>> HELLO AND WELCOME BACK TO BEHIND THE WOMAN.

I'M YOUR HOST, DOCTOR JUHANNA ROGERS, AND TONIGHT I WOULD LIKE TO INTRODUCE TWO WOMEN WHO ARE WORKING TO INSPIRE THE FUTURE LEADERS OF TOMORROW.

NICHOLE BROWN IS WORKING TO INCREASE REPRESENTATION AMONGST TEACHERS IN THE SCHOOL SYSTEM.

WHILE AKUA IS INSPIRING STUDENTS TO BE THE CHANGE THAT THEY WANT TO SEE IN THE WORLD.

I WANT YOU TO SEND A TEXT TO YOUR FRIENDS AND GATHER YOUR FAMILY AROUND THE TELEVISION BECAUSE THEY DO NOT WANT TO MISS THIS EPISODE OF "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

WELCOME LADIES.

I'M SO EXCITED ABOUT YOU BEING HERE.

BOTH OF YOU ARE WORKING IN EDUCATION.

WHY DON'T YOU TALK TO ME A LITTLE BIT ABOUT, AKUA, WE'LL START WITH YOU, YOUR ROLE AND HOW YOU GOT THERE.

>> I STARTED AS DIRECTOR OF STUDENT REGISTRATION FOR THE SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT.

I'M RESPONSIBLE FOR ENSURING THAT 18,000 PLUS STUDENTS ARE WHEN ARE THEY NEED TO BE.

>> RIGHT.

>> EVERY YEAR.

AND THAT WAS A BLESSING.

Dr. SHARON CONTRERAS CREATED THE POSITION ABOUT 11 YEARS AGO TO CENTRALIZE REGISTRATION.

AND I GOT THERE BECAUSE I WROTE A GRANT-- I WAS A GRANT WRITER PREVIOUSLY.

AND I, IN THE GRANT, I SAID THIS DATA, ALTHOUGH CRITICAL, IS NOT THE DESTINY OF THIS DISTRICT.

AND SHE PICKED UP ON THAT ONE STATEMENT.

AND SHE HAD ONLY BEEN HERE FOR THREE WEEKS AND SHE SAID WHO WROTE THAT GRANT?

AND THEY TOLD HER AND THEY SAID BRING HER DOWNSTAIRS.

I WANT TO ASK HER WHAT SHE MEANS.

AND SO I EXPLAINED WHAT I MEANT MUCH AND SHE SAID, I WANT YOU ON MY TEAM.

AND SO I SERVED IN A ROLE, SAT THERE ANSWERING PHONES, TALKING TO PARENTS FOR ALMOST A YEAR AND A HALF.

AND THEN SHE REALIZED THAT SHE WANTED TO CENTRALIZE REGISTRATION.

THERE WERE A NUMBER OF PEOPLE THAT APPLIED.

I WAS ONE OF THEM.

AND HERE I AM.

>> HERE YOU ARE.

>> HERE I AM.

>> AWESOME.

AND SO HER SEEING THAT AND READING YOUR WORD, THAT'S A VERY PASSIONATE SENTENCE, RIGHT?

ESPECIALLY FOR A DISTRICT THAT OFTEN TIMES IS STIGMATIZED ABOUT WHAT IT CAN DO OR WHO IS PARTICIPATING IN IT AND THE POTENTIAL THAT IT HAS.

AND SO YOU ARE WORKING TO MAKE SURE OUR YOUNG PEOPLE GET INTO THE CLASSROOMS AND WHERE THEY THEY'D TO BE.

AND NICOLE, YOU ARE WORKING ANOTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM.

TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT.

NUMBER ONE, YOU ARE IN OSWEGO, SUNY OSWEGO.

WORKING ON THE OTHER END OF THE SPECTRUM.

SO TALK TO US A LITTLE BIT ABOUT HOW YOU GOT INTO YOUR ROLE AND WHAT YOU ARE DOING EVERY DAY?

>> AND SO FUNNY PART IS SO I'M AN EDUCATOR.

BY WAY OF NASHVILLE TENNESSEE, TAUGHT ELEMENTARY EDUCATION AND NEVER SAW MYSELF IN HIGHER EDUCATION, JUST KNEW THAT I WAS GOING TO BE IN THE CLASSROOM FOR MY ENTIRE CAREER.

