Brave Voices in Education - The Podcast

We don't have a strength problem. We have a permission problem."The conversation with Quincey Roberts Sr., Victor "Coach" Hicks, and Victor Terry ended. But Craig Aarons-Martin wasn't done.This is the after show — a raw, unscripted solo reflection recorded in the quiet after one of the most necessary conversations Brave Voices has ever held. No panel. No guests. Just Craig sitting with what the brothers said the night before and following it to its honest conclusion.What you'll hear in this episode:The real statistics on Black men's mental health in 2026 — suicide rates, access to care, and what we're doing about it. Why 1 in 2 Black adults are dealing with mood or anxiety disorders, but only 2 in 10 Black men ever actually access care. What fills that gap — and why healing circles, men's groups, fraternal spaces, and community matter more than we admit.The cost of code-switching. Every room calculated. Every version of yourself managed. That's a tax. For Black queer men, it's a double tax. And the toll it takes never appears on a death certificate.Victor Hicks said something Craig can't put down: "Some of us have never been loved without an asterisk." Conditional love isn't love — it's a lease agreement. And what happens when blood doesn't show up but someone else does. That's not a consolation prize. That's grace.A word for Black women who are holding this alongside us. For Black fathers trying to pass something better forward. And for this generation of Black boys — who are already rebuking everything that broke the generations before them — and who deserve spaces that can hold their full, imperfect, powerful selves.And finally: why Craig is in three different groups right now, has a therapist, and made a conscious decision that his future inheritance will be holistically forward, vibrant, and thriving."We die every day from the things we don't say — things that never find themselves on a death certificate."Listen to the full live conversation — What Black Queer Men Carry — wherever you found this episode.📗 Creating Brave Spaces for LGBTQIA+ Youth (ASCD/ISTE): ascd.org📅 Work with Craig: calendly.com/ccmeducationgroup/discovery-call🌐 ccmeducationgroup.co | @iamcraigaaronsmartin | @bravevoicespod#BraveVoices #BlackMentalHealth #WhatBlackQueerMenCarry #PermissionProblem #HealingJustice #Brotherhood #BlackMen #MensHealthMonthBrave Voices in Education is a production of CCM Education Group Consulting LLC.© 2026 Craig Aarons-Martin. All rights reserved

"Man up is one of the most expensive pieces of advice we ever gave Black boys. It costs our souls so much."— Craig Aarons-MartinMost people think Moonlight is a film about being gay. Host Craig Aarons-Martin — Black queer man, NAESP National Distinguished Principal, and proud Phi Beta Sigma — sat down with three D9 brothers to argue otherwise.This episode uses Barry Jenkins' Oscar-winning film as a doorway into the conversations Black men — queer and straight, have been waiting to have. What does it cost to perform masculinity every day? What does it mean to belong to a brotherhood that is both a gift and a growth edge? What is actually hiding behind "he's dealing with demons"?Joining Craig are the co-founder of the Hispanic Black Gay Coalition, Quincey J. Roberts Sr., educator and founder of Coding with Culture Victor Hicks, and president of Iota Phi Theta Boston and founder of Necessary Means Consulting Victor Terry — all D9 men, all willing to go there.In this episode:— Why Chiron's hardest weight had nothing to do with his sexuality— Victor Terry's first experience of a straight man saying "if you're gay, that's okay" — and why it changed everything— Victor Hicks on centering Blackness first and why "gay was about 17th on my list in Chicago."— Quincey's raw honesty: an openly gay father still catching himself telling his son, "don't be soft."— Why the American Empire demands Black men be labor, not human— D9 Brotherhood, the Pride post, and whether our organizations are willing to lead— The mental health crisis behind "he's dealing with demons."— Why Victor Hicks called individualism the biggest drug plaguing the Black community— Practical tools: mental health plans, feelings wheels, journaling, therapy, and community"Don't nobody know what it's like to be a Black man in America but a Black man."— Victor TerryThis conversation is for Black queer men. It's also for every brother who loves one, works with one, is raising one, or simply recognizes that the performance of masculinity has cost all of us something.The conversation is not over. This is just part one.📗 Craig's book: Creating Brave Spaces for LGBTQIA+ Youth (ASCD/ISTE) — ascd.org🌐 ccmeducationgroup.co | @iamcraigaaronsmartin | @bravevoicespod#BraveVoices #BlackMentalHealth #Moonlight #BlackQueerMen #D9 #Brotherhood #PhiBetaSigma #IotaPhiTheta #HealingJustice

