31,320 I didn't have to be told when to speak and not to speak how to walk in the hand, 164 00:09:31,380 --> 00:09:36,120 the hallway with my hands by my side. And I turned out just fine. Right? 165 00:09:36,120 --> 00:09:39,080 They were like, they were like, oh, really? Well, here's a growth plan. 166 00:09:39,080 --> 00:09:40,480 You have three weeks. 167 00:09:40,840 --> 00:09:41,400 Three. 168 00:09:41,400 --> 00:09:44,840 Weeks. Get on board or we will let you go. 169 00:09:46,330 --> 00:09:48,140 Okay. So we wanna know what happened. 170 00:09:49,540 --> 00:09:52,790 I, it was my, like, my first real job, so mm-hmm. , 171 00:09:53,340 --> 00:09:57,950 I kept my mouth shut and I, I did what they told me to do. 172 00:09:58,280 --> 00:10:01,910 Um, it's, you know, still not as to, 173 00:10:01,970 --> 00:10:05,430 not as to the fidelity that they wanted me to, but I was like, okay, 174 00:10:05,430 --> 00:10:08,750 let me just, let me do this so I can keep a job. I was new to Denver, 175 00:10:09,200 --> 00:10:11,750 my first apartment, all these things. So I was like, I, yeah. 176 00:10:11,780 --> 00:10:16,750 I couldn't afford to, to be let go or so I thought at that time, , right. 177 00:10:16,750 --> 00:10:19,070 Cause Branson now would never . 178 00:10:19,100 --> 00:10:23,230 Yeah. Listen. Oh my. And you know what's so interesting about that? You know, 179 00:10:23,230 --> 00:10:26,150 there's, there's so many pieces to what you just said, right? 180 00:10:26,390 --> 00:10:31,150 Being able to afford to leave. This is my first job. Like navigating that. 181 00:10:31,680 --> 00:10:34,910 Um, we've had this conversation so many times, right Kevin? About like, 182 00:10:34,910 --> 00:10:39,790 how people negotiate that conversation and it's a first year. Yeah, for sure. 183 00:10:39,790 --> 00:10:44,110 Right. Even at the 30th year, right. We a lot of times hear people saying like, 184 00:10:44,110 --> 00:10:47,550 you know what, I've gotta think about other things like taking care of, um, 185 00:10:47,550 --> 00:10:51,150 older parents or para or I got a kid, you know, 186 00:10:51,150 --> 00:10:53,830 and who needs like, special things from, you know, 187 00:10:53,830 --> 00:10:58,470 like hospital care or whatever. And like all these things are the ways that, 188 00:10:59,370 --> 00:11:04,120 um, systems are able to silence us. And I, but I love that you said, 189 00:11:04,120 --> 00:11:07,960 but the branch of today, like, hell no. Yes. . 190 00:11:07,960 --> 00:11:09,600 Yeah. No, I not doing it. 191 00:11:09,920 --> 00:11:13,360 Right. I was like, yeah, they, I, I wish like going back I was like, yeah, 192 00:11:13,360 --> 00:11:16,000 I should have just kept doing what I was doing. Let them fire me, 193 00:11:16,000 --> 00:11:20,880 collect the unemployment checks and , buy the next job. 194 00:11:21,200 --> 00:11:25,560 , move on to the next, onto the next one. Yeah. Sota. Yeah. I, you, 195 00:11:25,560 --> 00:11:27,480 you mentioned this thing and I, I did, 196 00:11:27,480 --> 00:11:32,200 I'm curious cuz I know there's a lot of black educators in Denver who have the 197 00:11:32,200 --> 00:11:35,360 same story who moved from someplace else to Denver. 198 00:11:35,620 --> 00:11:39,680 Can you talk about how you ended up in Denver as a, as a black educator? 199 00:11:40,490 --> 00:11:44,560 It was super random. I came here during spring break, um, 200 00:11:44,670 --> 00:11:49,400 when I was at Brown and to visit some friends, and I was like, oh, this is nice. 201 00:11:49,400 --> 00:11:52,280 Like, the weather was nice, it was clean. I was obvi, 202 00:11:52,280 --> 00:11:56,320 I was comparing it it to Rhode Island. Yeah. Not to Miami, but yes, 203 00:11:56,630 --> 00:12:01,360 this is nice. So when I applied for jobs, I applied for a job in Florida, 204 00:12:01,470 --> 00:12:03,200 a job in Nashville, and a job in Denver. 205 00:12:03,500 --> 00:12:06,680 And I got all three offers and I chose Denver. I was like, 206 00:12:06,680 --> 00:12:10,160 let me do something different. And so that's how I ended up here. Ah. 207 00:12:10,420 --> 00:12:13,760 Did the district, uh, did, um, did, 208 00:12:14,180 --> 00:12:17,120 did Denver schools that, like I know you're part of a charter, 209 00:12:17,300 --> 00:12:18,720 did they have any sort of like, 210 00:12:18,720 --> 00:12:21,960 incentives for you as a black educator willing to relocate? 211 00:12:23,010 --> 00:12:25,120 No, but I will say the charter did, um, 212 00:12:25,120 --> 00:12:28,600 pay for my moving expenses and they gave me a signing bonus. And again, 213 00:12:28,600 --> 00:12:32,680 first real job, I was like, Ooh, this is, this is nice money. It, it wasn't. 214 00:12:33,120 --> 00:12:33,953 . Yep. Yeah. 215 00:12:34,780 --> 00:12:38,520 But yeah, it, it, it seemed like a, a great idea and I, I was like, oh, 216 00:12:38,520 --> 00:12:40,400 they're gonna, they value me here. This is nice. 217 00:12:40,750 --> 00:12:43,000 Yeah. No, I asked because, you know, I'm, 218 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:47,040 I'm part of the Denver Classroom Teachers Association and uh, 219 00:12:47,140 --> 00:12:51,800 and like, one of the things that like we constantly think about is, uh, 220 00:12:51,950 --> 00:12:54,520 a bipo educator member of the, 221 00:12:54,520 --> 00:12:59,120 the union is how, and we're gonna get into a question related to this, 222 00:12:59,120 --> 00:13:03,680 is how do we attract and retain black teachers? But one of the, like, 223 00:13:03,680 --> 00:13:08,280 big solutions that the district has is, you know, we, we go to other places, 224 00:13:08,280 --> 00:13:12,800 we go to Atlanta, we go to Miami, we go to New Orleans, and we, 225 00:13:12,800 --> 00:13:16,920 and we try to get these black educators to move to Denver. And so, 226 00:13:16,920 --> 00:13:21,800 like I always am curious about the experience of black educators who move from 227 00:13:21,990 --> 00:13:24,760 places like that, you know, cities with, uh, 228 00:13:24,830 --> 00:13:27,720 much larger black populations and, 229 00:13:27,720 --> 00:13:31,160 and what their experiences is and how that plays out in their experiences. 230 00:13:31,440 --> 00:13:32,720 Educators in Denver. 231 00:13:33,900 --> 00:13:37,030 Oh, yeah. I wasn't expecting the, 232 00:13:37,030 --> 00:13:40,070 the schools to be filled with so many white adults. , like. 233 00:13:40,830 --> 00:13:41,663 . 234 00:13:42,420 --> 00:13:46,390 It's not like that in Miami at all. Like in Miami, I have black principals, 235 00:13:46,390 --> 00:13:48,870 I have black teachers, and I have other of color. 236 00:13:49,140 --> 00:13:51,550 I mean teaching like the AP classes. IB classes, 237 00:13:51,550 --> 00:13:54,150 like from elementary through high school. Right. 238 00:13:54,430 --> 00:13:58,270 I was exposed to leaders of color. Teachers of color. So when I came to Denver, 239 00:13:58,340 --> 00:14:00,830 I was like, oh, this is what we've been reading about. 