WAS IN THE CLASSROOM FOR THREE YEARS AND ENDED UP MOVING INTO HIGHER EDUCATION TENNESSEE STATE UNIVERSITY AND IT WAS TO BE A COORDINATOR TO ACTUALLY PLACE CANDIDATES IN THEIR INTERNSHIPS AND PRACTICUM EXPERIENCES.

LOVED EVERYTHING ABOUT IT.

BUT EVEN AT THAT POINT THERE, WERE STUDENTS WHO COULD NOT GET INTO THE TEACHER EDUCATION PROGRAM, BLACK STUDENTS, BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS, AND POOR STUDENTS.

SO AT THAT POINT, I WORKED WITH THE ADMINISTRATION THERE JUST TO HELP THE STUDENTS 1: FEEL COMFORTABLE AND CONFIDENT IN TAKING THESE CERTIFICATION EXAMS, AND 2: BEING COMFORTABLE IN WHO THEY WERE IN THE CLASSROOM.

FROM THERE, I HAD A GREAT EXPERIENCE THERE AND I SAID I WANT TO DO A LITTLE BIT MORE.

SO I DECIDED TO MOVE NORTH, TO SUNNY OSWEGO.

>> SUNNY OSWEGO FROM NASHVILLE TENNESSEE.

AND HOW MANY YEARS AGO WAS THAT?

>> THAT WAS 13 YEARS AGO.

>> OKAY.

BOTH OF Y'ALL ARE IN THE DOUBLE DIGITS.

>> 13 YEARS AGO.

AND ACTUALLY, AGAIN WAS HIRED AS THE DIRECTOR OF THE CLINICAL PRACTICE AND PARTNERSHIP OFFICE AND A CO-WORKER OF MINE WAS WORKING WITH STUDENTS OF COLOR THROUGH A TEACHER OPPORTUNITY GRANT THROUGH NEW YORK STATE STATE ED AND I WANTED TO BE PART OF THAT AND I WANTED TO BE ABLE TO CONTINUE TO HELP YOUNG BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS SEE THEIR POTENTIAL AND GET TO WHERE I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO BE IN THE CLASSROOM IF THAT WAS, YOU KNOW, THEIR PASSION.

AND PROBABLY YEAR TWO, I HAD THE OPPORTUNITY TO DO SOME SOME EVALUATION AND CO-DETECTIVE DIRECTOR AND I'M OVERSEEING A 1.6 MILLION GRANT TO HELP DIVERSIFY THE TEACHER WORKFORCE.

AS SHE TALKED ABOUT PLACING THE STUDENTS IN THE CLASSROOM.

WE HAVE THE THE UNIT TO MAKE SURE THE TEACHERS ARE IN THE CLASSROOM IN THESE VERY DIVERSE CLASSROOMS SOY THEY CAN SEE THEMSELVES IN THE TEACHERS WHO ARE IN FRONT OF THEM AND SAY, WELL, I MAY WANT TO BE A TEACHER OR BETTER YET, I MAY WANT TO BE A DOCTOR OR BE SOMETHING IN STEM OR WHATEVER IT IS THAT THEY CHOOSE TO BE.

AND I THINK IT'S VERY IMPORTANT TO BE ABLE TO DO THAT.

>> YEAH, SO NOW DID YOU ALL SEE YOURSELVES HERE?

>> I ACTUALLY HAVE A FEW DEGREES, RIGHT?

I HAVE ACCOUNTING DEGREE AND SO I LOVE FINANCES AND BUT I WAS ACTUALLY ALSO A FEMALE RAPPER.

>> WAIT A MINUTE.

>> YES, YES.

[LAUGHTER] OKAY.

>> ALL RIGHT.

>> OPEN FOR BIG E WHEN HE WAS ALIVE.

THAT'S WHAT I WAS PASSIONATE ABOUT AND PEOPLE USED TO ACTUALLY CALL ME THEE IF NAIL NAZ.

I'M TELLING YOU, I'M SERIOUS.

>> THIS IS WHERE THE SENTENCES COME IN.