What are men really carrying right now?In Part 3 of What Men Carry, Craig Aarons-Martin sits down with two clinically credentialed social workers — Alan-Michael Chest, M.Ed., LMHC, SAC and Adrian White, LCSW, LCAS, CCS — for one of the most honest conversations we've had in this space.We talk about what it costs a man to not know who he is. We talk about seeking love from people who were never meant to give it. We talk about the dangerous contradiction of telling men not to feel — and then wondering why they explode.This episode covers:How healers take care of themselves when the work gets heavyIdentity and what happens when someone else writes your story for youWhere social media and pop culture are getting it dangerously wrong on Black men's mental healthThe longing for fathering that shows up in grown men — and how good therapists meet itWhy men are flocking to therapy more than the narrative suggestsWhat it means to stop seeking love from people who aren't meant to give itPractical tools for men who are ready to do the workGuest audience member Byron Garcia also joins with a powerful reflection on rebuilding after loss and finding your tribe.This is real talk. No scripts. No performance. Just brothers in conversation.#BraveMoves: Share this episode with one man in your life who needs to hear it.Connect with our guests:Alan-Michael Chest, M.Ed., LMHC, SAC (Professor C)YouTube: youtube.com/@visionsofprofessorcmovementTikTok: @visionsofprofessorcEmail: [email protected] | [email protected] White, LCSW, LCAS, CCSWebsite: ajwtherapy.comInstagram: @adrianwhite23Connect with Craig Aarons-Martin:Website: ccmeducationgroup.coInstagram: @iamcraigaaronsmartin | @bravevoicespodEmail: [email protected] a discovery call: calendly.com/ccmeducationgroup/discovery-call#WhatMenCarry #BraveMoves #BraveVoices #BlackMensMentalHealth #MensMentalHealth #BlackMen #Healing #Identity #SelfLove #Manhood

What if the most powerful thing an educator can do is ask themselves: who hurt me?Rodrick Johnson — founder of The Energized Educator, award-winning speaker, literacy coach, and author — joins Craig Aarons-Martin for a conversation that is equal parts healing, hilarious, and deeply honest.Rodrick grew up in foster care navigating multiple households and multiple names. That journey became the lens through which he sees every child who walks into a classroom — and the foundation of his 3R Framework: Respect, Reflect, Re-Engage.In this episode you'll hear why behavior is always language, what it costs to chase money at the expense of your identity, and what energized leadership looks like when you finally stop performing and start becoming.This one is for every teacher, school leader, and education entrepreneur who is building something real — and trying not to lose themselves in the process.🌐 Learn more about Rodrick Johnson at www.energizededucator.com📸 Follow him on Instagram @energizededucator💼 Connect on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/energizededucator🌐 Learn more about Craig & CCM Education Group at www.ccmeducationgroup.co 📅 Ready to work with Craig? Book a discovery call: calendly.com/ccmeducationgroup/discovery-call

What happens when a Black woman from Baltimore decides her city's children deserve better — and then actually builds it?Chizarra Daishell is the Founding CEO and Executive Director of Puzzle Pieces Learning Academy, a community-rooted charter school opening in Baltimore County in 2026. She joins Craig Aaron Martin for a conversation that's equal parts vision and grit.Chizarra breaks down the whole-child model behind Puzzle Pieces — project-based learning, personalized learning plans, a school-based health clinic, home economics, arts integration, and deep parent partnership. She also gets real about what it meant to get a "no" from Baltimore County, rebuild her approach, and come back with the strength of the Maryland Charter Alliance and a community ready to back her. Whether you're a parent, a school leader, or a dreamer holding an idea you haven't launched yet — this episode is for you.🧩 In this episode:• What the delay from 2025 to 2026 actually taught her about leadership• How her special education and ABA therapy background shapes PPLA's model• Free, everyday strategies for parents to support young learners at home• Why she says "a no now doesn't mean a no forever"• How to get connected with Puzzle Pieces Learning AcademyLearn more: https://www.pplapcsacademy-bcps.com/our-founderConnect with Chizarra: https://www.linkedin.com/in/cdashiellpplapcs/Subscribe & follow Brave Voices: https://bravevoicespod.comInstagram: https://instagram.com/bravevoicespod

