Smart

“The way you show up gives kids permission to show up the same.” Tierionna Pinkston, Educator, Administrator “Baby, that’s your history, it’s in you… you just have to pull it out.” What does it mean to be smart? What does it mean to live in a liberated society? How can we tap back into our ancestral power through rituals and identity affirmation? On this episode, Ms. Tierionna Pinkston walks us through her educational journey, from her really white elementary experiences, attending a wealthy white college (... how placement tests/fees create barriers to entry for education majors), and how she stepped into unapologetic authenticity. “It matters that you know who the Karen’s are, but also to recognize that Karen can change.” We discuss the state of education in Black America (including the lasting impacts of integration on the Black educator, the school, and community), as well as the recruitment and retention of Black educators (and the treatment of Black male educators). Tierionna shares incredible advice to first year educators who are grieving over how Covid-19 impacted the classroom, the professional development that rocked her practice, and why she strives to continually humanize the work, take some risks, and critique systems. IG: @BlackEducators.Matter Website: www.blackeducatorsmatter.org Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/BlackEducatorsMatter Store: https://teespring.com/stores/black-educators-matter