This week on The Resistance: An Underground Educators Podcast, I sit down with Dr. Jamila Lyiscott, a poet, scholar, and truth-teller working to dismantle one of education’s biggest lies: that the way our students speak, think, and move is something that needs to be fixed.
This episode is not for the faint of heart. It’s for the educators ready to count the cost, reclaim the classroom as sacred space, and restore dignity to the voices and cultures schools have tried to erase.
Stay Connected:
This week on The Resistance: An Underground Educators podcast, I interviewed Akosua Harvey, an educator, author, and my friend, to discuss her journey in education, the importance of community, storytelling, and authenticity in teaching. We explore the challenges educators face, the power of affirmations, and the need for a supportive environment for both teachers and students. This conversation emphasizes the significance of seeing students as whole individuals and the role of educators in shaping the future.
Mentioned in the Episode:
Connect With Our Guest:
Let's Get to Work:
This week on The Resistance, I had the absolute honor of sitting down with Michelle Pianim aka the Olivia Pope of Special Education. We went deep on what it really means to fix broken school systems while empowering parents to reclaim their agency in the special education process. If you’ve ever wrestled with the tension between holding schools accountable and supporting families, this episode is for you.
Connect with Michelle:
Ways to Keep Learning w/ Me:
Liberation Leaflet Monthly Newsletter: https://black-on-black-ed.kit.com/b60f6a97d9
Liberation Library (our educator community): https://black-on-black-ed.kit.com/products/liberationlibrarycommunity
This week I'm just checking in after over a month of missing y'all. This is the break down of what to expect as I come on back to the pod.
If you are ready to work with me, it's time to join the Liberation Library: https://black-on-black-ed.kit.com/products/liberationlibrarycommunity
Follow me on IG: https://www.instagram.com/blackonblacked/
Follow me on Tik Tok: https://www.tiktok.com/@blackonblacked
Sign up for the Liberation Leaflet Newsletter: https://black-on-black-ed.kit.com/b60f6a97d9
In this episode of The Resistance: An Underground Educators Podcast, I’m breaking down the three steps to becoming the educator you’ve always dreamed of being, without burning out or selling out. We’ll talk about how to get quiet and connect to your joy, how to build unshakable confidence, and how to get in community so your fire for this work never goes out.
Grab and pen and start defining the educator of your dreams:
Write it down. Those are the moments that define the educator of your dreams, keep them close, because we’ll use them next week to build your pedagogy statement (make sure you sign up for the newsletter for a breakdown of how PS help you become the educator of your dreams & the step-by-step of how to write one).
Keep Learning with Me:
In this episode, I had the absolute honor of sitting down with Dr. Daphne Chamberlain and Benjamin Saulsberry, two freedom fighters whose work is rooted in truth, history, and justice. We went deep on the role young people have always played in liberation movements and what it means for us as educators today. Spoiler alert: Our students aren’t waiting to be empowered, they’ve always had power. It’s on us to stop underestimating them and start making space for them to lead.
We talked about the story of Emmett Till, and his mother Mamie Till-Mobley, the 1946 student-led bus boycott in Jackson, Mississippi, the activism of high schoolers long before the names we usually uplift, and the mindset shift educators must make to truly center student voice. If you’ve ever felt the urge to do school differently, this one is for you.
Resources I Mentioned
The Emmett Till Interpretive Center Events (August 2025): https://www.emmett-till.org
Book Shoutouts: Local People: The Struggle for Civil Rights in Mississippi by John Dittmer & Mississippi, Conflict and Change: A New Edition by James W. Loewen
Join the Liberation Library: This is where we go beyond inspiration and actually build revolutionary classrooms together. Weekly trainings, monthly live group coaching, and a community to walk in the work with you.
Reflection Prompt: Where in my current practice am I dimming student voice instead of amplifying it?
This episode of The Resistance: An Underground Educators Podcast is your permission slip to use some time this summer to reconnect with the revolutionary that lives inside of you. I’m breaking down what a Radical Retreat really looks like and no, it's not a luxury vacation, but a radical act of reclaiming your joy, creativity, and purpose as an educator. Whether I’m in the park with a book or finally returning to the practices that bring me alive, I’m inviting you to join me in resisting burnout by committing to what truly nourishes your spirit. If you’re tired of just getting by and ready to get free, this episode is your next step.
Links + Resources Mentioned:
Join the Liberation Library
Sign up for the Ten Toes Down Summer Mastermind
Subscribe to the Liberation Leaflet bi-weekly newsletter: Subscribe here
This year wasn’t just better than the last one, it was the best one I've had yet. In this episode, I break down exactly how I turned the trauma of getting fired for being “too much” into the most joy-filled, value-aligned, and student-centered school year of my career.
If you’re teaching in a toxic or apathetic system, wondering if joy is even possible in this work, this episode is the reminder that you can create a classroom that feeds your spirit AND your students' minds. And you don’t have to do it alone.
