NEW PUB ALERT:
THE AFFECTS OF SOCIAL MEDIA ON YOUNG WOMEN
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With the support of the California Partners Project, I joined a team of researchers to investigate the risks and rewards of adolescent women's social media use. Shared Experiences is the culmination of a two-year project that provided leadership training and space for young women leaders to explore their collective social media experiences and collaborate on ideas to support the design and regulation of technology to meet their needs. Through their vision, talents, and values, these girls and young women have the potential to heighten the positive elements of social media while diminishing its harmful impacts. The report is a call to action for policymakers, tech industry leaders, and researchers to find ways to ensure that all girls and young women in tech are safe and supported.
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NEW PUB ALERT: "WHEN BLACK GIRLS UNITE"
I am honored to be featured in Purposeful Teaching and Learning in Diverse Contexts: Implications for Access, Equity, and Achievement. My chapter, titled "When Black Girls Unite: How Critical Teacher Reflection Can Lead to a Pedagogy of Power," shares my journey as an aspiring social justice educator. In this scholarly narrative, I reflect on how a lack of ideological clarity early in my career led to misunderstandings around Black girl learners' cultural and academic needs. Through deep self-reflection, I explore my growth and offer a framework for educators seeking to bridge the gap between critical theory and classroom practice. Be sure to grab a copy for yourself—and consider sharing one with a colleague who values educational equity!
ANTIOCH UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT
KEYNOTE ADDRESS
I was honored to deliver the keynote address for Antioch Unified School District's Kickoff Staff Development Day. It was a pleasure sharing strategies to help everyone "Get Lit from Within." I wish the incredible AUSD teachers, administrators, and support professionals an inspired and joy-FULL academic year ahead!
CONGRATULATIONS, CLASS OF 2022!
Shoutout to these brave scholars who dare to teach and pursue educational leadership in such difficult times.
I am inspired by your passion, proactive optimism, and unrelenting pursuit of social justice.
It's been an honor to learn and grow with you. Congratulations, y'all!
In community,
~Dr. Mo
*Click here to learn more about the programs in the Kalmanovitz School of Education's Leadership Department!*
I am inspired by your passion, proactive optimism, and unrelenting pursuit of social justice.
It's been an honor to learn and grow with you. Congratulations, y'all!
In community,
~Dr. Mo
*Click here to learn more about the programs in the Kalmanovitz School of Education's Leadership Department!*
VIRTUAL BOOK LAUNCH AUTHOR & PANELIST:
INVESTING IN THE EDUCATIONAL SUCCESS OF BLACK WOMEN AND GIRLS
I was honored to join co-editors Lori Patton Davis, Charlotte E. Jacobs, and Venus Evans-Winters as they celebrated the release of their newest book, Investing in the Educational Success of Black Women and Girls. The virtual book launch included conversations with the co-editors and a few of the book contributors, including myself, Dr. Janice A. Byrd, Dr. Christa J. Porter, Dr. Dorothy E. Hines, Dr. Tiffany Steele, Dr. Tykeia Robinson, and Founder and Executive Director of EveryBlackGirl Vivian Anderson. Check out the #BlackExcellence, #BlackGirlJoy, and #BlackGirlMagic in the video, and purchase the book for gems about improving Black women and girl learners' educational well-being!
Dr. Lane Featured on the cohort sistas podcast!
I was featured on an episode of the Cohort Sistas Podcast to discuss my journey to and through my doctoral program and experiences in the academy. I addressed the violence of white supremacy and imposter syndrome, navigating infertility as a graduate student, the fortification of intention, and #BlackGirlJoy as a liberation practice.
I also commiserated about the generosity of Black women mentors, Drs. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz and Venus Evans-Winters,
who have been absolute blessings throughout my evolutionary journey.
It was a genuine and inspiring conversation. If your spirit moves you, take a listen and tell a friend!
I also commiserated about the generosity of Black women mentors, Drs. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz and Venus Evans-Winters,
who have been absolute blessings throughout my evolutionary journey.
It was a genuine and inspiring conversation. If your spirit moves you, take a listen and tell a friend!
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Teaching at one of the most underserved urban high schools in the country has given me invaluable insight into the challenges educators face when engaging Black girl learners. In collaboration with my former student, Dr. Kendra Carr, a respected Bay Area scholar-practitioner, our 2021 publication offers practical guidance for educators striving to create transformative learning environments for these youth. Be sure to pick up your copy of Teaching Beautiful, Brilliant, Black Girls and explore our chapter, "Listen to Her!: Black Girls Constructing Activist Identities in a School-Based Leadership Program," for powerful insights on fostering leadership and activism.
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MASTER OF ARTS IN TEACHING LEADERSHIP ~ CLASS OF 2020
The class of 2020 scholars have completed their rigorous action research projects! In one short year, MATL candidates explored the personal beliefs that guide their practice, conducted a formal action research study, and expanded their development as teacher leaders committed to promoting educational equity. Our teachers are excited to share the fruits of their labor with other practitioners via the Kalmanovitz School of Education's Action Research Conference.
Schoolin’ Black girls:
Politicized caring and healing as pedagogical love
In 2019, I co-authored an article with my colleague, Dr. Sherell McArthur, for a special issue of The Urban Review. Our work centers on love as a core principle of authentically caring and healing pedagogies, offering a deeper understanding of how intersecting social identities shape learning experiences. In the article, we highlight two qualitative research studies that apply Black feminist praxis in non-traditional urban classroom settings, fostering the social and intellectual empowerment of young Black women. By placing Black girl learners at the heart of each study, we position these youth as experts of their own sociopolitical realities, empowering them to drive conversations around educational equity for all marginalized students in the public education system. You can find the full citation here.
