Be an Advocate for Our Children (ft. Pedro Rivera)

Building the Black Educator Pipeline celebrates Hispanic Heritage Month with special guest Pedro Rivera, president of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology and former Pennsylvania Secretary of Education.In this episode, Pedro Rivera and host Shayna Terrell talk about building innovate pathways in education and how we can better serve our students. Rivera shares his educational journey and inspiration for getting into education as well as how his time in K-12 Education prepared him for his role as president of Thaddeus Stevens College of Technology. The wide-ranging conversation touches on identity and labels such as Hispanic and LatinX, advocacy and activism for marginalized students, and the various roles and politics within the education ecosystem.Finally, Pedro shares which practices he believes can help us increase the numbers of Black and Brown educators in classrooms throughout the country.Rivera is a lifelong educator, as a practitioner and a leader, with a focus on ensuring equitable access and funding for education. In September 2014, Rivera was honored by the White House as a Champion of Change for his efforts to transform urban education with his holistic approach to student success. He also served as President of the board of directors for the Council of Chief State School Officers (CCSSO) and was a member of President Elect Joseph Biden’s educational transition team. A first-generation college graduate, Rivera earned a Bachelor of Science degree from The Pennsylvania State University, a Master’s degree in Education Administration from Cheyney University and his Superintendent’s letter of eligibility from Arcadia University.