Shows
Equity Leadership Now!21. Math for Everyone as a Tool against Oppression with Nathaniel Stewarttranscript: tinyurl.com/elnepisode21In this episode of Equity Leadership Now!, host Jabari Mahiri speaks with Dr. Nathaniel Stewart, Assistant Professor in the Education Policy and Leadership Program at the University of Minnesota. Dr. Stewart shares his academic training in educational policy and his research orientation toward critical educational policy analysis, anti-colonial epistemologies, Black critical theory, and critical quantitative methods. He differentiates between exclusionary, gate-kept mathematics and the intuitive mathematical reasoning people use in everyday life. Stewart highlights his current commitments to redistributing university resources to marginalized communities, writing, and building partnerships with educational institutions. H...
2025-12-1833 minEquity Leadership Now!20. Fostering Civil Discourse in Divided Educational Spaces with Diana Hesstranscript: tinyurl.com/elnepisode20In this episode of Equity Leadership Now!, host Dr. Jabari Mahiri speaks with Dr. Diana Hess, Emerita Dean of the School of Education at UW-Madison. Dr. Hess highlights the intersections of democratic education, academic freedom, and the role of structured dialogue in fostering equitable and participatory learning environments. The conversation transitions to Hess’s flagship initiative, The Discussion Project, launched in 2017 at UW-Madison. The Discussion Project is grounded in the principle, “Learn to Discuss, Discuss to Learn”, emphasizing that effective participation in discussions is a teachable skill, not an innate trait. Designed initially to enh...
2025-11-1439 minEquity Leadership Now!19. Redesigning School Systems to Close the Equity Gap with Linda Darling Hammondtranscript: https://tinyurl.com/elnepisode19In this episode of Equity Leadership Now!, host Dr. Jabari Mahiri speaks with Dr. Linda Darling-Hammond, founding President and current Chief Knowledge Officer of the Learning Policy Institute, about her new book, “District Leadership for Racial Equity: Lessons from School Systems that are Closing the Gap”, co-authored with Larkin Willis and Desiree Thomas. Dr. Darling-Hammond highlights that transforming educational systems requires both strategic leadership and systemic change. She emphasizes the need for integrated efforts beyond the school system to ensure that all children have access to high-quality education, regardless of their families’ income...
2025-10-1040 minEquity Leadership Now!18. Removing Education Barriers for 2.1 Million Community College Students with Marina Aminytranscript: https://tinyurl.com/5n6tzvd2In this episode of Equity Leadership Now!, host Dr. Jabari Mahiri, co-host Dr. Jennifer Elemen, and guest Dr. Marina Aminy discuss the intersection of equity, innovation, and access in California's community college system. Dr. Aminy begins by sharing her personal and professional journey, rooted in her experience as an Afghan refugee and first-generation college student. Aminy describes her journey as a first-generation doctoral candidate, recognizing Mahiri's mentorship as transformative for her academic experience. She details how taking an undergraduate education course taught by Jabari shaped her professional trajectory early on. Aminy p...
2025-08-2033 minEquity Leadership Now!17. Defending Democracy through Education with Robert Reichtranscript: https://tinyurl.com/3h7hkwd4In this special episode of Equity Leadership Now!, we are pleased to share Professor Robert B. Reich’s keynote address from the 2025 UC Berkeley School of Education graduation ceremony. Professor Reich is currently the Carmel P. Friesen Professor of Public Policy at the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley and a senior fellow at the Blum Center for Developing Economies. He has served in three US administrations, including as Secretary of Labor under President Bill Clinton, a role for which "Time" magazine named him one of the 10 most effective ca...
2025-07-2120 minEquity Leadership Now!16. Why Cultivating Teacher Voice Matters with Lora BartlettTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/4z5d77buIn this episode of Equity Leadership Now!, host Dr. Jabari Mahiri speaks with Dr. Lora Bartlett, Associate Professor of Education at UC Santa Cruz, about the new book Going the Distance: The Teaching Profession in a Post-COVID World, co-authored with Allison Thompson, Judith Warren-Little, and Riley Collins. Dr. Bartlett highlights that the teaching profession was already in crisis before the pandemic and the arrival of COVID-19 acted as a form of "thermal shock," exposing the structural flaws already embedded in the educational system—similar to a cracked teapot shattered by ho...
