Equity Unlocked

In this episode of Equity Unlocked, Dr. Katie Pekel, Executive Director of Educational Leadership at the University of Minnesota, reflects on her long-standing work with Dr. Muhammad Khalifa and the development of the Culturally Responsive School Leadership Academy. Drawing on her experience as a K–12 teacher and principal, principal development leader, and higher education administrator, Dr. Peke...

In this episode of  Equity Unlocked , Dr. Patrick Duffy, author of  Becoming an Antiracist School Leader: Dare to Be Real , reflects on the personal experiences and professional journey that shaped his approach to antiracist and culturally responsive leadership. He discusses key tenets from his leadership framework, including the need for adult collaboration focused on racial equity, authentic fam...

In this episode of  Equity Unlocked , we hear from four Twin Cities educators who talk honestly about what it means to teach in today's political and social climate. The teachers featured in this episode are participants in the TEECH program, a nonprofit founded by Dr. Muhammad Khalifa with the mission to develop community connected educators. The name "TEECH" is an acronym that stands for Teachin...

In this episode of Equity Unlocked, Dr. Muhammad Khalifa sits down with longtime colleague Dr. Anthony Muhammad for a reflective and forward-looking conversation centered on Dr. Muhammad's latest book,  The Way Forward: PLC at Work and the Bright Future of Education . The discussion explores what it truly means to implement professional learning communities in ways that advance equity rather than...

In this episode, Dr. Muhammad Khalifa sits down with Dr. Ann Ishimaru and Dr. Decoteau Irby to discuss their new edited book, Doing the Work of Equity Leadership for Justice and Systems Change . If you've been following the scholarship in this space, you know both Ann and Decoteau as long-time leaders in community-engaged research, critical leadership studies, and racial equity in education. Their...

In this special solo episode, Dr. Muhammad Khalifa walks listeners through the newly revised Culturally Responsive School Leadership (CRSL) framework. Drawing on an extensive new literature review sponsored by the Spencer Foundation, Dr. Khalifa explains why the framework was updated, what has changed, and how these shifts reflect emerging research on culturally responsive leadership, community co...

In this third and final episode of our three-part series with educator and attorney Jeremy Chan-Kraushar, we explore how school leaders can remain steadfast in their commitment to Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Accessibility amid today's shifting legal landscape. Building on the previous conversations, this episode makes the ethical and practical case for keeping DEIA at the heart of education....

This episode is the second in our three-part series designed to help school leaders navigate the rapidly changing legal landscape around diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA). Dr. Muhammad Khalifa and attorney-educator Jeremy Chan-Kraushar examine how the terms we use—in policy, communication, and daily practice—can shape both legal interpretation and community trust. Together the...

This episode is the first in a new three-part series from CRSLI  designed to help school leaders navigate the rapidly changing legal landscape around diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility (DEIA) with confidence and clarity. Each conversation in this series is paired with a companion issue brief authored by the CRSLI team and Jeremy Chan-Kraushar, an educator and attorney. Together, these...

In this episode, we're excited to bring you practical insights into how culturally responsive school leadership can be mobilized with attention to special education, featuring two remarkable scholars, Dr. Precios Armstrong and Dr. Lauren Katzman. Dr. Precios Armstrong is the Director of Special Education at East Lansing Public Schools in Michigan, and Dr. Lauren Katzman is Executive Director of th...

In this episode of Equity Unlocked we're sharing a replay of one of our EQUITYx events, with an extraordinary scholar, Dr. Darrius Stanley, author of #BlackEducatorsMatter: The Experiences of Black Teachers in an Anti-Black World.   In this EQUITYx event, Dr. Stanley will discuss the challenges surrounding the Black educator experience and especially the role that anti-Blackness plays within the K...

In this episode of Equity Unlocked, Dr. Carrie Sampson, author of Navigating School Board Politics: Strategies for Equity Amid Resistance , unpacks the critical role of school boards in advancing equity. Reflecting on historical desegregation efforts and community organizing, she highlights how grassroots movements, particularly by Black mothers, have driven change. Dr. Sampson introduces the Scho...

