"Why is it so Hard? Shining through the Shadow of Resistance” with Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Newman Leak

In the podcast episode "Justice Through Student Advocacy and Voice," Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Leak have an insightful conversation with Doug Newman, Principal of Collingswood High School. Doug talks about his approach towards prioritizing students' voice in the school system and how it has led to positive changes and improvements in the school. He shares his vision for a culturally...

In the podcast episode "Workforce Equity," Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Leak discuss ASPIRE's mission and goals with Curtis Myers, the organization's Founder and President. ASPIRE provides unique and engaging programs and services to help prepare young adults for their future careers. During the podcast, Curtis talks about the inspiration behind the creation of ASPIRE and the collab...

In the podcast episode "Justice And Mental Health," Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Leak converse with Erika Kelley, who is the Co-Founder and CEO of Sage Horizons, LLC and Founding Member & Managing Director for Soaring Phoenix Corp. Kelley discusses the numerous obstacles that young people face when attempting to access mental health services, as well as the critical factors that contrib...

In the podcast episode titled "Social Justice: Advocacy in the Community," Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Leak interview Teska Frisby, who is the City Council President of Trenton, NJ. During the discussion, Frisby talks about her journey towards becoming a champion of justice and her involvement in local politics. The episode explores the topic of social justice and the importance of advocat...

In this episode, "A Journey Through Justice," Dr. Tonya Breland takes us on a powerful journey to Montgomery and Selma, Alabama, where she shares her personal experiences and family ties to one of these iconic Southern cities. Through her exploration of historical landmarks and encounters with local residents, Dr. Breland offers a deep insight into the injustices faced by Black people and...

In this episode of TESO Consulting Group's DEI podcast series, "Why is it so Hard? Shining Through The Shadow of Resistance," Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Leak discuss the importance of positive racial identity and provide insights on how educators can create intentional positive experiences around a student's racial identity. In Part 4: Say It Loud: Positive Racial Identity, they e...

Have you ever found yourself inadvertently using a negative stereotype phrase or label when complimenting a co-worker or student? Join Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Leak in Part 3 of their latest series, "Things I Wish I Knew About Race," where they discuss cultural stereotypes and the importance of avoiding offensive language.  This episode entitled "What Did I Say Wrong?" specifica...

Calling All Educators and Administrators! Get ready for an eye-opening discussion on the use of the N-word in today's culture. Join Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Leak in Part 2 of their latest series, "Things I Wish I Knew About Race," as they delve into the history and impact of this controversial word.  In this episode, titled "What About the 'N' Word?," you'll lear...

Join Dr. Tonya Breland and Erika Leak in Part 1 of their new series,  Things I Wish I Knew About Race . In this episode, "Mistakes Teachers Make," they discuss some of the common errors made by educators with respect to racial and cultural interactions in the classroom. For example, they take a look at events like cultural celebrations and discuss challenges with confining it to a day or m...

In this podcast episode, "Embracing Action," Tonya and Erika discuss practical strategies for teachers to use in the classroom to help students and colleagues to embrace empathy and oppose exclusion, prejudice, and injustice. They talk about ways for educators to encourage students to speak up with bravery and respect against bias and how students can plan collective action.  Discussing th...

In this podcast episode, "Embracing Justice," Tonya and Erika discuss practical strategies for teachers to use in the classroom to help students and colleagues recognize and reject stereotypes and understand how unfairness exists at both individual and systemic levels. In addition, they offer insight into analyzing the harmful impact that bias, injustice, power, and privilege has had on th...

Connecting with and honoring others through difference is essential in our diverse world of people, ideas, and environments.  In this podcast episode, "A World of Difference," Tonya and Erika discuss practical strategies for teachers to use in the classroom to help students and colleagues acknowledge and respect and highlight the differences that individuals bring with them. Discussing the...

Students must develop positive social identities that lead to belonging in their respective social identity groups. In this episode, we discuss five of the 20 Social Justice Anchor Standards, which help individuals develop positive social identities based on their membership in different groups. The standards encourage acceptance of multiple identities, accurate language, recognition of complex in...

With over 80% of teachers in our country being White and over 50% of students being students of color, how can teachers best address the cultural mismatch that can exist with students? In this podcast episode "Managing The Cultural Mismatch," Tonya and Erika discuss practical strategies for teachers to use in the classroom where there may be a cultural mismatch between them and their stude...

In this episode, Tonya and Erika discuss why promoting diversity in leadership positions is important. Diversity in leadership is crucial for creating a fair and inclusive workplace. When people from different backgrounds and experiences are represented at all levels of an organization, it can lead to more creativity, innovation, and better decision-making. It's important for organizations and...

In this episode, Tonya and Erika continue discussing the advantages and disadvantages of privilege. Is privilege not an honor? It's a question that often arises in discussions about meritocracy and diversity. Some people believe that privilege is earned through hard work and success, while others argue that it is simply a result of one's race, gender, or social status. This debate often le...

Is privilege not an honor? It's a question that often arises in discussions about meritocracy and diversity. In this episode, Tonya and Erika discuss the advantages and disadvantages of privilege. Some people believe that privilege is earned through hard work and success, while others argue that it is simply a result of one's race, gender, or social status. This debate often leads to discu...

In this episode, recorded one week before the recent Supreme Court decision,  Tonya and Erika discuss whether affirmative action is a thing of the past. While there have been efforts to address systemic inequalities through affirmative action policies, unconscious bias and the model minority myth continue to perpetuate inequities in employment, education, and other spheres.  Resources like diversi...

In this episode, Tonya and Erika discuss how it's important to remember that fighting racism is not a political issue but a human rights issue that affects everyone.  It's essential for schools to actively fight against anti-black racism because it is a pervasive issue that affects the well-being and success of black students. However, some predominately white school districts, that are ta...

In this episode, Tonya and Erika discuss the power of storytelling and how it contributes to our understanding and empathy for others with different experiences. When we listen to someone's story, we can better understand their perspective and challenges. This leads to greater empathy and appreciation for diversity. We should encourage each other to share our stories to build a more inclusive...

In this episode, Tonya and Erika talk about the dangers of states, like Florida, moving to ban education related to race, gender, sexuality, and religion. These restrictions cause harm to students and further marginalizes groups of students, sending the message that they are not valued. It is critical for K-12 education to include ethnic and other studies to help students understand and appreciate...

In this episode, Tonya and Erika discuss meritocracy and how it impacts our community.  Meritocracy is a system where people get rewarded based on their abilities and achievements instead of their social status or connections. However, this system is often unfair to people of color. Meritocracy doesn't account for the discrimination sometimes faced by people of color and the barriers that make...

In this episode, Tonya and Erika address the importance of recognizing and valuing racial diversity in the workplace, schools, and society. Ignoring race can reinforce implicit biases against people of color and lead to isolation, invisibility, marginalization, and ultimately devaluing individuals.  By recognizing and embracing racial differences, we can make strides towards creating a sense of be...

In this episode, Tonya and Erika explore the unique challenges faced by women of color in society and the workplace. They discuss obstacles such as being perceived as less credible or knowledgeable, feeling excluded from social circles, having limited for growth, lacking a voice, and the need to show up in socially acceptable ways. They also examine the intersection of race and gender in shaping t...

In this episode, Tonya and Erika discuss the presence of bias within all of us and how it has become ingrained into our society as social norms. They explore ways to confront bias and encourage people to learn and improve.  They also examine how confronting bias can lead to positive change. The co-founders of Just Work, author Kim Scott, and CEO Trier Bryant emphasize the importance of a shared vo...