Brave Voices in Education - The Podcast

I’m joined by my friend and powerhouse principal, Trelane Clark — national president of the Black Women Education Leaders, mother, truth-teller, sister-friend, and the kind of educator whose presence shifts the whole room before she even speaks. We talk about: • Teaching from the heart — the kind of teaching children feel , not just receive • The weight and responsibility of this work in a country...

It shouldn’t take a hashtag or a month on the calendar for Black men to be seen, heard, and held. In this special Brave Voices in Education conversation, I’m joined by a powerful panel of brothers for a sacred check-in on Black men’s mental health, masculinity, and what it really means to stay alive and present in this season: • Vladimir Louissaint – @vladlouissaintspeaks • Bernard King – @krown_b...

When culture meets code, innovation becomes liberation. In this dynamic episode, Craig sits down with Victor “Coach” Hicks —educator, step coach, and founder of Coding with Culture —to talk about how HBCU pride, Black creativity, and culturally responsive teaching are transforming STEM education for the next generation. They dive into: 💻 How coding and culture unlock identity and brilliance for B...

In this soulful and empowering conversation, Craig sits down with Dr. Tremain Holloway — a visionary school founder and lifelong educator — to talk about the journey from the hardwood to Harvard, the power of HBCU roots, and what it means to build schools that reflect community, culture, and possibility. 🗣️ Topics Covered: From athlete to educator: How one injury shaped a lifelong calling Founding...

Family isn’t just who raised us — it’s who chooses us, holds us, and helps us become. In this episode of Brave Voices in Education , host Craig Aarons-Martin brings together two powerful voices — Shaplaie Brooks , Executive Director of the Massachusetts Commission on LGBTQ Youth, and Daniel Alfaro , social worker, educator, and commissioner — for a heart-centered conversation about family, resilie...

This LGBTQ History Month, we’re not just remembering history — we are history. In this deeply personal episode, Craig Aarons-Martin sits down with his husband, Omari Aarons-Martin , for a conversation that is as intimate as it is revolutionary — a love story between two Black queer men leading, loving, and living boldly in faith and freedom. Together, they open up about what it means to: Stand in...

On this episode of Brave Voices in Education , Craig Aarons-Martin sits down with Dr. Patrice Dawkins-Jackson — a mother, educator, philanthropist, and scholar — to talk about leading with love and living equity from the inside out. They explore: Her journey from early childhood education to philanthropy Faith as a foundation for justice-driven work The meaning of transformation that begins at the...

What does it mean to lead with courage and care in education, healthcare, and life? Craig Aarons-Martin talks with Dr. Phil Echols—Organizational Development & Diversity Specialist at WakeMed, former counselor and educator, and lifelong storyteller. They discuss: Zip codes, predictability, and disrupting inequities Lessons from a teacher mom & pastor dad Courage as both loud action and qui...

ducator and movement-builder Kevin Simpson (KDSL Global, AIELOC ) joins Craig Aarons-Martin to unpack: the seed that launched his global journey, how Lagos reshaped his lens, why AIELOC “calls in” then “calls out” biased recruitment — rooted in love , and what real equity in international schools requires (leadership, research, retention). Plus identity abroad (“ American first, Black second ”) an...

Jonathan Santos Silva is an educator, founder of the Liber Institute, and a catalyst for liberatory education. In this episode of Brave Voices in Education , Craig Aarons-Martin and Jonathan dig deep into what it means to lead with humility, presence, and power: The lessons from teaching math on the Pine Ridge Reservation — humility, proximity, and the responsibility of showing up. Why representat...

In this powerful episode of Brave Voices in Education , Vladimir Louissaint (CEO & Founder of The Embrace Method ) sits down with Craig Aarons-Martin (CCM Education Group) to explore the hidden truths of men’s mental health , the urgency of telling our stories, and the radical act of healing out loud. Inside this episode: Men & Mental Health: The Unspoken Crisis Embrace Your Story — why yo...

Filter with fences. Progress over perfection. Show up, then get the coffee. In this Brave Voices in Education episode, Allison (Allie) Rodman — CEO & Founder of The Learning Loop , ASCD faculty member and Danielson Group specialist, joins Craig Aarons-Martin to talk personalized professional learning , alignment , and what it really means to be a brave school leader in 2025. We cover: Filterin...

