Join TeaLee’s for our first Live Podcast w/ The Exit Interview Podcast and their guest Dr. Sims.
Amidst all the conversations about recruiting Black educators, where are the discussions about retention? The Exit Interview podcast was created to elevate the stories of Black educators who have been pushed out of the classroom, main or central office. The podcast asks guests to share their education journey, the "last straw" that made them decide to leave education, and, most importantly, what they are doing now that they have left the traditional education sphere.
The Exit Interview hopes to inform school district administrators, teachers' unions, families, educators and others interested in better understanding the challenges of retaining Black people in education.
Dr. Asia Lyons
Dr. Asia Lyons is the founder and lead designer at Lyons Educational Consulting (LEC) LLC. In partnership with communities, organizations, and schools, Lyons Educational Consulting supports co-creating truly inclusive environments that assist youth toward self-actualization.
Dr. Lyons was a K-12 educator in the Denver Metro Area as well as an adjunct professor at the University of Colorado - Denver School of Education and Human Development. In addition, she has served as the school-partner specialist working with schools and other non-profits across the Denver Metro Area to provide communities with resources to help close the access gap for Black children and children of Color.
Dr. Lyons has her doctorate in Leadership for Educational Equity with a concentration in Urban and Diverse Communities. Her research focuses on how racism-related stress and racial battle fatigue cross over from Black educators to their families. As a part of her reciprocity to Black educators, she co-facilitates the Black Educator Wellness Cohort, which consists of monthly wellness sessions for Black educators in the Denver Metro Area.
Finally, Dr. Lyons is the co-host of, The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, a podcast focusing on amplifying the lived experience of former Black educators.
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/asia-lyons/
Website for podcast: www.exitinterviewpodcast.com
Kevin Adams
Kevin Adams is a veteran Secondary Social Studies Teacher in Denver, Colorado. 2023 marks his 18th year working in the Denver Public School district. As an educator, Kevin is committed to Anti-Racists, culturally responsive practices that can liberate and empower students, families, and educators who have been marginalized by White Supremacist Culture, Misogyny, and Cis-gender heteronormativity. Kevin is the co-creator and co-host of the Too Dope Teachers and a Mic podcast with Gerardo Munoz, as well as the Co-host of the Exit Interview podcast with Dr. Asia Lyons. Kevin is a devoted husband and dedicated father of two teenagers.
Dedrick J. Sims
Dedrick is currently serving as the Chief Executive Officer of the Sims-Fayola Foundation. The Sims-Fayola Foundation's mission is to improve the life outcomes of young men and boys of color and improve the capacity of youth professionals who partner with them.
Dedrick's career in urban education began in a high school classroom over 20 years ago as a substitute and has since served in roles as a High School Biology and Chemistry Teacher, Secondary Curriculum Administrator, Master Lead Teacher, Technology Coordinator, Alternative School Teacher, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal and Principal of both traditional and charter public schools (Co-Ed and Single Gender), and school Founder.
Dedrick's commitment to education extends outside the classroom as well. As a published author of three books and numerous professional articles, Dedrick uses his experience to build the capacity of others to serve students with informed excellence. As the Sims-Fayola Foundation CEO, Dedrick provides professional training to educators around the country in areas of single-gender learning, working with young men and boys of color, and school and program design through an equity lens. Through the Sims-Fayola Foundation, Dedrick's work has impacted over 14,000 young men and boys of color and provided workshops and coaching to over 6,000 professionals who work with young men and boys of color. Dedrick has also been the lead designer and founding member of three charter schools in Arkansas, Colorado, and Louisiana.
Dedrick's community involvement includes having served as an appointed member of Colorado’s Workforce Development Commission, Colorado’s Serve Commission, the Governor's Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Council, a Youth Commissioner for the city of Aurora and Denver, among other efforts. Dedrick was selected by Black Enterprise Magazine as one of the national 100 Modern BE Men of 2018 , Sisters Enterprise "Random Acts of Kindness" 2020 honoree, and one of the African Americans Who Make A Difference for 2021. Dedrick has served his country as an officer in the United States Army and is a Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity member, Inc.
The Denver Urban Spectrum, GlobalMindED, Blended Magazine, Voyage Denver, Shout Out Colorado, and Spark The Change have highlighted Dedrick's work and personal story.
Dedrick is an avid golfer and loves to read, travel, and do karaoke!