In this episode, educator Joy Mbakwe joins the SLT Podcast for an honest and powerful reflection on identity, representation, and the realities of teaching while Black. Joy shares how her classroom experiences exposed deep inequalities and how she teaches her students the lesson she had to learn early: “You don’t get to be unlikable.”
We talk about what it means to advocate for change when self-preservation and fear often stand in the way, and why being the only Black voice in the room doesn’t automatically make you an advocate. Joy challenges ideas around curriculum and culture, arguing that “Shakespeare won’t save these Black children” — true empowerment starts with self-knowledge and community.
In one full-circle story, she recalls being told she’d never make it as an English teacher, only to be praised years later by the same mentor who doubted her.
🎧 A grounded, emotional conversation on race, resilience, and the power of representation in schools.
đź‘Ą Hosts: Ziggy Moore & Rena Johnson