What if mindfulness is not about escaping the world—But surviving it with your humanity intact? In this deeply moving episode of Brave Voices in Education, Craig Aarons-Martin sits with educator, SEL leader, and mindfulness advocate Lindsey Frank for a conversation on breath, belonging, embodied leadership, and the courage required to remain soft in hard times.Together they explore:✨ mindfulness as a daily practice🦋 the butterfly metaphor for transformation💛 gratitude as disruption🌍 mindful social connection🧠 trauma-informed education🔥 protecting joy and humanity in overwhelming systemsThis episode is an invitation to pause.To breathe.And to remember that healing can begin in small moments.🦋 #BraveMoves🔹 Pause before reacting🔹 Practice one moment of gratitude today🔹 Notice what your body is holding🔹 Follow the joy🔹 Lead from the heart space🌍 Connect with Lindsey Frank🌐 https://www.educatingmindfully.org/learncast💼 https://linkedin.com/in/lindsey-jean-frank 📸 https://www.instagram.com/lindseyfrank88/🎙️ Brave Voices in Education🌐 https://bravevoicespod.com📸 @bravevoicespod📸 @iamcraigaaronsmartin

A student walks into class every day with no intention of engaging.Until one lesson changes everything.In this episode of Brave Voices in Education, Craig Aarons-Martin sits with Yolanda Hood, a veteran educator whose teaching transforms how students see themselves and their voice. This conversation explores:✨ creative expression as a teaching tool🔥 What it means to be a “beast of an educator.”🎬 using film (Misery) to teach imagery📚 helping students find their voice through writing💛 building relationships that change outcomes🎯 TakeawaysYolanda reminds us:Great teaching is not about delivering content.It is about reaching people.🔹 Creativity unlocks engagement🔹 Students remember how you made them feel🔹 Literacy is identity work🤝 Connect with Yolanda Hood💼 https://www.linkedin.com/in/yolanda-hood-ed-s-38b6a8ba/🎙️ Brave Voices in Education📸 @bravevoicespod🌐 ⁠https://bravevoicespod.com⁠📸 @iamcraigaaronsmartinIf this moved you — share it with a teacher who changed your life.

Some people talk about mental health in theory.Today’s guest lives it, breathes it, and builds community from it.In this episode of Brave Voices in Education, Craig Aarons-Martin sits down with Nieisha Deed — founder of PureSpark, fierce mental health advocate, and a Black woman living, surviving, and thriving with bipolar disorder.Together, they unpack:What happens when your identity is wrapped up in your job — and your mental health collapsesHow 15 years in corporate accounting and four family deaths by suicide led Nieisha to reimagine everythingThe origin story of PureSpark and its mission to help Black folks return to their “pure self”Why wellness in America comes at a cost — and how insurance, income, and race shape access to careThe myth that Black men “don’t want to heal,” and what Nieisha sees insteadCreative, culturally grounded paths to healing: therapy, nutrition, yoga, sound healing, energy work, and communityThis conversation is a soft place to land if you’ve ever:Felt like you had to be a machine just to surviveQuestioned whether therapy or medication would change who you areWanted to show up as your full self but didn’t know where it felt safeNieisha reminds us that we all deserve spaces where we can be human, be held, and be honest about the storms we’re in — and the joy we’re still chasing.🔗 Learn more about Nieisha & PureSpark:Website: yourpurespark.comInstagram: @yourpuresparkLinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/nieishadeed✨ Stay connected with Brave Voices in Education:Visit: BraveVoicesPod.com

What starts as a conversation about weighted blankets, travel, and friendship becomes something much deeper.In this episode, I sit with Dr. Krista Leh for a soulful conversation about courage, curiosity, belonging, and what it means to stay human while leading in hard times. We explore:✨ kindness as leadership practice🧠 curiosity as resistance🤝 brave conversations, repair, and trust🏫 reimagining social-emotional learning🌍 how travel expands empathy and possibilityOne line I’m still carrying:You can be honest without being brutal.🔹 Re-examine one practice that no longer aligns with your values.🔹 Initiate one courageous conversation this week.🔹 Expand belonging for someone in a concrete way.Connect with Dr. Krista Leh📸 @resonance_ed💼 linkedin.com/in/krista-leh🌐 resonanceed.comConnect with Brave Voices in Education🌐 bravevoicespod.com📸 @bravevoicespod📸 @iamcraigaaronsmartinIf this moves you, share it with an educator or leader who needs it.#BraveMoves