2025-06-1133 minEquity Leadership Now!15. School Leaders Our Children Deserve: Bringing George Theoharis and Pedro Noguera's Principles into Conversation with 21CSLATranscript: https://tinyurl.com/44v8sa76In this special episode of Equity Leadership Now!, Dr. Jabari Mahiri and members of the 21CSLA professional learning group discuss the core concepts from Dr. George Theoharis's influential work, “The School Leaders Our Children Deserve: Seven Keys to Equity, Social Justice and School Reform”. Each guest from the 21CSLA professional learning group explores one of Theoharis's seven attributes of successful social justice leaders, relating these principles to Equity Leadership Now! episode 10, Leading with Compassion in Polarizing Times with Dr. Pedro Noguera. “Compassion is that move toward action, and so that's where I belie...
2025-05-1924 minEquity Leadership Now!14. Expanding the Educational Ecosystem Beyond School Walls with Eos TrinidadTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/nbr8x6r4In this episode of Equity Leadership Now! Podcast, host Dr. Jabari Mahiri speaks with Dr. Jose Eos Trinidad, Assistant Professor of Education Policy at UC Berkeley, about his scholarship on educational policy, civil society, and institutional change. Trinidad shares more about his background, research, and his new book, Subtle Webs: How Local Organizations Shape US Education.His research focuses on the roles that organizations, both within and outside schools, play in shaping educational systems, particularly in decentralized contexts like the United States. Trinidad’s research is shaped by his up...
2025-04-2930 minEquity Leadership Now!13. Discipline Disparities: Why Black Students are Punished More, and What We Can Do About It with Sean Darling HammondTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/3n8aubm2In this discussion, host Dr. Jabari Mahiri and special co-host Becca Minkoff converse with Assistant Professor of Health and Social Behavior and Community Health Sciences, Dr. Sean Darling-Hammond on his recent study titled, "No Matter How You Slice It, Black Students Are Punished More: The Persistence and Pervasiveness of Discipline Disparities." Darling-Hammond reveals that through analyzing data representing students across the country from varied socioeconomic groups, he found that Black students face disproportionately high rates of punishment across various forms, including suspensions, school-based arrests, and corporal punishment. These disparities persist despite...
2025-03-2636 minEquity Leadership Now!12. Music as Emancipatory Learning with Raffaele PozziTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/kv7n2cvpIn episode 12 of the Equity Leadership Now! podcast, Dr. Raffaele Pozzi, a professor of musicology and pedagogy at Roma Tre University, discusses the role of music education in shaping democratic and multicultural societies with host Dr. Jabari Mahiri. Dr. Pozzi emphasizes the need for a broader, more inclusive approach to music, where the focus is not only on the theoretical or technical aspects of music but also on listening, understanding, and appreciating diverse musical traditions. He stresses that music education should involve both academic learning and practical experience, highlighting the...
2025-02-2528 minEquity Leadership Now!11. Improving Schools Through Collaborative Leadership and Trust with Anthony BrykTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/5bwsezneIn this discussion, Dr. Jabari Mahiri and Professor Anthony Bryk explore the complexities of educational reform, particularly in relation to high school graduation rates and the dynamics of trust within school systems. Professor Anthony Bryk, former president of the Carnegie Foundation, shares insights from his book, How a City Learned to Improve Its Schools. The book focuses on the case of Chicago Public Schools, where research revealed that students transitioning to high school faced substantial challenges, leading to increased dropout rates. Bryk discusses his long-term engagement with the school sy...
2024-12-1834 minEquity Leadership Now!10. Leading with Compassion in Polarizing Times with Pedro NogueraTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/yc8fdd9a In episode 10 of Equity Leadership Now!, Dr. Pedro Noguera explored the interconnectedness of race, class, and socio-economic factors in educational outcomes with host Jabari Mahiri. Dr. Noguera is a prominent educational leader and Dean of the USC Rossier School of Education. He reflected on his journey into educational leadership, beginning as an assistant professor at UC Berkeley, where he was encouraged to run for a position on the Berkeley school board. This experience exposed him to the realities of urban education and the challenges of policy-making, informing his later work.