THE GRANTWRITING.

THE WORDS AND PULLING THEM TOGETHER.

BUT WHEN I RETURNED HOME AND I SAW WHAT WAS HAPPENING HERE IN 1996, MY HUSBAND AND I CREATED POWER UNIT FOR MOTIVATING YOUTH AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAM AT BEARD SCHOOL.

NO ONE-- THAT'S THE POPULATION OF STUDENTS AT THE TIME THAT WERE SIGNIFICANTLY CHALLENGED.

WE RODE THE BUS WITH THEM.

NOBODY WANTED TO RIDE THE BUS.

SO WE DO WITH THEM.

AND WE DEVELOPED RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEM.

AND IT JUST BLOSSOMED FROM THERE.

THE PASSION OF ENSURING THAT YOUNG PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY HAVE A PURPOSE AND THEN GIVING THEM THE TOOLS TO ACCESS THEIR CAPACITY TO IMPACT THE WORLD.

>> YOU SLIPPED THAT IN THERE, OKAY?

I HEAR ALL THAT.

BUT I'M LIKE RAPPER OPENED FOR BIG E AND THEN HAD THE ACCOUNTANT DEGREE AND RIDING THE BUS WITH THE BABIES AND GETTING MARRIED AND THEN, YOU KNOW, ALL OF THAT STUFF, SOMEONE WHO IS ALSO PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUNG PEOPLE WHO WORK IN THE DISTRICT AS A DEAN OF STUDENTS AND SO THAT'S MY LIFE, MY MOTHER WAS AN EDUCATOR.

AND SO THAT'S WHAT I KNOW.

>> NICOLE, WHAT IS-- WHERE WAS IT THAT YOU SAW YOURSELF COMING OUT OF TENNESSEE?

WHAT WERE YOU IMAGINING WOULD YOU BE DOING WITH YOUR LIFE?

>> AGAIN, I ALWAYS THOUGHT I WOULD BE AN EDUCATE EDUCATOR.

I DID WHEN I CAME OUT OF MY MOTHER'S WOMB, I KNEW I WAS DESTINED TO BE IN THE CLASSROOM.

SOMEBODY'S CLASSROOM.

BUT AGAIN DIDN'T THINK AND KNOW THAT I WOULD BE IN HIGHER EDUCATION.

AND DIDN'T THINK THAT I WOULD EVER BE ABLE TO HELP INSPIRE, TALK ABOUT ACCESS, TO BE ABLE TO HELP PROVIDE ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY FOR OTHER BLACK AND BROWN INDIVIDUALS WHO WANT TO GO INTO THE CLASSROOM KNOWING IT'S 80% WHITE BODIES THAT ARE TEACHING OUR BABIES BUT YET THE CLASSROOMS ARE SO DIVERSE AND NOW HAVING THAT OPPORTUNITY, I THINK BEING ABLE TO DO THIS WORK, I'VE ALWAYS HAD TO REMEMBER THAT IT'S NOT ABOUT ME, REGARDLESS WHAT IS HAPPENING IN THESE SPACES, IT'S ABOUT GETTING THE STUDENTS IN FRONT OF THOSE SCHOLARS THAT ARE IN THOSE P-12 CLASSES BEGUN SO THEY CAN CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN CHANGE AND TRYING TO MAKE SURE, AGAIN THAT OUR STUDENTS, OUR TEACHER CANDIDATES ARE EQUIPPED WITH THE TOOLS THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL TO CHANGE THE NARRATIVE.

>> LET'S TAKE A MOMENT NOW AND LOOK AT HOW THESE TWO AMAZING WOMEN ARE INSPIRING BOTH STUDENTS AND FUTURE TEACHERS.

>> WELL, TONIGHT IS JUST SPRING AT THE STADIUM TO HONOR BLACK AND BROWN LEADERS AND PROFESSIONALS IN THE SYRACUSE COMMUNITY.

WE WERE PROMPTED TO REALLY IMPLEMENT SOMETHING LIKE THIS BECAUSE PEOPLE IN THE COMMUNITY WERE NOT FEELING VALUED.

THEY WERE NOT FEELING VALUABLE.

