94. Let Your Story Empower You! w/ Rhianna Scyster, Student Data & Evaluation Manager

A St. Petersburg native and lover of books, Rhianna is also a fervent advocate for equitable educational practices and policies. She currently serves as the Student Data and Evaluation Manager at Cathedral Arts Project. Prior to accepting her current role, Rhianna was an ESE teacher for 3.5 years. During her time as an undergraduate student at the University of North Florida, Rhianna served as a Student Ambassador for the College of Education and Human Services and was also awarded a two-year scholarship from the Florida Funds Minority Teachers. She most recently presented at the WJCT TEACH conference, where she provided insight on the intersection of equity and policy in education. In 2020 she was awarded the Minority Fellowship from Jacksonville University, where she will earn her master’s degree in Public Policy. During her time as a fellow, she has earned an internship and recognition from Duval County School Board Chair, Darryl Willie. She was most recently recognized on the Florida Black Expo’s list of Top 20 Under 40 and received the Alumni Achievement Award from UNF’s Black Alumni Association for her contributions to the field of education. Through hands-on experience with students of varying exceptionalities, Rhianna has become an expert on understanding the impact of empowering differences and how to measure varying levels of success through assessment, data, and research. She has been a guest speaker for the 2021-22 Teach for America cohort and 2022 City Year Leadership Panel. Rhianna is dedicated to improving her community through justice work, policy development, and servant leadership. #diversity #equity #adoptedchild #criticalracetheory #educationpolicy #policymatters Follow Rhianna on Linked @Rhianna Scyster and Instagram @r_sscyster Resources Mentioned: Dr. Carissa McCray:Equitable Instruction, Empowered Students https://www.amazon.com/Equitable-Instruction-Empowered-Students-Culturally/dp/195281281X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=83KY5SEPXIW&keywords=carissa+mccray&qid=1662319198&sprefix=carissa+mccray%2Caps%2C102&sr=8-1 Zaretta Hammond: Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain https://www.amazon.com/Culturally-Responsive-Teaching-Brain-Linguistically/dp/1483308014/ref=sr_1_2_sspa?crid=3DSL7369300O4&keywords=zaretta+hammond+culturally+responsive+teaching+and+the+brain&qid=1662319254&sprefix=zarett%2Caps%2C119&sr=8-2-spons&psc=1&spLa=ZW5jcnlwdGVkUXVhbGlmaWVyPUExSUVUT0g3NkZWQjdPJmVuY3J5cHRlZElkPUEwNjcxODYxMlRNQjNMTkpMRlUwSiZlbmNyeXB0ZWRBZElkPUEwMTUxMDk5MThQSjU1UkdHRkMyQSZ3aWRnZXROYW1lPXNwX2F0ZiZhY3Rpb249Y2xpY2tSZWRpcmVjdCZkb05vdExvZ0NsaWNrPXRydWU= Venus Evans-Winters: Teaching Black Girls. Resistance in urban classrooms. https://www.amazon.com/Teaching-Black-Girls-Resiliency-Counterpoints/dp/1433105934/ref=sr_1_1?crid=E1JAHX02GY9T&keywords=teaching+black+girls+venus+evans-winters&qid=1662319408&sprefix=teaching+black+girls+venus+evans-winters%2Caps%2C92&sr=8-1 Monique Morris: PUSHOUT; the criminalization of Black girls https://www.amazon.com/Pushout-Monique-W-Morris-audiobook/dp/B01M046D9X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=24V8ZOS8WOFVA&keywords=pushout+the+criminalization+of+black+girls+in+school&qid=1662319443&sprefix=pushout%2Caps%2C111&sr=8-1 Kristin Henning: The Rage of Innocence. https://www.amazon.com/Rage-Innocence-America-Criminalizes-Black/dp/B096G7PX7X/ref=sr_1_1?crid=ZLICOEJR02MF&keywords=kristin+henning&qid=1662319499&s=audible&sprefix=kristin+henning%2Caudible%2C114&sr=1-1 Jennifer Rippner: The American Education Policy Landscape https://www.amazon.com/American-Education-Policy-Landscape/dp/1138845205/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1BXKSUBNSUE0I&keywords=jennifer+rippner&qid=1662319580&s=audible&sprefix=jennifer+rippner%2Caudible%2C109&sr=1-1 Bettina Love: We Want to Do More Than Survive https://www.amazon.com/Want-More-Than-Survive-Abolitionist/dp/0807028347/ref=sr_1_1?crid=15I1AVWWFNI0Y&keywords=bettina+love+we+want+to+do+more+than+survive&qid=1662319672&s=audible&sprefix=bettina+lo%2Caudible%2C86&sr=1-1-catcorr