Educational Equity Emancipation
“We have to do better”… That’s Dr. Almitra Berry’s heart-felt answer when asked about educating children from diverse cultural and language backgrounds.
Dr. Berry has a strong message for educators and school system leaders who don’t understand that cultural differences can profoundly affect the quality of education these children experience…
“You have children with failing test scores. You have teachers who want to teach but aren’t given the freedom or allowed to use the tools and strategies they need. You have teachers leaving the profession in droves.
And you have tax-paying parents who are very dissatisfied with their children’s education but don’t know how to effect change.”
In other words, our education system has a crisis on its hands. And this crisis affects all of us, not just teachers and those in the educational establishment.
It’s a crisis we must address if we’re going to have an exceptional nation with school systems free of systemic oppression.
We need to take it to heart. We need to act on Dr. Berry’s message. It’s a message she’s deeply passionate about.
As an educator, speaker, and author, she focuses on the education of the most historically marginalized: culturally and linguistically diverse learners.
She has worked diligently for over 30 years to help marginalized learners, learners of color, of linguistic and cultural diversity in low-wealth urban school districts, experience higher academic achievements.
Dr. Berry is on a mission. A mission bigger than herself. A mission to change the conversation happening around the topics of education, equity, and intellectual emancipation for culturally and linguistically diverse learners.
But she can’t do it alone. So she’s looking for leaders to join her. Is that you?
If you’re nodding your head and saying “Yes!” as you read this, we invite you to subscribe and listen to The Educational Equity, Emancipation Podcast.
Episodes
153 episodes
Episode 151: Juneteenth Reflections & Farewell: Dr. Almitra Berry’s Final Podcast + Next Steps, Book, and Community
In this special Juneteenth episode, Dr. Almitra L. Berry signs off from Educational Equity Emancipation, reflecting on the significance of Juneteenth as both celebration and reckoning. She connects its lessons to the current challen...
Episode 150: Mental Health in Schools: Real Strategies for Equity, SEL, and Student Support
May is Mental Health Awareness Month, but for educators and students, the stress is year-round. In this episode, Dr. Almitra Berry dives deep into the realities of mental health in schools-why it matters, how it intersects with equity, and what...
Episode 149: Haitian Heritage Month in Schools: Representation, Culturally Relevant Curriculum, and Equity in Action
In this episode of the Educational Equity Emancipation Podcast, Dr. Almitra L. Berry dives deep into the significance of Haitian Heritage Month and why representation matters for every child-especially those whose stories are too often erased f...
Episode 148: Breaking Barriers: Literacy, Neurodiversity, and Educational Equity with Christina Rodriguez
Join Dr. Almitra Berry and Christina Rodriguez, founder of Tumbleweed Publishing, as they dive deep into transforming literacy education for neurodiverse and marginalized learners. Discover how culturally responsive, engaging decodable readers ...
Episode 147: Celebrating Diversity: Amplifying AANHPI Voices in Education
Dr. Almitra Berry explores the critical importance of recognizing and integrating Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander heritage in K-12 education. She challenges stereotypes, advocates for authentic representation, and provides...
Episode 146: May Matters: Celebrating Diversity, Empowering Learners, and Advancing Educational Equity
Dr. Almitra Berry explores the rich cultural landscapes of Asian American, Native Hawaiian, and Pacific Islander Heritage Month, Haitian Heritage Month, and Mental Health Awareness Month. She provides educators with actionable strategies to amp...
Episode 145: Raising Little Justice Leaders: Empowering Children Through Social Awareness
Dr. Almitra Berry sits down with Dr. Shelby Kretz, founder of Little Justice Leaders, to explore the transformative power of social justice education for elementary-aged children. With a Ph.D. in Education from UCLA and over a decade of experie...
Episode 144: The Pearl's Journey: Unveiling DC's Emancipation Day and the Struggle for Freedom
Dive into the powerful story of the Pearl, the largest recorded escape attempt by enslaved Black people in 1848, and explore the profound significance of Washington DC's Emancipation Day. This episode uncovers the systemic inequities of the 186...
Episode 143: Transforming Education: Equity, Empowerment, and the Culturally Competent Educator
Dr. Almitra Berry unveils her groundbreaking new book, "The Culturally Competent Educator," offering educators powerful strategies to create inclusive classrooms. Through personal stories and practical tools, she explores how to dismantle syste...
Episode 142: Celebrating MENA Voices: Transforming Classrooms Through Cultural Understanding
Join Dr. Almitra Berry in this powerful episode of the 3E Podcast as she explores Arab American and Middle Eastern North African (MENA) Heritage Month. Discover practical strategies for educators to create more inclusive classrooms, incorporate...
