transcript: tinyurl.com/elnepisode21

In this episode of Equity Leadership Now!, host Jabari Mahiri speaks with Dr. Nathaniel Stewart, Assistant Professor in the Education Policy and Leadership Program at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Stewart shares his academic training in educational policy and his research orientation toward critical educational policy analysis, anti-colonial epistemologies, Black critical theory, and critical quantitative methods. He differentiates between exclusionary, gate-kept mathematics and the intuitive mathematical reasoning people use in everyday life.

Stewart highlights his current commitments to redistributing university resources to marginalized communities, writing, and building partnerships with educational institutions. He encourages educators to “reclaim mathematics” by cultivating students’ agency in using quantitative reasoning to interpret and challenge systems of oppression. He also critiques the exclusionary histories of statistical and algorithmic models, emphasizing that many systems emerged to safeguard existing wealth and restrict access to resources like homeownership.

Stewart concludes by advocating a pluralistic approach to democratic movements that values diverse talents, including but not limited to mathematical proficiency. He questions the viability of participatory democracy in the United States but acknowledges that mathematical tools, such as social network analysis tracing the flow of political and philanthropic funding, can shed light on inequities and inform strategies for disruption.

Equity Leadership Now! hosts conversations with equity-conscious leaders from Pre-K through university settings on educational research, policy, and practice. We complement the mission and goals of the 21st Century California School Leadership Academy, 21CSLA.

transcript: tinyurl.com/elnepisode20

In this episode of Equity Leadership Now!, host Dr. Jabari Mahiri speaks with Dr. Diana Hess, Emerita Dean of the School of Education at UW-Madison. Dr. Hess highlights the intersections of democratic education, academic freedom, and the role of structured dialogue in fostering equitable and participatory learning environments. The conversation transitions to Hess’s flagship initiative, The Discussion Project, launched in 2017 at UW-Madison. The Discussion Project is grounded in the principle, “Learn to Discuss, Discuss to Learn”, emphasizing that effective participation in discussions is a teachable skill, not an innate trait. Designed initially to enhance the quality and inclusivity of classroom discussions across disciplines, The Discussion Project offers professional development for higher education instructors and has since expanded to secondary schools.

Mahiri and Hess also address the challenges of sustaining high-quality discussions, including gender dynamics and participation imbalances. The conversation underscores the vital role of dialogue in democratic education, the ethical obligations of educators amid political censorship, and the transformative potential of structured discussion for promoting inclusion, critical thinking, and civic engagement across educational settings.

Equity Leadership Now! hosts conversations with equity-conscious leaders from Pre-K through university settings on educational research, policy, and practice. We complement the mission and goals of the 21st Century California School Leadership Academy, 21CSLA.

transcript: https://tinyurl.com/elnepisode19

In this episode of Equity Leadership Now!, host Dr. Jabari Mahiri speaks with Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, founding President and current Chief Knowledge Officer of the Learning Policy Institute, about her new book, “District Leadership for Racial Equity: Lessons from School Systems that are Closing the Gap”, co-authored with Larkin Willis and Desiree Thomas. Dr. Darling-Hammond highlights that transforming educational systems requires both strategic leadership and systemic change. She emphasizes the need for integrated efforts beyond the school system to ensure that all children have access to high-quality education, regardless of their families’ income or zip code.

Darling-Hammond underscores that educational transformation cannot occur in isolation but requires comprehensive, society-wide investments. Drawing on her experience founding a high school in East Palo Alto, she illustrates how reimagining schooling through project-based learning, strong advisory systems, and culturally responsive practices can improve student outcomes, especially in underserved communities. She highlights the success of this model, and how “from the first year of graduates in 2004…90% graduated and 90% went to college” due to the creation of “an environment that’s safe and supportive and deeply enabling,” serving as a stark contrast to “factory model” schools.

She centers on the stories and voices of four districts, including Dr. Freddie Williamson in Hope County, North Carolina, who assumed leadership of a struggling, racially divided district. Employing the inclusive motto "all means all," Dr. Williamson avoided overtly racialized rhetoric while unifying the community; educators, political leaders, and local businesses around a shared vision of educational equity. His leadership involved both cultural and structural reforms, including personnel changes aligned with an equity-centered belief system and professional development to build the necessary competencies among staff. These challenges, deeply rooted in historical injustices, persist into the present moment, where contemporary political and social contexts have intensified national resistance to diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives.

Ultimately, Darling-Hammond reflects on what keeps her hopeful amidst these uncertain times: the commitment of educators, the resilience of student-centered movements, and the boundless potential of young people.

Equity Leadership Now! hosts conversations with equity-conscious leaders from Pre-K through university settings on educational research, policy, and practice. We complement the mission and goals of the 21st Century California School Leadership Academy, 21CSLA.