240 00:14:01,150 --> 00:14:02,870 . I was, yes, yes, yes. 241 00:14:04,070 --> 00:14:07,310 , this is what they're talking about. Because it was definitely, like, 242 00:14:07,460 --> 00:14:10,550 I got, I was like, where are the black teachers? Oh, oh, 243 00:14:10,890 --> 00:14:12,390 I'm the only one in this building. 244 00:14:12,520 --> 00:14:14,030 Oh, yes, yes. 245 00:14:15,330 --> 00:14:17,270 Yes. So you, 246 00:14:17,290 --> 00:14:20,710 you didn't obviously stay in that position and you've been like, 247 00:14:20,710 --> 00:14:23,310 you've bopped around and had many different positions. 248 00:14:23,480 --> 00:14:26,110 So tell us more about that, that piece of it too. 249 00:14:26,860 --> 00:14:29,950 Yeah. So then after that I went to Ashley Elementary. 250 00:14:29,950 --> 00:14:33,790 They actually like reached out to me on LinkedIn and it was two blocks where I, 251 00:14:33,790 --> 00:14:36,470 from where I lived. And I didn't have a car at the time. So I was like, 252 00:14:36,470 --> 00:14:38,550 when they offered me the job, I was like, yeah. 253 00:14:38,800 --> 00:14:42,830 So then that got me into d p s For real. Yeah. 254 00:14:42,830 --> 00:14:44,910 Even though it was innovation school. Yeah. 255 00:14:44,910 --> 00:14:47,390 And the first two years I loved it there. 256 00:14:47,390 --> 00:14:50,870 The first few years I taught third grade and I loved the students. 257 00:14:51,070 --> 00:14:54,040 I love the community. Like, again, I like walked to school, 258 00:14:54,040 --> 00:14:56,720 which means that I saw my students a lot. , just. 259 00:14:56,720 --> 00:14:57,553 Like, yeah. 260 00:14:58,090 --> 00:15:02,840 Um, and so yeah, that was, it was good. However, my third year there, 261 00:15:03,980 --> 00:15:06,480 one, I went to teach fifth grade, so I was like, oh, 262 00:15:06,480 --> 00:15:09,200 I teach a third graders that I had before. I'm a teaching again in fifth grade. 263 00:15:10,090 --> 00:15:12,080 Um, which I think would've been okay, 264 00:15:12,340 --> 00:15:15,720 had like the leadership at the school been stronger, Uhhuh, , 265 00:15:15,720 --> 00:15:19,400 but that we had a new principal and a new assistant principal. 266 00:15:19,820 --> 00:15:22,440 And it was a hot mess. 267 00:15:22,440 --> 00:15:24,880 Like when I tell you that I was like struggling, 268 00:15:25,310 --> 00:15:27,720 like I felt like a first year teacher. Um, yeah. 269 00:15:27,720 --> 00:15:30,920 Cause I had like so many like students who just had like, 270 00:15:30,920 --> 00:15:35,400 so many different needs. And I would reach out to administration who I thought, 271 00:15:35,420 --> 00:15:39,240 you know, was there to support, would have answers, would have solutions, 272 00:15:39,500 --> 00:15:42,760 and they'd be like, yeah, we don't, we don't know what to tell you about that. 273 00:15:42,760 --> 00:15:47,400 Or, it was crazy stuff happening in my classroom, um, 274 00:15:47,400 --> 00:15:51,680 mostly from black boys. And their thing was, look, 275 00:15:51,680 --> 00:15:56,000 we don't want to over discipline them. You know, 276 00:15:56,000 --> 00:16:00,400 we don't want to. And so they end up being like, no discipline, right? Mm-hmm. 277 00:16:00,400 --> 00:16:04,960 And, and then like having like those low expectations of 'em and mm-hmm. 278 00:16:05,000 --> 00:16:09,440 like, no, this is okay. Like, can we, can we do more? 279 00:16:09,440 --> 00:16:10,200 We need to do more. 280 00:16:10,200 --> 00:16:14,320 And so it was a lot of me like making connections with families. Um, 281 00:16:14,380 --> 00:16:18,080 but it was a tough year. And that was actually 2019. 2020. 282 00:16:18,540 --> 00:16:21,880 And when I tell you that, like, I, like, yes, 283 00:16:21,880 --> 00:16:23,560 the pandemic devastating, 284 00:16:23,860 --> 00:16:28,480 but I was grateful to not have to go back to that classroom in 285 00:16:28,480 --> 00:16:32,280 March, 2020. Right. And it was like, to the point, um, 286 00:16:32,710 --> 00:16:34,240 I talked to my therapist about it, 287 00:16:34,240 --> 00:16:39,200 it was like October and like every week I had a day planned where I wasn't 288 00:16:39,200 --> 00:16:44,040 gonna be at school. Whether it was like union days, district days, um, 289 00:16:44,560 --> 00:16:46,480 personal days, sick days. Like I was like, 290 00:16:47,030 --> 00:16:50,800 I wasn't spending a full week in that, in that school because it was just, 291 00:16:51,290 --> 00:16:55,400 we just had no support and it was hard. It was tough. 292 00:16:56,400 --> 00:16:58,650 Yeah. And you are not the only one. 293 00:16:58,650 --> 00:17:02,330 This is a theme we heard from folks who taught during the pandemic. 294 00:17:02,960 --> 00:17:07,530 They were so grateful to be at home for lots of different reasons. Um, 295 00:17:07,970 --> 00:17:11,570 sometimes it was because administration was on their back. 296 00:17:11,610 --> 00:17:14,970 Sometimes it was because of like lots of different things, 297 00:17:14,970 --> 00:17:19,090 but it was just being able to be in the safety of their homes that was just 298 00:17:19,090 --> 00:17:22,250 like, so healing for people. Um, 299 00:17:22,470 --> 00:17:24,130 and it's interesting that you say that, 300 00:17:24,130 --> 00:17:26,610 that this idea of like not having to be at school. 301 00:17:26,920 --> 00:17:31,410 I remember I was walking home or walking from class one day with one of my good 302 00:17:31,410 --> 00:17:34,850 friends and Krista, Dr. Christero, 303 00:17:34,850 --> 00:17:37,810 shout out to her when we were in our doc doc program. 304 00:17:37,810 --> 00:17:39,210 And I remember her saying like, okay, 305 00:17:39,210 --> 00:17:42,210 well MLK's coming up and then after that we have this, 306 00:17:42,420 --> 00:17:45,210 so I'll have a day off of that and then I'll have a Monday. And I said, 307 00:17:45,210 --> 00:17:49,010 you know, this is after I had, um, left teaching. I said, we, 308 00:17:49,240 --> 00:17:50,920 you can't live your life like that. 309 00:17:51,310 --> 00:17:52,020 That's right. 310 00:17:52,020 --> 00:17:56,840 You can't live your life from like, like vacation day to vacation day, 311 00:17:56,840 --> 00:17:59,280 cuz it's a lot of days Yeah. 312 00:17:59,280 --> 00:18:02,440 Between those vacation days and weekends. Right. 313 00:18:02,440 --> 00:18:05,640 And she no longer is in the classroom, is doing something that she really, 314 00:18:05,640 --> 00:18:09,600 truly loves. Shout out to her. But that's the thing that little, like, 315 00:18:09,600 --> 00:18:13,320 if I could just make it a Tuesday and Thursday's a half day and, and you, 316 00:18:13,320 --> 00:18:17,560 how can we, our life is not full of half days like that. Mm-hmm. 317 00:18:17,600 --> 00:18:20,280 . Mm-hmm. . No. And it shows like, 318 00:18:20,280 --> 00:18:24,040 I was miserable at my job. . Yeah. So how can I, you know, 319 00:18:24,040 --> 00:18:28,960 I can't be that effective of a teacher if I'm like miserable showing up. 320 00:18:29,170 --> 00:18:33,320 So it was, it was tough. And a lot of, again, like it wasn't the students Right. 