2024-11-2535 minEquity Leadership Now!9. Changemaker: UC Berkeley Chancellor Rich Lyons on Leadership and InnovationTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/3hbr4bwc“You can’t be what you can’t see,” Chancellor Richard K. Lyons notes in episode 9 of ELN! He describes how he was the only person in his family who pursued a PhD and how UC Berkeley opened that possibility to him. He is also the first UC Berkeley alum to hold the chancellor position, and embodies the leadership qualities that this institution stands for. Both Chancellor Lyons and our host, Dr. Jabari Mahiri, share a similar story of being the first in their families to pursue a PhD. Mahiri notes, “When I arr...
2024-10-3027 minEquity Leadership Now!8. The Next Generation of System Leaders with Lihi Rosenthal, Tu Carroz, and Olufemi OgundeleTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/yk2d9jv3In this episode of Equity Leadership Now! hosted by Jabari Mahiri, the focus shifts to part two of our series on Leadership Programs’ flagship offerings, Principal Leadership Institute (PLI) and Leaders For Equity And Democracy (LEAD).LEAD is a rigorous three-year educational doctorate at the UC Berkeley School of Education, aimed at fostering equity and social justice in educational leadership. Dr. Mahiri spoke with the program’s director, Dr. Lihi Rosenthal, and two recent graduates, Dr. Tu Carroz, Assistant Superintendent of Education Services at Roseville Joint Union High Scho...
2024-09-1333 minEquity Leadership Now!7. Preparing Future Principals for Equity-Driven Leadership with Soraya Sablo Sutton, Lizzy May, and Kyle TanaTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/37dvrvnk Equity Leadership Now! host Dr. Jabari Mahiri wears many hats including serving as the Faculty Director for Leadership Programs at the UC Berkeley School of Education. In this role, Jabari helps cultivate a diverse community of equity and justice-focused teacher, school, and system leaders. This episode is part one of a two-part series that features two of Leadership Programs’ flagship offerings, Principal Leadership Institute (PLI) and Leaders For Equity And Democracy (LEAD). Dr. Mahiri spoke with PLI Director and alum, Dr. Soraya Sablo Sutton, and two graduates, Lizzie May and Kyl...
2024-08-2834 minEquity Leadership Now!5. Sidelining Bias in Education with Jason OkonofuaThis episode of Equity Leadership Now! is adapted from a 21CSLA Research-Practice Webinar, an online professional learning event that is live and open to the public.In conversation with our host, Professor Jabari Mahiri, Dr. Jason Okonofua discusses a 2021 meta-analysis by Dr. Elizabeth Paluck, which showed that the most common approaches to reducing implicit bias, such as implicit bias training and raising awareness, are not always effective at reducing anti-Black bias in the long term. We’ll hear from Dr. Okonofua as he suggests turning our energy towards a strategy he calls “sidelining bias” in schools to achiev...
2024-05-2226 minEquity Leadership Now!6. The Potential of AI in Education with Chris Mah and Hillary WalkerTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/uk33kyshThe latest episode of the Equity Leadership Now! podcast hosted by Jabari Mahiri features two lively discussions on the future of AI in education, recorded one year apart. In March of 2023, Dr. Mahiri met with Chris Mah and Hillary Walker to discuss the growing influence of AI and the intersection of technology, education, and equity. Chris Mah, a doctoral student at Stanford University, and Hillary Walker, the director of the Bay Area Writing Project, provide insights on the potential integration of AI technology, specifically Chat GPT, into educational settings....
2023-11-2437 minEquity Leadership Now!5. Inclusive School Leadership Where Teachers and Students Thrive with Susan Moore JohnsonTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/3njwkf2x In Episode 5, Dr. Jabari Mahiri talks with Dr. Susan Moore Johnson, a former high school English teacher turned prominent Harvard professor specializing in teacher policy, organizational change, and leadership. Johnson has conducted extensive research on effective school environments and the critical role of school leadership in shaping positive and sustainable conditions for both teachers and students. Her book, Where Teachers Thrive: Organizing Schools for Success, draws from multiple studies conducted between 2008 and 2015 in challenging urban school environments. These studies involved nearly 400 educators across 26 schools, focusing on organizational structures that su...
