Called to the Classroom, Committed to the Community

 For as long as I can remember, I’ve felt drawn to spaces where learning and leadership meet. Whether it was planning a classroom poetry slam, leading a PTA meeting, or collaborating on districtwide education strategies, my heart has always been with the people—especially the children—at the center of it all.

Over the past 20 years, I’ve had the opportunity to serve in nearly every corner of the K-12 education landscape. My journey began in Georgia classrooms, teaching middle grades Language Arts, Math, and Gifted Education. Since then, my roles have stretched across states and school systems—from teaching life skills in Ohio to training parents and educators in Minnesota. Each experience has deepened my belief in the power of education to shift not only outcomes, but narratives.

But my story isn’t just about teaching. It’s about bridging. Bridging school and home. Bridging policy and practice. Bridging what we know with what we need to do.

It’s what led me to serve as a PTA president and a parent trainer. It’s what inspired my work with the African American Leadership Forum and the Minneapolis Education Idea Exchange—bringing community voice and cultural relevance into conversations about school quality and student success. And it’s what continues to fuel my commitment to educational equity and excellence.

As an educator, a wife, and a mother of four, I see learning not as a profession, but as a way of life. Every child deserves to be seen, supported, and stretched. Every parent deserves to be heard and equipped. And every educator deserves to be valued as the cornerstone of a thriving community.

I’ve worn many hats—teacher, administrator, trainer, advocate—but my mission remains the same: to create environments where children thrive, families are empowered, and educators feel called, not just employed.

This blog will be a space where I share stories, strategies, and reflections from the frontlines and the sidelines of education. My hope is that it serves as a bridge, a spark, and a call to action—for all of us who believe that education is not just a system, but a calling.

Let’s keep building together.