Cultural Curriculum Chat with Jebeh Edmunds

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat Podcast™, host Jebeh Edmunds interviews Hakeem Bourne McFarlane, founder of Choose Yourself Community. Hakeem shares his journey of personal transformation after experiencing loss, injuries, and life challenges that pushed him to rebuild his life with intention. This conversation explores resilience, identity, and how choosing yourse...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat Podcast™, Jebeh Edmunds sits down with Rev. Kevin T. Taylor—pastor, leadership advisor, and author of A Charge to Keep. Together, they explore what leadership truly looks like behind the scenes—the weight of difficult decisions, the cost of integrity, and the responsibility that comes with authority. This conversation dives...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful return episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat Podcast™, host Jebeh Edmunds welcomes back educational justice advocate Dr. Deonna Smith for a deeper conversation about the future of equitable education. Dr. Smith, founder of Deonna Smith Consulting, works with schools across the country to help educators create learning environments centered on equity, inclusion,...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, Jebeh Edmunds sits down with Susan Gooch, an Arkansas author and proud Southern storyteller, to talk about the transformative power of reading, writing, and the stories we carry from our lived experiences. Susan shares her journey from a child with dyslexia who resisted reading to a voracious reader who devours nearly 200 books a year. She opens up about her mothe...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat Podcast™, Jebeh Edmunds sits down with Ginny Priem—keynote speaker, Master Certified Professional Life Coach, best-selling author, and host of the Unsubscribe Podcast. Together, they explore what it truly means to “unsubscribe” from the beliefs, expectations, and identities that no longer serve us. This conversation dives in...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat Podcast™, Jebeh Edmunds sits down with Lisa Riegel—educator, researcher, author, and expert in brain science and human systems. Together, they explore how understanding the brain can transform leadership, education, and the way we support people in reaching their full potential. This conversation dives into neuroscience, sys...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode of the Cultural Curriculum Chat, host Jebeh Edmunds sits down with Thomas R. Wilson — educator, writer, consultant, and purpose-driven event specialist — for a deeply human conversation about empathy, healing, and the transformative power of storytelling. Thomas shares how growing up in the neurodivergent and mental health communities during the 90s and early 2000s...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat Podcast™, host Jebeh Edmunds sits down with Daniel Hodges, President and Co-Founder of the Peaces of Me Foundation, to discuss disability advocacy, resilience, and building truly inclusive organizations. Born blind and living with multiple disabilities, Daniel was once told he would never become a fully functioning adult. In...

Send us Fan Mail Teachers—are you mispronouncing student names? In this episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat Podcast™, Jebeh Edmunds explores why pronouncing student names correctly is one of the most powerful (and overlooked) ways to build trust, affirm identity, and create inclusive classrooms. With 18 years of classroom experience, Jebeh shares a simple, actionable 3-step strategy you can im...

Send us Fan Mail How does immigration shape leadership? In this episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat Podcast™, host Jebeh Edmunds sits down with entrepreneur, educator, and author Dr. Nelva Lee to explore the intersection of immigration, education reform, diversity, and leadership. In this episode, we discuss: • Growing up in Panama and immigrating to the United States • Why education systems m...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when language fails—but culture still speaks? In this powerful episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat Podcast™, host Jebeh Edmunds sits down with educator, artist, and nonprofit leader Rodney Eric López to explore the intersection of language, identity, dance, and belonging. Rodney shares his journey from arts educator to community leader and reflects on his experien...

Send us Fan Mail 🎙️ Meet William Miller, who has spoken on stages across the country, been featured on Time for Kids and major media outlets, and continues to inspire both youth and adults to dream bigger and choose courage over comfort.  Learn more about : William Miller In this episode, we talk about: ⭐ Why age shouldn’t limit impact ⭐ The power of bravery and confidence ⭐ How to turn setback...

Send us Fan Mail In this powerful episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat Podcast™, host Jebeh Edmunds sits down with Iranian human rights activist Zolal Habibi. With over 25 years of advocacy, Zolal has dedicated her life to raising awareness about political prisoners, women’s rights, and the ongoing fight for freedom in Iran. Together, they explore: • The realities facing human rights activists...