AND THEY'RE REALLY STRUGGLING IN LEARNING HOW TO NAVIGATE THROUGH SYSTEMS, NAVIGATE IF THE COMMUNITY, NAVIGATE ON THEIR JOBS, AND SO WE JUST SAID, YOU KNOW WHAT?

LET'S PULL ALL OF US TOGETHER AND SO THAT WE CANNOT JUST SIT AROUND AND COMMUNIST RATE, RIGHT?

BUT TO HONOR EACH OTHER, TO CELEBRATE EACH OTHER AND THEN TO COME UP WITH SOLUTIONS AND TO ADDRESS THE ISSUES AND THE CONUNDRUMS WE FACE.

I THINK IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT TO HONOR THE PEOPLE THAT WE HONOR TONIGHT AND TO HONOR PEOPLE PERIOD SO THAT PEOPLE KNOW AND UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE SEEN, IT HELPS THEM TO CONTINUE THEIR DRIVE AND TO BE SUCCESSFUL IN THE EFFORTS THAT THEY DO IN THE COMMUNITY, EXTREMELY IMPORTANT.

WE WERE PROMPTED TO SELECT THE INDIVIDUALS WE SELECTED TONIGHT BASED ON THEIR CONSISTENCY, THEIR COMMITMENT TO THE COMMUNITY, THEIR DEDICATION.

THEY GIVE BACK CONSISTENTLY.

THEY ARE ALWAYS THERE AT COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENTS AND COMMUNITY EFFORTS AND COMMUNITY INITIATIVES.

THEY TRULY LOVE THE COMMUNITY, THE YOUNG, THE OLD, THE SEASONED, EXCUSE ME.

PEOPLE WHO MAY HAPPEN TO FLY UNDER THE RADAR WHO ARE NOT LOOKING FOR RECOGNITION AND THEY JUST HAD A HEART FOR PEOPLE AND A HEART FOR THE COMMUNITY.

IN THE FUTURE I HOPE THAT WE CAN CONTINUE TO HONOR AND CELEBRATE EACH OTHER AND THAT WE REALLY COME UP WITH CONCRETE SOLUTIONS TO THE ISSUES AND THE CONUNDRUMS THAT WE FACE AS BLACK AND BROWN LEADERS AND PROFESSIONALS AND THAT WE JUST CONTINUE TO DO THE WORK TO STRIVE AND TO MAKE A SIGNIFICANT GENERATIONAL IMPACT IN OUR COMMUNITY.

IT'S SO EXTREMELY IMPORTANT THAT YOUNG PEOPLE ARE INVOLVED IN DELIVERING SERVICE AND THAT THEY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE GIVING BACK AND SERVING, AND SO TONIGHT THE GIRLS LOVING THEMSELVES WORLDWIDE, COMMITTEE MEMBERS AND FOUNDERS WERE HERE.

WE HAD THE GENTLEMEN FROM AT LEASTS FROM COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT SERVING AND IT'S IMPORTANT THAT WE LET THEM SERVE AND WE LET THEM SEE US SERVING EACH OTHER.

WHAT I HOPE THAT PEOPLE WILL TAKE AWAY FROM AN EVENT LIKE THIS IS THAT THEY WILL, IN TURN, EMPOWER OTHER PEOPLE; THAT THEY WILL CONTINUE TO INSPIRE OTHERS; THAT THEY WILL RECOGNIZE OTHERS WHETHER SMALL OR LARGE, RIGHT?

OR HUGE EFFORTS THAT PEOPLE MAKE AND THAT THEY'LL JUST WALK AWAY FEELING SATISFIED AND WITH A LEVEL OF UNDERSTANDING THAT I DO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND I WILL CONTINUE TO MAKE A DIFFERENCE AND THAT SOMEBODY SEES WHAT I DO.

SO TODAY WE ARE AT THE CAMPUS OF SUNY OSWEGO AND THIS IS ONE OF OUR SATURDAY CHECK-IN MEETINGS WITH OUR TEACHER OPPORTUNITY CORE STUDENTS.

SO TODAY'S TRAINING IS REALLY ALL AROUND HELPING STUDENTS TO FIND STRATEGY AND PROVIDING THEM WITH TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO GO INTO THE CLASSROOM AND EMPOWER THEMSELVES WITH THEIR STUDENTS AS WELL.