Want to make next year your best one yet?Podcast Episodes mentioned in the episode:→ How I Got Fired for Being an Underground Educator→ How I Planned to Have the Best Year of My Life
Ready to build your plan with me? Join the Ten Toes Down Summer Mastermind before July 1st for $104. Or get it included in your $44/month Liberation Library membership—your revolutionary educator toolkit.
Got questions? Want to connect?Email me at Eva@blackonblackeducation.com
In this episode of The Resistance: An Underground Educators Podcast, I sit down with Eugene Banks, a K-5 math instructional coach, content creator, and author of Young Black Boy and Young Black Girl, to talk about the work behind showing up for kids with excellence and conviction. Eugene drops gem after gem about the discipline, mindset, and intentionality it takes to build student-centered classrooms rooted in joy, identity, and rigor.
Connect with Eugene Banks:IG: @youngblackscholarbookWebsite: www.EugeneBanks.comThis podcast is a tool of resistance for educators fighting the system from the inside, using rigor, joy, and student voice as the tools of resistance.
Join the Liberation Library for weekly tools, trainings, and the support you actually need to do this work without losing yourself.
What we call “bad behavior” in schools isn’t the issue, control is. In this episode of The Resistance, I peels back the layers on why students resist, refuse, and retreat in classrooms and why that resistance is sacred. From pit schools to secret marriages, enslaved Africans modeled resistance in big and small ways. Today, our students are doing the same.
If you’re an educator constantly asking “Why won’t they just listen?” this episode is for you. “Our students are the descendants of people who resisted with their entire being. Why are we surprised when they do the same?”
Resources + Links:
This episode is a straight-up masterclass on what it means to lead, coach, and transform schools from the inside. I sat down with Erinn Cottman, a powerhouse instructional coach and former AP who is making sure leaders actually lead in ways that serve Black and Brown students well. We got into the admin-teacher tension, the mindset shifts educators need to thrive, and how coaching (when done well) changes everything for teachers and ultimately students. If you're the type of teacher that believes in rigor, joy, and student voice in our schools and classrooms then you're gonna be to need to press play.
Links + Resources Mentioned
And if you’re ready to go deeper with your practice, don’t forget: this podcast is your invitation to join the Liberation Library. THEE online community for educators fighting the system from the inside. Join now
Rate, review, and share this episode with an educator who’s ready to resist burnout, reclaim their joy, and remember they are powerful enough to change their classroom and beyond.
You are not crazy. You're just out here trying to be a revolutionary in a system that wasn’t built for you to win. In this episode of The Resistance, I get real about the silent struggle so many educators are carrying, feeling like the only one in your building who gives a damn about joy, student voice, and justice. If you’ve ever sat in a PD wondering if you’re the problem because you actually care about your kids more than their test scores... this one’s for you.
🔗 Items Mentioned in This Episode:
Work with Me This Summer:
Sign Up for the 10 Toes Down Summer Mastermind Where we’ll write your revolutionary playbook so you're not walking into another school year without helping you and your students thrive.
$64 for the rest of May. Price goes up June 1.
→ Snag your seat before the price jumps.
Wanna go all in? Join the Liberation Library and get the Summer Mastermind included + VIP at 50% off. You deserve support. You deserve strategy. You deserve joy.
Welcome to the first episode of The Resistance, a podcast for underground educators fighting the system from the inside. This first episode is my truth about why I do this work and who I do it for. It's an unpolished walk through my life, growing up as the oldest daughter of a mother battling addiction and mental health challenges, navigating seven schools in seven years, being thrust into adult responsibilities before I could even spell them, and still showing up every day ready to learn, lead, and love hard.
The way we’ve been trained to teach, manage, and “raise scores” is doing real harm. The Resistance is where we unlearn that mess. We stop saying “that’s just the way it is” and start building classrooms that center humanity, healing, and high expectations.
Whether you’re a day-one revolutionary or just starting to question the system, this episode is your call to get in formation.
Ways to Take Action:
Join the Liberation Library for ongoing support + weekly tools to resist in your classroom.
Enroll in the Ten Toes Down Summer Mastermind to build your revolutionary educator playbook.
Drop a review, share the episode, or tag me @blackonblacked to help spread the word.
This is The Resistance. And we're standing ten toes down.
Keep Learning & Stay Connected:
Welcome to the final episode of the Black on Black Education Podcast! I started this podcast in 2020 and after over 130 episodes this is the last one (but don't worry as long as you are subscribed you'll be around for what's next!). For our final episode, I sit down with longtime friend and revolutionary educator Tee Freeman, PhD candidate, founder of Takeover Academy, and unapologetic advocate for Black youth development. What starts as a reunion turns into a sermon on everything that’s not working in our schools, and what we must do if we’re serious about change.
This one is just two educators calling out the nonsense and calling us all into deeper commitment.
This may be the last episode under this name, but it’s only the beginning of a powerful movement.
Step into the next chapter with us: join the Liberation Library, an online community for teachers fighting the system from within without burning out.