321 00:18:33,320 --> 00:18:35,400 It was the adults who made it at heart. Yep. 322 00:18:35,860 --> 00:18:40,480 And I just like got tired of like having to just advocate 323 00:18:40,770 --> 00:18:44,680 so much. Like, it was like more than normal, more than usual. 324 00:18:44,680 --> 00:18:47,800 I felt like people weren't listening to me, they weren't listening to families. 325 00:18:48,190 --> 00:18:51,880 I was like, did you ask the family? What did the mom say? Oh, 326 00:18:51,880 --> 00:18:56,040 the mom said that she recommends this, but y'all gonna do the opposite . 327 00:18:56,040 --> 00:19:00,120 Yep. Yeah. So it was, it was tough. A lot of times it was like, okay, 328 00:19:00,120 --> 00:19:02,840 just go in your room, close your door, do what you do, 329 00:19:03,000 --> 00:19:06,080 whatever you need to do , to, to get through the day Yep. 330 00:19:06,080 --> 00:19:09,840 That kids are learning. But, um, yeah. And talking about yeah. 331 00:19:09,840 --> 00:19:14,760 Admin on your back, I was like getting like evaluations, like low scores, 332 00:19:14,760 --> 00:19:18,200 like never had scores low like this before. And I'll just be like, 333 00:19:18,270 --> 00:19:22,360 what is going on? So I was also grateful that d p s was like, you don't have to, 334 00:19:22,360 --> 00:19:24,600 um, we didn't have to keep those scores that year. 335 00:19:24,700 --> 00:19:26,880 Yep. Yeah. You were in one of the pilot schools. 336 00:19:27,510 --> 00:19:29,560 Yeah. . Yes. Yeah. 337 00:19:29,700 --> 00:19:31,480 Yes. Thank goodness. 338 00:19:31,830 --> 00:19:32,720 Yeah. Yeah. 339 00:19:33,120 --> 00:19:36,000 . But it doesn't add to it, it's not the type of thing that you're like, 340 00:19:36,030 --> 00:19:40,160 I am, I'm doing what's right for these kids. Right. And, and, 341 00:19:40,660 --> 00:19:45,240 and, and, you know, working for d p s I could say that, you know, 342 00:19:45,240 --> 00:19:49,920 there's this, uh, philosophy that students are first and, and a core value. 343 00:19:50,700 --> 00:19:51,600 And, you know, 344 00:19:51,600 --> 00:19:56,480 that at times is challenged or contradicted by 345 00:19:56,480 --> 00:20:01,360 the practices of how we evaluate teachers. And I think, uh, 346 00:20:01,370 --> 00:20:04,560 as we have experienced, uh, 347 00:20:04,650 --> 00:20:09,280 is in particularly harmful to educators of color by black 348 00:20:09,600 --> 00:20:10,600 educators in particular. 349 00:20:11,260 --> 00:20:12,600 Yes, I agree. 350 00:20:13,950 --> 00:20:18,600 Yeah. All right. So I guess the next question, you know, 351 00:20:18,870 --> 00:20:22,160 you're not in that classroom anymore. You're not in that school anymore. 352 00:20:22,290 --> 00:20:25,640 So the next is like, what was that theme? That straw, 353 00:20:25,640 --> 00:20:29,520 what was that decision that you said, okay, it's time to do something else? 354 00:20:29,540 --> 00:20:31,160 How did you come about that decision? 355 00:20:31,830 --> 00:20:35,720 Yeah. Is when I was counting down , so the next day I had off, 356 00:20:35,720 --> 00:20:40,400 I was like, I can't continue to do this. And so I knew pretty early, 357 00:20:40,400 --> 00:20:43,760 like by January of that year that I wasn't returning to that school. 358 00:20:44,230 --> 00:20:47,640 I thought maybe I would teach at another school and actually did get hired at 359 00:20:47,640 --> 00:20:52,560 another school. And I was with them during summer 2020, um, 360 00:20:52,890 --> 00:20:57,540 as a team lead and a kindergarten intervention teacher. 361 00:20:58,080 --> 00:21:02,860 But I actually ended up accepting another job in central office prior 362 00:21:02,860 --> 00:21:06,260 to that school year starting. Um, but yeah, I, 363 00:21:06,260 --> 00:21:10,460 I was just that lack of support and I was just like, I, I was like, 364 00:21:10,460 --> 00:21:12,180 I don't like the leadership at this school. 365 00:21:12,180 --> 00:21:16,660 We are clashing and this is not gonna end well for me if I, 366 00:21:16,710 --> 00:21:19,100 if I stayed there so that I left. Mm-hmm. 367 00:21:19,140 --> 00:21:20,500 was central office better. 368 00:21:21,740 --> 00:21:25,330 It was at first. Yeah. It was like the, I was, I really, 369 00:21:25,330 --> 00:21:28,850 I had a really cool position. I, um, well, I don't, 370 00:21:28,850 --> 00:21:32,890 I can't remember the official name. Oh. Leadership pipeline development. And, 371 00:21:33,220 --> 00:21:34,450 um, my, 372 00:21:34,450 --> 00:21:38,450 my biggest role was I facilitated the aspiring teacher leader of color cohort. 373 00:21:38,630 --> 00:21:41,450 And so I got to meet with, um, 374 00:21:41,450 --> 00:21:44,410 teachers all through the district who wanted to get into senior team lead 375 00:21:44,650 --> 00:21:45,770 positions and, 376 00:21:45,770 --> 00:21:49,810 and d p s senior team lead positions are the least diverse of all leadership 377 00:21:50,130 --> 00:21:53,850 positions at schools. Right. Oh, I didn't know that. Yeah. Yeah. And so, I mean, 378 00:21:53,850 --> 00:21:56,090 it doesn't surprise me, but I did not know that. Right. 379 00:21:56,090 --> 00:21:59,330 Cuz principals are the one who hired for those roles, right? Yep, yep, yep. 380 00:21:59,330 --> 00:22:02,170 They tend to hire people who look like them. , um mm-hmm. . 381 00:22:02,640 --> 00:22:07,050 Yeah. And so I love that work and I love, like, on the backend, um, 382 00:22:07,050 --> 00:22:11,970 figuring out ways that we can dismantle that system that is allowing the 383 00:22:11,970 --> 00:22:16,770 principals to hire white women in those roles. Um, because I mean, 384 00:22:16,770 --> 00:22:17,370 like so many, 385 00:22:17,370 --> 00:22:20,970 we have so many talented teachers who I think would stay longer if they had the 386 00:22:20,970 --> 00:22:24,690 opportunity to be in the classroom part of the time and to the coach part of the 387 00:22:24,690 --> 00:22:28,130 time. Right. But, uh, this wasn't offered to a lot of our, um, 388 00:22:28,130 --> 00:22:32,610 teachers of color. So I loved that work. And it was virtual most of the first, 389 00:22:32,610 --> 00:22:37,010 my whole first year I was doing that from home. Um, but it was the second year, 390 00:22:37,540 --> 00:22:39,370 uh, of that job. 391 00:22:39,640 --> 00:22:43,570 What ended up happening first I got an another offer to do what I'm currently 392 00:22:43,570 --> 00:22:44,770 doing now. Um, 393 00:22:44,770 --> 00:22:49,570 but I knew it was time to go because what I saw d p sent out this survey 394 00:22:49,700 --> 00:22:52,450 to central office staff about like, 395 00:22:52,450 --> 00:22:56,650 do we wanna continue with this flexible work schedule so we can work from home 396 00:22:56,650 --> 00:23:00,050 some days, work in office some days. And like majority of staff was like, yeah, 397 00:23:00,050 --> 00:23:04,370 we wanna continue with this flex schedule and . And so, so the, 398 00:23:04,370 --> 00:23:07,010 the like executive leadership was like, yeah, 399 00:23:07,010 --> 00:23:10,170 so we're gonna return to office five days a week, but. 400 00:23:10,180 --> 00:23:11,013 Oh, wow. 401 00:23:11,040 --> 00:23:15,850 Sent the survey results out to us showing that we asked 402 00:23:15,910 --> 00:23:19,570 for the other for the other thing. And I was like, Ooh, ooh, 403 00:23:19,570 --> 00:23:21,210 time to go . 