"Public Education Is Where We Learn to Live Together." with Jennifer Hall Lee, Pasadena Unified School Board, California

Jennifer Hall Lee's approach to public leadership is rooted in a story that began with her mother. As a social worker at Willowbrook State School—once one of the nation's largest institutions for people with disabilities—her mother helped expose conditions of overcrowding, neglect, and abuse that had been hidden from public view. That work, which Jennifer witnessed firsthand, contributed to a national reckoning that reshaped how people are treated, educated, and included in American society. Now serving on the Pasadena Unified School Board, Jennifer carries forward a belief shaped by that legacy: systems only work when they serve everyone. In a community where public education must compete to be chosen and operate under constant strain, her leadership reflects a commitment to ensuring that no student is treated as separate or secondary. From her local service to her work with women's rights advocates in Pakistan, Jennifer returns to the same core principle: when we divide people into categories, we weaken the whole. This conversation offers a moving reminder that the strength of a community is measured by how fully it includes everyone within it.   LINKS Jennifer Hall Lee: jenniferhalllee.com  Ask a Question or Leave a Comment:  602-688-2724 Send Matt a Note:  [email protected]  Apply to Be a Podcast Guest:  CatalystGuest.us    Connect on Substack and LinkedIn Produced by Social Prosperity Partners