2023-11-1030 minEquity Leadership Now!4. From Microaggressions to Macro-Affirmations with Danny Solórzano and Lindsay Pérez HuberTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/3axw3k9p In Episode 4, Professor Jabari Mahiri engages in conversation with Dr. Daniel Solórzano and Dr. Lindsay Pérez Huber. Dr. Solórzano is a Professor of Social Science and Comparative Education and Director of the Center for Critical Race Studies in Education at the Graduate School of Education and Information Studies, at the University of California, Los Angeles.The conversation highlights the importance of origin stories. Dr. Solórzano and Dr. Pérez Huber share their scholarly journeys that led to studying microaggressions. They discuss the origin...
2023-10-3025 minEquity Leadership Now!3. Anti-Racist Advocacy for Educational Leaders with Michelle YoungTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/ydbp4ys3 In Episode 3, Professor Jabari Mahiri engages in a conversation with Michelle D. Young, Dean of the Berkeley School of Education. Young discusses the significance of leadership development and effective learning experiences for school leaders, particularly emphasizing the need for equity-oriented and culturally responsive leadership. Highlighting the importance of authentic learning experiences in educational leadership preparation, Young stresses the essential characteristics required for educators in today's dynamic learning environments. She notes how engagement, active participation, problem-solving, reflection, and collaboration are essential traits for sustaining effective leaders.T...
2023-10-1336 minEquity Leadership Now!2. Orchestrating a Community of Diverse Educational Equity Leaders with Rebecca CheungTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/5n9988ce In Episode 2, Rebecca Cheung, director of the 21CSLA State Center, delves into her leadership journey and discusses the crucial intersection of equity, leadership, and public education with Professor and 21CSLA Chair Jabari Mahiri.Cheung shares her accidental path to leadership shaped by her experiences as a first-generation immigrant and Asian American. Her realization in college that giving back to the system was essential motivated her leadership journey. Drawing from her musical background, Cheung highlights how her skills in orchestration and collaboration have been instrumental in achieving shared v...
2023-09-2946 min
Budgeting for Educational EquityImplementing Major New Initiatives Like Transitional Kindergarten (TK) and Universal Pre-Kindergarten (UPK): Resource Equity and Other Key Considerations (Part One -- A Statewide Perspective)Two years ago, California’s state budget agreement included an ambitious new initiative to fund and implement Universal Transitional Kindergarten (or UTK), so that all 4-year-olds in the state have access to it by 2025-26. It’s part of a larger long-term goal the state and school districts have been working towards to expand early education and also provide access to Universal Pre-Kindergarten, or UPK, for all students. In this first of a two-part episode, Sarah Neville Morgan, Deputy Superintendent at the California Department of Education and longtime early education policy leader, describes this historic moment we're in wh...
2023-09-1233 min
Equity Leadership Now!1. Harmonizing a New Pulse of Leadership with Jabari Mahiri and Robyn Ilten-GeeTranscript: https://tinyurl.com/w5h3vhew In this first episode, Simon Fraser University Assistant Professor Robyn Illten-Gee PhD '19, MA '15 interviews Berkeley School of Education Professor Jabari Mahiri, who discusses what led him to start the Equity Leadership Now! Podcast at the UC Berkeley School of Education (BSE). Mahiri, faculty chair of BSE's Leadership Programs, shares his story and highlights how his lived experiences have shaped and formed his identity as an educator, researcher, and leader. As an experienced leader and scholar, Dr. Mahiri imparts the wisdom of practicing and teaching to listen d...
2023-09-0426 min
SEEing to Lead045 - Opportunity Gaps and CoachingSantos Gonzalez has spent the last 25 years working as a teacher and administrator at several schools in South San Diego. For Santos, education was a pathway out of poverty. She grew up understanding that education held the promise of opportunity and choices. She has spent her entire career making sure that her work delivers on that promise for every child she serves. She is now serving as a Leadership Coach with the L.A.E.P organization providing, coaching and professional learning opportunities to district, site, and teacher leaders at no cost to participants. Her work focuses on equity an...
2022-02-1443 min