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Season 2, Bonus Episode 2: Not Just Another Building

In an episode recorded live at SXSW Edu, we’re hearing from educators and Teach For America alumni about the role of school within their communities.

During an educators' meeting in Memphis, KeAsia Norman, a BIPOC educator and aspiring school leader said, “If a school isn’t actively engaged in the community, it’s just another building.” In this special live episode, host Jonathan Santos Silva is joined by a panel of innovative BIPOC educators and Teach For America alumni passionate about radically re-imagining the role of school within communities. Through their unique insights, we learn how to transform school buildings into vital community spaces that better reflect their students’ and staff’s needs.

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About The Show

Host Jonathan Santos Silva (South Dakota ‘10) will sit down with innovative nonprofits from across the country that are committed to attracting, training, and retaining BIPOC educators. Each episode will feature thoughtful conversations about how organizations are investing in and providing careers where BIPOC staff can flourish.

Meet the Host

Jonathan Santos Silva (South Dakota ‘10)

Jonathan Santos Silva is the Founding Executive Director of The Liber Institute and creator and host of The Bored of Ed, a podcast that amplifies the voices of inspiring BIPOC educators who are changing the face of education. He has provided technical support to South Dakota’s Native American Achievement Schools and has served as a school founder and principal, instructional coach, and education consultant.

Featured In This Episode

Tony DelaRosa (Indianapolis ‘12), Educator, Writer, and Thought Leader

Tony (he/siya) is an award-winning and proud Filipino American Anti-Bias & Anti-Racist Educator, Executive Leadership Coach, Motivational Speaker, Spoken Word Poet, Racial Equity Strategist, and Writer. He is currently pursuing his PhD in Education Leadership and Policy Analysis at the University of Wisconsin Madison as a Education Graduate Research Scholar. After serving in the corps, Tony became Director of Leadership Development at Teach For America coaching teachers and leading DEI strategy.

Ebony Payne Brown (Atlanta ‘06), Founder and Executive Director at PEACE Academy Charter

Ebony has been in education for over 15 years. She started her career at the University of Delaware where she studied Early Childhood Development and Education, then joined the 2006 Metro Atlanta Teach For America Corps and taught for five years in Atlanta Public Schools. In 2008, she obtained her Masters of Art in Education in Curriculum and Instruction. She is currently the visionary founder of PEACE Academy Charter, one of the first public schools in Georgia with an Afrocentric curriculum.

Christopher Sandoval (RGV ‘14), Performing Arts Teacher & Department Head at Kipp Comienza Community Prep

Christopher is the Performing Arts Teacher and Specials Department Lead at KIPP Comienza Community Prep in Los Angeles, CA. After his graduate studies at the California State University, Fullerton, he served in McAllen, TX (TFA Alumni RGV '14), in Redwood City, CA with KIPP Bay Area Schools, and currently working within KIPP SoCal Schools. He holds the utmost gratitude for the amazing mentors, many from Teach For America, who helped him bridge his passions into his work as a school teacher. Moreover, these mentors and various school communities have helped him mold a strong and empowering classroom vision for cultural competence, social justice, movement, and high achievement - leading to his attainment of the "Teacher of the Year" Award for KIPP SoCal Schools in 2022.