404 00:23:22,730 --> 00:23:26,580 Yeah. Oh, wow. Okay. Okay. That would do it. And yeah, you know, 405 00:23:29,410 --> 00:23:33,040 there's so much there with the survey piece. Let's hear what you think, 406 00:23:33,040 --> 00:23:35,280 let's go. And it's, and you saying, 407 00:23:35,280 --> 00:23:39,960 this makes me think about all the times that I've heard as a parent, um, 408 00:23:40,020 --> 00:23:44,520 say, Hey, here's a survey about your kids' school, or we're doing this. And, 409 00:23:44,520 --> 00:23:48,200 and for, for my daughter was in APS for a while, we're changing the logo, 410 00:23:48,430 --> 00:23:49,920 vote on this, vote on that. 411 00:23:49,920 --> 00:23:53,400 And to think that there's a possibility that folks just did what they wanted to 412 00:23:53,400 --> 00:23:57,640 do anyway. Yep. Like, how many folks just know that I'm like, I'm not voting. 413 00:23:57,640 --> 00:23:59,080 They're gonna do what they wanna do. 414 00:23:59,080 --> 00:24:02,160 And then here it is that you're sitting here. And like you said, they, 415 00:24:02,190 --> 00:24:06,640 they were, they had enough gumption, I'll say , 416 00:24:06,650 --> 00:24:09,480 to show you the results and still go what they wanted. 417 00:24:10,100 --> 00:24:14,560 Yes. Yeah. And I will say there was a new leader in D p s at the time, 418 00:24:14,860 --> 00:24:17,680 and, um, that wasn't in line with, uh, 419 00:24:17,680 --> 00:24:22,120 a lot of decisions that were happening from that leader. So I, I wasn't shocked. 420 00:24:22,490 --> 00:24:26,560 Um, and I, as we see like things in dps s especially central office, 421 00:24:26,560 --> 00:24:30,240 are still in flux. And, um, as I talk, 422 00:24:30,240 --> 00:24:34,120 I talked to a former colleague recently, she said, yeah, there's the, the black, 423 00:24:34,120 --> 00:24:35,160 right? She was like, 424 00:24:35,160 --> 00:24:39,800 there are a lot of black Central office employees that were let go, 425 00:24:39,800 --> 00:24:42,290 they're positions were eliminated. . 426 00:24:42,290 --> 00:24:45,530 Yeah. Pause for a second. Say that word again. 427 00:24:46,070 --> 00:24:46,903 Bla cdu. 428 00:24:47,210 --> 00:24:49,010 bla. Cdu. 429 00:24:49,280 --> 00:24:52,370 Yeah. , ladu. Exodus. 430 00:24:52,650 --> 00:24:56,370 . Oh, I get it. Oh, I get it. Kevin, you have anything to say about that? 431 00:24:57,210 --> 00:25:01,090 ? I mean, I've, uh, I have, I've not heard. I've, 432 00:25:01,090 --> 00:25:02,890 I think Grant said, so I've, 433 00:25:02,890 --> 00:25:06,850 I I don't know if you coined this or if we get to you get to trademark it, 434 00:25:06,850 --> 00:25:09,210 but I have, I I have witnessed it. 435 00:25:09,640 --> 00:25:13,890 I seen it as we say . I sent it . 436 00:25:14,800 --> 00:25:19,130 Yeah. I remember when I was in C C S D, we had, 437 00:25:19,480 --> 00:25:21,690 I guess now we're call it Blas, where we, 438 00:25:21,690 --> 00:25:25,970 there were tons of doctor doctors in since what we, 439 00:25:26,060 --> 00:25:30,690 we didn't call central office, but central office, um, who Dr. 440 00:25:30,760 --> 00:25:34,090 Cobb and lots of other folks who were up there, Dr. 441 00:25:34,090 --> 00:25:37,690 Kennedy and everyone left together. 442 00:25:38,280 --> 00:25:41,210 Like within one year, all of them left. 443 00:25:41,470 --> 00:25:45,690 And I think there's only a few folks left, like maybe Mike Giles, 444 00:25:45,690 --> 00:25:48,090 I know he's still there. There's a couple more people, 445 00:25:48,470 --> 00:25:52,610 but so many folks left and they were just over it. Mm-hmm. . 446 00:25:52,610 --> 00:25:54,610 So I love that. Blas. 447 00:25:55,120 --> 00:26:00,090 Yeah. I mean, that's, that, that's like, there we go. All right. 448 00:26:00,100 --> 00:26:04,050 My might be, might be the title of the episode. . 449 00:26:04,470 --> 00:26:09,330 Yes, please. It's, so I guess our next question and, 450 00:26:09,330 --> 00:26:12,370 and after this question, we'll go on a break, but our next question is, 451 00:26:12,720 --> 00:26:16,810 what do you think that schools, districts, 452 00:26:16,810 --> 00:26:21,730 principals central office can do to keep black folks in all 453 00:26:21,730 --> 00:26:26,490 the positions of education? Right? Um, coming back to schools, what do you, 454 00:26:26,580 --> 00:26:29,570 if there is a solution that you think exists, 455 00:26:29,720 --> 00:26:31,490 what do you think that solution is? 456 00:26:32,490 --> 00:26:34,140 Asia, you'll probably appreciate this. 457 00:26:34,140 --> 00:26:39,100 I just submitted a paper about this yesterday for my grad school program. 458 00:26:39,670 --> 00:26:42,620 Um, so one of the classes I'm taking is called Human Capital, 459 00:26:43,600 --> 00:26:46,760 strategic Human Capital. And so, Hmm. Um, I, 460 00:26:46,760 --> 00:26:50,680 I did a lot of thinking and research around it recently. 461 00:26:51,230 --> 00:26:52,240 I think one of the, 462 00:26:52,300 --> 00:26:57,190 the first things is having networks 463 00:26:57,320 --> 00:26:59,470 of bipo teachers. Right. So like, 464 00:26:59,470 --> 00:27:04,030 you cannot have just one in your building and think that that one 465 00:27:04,200 --> 00:27:07,390 is gonna keep coming back. Right. Like, I know personally for me, 466 00:27:07,390 --> 00:27:11,030 that was such a struggle when I was the only one. Yeah. And then school, 467 00:27:11,230 --> 00:27:14,230 actually they wanted to, they wanted me to come back that charter school. 468 00:27:14,230 --> 00:27:16,150 They were like, they were shocked. And I was like, no, I'm leaving. 469 00:27:16,150 --> 00:27:18,430 And they're like, oh, we're gonna hire another black teacher. 