MOST TIMES THE STUDENTS CAN GET THE PEDAGOGY AND THEORY THAT THEY NEED IN THE CLASSROOM BUT TODAY IT IS GOING TO ALLOW THE STUDENTS TO TAKE A STEP BACK AND EVALUATE WHAT IT IS TO DEESCALATE STRUCTURES INSTEAD OF ESCALATING THINGS AND GIVING THEM TOOLS TO BE ABLE TO KNOW HOW TO INTERACT WITH THE STUDENTS SO THERE IS A SECOND PIECE TO IT AS WELL AROUND HELPING THE STUDENT UNDERSTAND THEMSELVES AS A TEACHER AND THEIR SELF CARE.

SO BEING ABLE TO UNDERSTAND YOU CAN BE THE BEST TEACHER WHO YOU WANT TO BE, BUT UNLESS YOU ARE TAKING CARE OF YOURSELF FIRST, YOU CAN'T NECESSARILY SHOW UP AS YOUR BEST SELF AS YOUR AUTHENTIC SELF, AS YOUR WHOLE SELF ONCE YOU GO INTO THAT CLASSROOM MOST TIME WHEN YOU GO IT INTO THE CLASSROOM THAT IS YOUR PLACE AND TODAY THEY GET TO MAKE ALL THE MISTAKES THEY WANT TO MAKE JUST SO THEY KNOW WHAT STRATEGIES MAY WORK AND WHAT STRATEGIES MAY NOT WORK.

TO BE ABLE ON TO HELP SOMEONE WHO STRUGGLED AS A FRESHMAN, WHO NOW HAS MOVED INTO THE OPPORTUNITY TO GET INTO THAT CLINICAL EXPERIENCE AND DOING A PHENOMENAL JOB, TO THEN GRADUATION AND MOVING INTO THE JICT.

I THINK TO SEE THAT PROGRESSION IS LIGHT.

IT IS GREAT.

IT LETS ME KNOW THAT THE SLEEPLESS NIGHTS ARE NOT IN VEIN.

THE 2 A.M.

PHONE CALLS SAYING I CAN'T DO IT.

AND JUST TO HELP THEM GET OFF THE LEDGE.

IT IS NOT IN VEIN.

SO I THINK I LEARN MORE FROM THEM THAN THEY LEARN FROM ME AS FAR AS, YOU KNOW, I SEE THEM WORKING IN THEIR FEARS AND THEY DO IT GRACEFULLY.

AND SOMETIMES THROUGH THEIR WORK, THEY INSPIRE ME TO DO OTHER THINGS, AND, YOU KNOW, FOR THEM TO SAY SHE HELPED ME THEN, SHE CAN HELP ME NOW.

I'M LIKE, OKAY, SO IF I CAN HELP THEM, CAN THEY HELP ME?

IT REALLY BENEFITS THE STUDENTS IN A NUMBER OF WAYS.

HELPING THE STUDENTS FIND THEIR VOICE, HELPING THEM SOCIALLY, HELPING THEY WILL FINANCIALLY, HELPING THEM ACADEMICALLY.

IT'S REALLY ALL ABOUT EQUITY, INCLUSION, MORE IMPORTANTLY ACCESS AND OPPORTUNITY SO HELPING THEM TO SEE, TO FIND, TO BE.

I THINK IT'S GOING TO HELP NOT ONLY JUST THOSE BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS BUT ALL STUDENTS CULTURALLY, TO UNDERSTAND DIFFERENT THINGS THAT THEY MAY HAVE HEARD OR SEEN AS IT RELATES TO BLACK AND BROWN INDIVIDUALS.

OUR STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO DISPEL SOME OF THOSE MYTHS WHEN IT COMES TO THAT SO THEY WILL BE ABLE TO BE CULTURAL CHANGERS.

THEY HAVE THE INSIDER KNOWLEDGE AS FAR AS WHAT OTHER STUDENTS HAVE GONE THROUGH, ESPECIALLY BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS.

