To kick off the new year and the new season of the podcast, I had the honor of bringing Evalaurene Jean-Charles back on the podcast to talk about her evolution of her educator journey, marriage life, the growth of Black on Black Education, the need to center student voices in our schools, and much more! To learn more about Eva's work, you can go to the Black on Black Education website at blackonblackeducation.com or follow her on Instagram (@blackonblacked) and LinkedIn.
BIO:
Evalaurene Jean-Charles is a passionate educator, unapologetic advocate, and CEO & Co-Founder of Black on Black Education. Through her work, she helps schools tap into the power of student voice and student-centered practices to create classrooms that feel alive, joyful, and impactful. She is also a history teacher in the Bronx, where she loves on her students daily, reminding them that they are brilliant, worthy, and capable of changing the world.
Her journey to education started at The Center for Alternative Sentencing and Employment Services in Brooklyn, where she worked as a tutor and workshop leader for students navigating alternative sentencing programs. That experience lit a fire in her for educational equity and social justice—she realized how transformational education could be when it centers the voices of those often left out of the conversation.
She graduated summa cum laude with a Bachelor’s in Unique and Interdisciplinary Studies from the CUNY Graduate Center. Then, she leveled up her teaching game with a Master of Arts in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education, earning Distinctions in 2022 (yes, she worked hard, and she's proud of it).
Along the way, she has worn many hats, from facilitating public speaking workshops with Vocal Justice to rethinking what K-12 content should truly reflect as part of the reDesign K-12 Content Mapping Design Studio. She has spoken at conferences, sat on panels, and shared stages to challenge educators to center equity, empower students of color, and reimagine what’s possible in our schools. She also earned the "30 Under 30" Award from Ignite Caribbean.
Through Black on Black Education, she is on a mission to help educators and schools not just survive but thrive. This work isn’t just her job—it’s her love letter to every student who deserves to walk into a classroom where they feel seen, heard, and valued.
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