Connect with Tee Freeman
IG: @conscious_t
LinkedIn: Tee Freeman
Join the Movement
Join the Liberation Library
Bring the Student Action Board to your school learn more here
Subscribe & share this episode with the real ones in your life who are ready to DO the work.
This episode gave me life. I got to sit down with the one and only Indomitable Black Man, Gabriel Hannas, and y’all, we went there, talking about gentle parenting, colonization, classroom culture, and how both schools and families can stop replicating systems of harm that aren't serving out students. Gabriel broke down the history of authoritarian parenting and how it shows up in schools today, then flipped it with real stories about connection, co-regulation, and creating classrooms that actually work for kids. If you’ve ever said, “That’s not my job,” this episode might just shift your whole practice. This is the one you play twice. Maybe three times. Let it challenge you. Let it change you.
Listen now and tag us in your takeaways @BlackonBlackEd and @theindomitableblackman on IG & Tik Tok
Stay tuned for Gabriel’s Family Forum tour
Join the movement: https://black-on-black-ed.kit.com/products/liberationlibrarycommunity
Like, comment, share, and subscribe.
In this week's episode of the Black on Black Education Podcast, I sit down with the Dr. Jocelyn Logan-Friend, an education strategist who’s worked in every part of the education system, from the classroom to the U.S. Department of Ed. Together, we broke down what it means to be qualified to teach, why transforming classroom culture starts with your mindset, and how we empower students to question everything including us. We also talk about our upcoming trip to South Africa to run a camp for teenagers in Cape Town, and what it means to lead a silent revolution in education.
share this episode with another educator who's about this life.
Resources + Links Mentioned:
Donate to support Black on Black Education’s Adventure 2025 trip to South Africa: Support the Trip
Learn more about Dr. Jocelyn’s work: Logan and Friends
Follow Logan & Friends on Instagram: @loganandfriends.community
Explore the Student Action Board Curriculum: Student Action Board
If you’re ready to build a classroom that balances rigor and joy—don’t just listen, act. Join the Liberation Library, THEE online community for educators fighting the system from the inside.
In this episode of The Black on Black Education Podcast, I sat down with Dr. Cedric B. Howard—a seasoned higher ed leader who’s talks to us about what it really takes to transform education for our students.
We didn’t sugarcoat ANYTHING. We talked about the systemic barriers that keep so many of our kids stuck. We got into the deep importance of early education, the impact of trauma on learning, and why community support isn’t optional, it’s necessary.
I walked away from this conversation reminded that educators aren’t just here to deliver content but be the catalysts for change. And if we’re not actively working to build systems that are equitable, inclusive, and rooted in love and truth, then what are we really doing?
Links Mentioned:
Welcome to The Resistance: An Underground Educators Podcast In this very first episode of The Resistance—formerly known as the Black on Black Education podcast—I’m telling the full story. The real one. The one I’ve only hinted at before. This rebrand isn’t just about changing a name. It’s about standing 10 toes down in what I believe: educators deserve better, and our kids deserve freedom, joy, and justice in their classrooms right now.
In this episode, I’m opening up about:
Why I rebranded the podcast and what it means to be a part of The Resistance
Getting fired—and how that experience revealed just how toxic school cultures can be
What it feels like to be perceived as "disruptive" simply for doing what’s right for kids
The moment I realized I was starting to mimic the harm I was fighting against
How I realigned through reflection, rest, and radical honesty
The three promises I made to myself this school year: let go of what I can’t control, have more fun, and take care of myself
This isn’t just my story. It’s the story of so many of us who’ve been told to sit down, stay quiet, or follow the rules in systems that were never built for us—or for the young people we serve. If you’ve ever cried in your car after work, felt silenced, or been penalized for telling the truth while still teaching your students to use their voices—this episode is for you.
Links mentioned:
Reflection Prompts:
When have you been penalized for telling the truth?
Have you cried in your car after work? What led to that moment—and what was your role?
What boundaries do you need to set to protect your peace and purpose?
Join the Liberation Library, a community for educators who are done waiting and ready to start their silent revolution—together.
Don’t forget to subscribe, share, and leave a review. And if you're feeling bold, head to the comments and drop your response to one of the reflection prompts.
This is The Resistance—the podcast for educators fighting the system from the inside. Let's get to work.
In this episode, I sat down with Mariah L. to talk about the power of mentorship, the adultification of Black children, and how empathy must play a bigger role in education. We explored what makes a great teacher, how we evaluate educators, and why listening to students is the key to creating classrooms that truly support them.
Episode resources:
With everything going on in education, it feels impossible not to feel stuck, burnt out, or powerless in your teaching practice. In this episode, we unpack how learned helplessness is plaguing the students, and educators alike. This conversation is about what you can do to reclaim your joy, autonomy, resistance inside the classroom. Let this be your reminder: you're not the problem—the system is.
Journal Prompt: When was the last time you felt powerless at work? What would reclaiming that moment look like?
Links Mentioned:
Join the Liberation Library: THEEE online community for educators fighting the system from the inside, without burning out.