Too Dope Teachers and a Mic

In this episode of Two Dope Teachers and a Mic , Gerardo sits down with Alix Guerrier , CEO of DonorsChoose , to talk about how classrooms become engines of justice when teachers are trusted with resources—and when young people are trusted with big ideas. From robotics programs serving new immigrant students, to youth-led racial justice campaigns sparked by classroom reading groups, to hydroponic...

In this in-depth conversation, Washington Monthly editor-in-chief Paul Glastris joins Gerardo to unpack how America’s obsession with elite college rankings distorts our sense of what higher education is for. From his days inside U.S. News & World Report to his years building an alternative ranking system rooted in upward mobility, research, and civic service, Glastris offers a powerful critiqu...

In this powerful conversation from the archives, recorded live at the 2019 NEA Racial and Social Justice Conference in Houston, Two Dope Teachers and a Mic sit down with the legendary Boots Riley — writer, director of Sorry to Bother You , frontman of The Coup , and lifelong revolutionary artist. Six years later, Boots’ words still feel urgent. He reminds us that art isn’t a luxury — it’s a tool f...

🎙️ Episode 102 (Throwback): “Artist in the Industry” with Dr. Gholdy Muhammad Originally aired in 2021 — Revisited in 2025 In this powerful conversation, Gerardo Muñoz and Kevin Adams sit down with Dr. Gholdy Muhammad , author of Cultivating Genius: An Equity Framework for Culturally and Historically Responsive Literacy . Together, they explore how teaching rooted in Black literary history , colle...

 Award-winning educator and author Bryan Christopher joins Gerardo Muñoz to share the incredible story behind his new book Stopping the Deportation Machine . From Durham, NC classrooms to the halls of Congress, students mobilized to defend a classmate from deportation — proving that student voice can stop even the biggest machine. 0:00 – Welcome 2:40 – Immigration and Identity 7:36 – Meet Bry...

In this solo episode, Gerardo processes the shooting death of right wing influencer Charlie Kirk by exploring the hidden dangers of teaching debate the traditional way. Drawing on previously published writing that draws a line between traditional debate and the “own-the-libs” take-no-prisoners style of Kirk, Ben Shapiro, Jordan Peterson and others, as well as personal experience as a d...

In this episode of Too Dope Teachers and a Mic , Gerardo is joined by Sahba Rohani , Executive Director of Roots Connected , to dive into what it means to center belonging in schools. From her TED Talk on the power of names to her decades of work in intentionally diverse communities, Sahba shares how small shifts in mindset and practice can transform classrooms, staff culture, and whole school com...

In this powerful episode, we sit down with Jamila Sams—educator, visionary, and founder of We Do It 4 the Culture —to talk about the movement that’s transforming school culture through hip hop, empowerment, and equity. From classrooms to district offices, Jamila’s work helps educators center student voice, cultural relevance, and joy in learning. We dive into her journey as the founder of this uni...

One of my favorite quotes about problem-solving on a systems and institutional level is that “the answer is in the room.” This means that when there are problems that need to be solved, even big ones, the person, perspective, or idea that will solve it doesn’t need to be sought outside of those who know the work best. As teacher recruitment, training, and retention remain persist...

Back in October, Sofia González, teacher, thinker, writer, speaker and activist and Gerardo finally found time for this interview. This was prior to the 2024 election and all that followed. What ensued was a great conversation–provocative, humorous, and energetic. As we brace ourselves to face another four years of anxiety, frustration, fear, and state-encouraged violence, this conversation...