Episode 141: Defending Disability Rights in Education: Protecting IDEA, Medicaid, and the Future of Special Education
In this powerful episode, Dr. Almitra Berry explores the critical challenges facing students with disabilities in the U.S. education system. She examines threats to IDEA and Medicaid funding, discusses potential impacts of Department of Educati...
Episode 140: Breaking Barriers: Inclusion, Equity & the Power of Intersectionality in Education
Welcome back, Equity Warriors! In this episode of the 3E Podcast, Dr. Almitra Berry explores the importance of March as National Disabilities Awareness Month, Women's History Month, and Ramadan—and how these observances intersect ...
Episode 139: Intersectionality & Book Bans: Why Politicos Demonize Race, LGBTQ+ Identity, & the Cultures of Marginalized Peoples
Join Dr. Almitra Berry and educational technology entrepreneur Heather Wiederstein for a timely revisit of their powerful 2023 conversation, newly urgent in today’s climate. This episode unpacks the intersectionality of Black/Brown and queer id...
Episode 138: Empowering Educators: Insights from Dr. Dana Goodier's Journey of Resilience
In this episode, Dr. Almitra Berry welcomes Dr. Dana Goodier, an educational powerhouse with 23 years of experience. Dr. Dana Goodier has taught World Languages and English and worked as a middle school administrator. She completed her doctorat...
Episode 137: Examining Our Own Systems Through the Lens of Equity
Welcome to a special re-airing of the inaugural episode of the Educational Equity Emancipation Podcast, originally broadcast on October 20, 2022. This episode serves as the perfect introduction to Dr. Almitra Berry and the mission behind this t...
Episode 136: Addressing Racism in Schools: A Guide for Educators During Black Futures Month
This episode of the 3E Podcast addresses the urgent issue of racism and anti-DEI efforts in schools. Dr. Almitra Berry discusses the disturbing story of a 10-year-old Black girl with autism who was handcuffed by police, highlighting systemic in...
Episode 135: Celebrating Black History and Futures Through Storytelling
In this episode, host Dr. Almitra Berry welcomes author Tonya Duncan Ellis, the brilliant creator of the bestselling Sophie Washington book series and the picture book "They Built Me for Freedom." Tonya shares how her personal experiences and t...
Episode 134: Envisioning Black Futures in Education
In this episode, Dr. Almitra Berry discusses the importance of shifting the focus from Black History Month to Black Futures Month. She highlights inspiring Black achievers in STEM, the arts, and education who are shaping the future, and provide...
Episode 133: Healing Our Nation's Divisions Through Therapeutic Principles
In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Almitra Berry welcomes seasoned psychotherapist Phyllis Levitt, author of the book "America in Therapy." Phyllis shares her unique perspective on applying therapeutic principles to address the growing divi...
Episode 132: Gratitude, Growth, and the Road Ahead
In this episode, Dr. Almitra Berry reflects on the journey of the 3E Podcast over the past two and a half years. She expresses deep gratitude to her listeners, guests, and the behind-the-scenes heroes who have contributed to the podcast's succe...
Episode 131: Empowering Neurodiverse Students: An Interview with Educational Therapist Jenny Drennan
In this episode of the 3E Podcast, host Dr. Almitra Berry interviews Jenny Drennan, an educational therapist and ADHD student coach who empowers students to become self-sufficient learners. Jenny guides students and parents in transferring resp...
Episode 130: Transforming Education in 2025: Trends, Tools, and Strategies for Equity-Driven Change
In this episode of the 3E Podcast, we kick off the new year by exploring the top education trends for 2025 that every K-12 educator and leader needs to know. From the transformative Science of Reading to the importance of educational policies f...
Episode 129: Empowering Young Voices: Strategies for Early Language Development with Jeaneen Tang
In this episode, Dr. Almitra Berry welcomes Jeaneen Tang, a speech-language pathologist with over 20 years of experience and a mother to a child with special needs. Jeaneen shares her unique insights on early language development and discusses ...
Episode 128: Harnessing the Principles of Kwanzaa for Inclusive Education
This episode explores the cultural celebration of Kwanzaa and how its principles can be incorporated into educational settings to create more inclusive and culturally responsive learning environments. The host discusses the history and signific...
Episode 127: From Segregated Streets to Global Connections: A Unique Perspective on Racism and Healing
In this thought-provoking episode, Dr. Almitra Berry welcomes JD, a unique storyteller with a background in Organizational Psychology. JD shares his journey from growing up in the segregated streets of St. Louis to becoming part of an internati...