About
Life is short and precious. I have no time to waste on inauthentic education that simply develops obedience or reinforces outdated ways of knowing. I live for prosocial education - education that develops more autonomous, self-disciplined, caring, creative, interdependent, future-forward human beings.
I have a varied background: 6+ years as a classroom teacher (including special ed and bilingual / ESL), 8 years as a parent-child developmental therapist and Floortime clinician, and 2+ years homeschooling my own child. I also have experience as a community organizer, adult educator, and circle keeper.
Fun facts: I’ve been a parent for 16 years; I’m also a proud cat servant. I’m from Chicago, but I live in the Sonoran desert, where I love birding, hiking, gardening and foraging. I’m a former dance major and karaoke fanatic - I love to get silly and infuse my work with music and movement.
I’m an award-winning writer and public speaker. I’m an education fanatic with 2 master’s degrees, and I’m always learning more via voracious reading, taking workshops, working with my mutual aid group, and taking part in grassroots education.
“When the true leader leads, the people say ‘We did it ourselves.’” - Laotzi
A few of my educational, social, and therapeutic inspirations: Myles Horton; Paulo Freire and Theatre of the Oppressed; Mariame Kaba; Eve Ewing; Civil Rights-era freedom schools and modern-day versions like Chicago Freedom School; Jean Ayres; Stanley Greenspan; Latine and Indigenous practices of holistic educación, servingness, and funds of knowledge; and grassroots groups everywhere who co-create knowledge and build skills through collective, decentralized, and practice-based learning.
“You have to bootleg education… it’s not proper, but you do it anyway.” - Myles Horton
Kate, age 3
I’m also a recovering “masker.” I was such a people-pleaser, I learned to hide my neurodivergence even from myself. I am deep in a process of dismantling my ableism and understanding how I’m wired - both exciting and dangerous at a time when eugenics are on the rise. I’m happy to chat with you offline about my neurodivergence and disability story - and yours too, if you like.
Yes, I’m neurodivergent.
Some “official” creds
Masters in Creative Writing, Columbia College Chicago, 2015
Masters in Special Education, Northeastern Illinois University, 2011
Bachelors in Early Childhood Education, Northeastern, 2006
12 credit hours in Bilingual / ESL Education, University of Illinois Chicago, 2021
Other training and skills
DIR / Floortime and sensory integration strategies. I have years of training and experience in maximizing nervous system awareness, presence, connection, autonomy, agency, communication, and fostering healthy attachment and repair between adults and children with developmental differences.
Restorative and transformative justice. I have trained as a peace circle facilitator with CJYI (Justice Community Justice for Youth Institute) and Amplify RJ
Racial healing circles. I have trained with TRHT (Truth, Racial Healing and Transformation) Chicago, and I continue to co-design and participate in grassroots anti-oppression circles.
Popular Education. From White Folks for Racial Justice training with Chicago Freedom School to Theater of the Oppressed training with Julian Boal to popular education training at Highlander Center in Tennessee, I put my faith in the power of bringing people together to educate one another, in community.
Testimonials