Send us Fan Mail Today’s conversation is especially powerful because we’re talking about equity beyond the buzzwords—what it really looks like in practice, what leaders often get wrong, and what it takes to sustain meaningful change. I’m honored to welcome Celeste Warren. Celeste is a visionary leader with an incredible 28-year career at a global Fortune 100 company, where she rose to the role of...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Cultural Curriculum Chat™ Podcast, I sat down with leadership strategist and workplace culture expert Ivonne Furneaux for a powerful conversation about something many organizations feel — but rarely name. Ghost gaps. These are the invisible divides that quietly undermine trust, engagement, and momentum in teams. They show up in miscommunication. In assumptions. In...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a child’s identity becomes a target inside the very system meant to protect them? In this powerful episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat™ Podcast, host Jebeh Edmunds sits down with scholar and trauma expert Dr. Barbara “Bobbi” Sherrod, a contributor to the new book Identity-Based Mass Violence in Urban Contexts: Uncovered . Dr. Sherrod shares the heartbreaking...

Send us Fan Mail This week on The Cultural Curriculum Chat™ Podcast , I’m joined by Eugene Manley—a cancer scientist, nonprofit founder, and Black healthcare advocate who helps people make sense of AI, cancer, and health equity without the jargon. We talk about: How AI is already shaping cancer care What medical racism looks like in real life Why documentation and language matter How patients and...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when a Los Angeles theater commits to inclusion not just onstage, but in leadership, vision, and long-term impact? In this episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat™ , host Jebeh Edmunds sits down with Ben Zingos to discuss why a Los Angeles theatre is making history in 2026—and what it means for the future of theater, cultural leadership, and representation in the arts...

Send us Fan Mail What if burnout isn’t a personal failure—but a cultural one? In this reflective episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat™ Podcast , Jebeh Edmunds sits down with Jake Knox , author of Oak Logs & Gasoline , for a conversation many educators, leaders, and creatives didn’t realize they needed. Jake invites us to slow down and reconsider what we’re building—and how we’re sustaining...

Send us Fan Mail What if the way we teach grammar is actually doing harm? In this episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat™ Podcast, host Jebeh Edmunds sits down with Patty McGee — author, literacy educator, and consultant — to challenge the shame-based, punitive ways grammar has been taught for generations. Patty shares how language is deeply connected to identity, culture, and belonging, and why...

Send us Fan Mail Empathy has become one of the most overused—and misunderstood—words in leadership and inclusion spaces. Often framed as a “nice to have” or a soft interpersonal skill, empathy is frequently stripped of its complexity, discomfort, and emotional labor. In my recent conversation with Matthias Biehl on The Cultural Curriculum Chat™ Podcast , we explored what empathy really looks like...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when everything you built your life around no longer fits who you are becoming? In this episode of The Cultural Curriculum Chat™ Podcast, host Jebeh Edmunds sits down with Tracy Smith, author and storyteller behind Tracy Travels Everywhere , to explore grief, identity, and what it means to start over in a world obsessed with achievement. Tracy shares how personal loss...

Send us Fan Mail What happens when you reach every goal — and still feel like something’s missing? In this powerful conversation, entrepreneur + creative strategist Jon Bowerman joins host Jebeh Edmunds to talk about chasing milestones, losing identity in achievement, and slowly rebuilding a life rooted in presence, joy, and purpose. We explore:  ✨ The shift from hustle to wholeness  📚 His book...

Send us Fan Mail This season of The Cultural Curriculum Chat™ Podcast opens with a declaration. Jebeh Edmunds isn’t announcing a rebrand — she’s naming a reclamation. In this powerful identity-setting episode, Jebeh reflects on the many roles she’s carried — educator, consultant, podcaster, writer — and names the deeper truth beneath all of them: cultural storytelling. Through personal reflection...

Send us Fan Mail In this uplifting episode, host Jebeh Edmunds sits down with Nicholas Adkins, founder of the global Pinksocks Life movement — known for kilts, hugs, a pink furry bike, a teddy-bear-like dog… and a whole lot of love. What started with a simple pair of socks accidentally sparked a worldwide kindness revolution, now uniting more than 300,000 people who believe in connection, compassi...