"For real love":
How Black girls benefit from a politicized ethic of care
Check out my 2018 article in the International Journal of Educational Reform (full citation available here). In this piece, I explore the concept of a politicized ethic of care, a teaching philosophy often rooted in the pedagogies of exemplary Black women educators. Drawing on data from a larger study of a girls’ empowerment program at a public high school, I argue that this pedagogical approach is crucial for fostering African American girls' development of positive social identities and increasing their educational persistence. Through an inductive analysis of curricula, in-class video footage, student artifacts, and interviews with former participants, I challenge Western and gender-neutral models of care for urban Black girls. The article also offers important implications for teacher education research.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2018!
Congratulations to the Master of Arts in Teaching Leadership Class of 2018! It has been an incredible privilege to grow alongside our Teacher Leader candidates throughout the 2017-2018 academic year. Over the course of these twelve months, MATL candidates delved into the personal beliefs shaping their teaching practices, conducted formal action research studies, and advanced their development as leaders dedicated to promoting educational equity. Completing such a rigorous program is a remarkable achievement, and I wish each of you a bright and successful future ahead!
SMC's Women of African Descent Luncheon
The Women's Resource Center at Saint Mary's College hosted a Tribute to Women of African Descent luncheon! A panel of women (students and alums) from the SMC community shared their stories of negotiating struggles associated with their intersectional identities. SMC faculty, staff, and students had the opportunity to learn from these brilliant scholars, who challenged our constructions of contemporary Black femininity and reified the importance of Black women's presence on campus.
PEOPLE'S EDUCATION MOVEMENT
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Reclaiming our queendom!
new beginnings!
I am excited to embark on a new journey as an Assistant Professor at Saint Mary’s College of California, in the Department of Leadership. The university’s mission and core principles, especially its commitment to "concern for the poor" and social justice, played a significant role in my decision to make Saint Mary's my academic home. Below, you’ll see me pictured with my Saint Mary's colleagues, Dr. Michael Viola (left) and Dr. Clifford Lee (far right), as we work together to advance the school’s mission of inclusive excellence. Learn more about the Kalmanovitz School of Education and the graduate programs in Educational Leadership here.
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dirp at teachers college
I had the great pleasure of serving on a panel at the 2016 Diversity in Research and Practice Conference, organized by the Black Student Network at Teachers College.
and still we rise conference 2016!I was excited to develop and host the inaugural And Still We Rise Conference on Black Girls and Women in Education was held in 2016. Commencing at Columbia University's Teachers College, this daylong professional development drew scholars, K-12 youth, and stakeholders from across myriad disciplines—social sciences, life sciences, public health, and public policy—to share current research findings on Black women and girls in educational contexts. And Still We Rise Conference 2016 was critical and celebratory collaborative endeavor. Participants engaged in dialogue around the injustices burdening Black women and girls in the realm of education, as well as highlighted current healing practices, policies, and political movements that advance tangible interventions on behalf of this population. And Still We Rise Conference 2016 was a home run for Teachers College and an important step in advancing educational justice for Black women and girls! Click here for more information about this important event.
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peril & promise:
black female education and literacy in u.s. schools
In the summer of 2015, I taught a highly anticipated seminar on the educational experiences of African American female youth in K-12 schools. The course, entitled "Peril and Promise: Black Female Education and Literacy in American Schools", was offered by the Arts & Humanities Department at Teachers College, and available to Masters and Doctoral students across numerous programs of study. Critical race feminism, postmodernism, and Black feminist theory provided important lenses through which students explored African American girls' race-gender stigmatization, agency, and resilience in traditional educational contexts. By critically illuminating the schooling patterns of African-American girl adolescents, this course challenged students to rethink dominant narratives maligning Black femininity and the notion of equal opportunity in U.S. K-12 education.
2015 penn summit on black girls and women
I was honored to participate as a panelist at the Penn Summit on
Black Girls and Women in Education in April 2015.
Black Girls and Women in Education in April 2015.
YPAR WITH CYPHERS FOR JUSTICE!
In the spring of 2015, I co-facilitated a youth workshop with U.S. State Department Cultural Ambassador and emcee Hired Gun, titled "Ladies First: Hip Hop and Gender." Hosted by the Institute for Urban and Minority Education at Teachers College, this 16-week course guided students in conducting youth participatory action research (YPAR) projects, using hip hop as a medium to express their findings. By connecting participants to the oral and social justice traditions embedded in hip hop culture—particularly from a female perspective—we empowered them to see the art form as a powerful tool for inspiring social activism.
janrah: education, entrepreneurship, & empowerment!
I serve on the founding board of directors for JANRAH, a girls empowerment program of the Social Justice Learning Institute in Inglewood, California. The organization is a feminist response to the inequity of supports for young women of color in urban communities. This unique organization offers numerous resources for these youth as they pursue their educational and life goals. Click here to access the JANRAH website directly.
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truth tellin' at usf!I was an invited speaker at the University of San Francisco on April 15th, 2014. Her lecture, entitled " When Black girls unite: How critical teacher reflection can lead to a pedagogy of power", provided a framework that educators could utilize to bridge the gap between critical theory and classroom practice. I would like to thank the Urban Education and Social Justice (UESJ) Program, the Teacher Education Department at USF, and the Center for Transformative Teacher Training for hosting this phenomenal event!
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