Village Talks Ep. 29 — Jose Santiago on “Building Systems Where Students Feel Seen”
https://youtu.be/8eu9Weqq_0U #VillageTalks: Jose Santiago — Building Systems Where Students Feel Seen Some leaders do more than manage systems. They transform them. That is exactly what stood out in this powerful #VillageTalks conversation with Jose Santiago. Jose currently serves as an assistant principal in Chicago, leads work around culture, belonging, attendance, discipline, and student services, and […]
Village Talks Ep. 28 — Tony and Juliana with Youth Mentoring Connection on “Healing Through Connection”
https://youtu.be/lL1Vgv4OBaE #VillageTalks: Tony LoRe & Juliana Wells — Healing Through Connection in South Central LA Sometimes the most powerful work in youth development is not found in curriculum. It is found in connection. That was the heartbeat of this powerful #VillageTalks conversation with Tony LoRe and Juliana Wells of Youth Mentoring Connection. From the very beginning, […]
Village Talks Ep. 27 — Amanda Schneider with Right Moves on “Building Belonging, Access, and Opportunity”
https://youtu.be/8BdhhIHfMso #VillageTalks: Amanda Schneider — Building Belonging, Access, and Opportunity with Right Moves for Youth Sometimes the most powerful work in youth development doesn’t begin after school. It begins during the school day, right where young people already are. That was one of the most powerful takeaways from this #VillageTalks conversation with Amanda Schneider, Director of […]
Village Talks Ep. 26 — Toni Nelson with SAGE on “Protecting Black Girlhood”
https://youtu.be/ElDsZy39GMo # Protecting Black Girlhood: How Toni Nelson and SAGE Are Building a Village in Southeast Raleigh When Toni Nelson talks about her girls, her whole energy shifts. Her voice gets firm. Her pace slows down. Every word is intentional. You can feel that, for Tony, the room where SAGE meets each week is sacred […]
Village Talks Ep. 25 — Mark Hudson with 100 Black Men on “Growing Boys into Whole People”
https://youtu.be/DQVaJZJUGQs Mark Hudson on Growing Boys into Whole People with 100 Black Men When Mark Hudson talks about young people, he doesn’t start with careers, college, or test scores. He starts with this: “The important part for our young people, especially in this highly politicized, highly socialized, highly digital society, is that they become complete […]
Village Talks Ep. 24 — Scott Frauenheim with LEAP Innovations on “Youth Focused Innovation”
https://youtu.be/N2suenq53uk Scott Frauenheim — Youth Focused Innovation Some conversations don’t just inform you… they reframe how you see the work. That’s what happened in this #VillageTalks session with Scott Frauenheim, CEO of Leap Innovations. Because when we talk about innovation in education, most people immediately think about tools. Platforms. Technology. But Scott challenged that from […]
Village Talks Ep. 23 — Michael Freeman with Elevate Your GAME on “Building What Lasts”
https://youtu.be/AQ7nUQxXz90 Michael Freeman — Building What Lasts in the Village There’s something powerful about conversations that don’t feel like interviews… they feel like truth being uncovered in real time. That’s what happened in this #VillageTalks session with Michael Freeman. From the start, Michael didn’t just talk about programs or initiatives. He talked about people. About […]
Village Talks Ep. 20 — Christopher Santos with BBBS on “Be In Their Corner”
https://youtu.be/gNqSANGrCt0 Village Talks Episode: Why Every Young Person Needs Someone in Their Corner with Christopher Santos In this episode of Village Talks, Damien Howard sits down with Christopher Santos of Big Brothers Big Sisters of San Diego County to explore a truth that is both simple and urgent: Every young person needs someone in their corner. Christopher’s journey […]
Village Talks Ep. 22 — Linda Obi with Sisters In Faith on “Faith.Identity.Mentorship.”
https://youtu.be/-j-3rLLfVWQ Village Talks Episode 22 Faith. Identity. Mentorship. The Power of Pouring Into Our Girls Featuring Linda Obi, Founder of Sisters in Faith There are moments in conversation where you can feel it. Not just hear it. Not just understand it. But feel it. That presence. That conviction. That calling. Episode 22 of Village Talks was one […]
Village Talks Ep. 21 — Tiffany Reddick-McDaniel with Elevate on Being The Plug For Young People”
https://youtu.be/RzoJJf-HhrY How Tiffany Reddick McDaniel Teaches Us to Be the Plug for Young People When Damien Howard sat down with Tiffany Reddick McDaniel, this wasn’t just another conversation about youth development. This was a masterclass. A masterclass on systems.A masterclass on access.And most importantly—a masterclass on what it really means to show up for young people in a […]