AND SO I THINK IT'S ALWAYS PIVOTABLE AND IMPORTANT FOR OTHERS TO BE ABLE TO SEE THEMSELVES IN THE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE IN FRONT OF THEM AND SO I THINK OUR STUDENTS BEING CHANGE AGENTS WILL BE ABLE TO DO THAT BECAUSE THEY WILL BE ABLE TO ADVOCATE FOR THOSE STUDENTS WHO MAY NOT NECESSARILY HAVE INDIVIDUALS TO ADVOCATE FOR THEM OR TO BE ALLIES FOR THEM.

THEY WILL BE ABLE TO CHANGE THE WORLD.

>> SO BOTH OF YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT EDUCATION.

WE CAN SEE THAT IN THE WORK THAT YOU ARE DOING, THE WAY, THE SPACES THAT YOU ENTER, JUST KIND OF LIGHTEN UP, RIGHT?

AND SO TALK TO ME ABOUT SOME OF THE WAYS YOU MEET SOME OF THE CHALLENGES IN YOUR ROLE?

I KNOW THAT'S A DEEP ONE.

>> FIRST OF ALL, THE COMPLEXITY OF THE ISSUES AND THE CHALLENGES FACING PUBLIC EDUCATION ARE COMPLEX.

AND I BELIEVE THAT IN ORDER TO ADDRESS THEM, YOU HAVE TO HAVE LEADERS AND LEADERSHIP OF PEOPLE WHO REALLY GET PEOPLE.

RIGHT?

NOT JUST TALK.

LIKE THEY REALLY GET PEOPLE.

THEY REALLY CARE ABOUT NOT JUST THE NUMBERS, NOT JUST THE PERCENTAGES, BUT THE PEOPLE MUCH AND WE HAVE THAT IN SYRACUSE CITY SCHOOL DISTRICT RIGHT NOW IN SUPERINTENDENT DAVIS, WHO TELLS US EVERY TUESDAY, HE SAYS MAKE SURE THE PEOPLE KNOW WE CARE.

LITERALLY, RIGHT?

AND SO THAT DOES IT TO ARE ME.

BECAUSE I'M LIKE, OKAY, I WANT YOU TO KNOW THAT WHEN YOU ENTER MY SPACE AND I ENTER YOURS, THAT I SEE YOU AND NOT ONLY THAT I SEE YOU, I GET YOU.

WE MIGHT NOT AGREE, BUT I GET YOU AND I HEAR YOU.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.

>> THAT'S IMPORTANT BECAUSE MANY TIMES, YOU KNOW, AS YOU SAY, THE ISSUES ARE COMPLEX, WHETHER IT'S PARENTS, RIGHT, THEY'RE COMING INTO THE SCHOOLS WITH SOME TYPE OF EDUCATIONAL EXPERIENCE THAT MAY HAVE BEEN POSITIVE OR NEGATIVE OR MAYBE IT'S JUST MANAGING THE DAY TO DAY, RIGHT SO WE CAN SEE THEM, WE CAN SEE THE STUDENTS, WE CAN SEE THE TEACHERS.

>> SOMETIMES IT'S HARD BUT I LIKE SOME OF THE THINGS THAT AKUA MENTIONED.

LEADERSHIP IS EVERYTHING.

I HAVE A VERY SUPPORTIVE DEAN IN THE SCHOOL OF EDUCATION AND ALSO I'M THE PRESIDENT AND OTHERS THAT AR ROUND ME.

ONE OF THE BIGGEST PIECES THAT MANY OF OUR STUDENTS FACE ARE FINANCIAL ISSUES TRANSPORTATION ISSUES, AND THE CURRENT DEAN WORKED HARD TO MAKE SURE TRANSPORTATION WAS NOT A BARRIER TO FOR ANYONE, ESPECIALLY OUR STUDENTS OF COLOR.

THOSE ARE SOME OF THE THINGS I GO TO SLEEP WEIGHING HEAVY ON MY HEAD THAT WE ARE ASKING THESE STUDENTS TO DO SOMETHING BUT THEY CAN'T AFFORD TO DO X OR Y SO HOW DO WE GIVE THEM AGAIN THE RESOURCES THAT THEY NEED TO BE SUCCESSFUL AND SO BEING IN THESE SPACES AGAIN TO HAVE INDIVIDUALS THAT UNDERSTAND.