470 00:27:19,110 --> 00:27:22,950 . Wow. They knew. 471 00:27:23,820 --> 00:27:24,620 Yeah. 472 00:27:24,620 --> 00:27:27,110 Left. No, no, no. We promise. Yeah. 473 00:27:27,170 --> 00:27:30,710 And then I left and they had hired the other black teacher who I'm friends with. 474 00:27:30,840 --> 00:27:34,230 So , she was like, bran said they did the same thing to you. 475 00:27:34,450 --> 00:27:36,790 You left, you left me. Yeah. I'm here. 476 00:27:37,090 --> 00:27:40,310 I'm the only black teacher. Right. So, like, you know, not having one or two, 477 00:27:40,310 --> 00:27:43,710 like you need a, 478 00:27:44,180 --> 00:27:47,150 a genuine number of teachers, um, 479 00:27:47,540 --> 00:27:50,870 with similar identities and especially that share the identities of the 480 00:27:50,870 --> 00:27:54,590 students. So I think that's one layered on top of that, 481 00:27:54,590 --> 00:27:56,830 that also includes leadership, right? Like, 482 00:27:56,830 --> 00:28:00,470 people need to see themselves in leadership positions and know that their 483 00:28:00,470 --> 00:28:04,830 leaders are supporting them. Um, I think around like, 484 00:28:04,830 --> 00:28:09,550 making sure that staff feel heard and valued, like I was just, 485 00:28:09,690 --> 00:28:14,390 and like respect their professionalism. Cause I was just like, for me, I was, 486 00:28:14,390 --> 00:28:17,510 I was young, but I was like, listen, I got these degrees from these. 487 00:28:17,510 --> 00:28:21,350 That's right. Like, I have experiences, like, I'm not stupid, 488 00:28:21,690 --> 00:28:26,350 I'm not any of these things, but like, y'all are treating me like, 489 00:28:26,350 --> 00:28:27,990 I don't know what I'm talking about. Right. 490 00:28:27,990 --> 00:28:31,630 Like that I can't make decisions for myself, for my classrooms, for my students. 491 00:28:32,320 --> 00:28:36,190 So that's something that I think that's like a, a mind shift that has to happen. 492 00:28:36,340 --> 00:28:39,590 Mm-hmm. schooling and districts, um, 493 00:28:39,870 --> 00:28:43,270 obviously compensate teachers, , right? Yes. 494 00:28:43,810 --> 00:28:48,190 Pay them what they're worth. Um, as far as the union side, 495 00:28:48,500 --> 00:28:51,950 I can talk about this now, , I'm not in the union, right? Yep. But like, 496 00:28:52,180 --> 00:28:57,110 I experienced a lot of anti-black racism in when I was a member of D C T 497 00:28:57,110 --> 00:28:57,780 A, right? Yep. 498 00:28:57,780 --> 00:28:58,613 Mm-hmm. . 499 00:28:59,040 --> 00:29:02,870 Or I was like, I had friends who experienced it and me just being like, 500 00:29:02,940 --> 00:29:06,790 what we're paying money for this . 501 00:29:07,000 --> 00:29:11,070 So like, unions have to get it together too. Like, 502 00:29:11,100 --> 00:29:14,230 just like really supporting teachers of color. 503 00:29:14,250 --> 00:29:18,310 And particularly in this case, from my experience around black teachers, 504 00:29:18,310 --> 00:29:19,990 I was a part of the Black Educators Caucus. 505 00:29:20,250 --> 00:29:23,750 Yep. Shout out. That's how we know. I, in all transparency, 506 00:29:23,750 --> 00:29:27,870 that's how me and Brad to know each other. It's the Black Educators Caucus. 507 00:29:28,380 --> 00:29:31,510 Yeah. And that was, that was hard work, right? Like we were like, 508 00:29:31,510 --> 00:29:34,910 it was fighting the union Yep. To fight the district. Right. 509 00:29:34,910 --> 00:29:35,743 It was like. 510 00:29:36,230 --> 00:29:37,063 . Yep. 511 00:29:37,760 --> 00:29:40,990 It was too many battles happening at once. And it's like, all, 512 00:29:41,000 --> 00:29:44,520 all we wanna do is educate the children. And so, um, 513 00:29:44,520 --> 00:29:47,240 I think definitely like unions can step up how they're, 514 00:29:47,240 --> 00:29:50,080 they're supporting their staff. I think having like, 515 00:29:50,080 --> 00:29:53,120 really clear hiring practices, right? 516 00:29:53,120 --> 00:29:57,120 So like this whole backdoor hiring, I'm gonna hire my friend. Uh, 517 00:29:57,890 --> 00:29:58,920 no. Like the, 518 00:29:58,920 --> 00:30:03,680 we need to be very transparent on how we hire for certain positions, 519 00:30:03,680 --> 00:30:08,680 for all positions so that people can know the pathways and what they need to 520 00:30:08,680 --> 00:30:09,680 do in order to prepare, 521 00:30:09,680 --> 00:30:13,760 prepare themselves for positions that they wanna go into, into later. 522 00:30:15,490 --> 00:30:16,323 Hmm. 523 00:30:17,720 --> 00:30:20,970 I mean, I love that. I, I, uh, you know, 524 00:30:21,680 --> 00:30:26,490 from our experiences in the b e c, you know, I think the union part of it, 525 00:30:27,080 --> 00:30:31,930 I, I can just relate to as someone who's still there still and, and, and we, 526 00:30:31,930 --> 00:30:36,530 on our work, I think Brenta like yielded a lot of, uh, 527 00:30:36,530 --> 00:30:39,170 it was still not where we want to be, but I think it's, 528 00:30:39,170 --> 00:30:42,850 it's yielded some things that we, we heard that, you know, 529 00:30:42,850 --> 00:30:46,650 that we talked about that we know needed to be addressed in our union 530 00:30:47,000 --> 00:30:50,330 inequities. Um, and then the aspects, you know, 531 00:30:50,330 --> 00:30:53,970 I feel like Asia of, of what we need to see in schools are, 532 00:30:53,970 --> 00:30:58,490 are what we always hear. It's more, more, more people that are like us, 533 00:30:58,960 --> 00:31:02,970 more understanding of our perspectives, the expertise that we bring, 534 00:31:03,390 --> 00:31:07,130 you know, like, and, and that's what I love. I've always loved about you, 535 00:31:07,130 --> 00:31:11,290 Bronte is, uh, you know, you are a scholar. You, you, you, 536 00:31:11,790 --> 00:31:15,490 you don't mess around with it. You got the credentials to Yeah. 537 00:31:15,490 --> 00:31:20,490 To support it all. Like, we should be listening to folks like you and like, I'm, 538 00:31:20,870 --> 00:31:21,770 you know, I, 539 00:31:21,770 --> 00:31:25,290 it just figures that there'd be building leaders that weren't willing to do 540 00:31:25,290 --> 00:31:28,660 that. And district leaders building and district leaders. 541 00:31:28,900 --> 00:31:32,660 Right. Or like, do I need to tape my resume on my shirt? Like it was. 542 00:31:32,940 --> 00:31:33,900 . I don't wanna, 543 00:31:33,930 --> 00:31:37,780 I don't wanna I don't wanna check you with my college degrees, but , 544 00:31:37,790 --> 00:31:40,740 if I have to, I mean, I can, we can do that. 545 00:31:41,620 --> 00:31:42,453 . 546 00:31:43,670 --> 00:31:48,040 Yeah. Dang. Thank you for that. You know, and that's a, that's a good list. I, 547 00:31:48,040 --> 00:31:50,120 I really appreciate this part about the union too, 548 00:31:50,120 --> 00:31:52,320 because I know that a lot of times when we ask that question, 549 00:31:52,320 --> 00:31:56,240 people really focus in on the cl like the school maybe, 550 00:31:56,730 --> 00:31:58,880 or like the admin, the admin side of it, 551 00:31:58,880 --> 00:32:02,080 and not necessarily talk to Union specifically. Um, 552 00:32:02,080 --> 00:32:04,520 and a whole different show for a whole different time. 553 00:32:04,520 --> 00:32:09,080 Like stories about the ways that you experience racism by the hands of the 554 00:32:09,080 --> 00:32:14,040 union. Listen, you and I can do another episode just on that, right? Um, 555 00:32:14,040 --> 00:32:17,000 yep. But we won't, we won't go there today. Um, alright. 