Could you share an anecdote with a student that impacted the way you viewed or thought about educational equity and your individual role?
I was Indy's first corps member to teach technology / computer science. It came as sort of a surprise since I was a social studies assignment, but after some reckoning and internal attitude adjustment, I came to realize just how impactful the role could be. This was 2012 and 95% of my middle and high schoolers had never taken a technology course. Few had access to computers at home. They were so invested and excited about my class, eager to gain some of the skills that peers at other schools had been receiving for years. I was nervous to tell them that beyond writing term papers and surfing the Internet, I didn't have much experience with computers either - so we learned together and I think that really fostered trust and authenticity between me and my students.
After a few months, my principal told me that there was an opportunity to have a robotics team and it only made sense for me to be the coach. Again, it was way outside my comfort zone but with the help of several local engineers who graciously volunteered hours each week, we fielded a team of students and a functioning robot that went to competitions at Purdue and Xavier Universities. A memory that I'll never forget is watching one of my students reprogram our robot the night before competition. After just a few weeks of exposure to coding, it was obvious that he was a natural and had found a calling. Without joining our robotics team, I'm not sure if that would have been discovered. It also made me more passionate about equitable access to technology for students - something that we still face today in the age of COVID-19.
How are you contributing to addressing systemic inequities?
The TFA Indy regional team has an empowering statement that envisions the day when all Indianapolis children lead lives of their own choosing and contribute to a vibrant and just city. In order for this to be true, however, it will require leaders working in every sector to ensure equity and opportunity for all. I realized very early in my career that I was drawn to work that intersected several sectors, notably business, education and policy. The fundraising roles I held on TFA Indy staff for three years did just that. We worked alongside business leaders, school leaders, and policymakers to create the conditions (and financial resources) necessary to recruit and train additional leaders willing to invest their careers and lives in Indy.
Time spent on the TFA staff resulted in great professional and personal development opportunities, something that I would highly recommend for anyone who wants to be given meaningful work and asked to deliver. It also affirmed my interest in business, but with a caveat that I need to be held accountable to use the platform and resources the sector holds to drive meaningful change. I earned my MBA as a Consortium Fellow. The Consortium's mission is to enhance diversity and inclusion efforts in top business schools and firms by reducing the significant underrepresentation of African Americans, Latinx Americans and Native Americans in those spaces. As someone whose membership in the organization has generated questions, I have the opportunity to share my beliefs and commitment to the work of undoing systemic racism.
Why Indianapolis?
As a native Hoosier but someone who did not grow up in Indianapolis, teaching here was something deeply personally for me. It was an opportunity to quickly invest in a city where I saw myself living and working long term. While in college, I read Matt Tully's series of columns in the IndyStar about his time visiting Manual High School. Later published into a book, Searching for Hope: Life at a Failing School in the Heart of America, I was struck by the daily challenges faced by students and teachers alike, but also the inspiring stories of perseverance and how the community responded in support after a call to action by Matt. I recognized there was something special brewing in Indy, a place where the business, civic, and political leaders were aligning on a cohesive education strategy, one that relied heavily on young professionals lending their talent and perspectives. So when I heard back that I'd been accepted to the corps and placed in Indy, it was an easy decision to say yes.