In this powerful episode of Brave Voices in Education , Craig Aarons-Martin sits down with Josh Kraft—lifelong advocate for youth, former CEO of the Boys & Girls Clubs of Boston, and Boston mayoral candidate—to talk about the power of listening, community, and courageous leadership. Josh shares heartfelt lessons from his parents, mentors, and decades of community work in Boston’s neighborhoods...

In this episode of Brave Voices in Education , host Craig Aarons-Martin sits down with Patrick Harris II —award-winning educator, bold storyteller, and author of The First Five: A Love Letter to Teachers —to explore what it takes to bring your full self into the classroom and beyond. Together, we unpack: Embracing the Humanity of Teachers – Why teachers must bring their stories, identities, and pa...

What would make someone walk away from six-figure bonuses and corner offices to teach in classrooms? This isn’t just a career switch—it’s a radical redefinition of success. Listen in as we unpack how chasing purpose over profit transforms not only schools but entire communities. 🎙️ A must-hear for anyone questioning the grind of corporate life or reimagining what impact really looks like. #BraveVo...

What does it take to be brave when leadership gets uncomfortable? In this episode of Brave Voices in Education , Craig Aarons-Martin sits down with Dr. De’Shawn Washington —educator, strategist, and founder of Cultivating Changemakers LLC —to talk equity, power, and the hard truths leaders must face to spark change. Together, we dig into: Why avoiding discomfort keeps schools stuck How equity-driv...

What happens when the curriculum hides more than it reveals? In this powerful episode of Brave Voices in Education , we sit down with Dr. Charesha Barrett , a nationally recognized equity leader, speaker, and founder of CHARP EDucation Consulting . Together, we unpack the deliberate erasure of marginalized communities in education—and the bold work required to reclaim truth, disrupt silence, and r...

In this heart-centered and high-impact episode of Brave Voices in Education , Dr. Sarah Thomas — founder of EduMatch , global educator connector, and edtech visionary — joins Craig Aarons-Martin for a candid conversation on what it means to lead with authenticity, healing, and radical joy in education. From burning out to setting boundaries, from invisibility to global influence, Sarah drops truth...

In this deeply affirming episode of Brave Voices in Education , Craig Aarons-Martin sits down with Leroy A. Smith, M.Ed.—Black male educator, SPED advocate, and founder of @RealizedCurriculumSolutions. Leroy brings the fire and the facts, offering a liberatory vision for how schools can honor the brilliance of all learners, especially Black boys and neurodivergent students. This is more than a con...

On this soul-stirring episode of Brave Voices in Education , host Craig Aarons-Martin sits down with Reverend Minnassa Gabon—a mindfulness expert, spiritual leader, and founder of Minnassa Wellness. Together, they explore what it means to lead with divine alignment, reclaim sacred stillness, and embody brave leadership rooted in love. This conversation is for every leader who has ever felt like th...

What if healing isn’t just yours to do alone? In this powerful episode of Brave Voices in Education , host Craig Aarons-Martin sits down with Coach Justice Roe Williams — Black trans father, abolitionist, author of Deconstructing the Fitness Industrial Complex , and founder of Fitness for All Bodies . Together, they explore: ✨ How toxic masculinity harms everyone — and how we heal beyond it ✨ Wh...

What does it take to truly find your voice —when every system tells you to stay silent? Coach Justice Roe Williams shares how growing up Black, queer, and radical in activist spaces taught him the power of speaking up, even when it wasn’t safe. From working with political prisoners to creating trans-inclusive fitness spaces, his journey shows that your voice is not just your tool—it's your resista...

How does a Black queer Southern boy become a truth-telling, justice-centered educator leading with radical love? In this powerful episode, Victor Terry shares his journey from Utica, Mississippi to founding Necessary Means Consulting and serving as Director of DEIB at Neighborhood House Charter School. Together with host Craig Aarons-Martin, Victor explores: Storytelling as liberation Black Southe...

How do we reclaim our purpose when the system pushes us to the edge? In this soul-stirring episode, Ayesis Clay—educator, playwright, and founder of Sculpted Clay Productions—joins Craig Aarons-Martin to explore what it means to live, lead, and liberate through story and self-awareness. 🎙️ Topics include: The real cost of burnout in education Storytelling as a path to liberation How leaders can mo...

How do Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) continue to build bridges between legacy and liberation in today’s educational landscape? In this dynamic episode of Brave Voices in Education , Craig Aarons-Martin brings you a special recording from the 2025 HBCU Summit held at Harvard University, hosted by Dr. Keith Lezama, founder of the Building Bridges Foundation. Featured guests in...