556 00:32:17,010 --> 00:32:19,960 So we're gonna go to break and we come back. We're gonna sir, 557 00:32:20,050 --> 00:32:24,440 or ask our favorite two questions. Um, stick around folks when we right back. 558 00:32:28,780 --> 00:32:32,000 All right. We're back. We're back folks with our, uh, 559 00:32:32,340 --> 00:32:35,880 our final two questions. These are my favorite. 560 00:32:36,080 --> 00:32:37,440 Cause you know, 561 00:32:37,440 --> 00:32:41,080 Kevin's in the school space and we know that even though I'm trying to get him 562 00:32:41,080 --> 00:32:43,360 out of the school space, he's in the school space. 563 00:32:43,800 --> 00:32:48,720 Black Moses of e Black, Moses of Education, , Dr. Asian Lions, 564 00:32:48,720 --> 00:32:49,553 ladies and gentlemen. 565 00:32:49,880 --> 00:32:54,840 , Dr. Asian Lions. So these are my questions. So, um, tell us, 566 00:32:55,510 --> 00:32:59,760 you've, um, no longer in that traditional educator space, 567 00:32:59,980 --> 00:33:03,480 traditional teaching space. What are you doing now? 568 00:33:03,480 --> 00:33:05,360 Tell us all the things we'd love to know. 569 00:33:05,750 --> 00:33:07,480 Mm-hmm. . Well, one, 570 00:33:07,480 --> 00:33:12,000 I'm back in school and I'm actually in the same program that Asia, uh, 571 00:33:12,320 --> 00:33:15,760 recently graduated from. So, super excited to, yeah. 572 00:33:16,530 --> 00:33:19,640 So like all, all my heroes are, are going through that program. 573 00:33:19,750 --> 00:33:22,360 I feel like I'm being led in a path in life. 574 00:33:22,550 --> 00:33:24,280 Listen, come on Kevin. 575 00:33:24,890 --> 00:33:26,520 Be great. Yeah. . Yeah. 576 00:33:26,950 --> 00:33:30,080 I was like, maybe people will stop saying no to Dr. Lockett. I don't know. 577 00:33:30,080 --> 00:33:33,400 Maybe That's right. That's right. Enough enough. 578 00:33:33,920 --> 00:33:38,200 Right? . So I'm, I'm enjoying being a student again. 579 00:33:38,660 --> 00:33:40,120 And at the same time, 580 00:33:40,510 --> 00:33:45,320 I also made the wild decision to also open the school. So let's go. 581 00:33:45,320 --> 00:33:48,560 I'm executive Yeah. The executive leader of 52 80 Freedom School. 582 00:33:48,560 --> 00:33:53,000 We recently had our charter approved Woo i s and so 583 00:33:53,320 --> 00:33:58,080 we're opening in fall 23, 20 23 to, um, 584 00:33:58,340 --> 00:34:02,120 kindergarten, first grade students. And, um, yeah, 585 00:34:02,120 --> 00:34:04,520 we're gonna start enrollment January 13th, 586 00:34:04,520 --> 00:34:08,480 and then the first round of enrollment will end on January, uh, February 14th. 587 00:34:08,610 --> 00:34:12,160 So we are like, if you are interested, reach out, 588 00:34:12,160 --> 00:34:16,920 come to our events and definitely enroll your student because the spots are 589 00:34:16,920 --> 00:34:18,120 gonna fill up, fill up fast. 590 00:34:18,120 --> 00:34:21,920 And actually one of our pre-opening conditions that we have to fill off 52 spots 591 00:34:21,990 --> 00:34:26,160 during the first round of, um, school choice and D ps. So, um. 592 00:34:26,160 --> 00:34:30,120 All right. Kindergartners, first graders. Yeah. And, and tell us, 593 00:34:30,120 --> 00:34:34,800 tell the people about 52 80 Freedom School, the mission and vision, 594 00:34:34,800 --> 00:34:36,080 those important parts. Yeah. 595 00:34:36,470 --> 00:34:39,440 Yeah, yeah. And I'll start with a little history cuz Yes. 596 00:34:39,560 --> 00:34:39,970 Yes. 597 00:34:39,970 --> 00:34:44,120 History. Yeah. So Freedom School actually started back with, 598 00:34:44,120 --> 00:34:47,880 Asia was still a member of B LM 52 80. And we were all in, in the end squad. 599 00:34:48,380 --> 00:34:51,800 And one meeting we were like, yeah, let's just do the summer camp this summer. 600 00:34:51,940 --> 00:34:56,760 And we did that , it was summer 2018 , I call it the, 601 00:34:56,760 --> 00:34:57,960 the one room school. 602 00:34:58,740 --> 00:35:02,920 Yes. It was hot as hell. Hey there, girl. We was doing it. 603 00:35:03,490 --> 00:35:07,200 We didn't have wifi. We didn't have outdoor play space. We didn't, 604 00:35:07,650 --> 00:35:11,240 we were newbies in that . But yes, the next summer we, 605 00:35:11,240 --> 00:35:15,120 we got it together. Asia was, supported us that next summer too. Um, 606 00:35:15,700 --> 00:35:17,760 and we've grown every summer. 607 00:35:17,760 --> 00:35:22,080 We've doubled in enrollment this past summer. We had to have a, 608 00:35:22,080 --> 00:35:26,120 we had a wait list for kids who wanted to join the program. And then yeah. 609 00:35:26,120 --> 00:35:28,800 From that, that summer camp families were like, 610 00:35:28,800 --> 00:35:31,960 we need more opportunities like this. And students were like, 611 00:35:31,960 --> 00:35:34,120 I would love a school that was like this. Right. 612 00:35:34,120 --> 00:35:38,120 Like a school with black teachers and Yes. Who love me. 613 00:35:38,260 --> 00:35:41,280 And I mean, the kids didn't say that, but I always think about like, you know, 614 00:35:41,280 --> 00:35:43,880 we had teachers who held the kids accountable Right. 615 00:35:43,880 --> 00:35:46,040 And had high expectations of the kids, 616 00:35:46,140 --> 00:35:48,400 but it was delivered in a very loving way. 617 00:35:48,410 --> 00:35:53,080 So it was real well received by the children. Right. So, yeah. Like, you know, 618 00:35:53,310 --> 00:35:53,920 I, it was, 619 00:35:53,920 --> 00:35:58,680 it's amazing to me to see the interactions that our students have with our 620 00:35:58,680 --> 00:36:01,360 teachers Right. In such a short amount of time. Like, 621 00:36:01,360 --> 00:36:06,080 these relationships that are built are like genuine Right. And authentic. 622 00:36:06,300 --> 00:36:10,360 And there's no like, playbook on how to, how to do this, right? Like, 623 00:36:10,360 --> 00:36:14,040 this is just something where you have to have the passion for it and you have to 624 00:36:14,040 --> 00:36:18,400 like, believe in black kids and Yeah. And show up that way, right? 625 00:36:18,400 --> 00:36:22,640 And so that's, our school is all about, like, we center black values, 626 00:36:23,070 --> 00:36:26,600 principals and knowledge, um, and we're open to, 627 00:36:26,690 --> 00:36:31,040 so anyone can join us. Um, but it's center around the black experience. 