Literacy and Justice for All

This episode of the Literacy and Justice for All podcast was recorded live at LitLink 2026: Georgia’s premier K–5 literacy conference focused on structured literacy and the science of reading. Throughout the conference, Dr. Ryan Lee-James spoke with education leaders and literacy advocates about innovative approaches to student learning and teacher support.   Guests include Rebecca Pogue Fields of...

In this episode Ryan Lee-James sits down with Ashley Ellis, Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging (DEIB) at the Atlanta Speech School to unpack what DEIB really means beyond the headlines and political noise. Ashley reframes DEIB as a fundamentally human-centered practice rooted in dignity, empathy, and honoring diverse perspectives while emphasizing its deep connection to educat...

This episode of the Literacy and Justice for All podcast features Dr. Nadia Jones in a wide-ranging conversation about expanding access to high-quality literacy resources through local, national, and international partnerships. Dr. Jones shares her professional journey and passion for equitable education, highlighting her work building collaborations across school systems, higher education institu...

In this episode of the Literacy and Justice for All podcast, Dr. Ryan Lee-James speaks with Dr. Hugh Catts about the revised definition of dyslexia and what it means for schools and learners. They discuss how the updated definition reflects current research, emphasizing persistent reading and spelling difficulties influenced by multiple factors rather than a single cause. The conversation highligh...

In this episode of the Literacy and Justice for All podcast, listeners hear from longtime executive director Comer Yates about his journey from teacher to attorney and ultimately to leading the Atlanta Speech School for nearly three decades. He shares the school’s origins as a free program founded to give every child access to their voice, and traces its evolution into a nationally recognized cent...

This episode of the Literacy and Justice for All podcast takes listeners inside the work of the Rollins Center and Cox Campus through a conversation with instructional designers Salley Edwards and Makini Coleman. The discussion explores how research-driven, peer-reviewed professional learning content is created to support educators, coaches, caregivers, and education leaders nationwide, with a sha...

In this episode Ryan speaks with Dr. Julie Washington to explore language, literacy, and reading development. Drawing on decades of research focused on African American English, dialect variation, and reading acquisition, Dr. Julie Washington unpacks how language evolves within communities and what educators often miss when implementing the science of reading. Together, they discuss linguistic dis...

This episode features Dr. Young-Suk Kim, a leading researcher and professor at the University of California, Irvine, whose work explores how reading and writing develop together across languages and cultures. Dr. Kim discusses her path from bilingual classroom teacher to scientist, emphasizing the importance of recognizing the diversity and strengths of multilingual learners. She also unpacks her...

In this episode we welcome Dr. Laura Rhinehart of UCLA’s School of Education and Information Studies for an in-depth conversation about literacy, equity, and the science of reading. Dr. Rhinehart shares her unconventional journey from philosophy major to special education teacher and researcher, detailing experiences in juvenile facilities and charter schools that shaped her commitment to early in...

Josh is a humanitarian. He champions the cause of neuro-diversity in education and promotes the science of reading as a vehicle for education reform and social good. He is chair of the International Dyslexia Association and an expert contributor to the global nonprofit  Made By Dyslexia  and Microsoft Education . He also co-founded the Association of LD Schools (ALDS) and sits on their board, alon...

Born and raised in Monroe, Louisiana, Ray is a critically conscious and outcomes-driven educational leader. Over nearly 15 years, Ray has held various roles in schools and communities in Baton Rouge, LA, Atlanta, GA, and Newark, NJ including substitute teacher, graduate assistant, literacy teacher, educational policy fellow, instructional coach, education community organizer, curriculum auditor, a...

Special guests featured in this episode include: Dr. Lisa Domke is an assistant professor in the College of Education and Human Development at Georgia State University. Dr. Elsa Cárdenas-Hagan is a bilingual speech and language pathologist, a certified teacher, dyslexia therapist, certified academic language therapist and a qualified instructor. Dr. Shurita Thomas-Tate is an associate professor of...

Margie B. Gillis, Ed. D is a nationally recognized literacy expert and a Certified Academic Language Therapist who has been teaching children of all ages to read for over 40 years. She received her Doctorate of Education from the University of Louisville in Special Education. In 2009, Margie founded Literacy How, Inc. to provide professional development opportunities and coaching for teachers on h...

Welcome to the Literacy and Justice for All podcast produced by the Rollins Center for Language Literacy and its free online Cox Campus. Join Dr. Ryan Lee-James, our host and conversational partner, as we dig deep into literacy through conversation with research scientists, expert practitioners, caregivers, educators, policymakers, business leaders, statisticians, and everyone in between. Together...