On today's episode of Equity Unlocked we explore an insightful conversation with Jeremy Chan-Kraushar, a licensed attorney and Director of the PEDC CRSE Institute. Jeremy tackles audience submitted questions about the realities of Project 2025, breaking down its impact on the future of education and offering practical strategies for addressing challenges and opportunities. This episode highlights...

This is your chance to win a proven, comprehensive, research-based audit that identifies your specific equity issues and provides strategies customized for your university or school district.    Apply at the link below: https://us22.list-manage.com/survey?u=1a9b8e23b959bf44e0f5dbc68&id=3d0d2b56fc&attribution=false    

In this powerful episode from our EQUITYx Series, we welcome Dr. Muhammad Khalifa, the founder of the Culturally Responsive School Leadership Institute and author of Culturally Responsive School Leadership . Dr. Khalifa delivers his impactful talk titled "The Missing Component of School Reform: Culturally Responsive School Leadership." Throughout this conversation, Dr. Khalifa unpacks crucial topi...

In this enlightening episode from our EQUITYx Series, host Kandace Logan engages with Dr. Racquel Armstrong, who shares her groundbreaking research on supporting Black women in educational leadership. Stay Connected To CRSLI:  After The Academy:  https://crsli.org/aftertheacademy Follow Us On IG:  https://www.instagram.com/crsl_institute/?hl=en Culturally Responsive School Leadership :  https://a....

Welcome to another episode of Equity Unlocked , where we dive deep into pivotal issues in educational equity and social justice. In today's EQUITYx Series, we're honored to feature Dr. Nimo Abdi. Her presentation, "Lessons Learned from Somali Mothers: Implications for School Leaders," provides a deep dive into the invaluable cultural insights and strategies that Somali immigrant families offer. St...

In todays episode we have   a standout session from the EQUITYx Series featuring Dr. Bodunrin O. Banwo, Assistant Professor at the University of Massachusetts, Boston. Dr. Banwo's insightful presentation, "Why Do We Educate? Responsive Organizations and their Benefits to our Students," explores the dual role of educational systems in perpetuating or challenging social inequities. He delves into th...

In this episode of our EQUITYx Series, we tackle a crucial issue in educational equity: the impact of whiteness on achieving your school's equity goals. Whiteness, encompassing structural arrangements and ideologies of race dominance, significantly obstructs progress toward educational equity and often goes unnoticed in school systems. Dr. Katie Pekel , Executive Director of Educational Leadership...

Dive into a profound episode of one of our previous EQUITYx events as we revisit Dr. Michael Walker's impactful session on leading the Office of Black Male Student Achievement within Minneapolis Public Schools. In this compelling dialogue, Dr. Walker shares his journey and strategies that transformed educational outcomes for Black male students in Minneapolis. When faced with stark disparities in...

This episode of Equity Unlocked features a conversation between Dr. Khalifa and Dr. Jamila Dugan , co-author of the book Street Data  and the featured scholar in our new Academy: Disrupting Equity Traps and Tropes . They discuss the need to challenge traditional hierarchical structures and practices inherited from colonial projects in education, recognize ancestral knowledge, and center the assets...

  In today's episode of  Equity Unlocked , we delved into the pressing need for a comprehensive approach to teacher training, with a strong emphasis on community engagement and the unlearning of biases. Kandace Logan from TEECH passionately discusses the transformative impact of integrating community knowledge into the curriculum and the vital role of culturally responsive educators in fostering e...

On this episode of Equity Unlocked Dr. Muhammad Khalifa and Dr. Gholdy Muhammad discuss the importance of school leaders recognizing the genius that already exists within students and the joy that they innately deserve. Resources:  Culturally Responsive School Leadership :  https://a.co/d/ezc8OUD Unearthing Joy: A Guide to Culturally and Historically Responsive Teaching and Learning : https://amzn...

In this episode of Equity Unlocked, Dr. Muhammad Khalifa and Dr. Keith Mayes guide us through a profound exploration of cultural responsiveness in special education while avoiding colonial practices. Through insightful discussions, they emphasize the importance of examining historical legacies to inform present-day practices. Resources:  Culturally Responsive School Leadership : https://a.co/d/ezc...