628 00:36:31,220 --> 00:36:35,000 And really just like affirming our students for who they are and letting them 629 00:36:35,000 --> 00:36:35,960 know that like, yes, 630 00:36:35,960 --> 00:36:40,880 you can show up how you wanna show up and you will be loved in this 631 00:36:40,880 --> 00:36:43,400 space. You're being loved just for who you are. 632 00:36:43,400 --> 00:36:46,640 And another thing that I love about our school is, um, 633 00:36:46,850 --> 00:36:50,440 we are gonna offer universal, gifted and talented and. 634 00:36:50,440 --> 00:36:50,980 Such Yes. 635 00:36:50,980 --> 00:36:53,160 Yes. Students, right? Cause I'm like, 636 00:36:53,380 --> 00:36:57,240 all of these babies are brilliant and it's in the schools where these, 637 00:36:57,300 --> 00:37:01,080 the b brilliance is just squashed, right? Yeah. So we're gonna, you know, 638 00:37:01,080 --> 00:37:05,440 we're gonna uplift their brilliance and help them explore their brilliance in 639 00:37:05,440 --> 00:37:10,160 different ways. And, um, u utilize GT strategies in our practices, 640 00:37:10,160 --> 00:37:12,880 but also having like a talent block for them too, 641 00:37:12,880 --> 00:37:17,060 to actually like experience GT learning, right? Yes. 642 00:37:17,500 --> 00:37:19,860 Super excited about that. 643 00:37:22,480 --> 00:37:27,210 I love that. I love that idea. I've, um, you know, 644 00:37:27,220 --> 00:37:30,850 uh, my, started my career at Morry Middle School and, uh, 645 00:37:30,860 --> 00:37:35,690 somehow ended up teaching in the gifted and talented program at Morri. Um, 646 00:37:35,790 --> 00:37:39,890 and, uh, was open to a whole, uh, 647 00:37:40,630 --> 00:37:44,810 new world of like educational processes. And that was my first year, you know, 648 00:37:44,810 --> 00:37:49,450 like hadn't really studied it, but, but the biggest realization was that, 649 00:37:49,450 --> 00:37:53,690 you know, black and brown kids were completely underrepresented. And, uh, 650 00:37:53,690 --> 00:37:58,530 you know, the idea and also the other contradiction or kind of contrast that it 651 00:37:59,230 --> 00:38:03,530 was what our traditional kids were going through our neighborhood kids at the 652 00:38:03,530 --> 00:38:08,250 time at Morrie, the education they were receiving. And I love this idea of, 653 00:38:08,300 --> 00:38:12,650 of giving chance, the chance to explore their curiosities. 654 00:38:12,650 --> 00:38:15,570 Because that's what happens at private schools. 655 00:38:15,800 --> 00:38:20,210 This is like the root of every great story of individuals 656 00:38:20,440 --> 00:38:24,290 like the, the, the people, whatever it is, the field that they're in. 657 00:38:24,600 --> 00:38:29,490 They have the opportunity and ability to access expertise and 658 00:38:29,850 --> 00:38:34,810 practice these skills at a young age. And so I love that the idea of, uh, 659 00:38:34,810 --> 00:38:39,360 you know, all of your kids univer, that's big. Yeah. Right? 660 00:38:39,360 --> 00:38:43,960 Universal. Yeah. GT education for all. Because like, I believe, 661 00:38:44,110 --> 00:38:48,600 I believe we're all gifted in some way. . We all got the gift. Yeah. 662 00:38:48,600 --> 00:38:49,080 We just, 663 00:38:49,080 --> 00:38:52,200 sometimes we never even realize it or never give the opportunity to show it. 664 00:38:52,210 --> 00:38:56,560 Or even like when we do show up, we don't realize it because of how it's used. 665 00:38:56,670 --> 00:39:01,400 Mm-hmm. . Yeah. I think yeah. Having that space to explore, 666 00:39:01,400 --> 00:39:06,160 take risk, fail, learn from the failures, not be punished for the failures. 667 00:39:06,610 --> 00:39:09,000 Um, and this goes back to like my growing up in Miami. 668 00:39:09,090 --> 00:39:13,200 So I was in GT and in elementary through high school, 669 00:39:14,140 --> 00:39:19,100 and the students in the GT program looked like me. , right? 670 00:39:19,340 --> 00:39:23,100 . So yeah, it was, again, it was like coming to Colorado, I was like, 671 00:39:23,100 --> 00:39:26,820 what is going on? It was like, so through my personal experience, I was like, 672 00:39:26,820 --> 00:39:30,540 no, no, no, no. I know that there are brilliant black people out there. Right. 673 00:39:30,540 --> 00:39:34,460 It's like, we're not Yeah. Just like one out of 30. Like, no. Like, we had, 674 00:39:34,770 --> 00:39:37,420 I think it was about like 20 of us that were in our, 675 00:39:37,420 --> 00:39:41,860 our GT program when I was in, um, elementary school and then middle school. 676 00:39:41,860 --> 00:39:44,340 Like, we actually had, like, they would track the students. 677 00:39:44,340 --> 00:39:47,260 And so like our cohort was a whole GT cohort. 678 00:39:47,520 --> 00:39:50,500 Yep. All together. All together of, of black kids. 679 00:39:50,620 --> 00:39:52,900 Black kids, like 30 black kids. Right. And. 680 00:39:53,480 --> 00:39:56,980 And you know what, to this point, you know what the, uh, 681 00:39:57,620 --> 00:40:01,780 identified GT kids that more used to say when they get identified from the other 682 00:40:01,780 --> 00:40:03,700 programs, we don't want to go in there. 683 00:40:03,960 --> 00:40:06,420 Why we don't wanna be with all those white kids. 684 00:40:07,100 --> 00:40:08,860 . Right. . 685 00:40:09,370 --> 00:40:12,860 That that's that they, they're weird. They not like us. 686 00:40:13,220 --> 00:40:16,380 Right. Right. And it shouldn't be that way. 687 00:40:16,440 --> 00:40:20,540 And, and, and in fact, like the longer they, like as they grew, they realized, 688 00:40:20,670 --> 00:40:22,060 oh, I actually might be like, 689 00:40:22,060 --> 00:40:25,740 I might be into the same conversations that they're having that that's, 690 00:40:25,740 --> 00:40:27,460 that's who I am. You know, so, 691 00:40:27,680 --> 00:40:31,700 but I think it's beautiful what the kids have to see themselves. Mm-hmm. 692 00:40:31,740 --> 00:40:35,060 like, it, it's a group of us. We, we all like this. We, 693 00:40:35,060 --> 00:40:37,300 we all bright kids. Right. 694 00:40:37,500 --> 00:40:41,100 and we can all challenge each other's other to grow Yes. 695 00:40:41,100 --> 00:40:42,380 And push each other's thinking. 696 00:40:42,800 --> 00:40:47,140 Yes. No, I agree. Yep. So yeah. Super excited. 697 00:40:47,140 --> 00:40:49,500 Our program is also, um, 698 00:40:49,900 --> 00:40:54,540 culturally responsive and sustaining and based on the work of culturally 699 00:40:54,540 --> 00:40:57,460 responsive teaching and the Brain Vice Sarata Hammond. Yeah. 700 00:40:57,460 --> 00:40:59,460 As cultivating genius. 701 00:41:00,120 --> 00:41:00,890 Yes. 702 00:41:00,890 --> 00:41:04,060 Goldie, Mohamed. So, you know, just really, 703 00:41:04,060 --> 00:41:08,380 we're developing a program that will center 704 00:41:08,920 --> 00:41:10,740 the most marginalized students. Right. 705 00:41:10,740 --> 00:41:14,020 And we know that when the most marginalized students get their needs met, 706 00:41:14,580 --> 00:41:19,420 everyone gets their needs met. Um, so yeah, if you're interested again, 707 00:41:19,420 --> 00:41:24,340 we'll, we're opening fall 23 and we'll be located in wel on Wilton Street. 708 00:41:24,350 --> 00:41:25,100 So if I. 709 00:41:25,100 --> 00:41:25,340 All. 710 00:41:25,340 --> 00:41:26,420 Right. Yeah. We're. 711 00:41:26,420 --> 00:41:28,140 Gonna be in in the points Historic. 712 00:41:28,480 --> 00:41:32,860 Yes. Historic, yes. In a historic building, um, was where we're starting out. 713 00:41:32,860 --> 00:41:36,360 So it's, it's, it's exciting. We're, I'm excited for this work. 714 00:41:36,430 --> 00:41:41,400 I enjoy doing this work every day, , even in late evening, like, I'm, 715 00:41:41,400 --> 00:41:44,720 I'm not having that feeling like I did my last year teaching where I was like 716 00:41:44,830 --> 00:41:46,120 down the days. 717 00:41:47,060 --> 00:41:51,350 Yeah. That's awesome. Okay. This is so good. 718 00:41:51,350 --> 00:41:54,790 It's so good. And, um, I will say, oh, I do have a question. 719 00:41:55,000 --> 00:41:57,510 So you talked about your summer, your summer program, 720 00:41:57,510 --> 00:41:59,270 the Freedom School summer camp. 721 00:41:59,780 --> 00:42:04,630 When you all are preparing to start the school in the fall, this summer, 722 00:42:04,630 --> 00:42:06,910 2023, will you have camp too, 723 00:42:07,240 --> 00:42:10,230 or will you be kind of holding off because school's gonna be starting? 724 00:42:10,910 --> 00:42:15,040 I think we would have a angry mob of children if we didn't have summer camps. 725 00:42:15,120 --> 00:42:15,760 . All right. 726 00:42:15,760 --> 00:42:16,593 Facts. 727 00:42:16,880 --> 00:42:21,880 . So we'll definitely still have summer camp families. 728 00:42:21,880 --> 00:42:26,680 Don't worry. . We'll, we'll offer summer camps still. Yes. . 729 00:42:27,030 --> 00:42:29,440 Okay. Perfect. And so our last question. 730 00:42:29,600 --> 00:42:30,680 Let's go. Um. 731 00:42:31,110 --> 00:42:34,120 Last question. Favorite question, best question. 732 00:42:34,470 --> 00:42:36,400 What's bringing you joy these days? 733 00:42:39,010 --> 00:42:43,780 I think definitely just working on this school with community and 734 00:42:43,780 --> 00:42:47,300 just like, like having a hopeful future, right? 735 00:42:47,300 --> 00:42:48,660 Like being hopeful about the future. 736 00:42:48,810 --> 00:42:53,660 That there is gonna be a place where kids are loved and treated 737 00:42:53,860 --> 00:42:57,220 as humans. And, um, yeah. I'm excited about that. 738 00:42:57,220 --> 00:43:02,220 And that brings me so much joy. I also have a golden doodle puppy 739 00:43:03,520 --> 00:43:05,620 too, but oh my gosh. 740 00:43:05,620 --> 00:43:09,060 He is just the cutest little thing and yeah, 741 00:43:09,060 --> 00:43:11,380 he brings me so much joy too. . 742 00:43:13,240 --> 00:43:14,530 I love that. I. 743 00:43:14,530 --> 00:43:18,210 Love that. We love we love the pets on this podcast. You know. 744 00:43:18,570 --> 00:43:23,250 , he was like one of my gifts to myself when I, um, 745 00:43:23,520 --> 00:43:24,130 I moved, 746 00:43:24,130 --> 00:43:27,610 I had purchased a home and I was like going through like a crazy breakup and I 747 00:43:27,610 --> 00:43:31,410 was like, I'm gonna get myself a Golden Doodle . And that's what I did. 748 00:43:31,420 --> 00:43:32,253 So. 749 00:43:33,320 --> 00:43:34,170 What's his name? 750 00:43:34,830 --> 00:43:37,930 Jay Winter. He has, has two names. Jay win. Jay. 751 00:43:37,930 --> 00:43:38,730 Winter. 752 00:43:38,730 --> 00:43:39,563 . 753 00:43:40,920 --> 00:43:41,930 Love it. Shout Jay. 754 00:43:41,930 --> 00:43:42,763 Winter. 755 00:43:42,830 --> 00:43:44,210 Yes. Yes. 756 00:43:44,520 --> 00:43:45,690 Sounds like a new, 757 00:43:45,690 --> 00:43:50,570 like a new up and coming r and b star Kids will be talking about him. 758 00:43:50,670 --> 00:43:51,690 You heard Jay Winter. 759 00:43:58,360 --> 00:44:02,230 Oh, man. Any follow remarks, Kevin, before you wrap it up for the evening? 760 00:44:02,540 --> 00:44:06,990 Just Broza, thank you so much for being here with us. It's, um, 761 00:44:07,610 --> 00:44:08,260 you know, 762 00:44:08,260 --> 00:44:12,190 I think this is one of my favorite exit interviews because I think ultimately 763 00:44:12,190 --> 00:44:15,870 the inspiration of what you're doing with the 52 80 school, 764 00:44:16,340 --> 00:44:19,910 with the camp, but moving to the school, I think is, 765 00:44:20,200 --> 00:44:24,110 is I think the ultimate goal, you know, is how can we, 766 00:44:24,200 --> 00:44:28,030 we build systems for us, by us, um, 767 00:44:28,030 --> 00:44:30,350 to meet the needs of our kids. And, um, 768 00:44:30,350 --> 00:44:35,200 I'm just so impressed and proud to have worked and collaborated 769 00:44:35,200 --> 00:44:35,960 with you and, 770 00:44:35,960 --> 00:44:40,760 and I'd look to support you and can't wait till you got secondary positions open 771 00:44:40,760 --> 00:44:41,760 at the school. . 772 00:44:43,560 --> 00:44:45,600 We'll get you at the classroom though. Will you. 773 00:44:45,840 --> 00:44:49,080 ? Yeah. Yeah, yeah, yeah. We'll see. We'll see. I mean, 774 00:44:49,080 --> 00:44:52,880 that's a whole new world. Oh man. Shoot. Shoot. 775 00:44:53,440 --> 00:44:56,560 Might not wanna leave. Might have to pull me out there. Yeah. 776 00:44:56,780 --> 00:44:57,400 Max. 777 00:44:57,400 --> 00:44:57,960 Right. 778 00:44:57,960 --> 00:45:00,200 Max Right. Don't have me in there visiting. 779 00:45:00,960 --> 00:45:03,560 . We get Asia back in there. 780 00:45:04,430 --> 00:45:07,320 That's why turn Asia back to the old her . 781 00:45:07,470 --> 00:45:11,360 I know, right? I know, right. New approved though also. 782 00:45:11,550 --> 00:45:13,680 That's right. That's right. That's. 783 00:45:13,680 --> 00:45:16,280 Right. All right, well, it's been another great episode. 784 00:45:16,290 --> 00:45:19,280 We appreciate you all listening. Um, again, 785 00:45:19,730 --> 00:45:23,600 support the 52 80 Freedom School, enroll your students, 786 00:45:23,870 --> 00:45:28,640 tell your friends and family. Um, we'd love to have you and Brenton l uh, 787 00:45:28,640 --> 00:45:32,600 last question, can they email you? How do they find out how to enroll? 788 00:45:32,600 --> 00:45:34,160 What's the process of that looks like? 789 00:45:34,550 --> 00:45:38,920 Yeah, so if they visit our website, 52 80 freedom school.com. 790 00:45:39,050 --> 00:45:43,360 If they fill out the intention enroll form, it's non-binding. 791 00:45:43,360 --> 00:45:47,480 But that gets you on our email list. If you want to just email us separately, 792 00:45:48,200 --> 00:45:49,000 we're you, 793 00:45:49,000 --> 00:45:53,240 you can email us at BLM 52 80 freedom school gmail.com. 794 00:45:53,460 --> 00:45:56,680 And then we're also on social media, Twitter, Facebook, 795 00:45:56,680 --> 00:45:59,600 Instagram at 52 80 Freedom School. 796 00:46:00,660 --> 00:46:03,680 All right. All right. Well, you heard it from her. 797 00:46:03,790 --> 00:46:07,880 I hope that you all have the opportunity to get down there and enroll, 798 00:46:07,880 --> 00:46:10,640 get on the website. It's been another great, uh, 799 00:46:10,640 --> 00:46:14,960 episode of The Freedom or Freedom School. Look at me, uh, the egg. Yeah, 800 00:46:14,960 --> 00:46:19,360 it is a Freedom School. Actually. The exit interview. We'll talk to you all, uh, 801 00:46:19,360 --> 00:46:20,960 later on. See you later. Bye.