IT'S NOT JUST SERVICE.

IT'S NOT JUST LIP SERVICE.

THEY REALLY UNDERSTAND THE IMPORTANCE OF WHAT THIS IS ALL ABOUT.

SO I THINK HAVING THAT SUPPORT REALLY HELPS GET ME THROUGH SOME OF THE CHALLENGES THAT MAY BE FACED THERE.

>> I FEEL SUPPORTED.

MY VOICE IS HEARD ALONG WITH THE STUDENTS VOICES BEING HEARD AS WELL.

>> THAT MEANS YOU ARE SEEN, RIGHT?

THAT IS PART OF THE CHALLENGE, BEING SEEN.

IN THE SPIRIT OF THAT, I SEE YOU BOTH.

I KNOW YOU ARE PASSIONATE ABOUT YOUR JOBS BUT I'M ALSO LIKE, I WANT TO GET A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT AKUA AND NICOLE.

SO WHEN YOU ARE NOT AT WORK, AND I KNOW-- >> WHEN IS THAT?

>> I COULD SEE YOU WERE GETTING READY TO LAUGH BECAUSE YOU ARE ALWAYS AT WORK OR ON, BUT WHAT ARE THE OTHER THINGS THAT YOU ARE INVOLVED IN THAT ROUND OUT, THAT BALANCE YOU.

>> I THINK, AND THAT'S A GREAT QUESTION.

BECAUSE IT WASN'T UNTIL THE PANDEMIC THAT I REALLY REALIZED THAT I WAS JUST LIVING.

I WAS NOT THRIVING.

THAT MY WORK WAS MY LIFE.

I SAID NICOLE, WE GOT TO GET IT TOGETHER BECAUSE IF WE ARE GOING TO CONTINUE TO INSPIRE, EMPOWER AND ACT THE WORLD, WE HAVE TO BE ABLE TO BE GOOD-- IF YOU ARE NOT WELL, YOUR STUDENTS MAY NOT NECESSARILY SUCCEED.

BUT I WAS NOT NECESSARILY TAKING THAT ON MYSELF.

I WAS JUST DOING AND I WASN'T DOING SO NOW I THINK I GOT TO THE POINT THAT WHERE I SAID NICOLE, GIRL, YOU BETTER LIVE YOUR BEST LIFE SO WHEN I'M NOT WORKING, I LIKE TO TRAVEL AND I LOVE TO GO BACK TO THE SOUTH AND SEE MY FAMILY AND DO THINGS WITH MY NIECE AND SISTER AND BROTHER AND I LIKE TO LIVE I LIKE TO LIVE.

AND GROW.

I'M ACTUALLY WORKING ON MY DOCTORATE IN EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP AND I SHOULD BE FINISHED IN AUGUST.

SO, YEAH NOW IS ABOUT BEING.

I'VE DONE AND NOW I JUST NEED TO BE.

I NEED TO LIVE IN THE SPACE AND I JUST NEED TO BE.

>> I LIKE TO CREATE OPPORTUNITIES, SO IT GOES BACK TO PEOPLE WHERE PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THAT THEY'RE VALUED AND VALUABLE AND SPENDING TIME WITH MY DAUGHTER.

MY DAUGHTER IS THE FOUNDER OF GIRLS LOVING OURSELVES WORLDWIDE.

SHE IS 15.

AND I'M THE VOLUNTEER C.E.O.

FOR THAT SO I GET TO SPEND TIME WITH THE GIRLS BUT YOU SAID SOMETHING.

YOU SAID SINCE NICOLE SAID LEARNING TO BE, AND JUST TODAY I WAS TALKING TO A SISTER IN MY OFFICE AND I SAID IT'S TIME TO BE STILL.

SO THAT BEING STILL, LIFE CAN SPEAK TO US IN THE STILLNESS, SO WHEN LIFE SPEAKS TO US IN THE STILLNESS, THEN WE HAVE THE SPAFT TO SHINE BRIGHT WITH A LEVEL OF RADIANCE THAT CAN'T BE DIMMED.

>> LISTEN, HERE SHE GOES WITH THE VERSES.

WE ARE GOING TO HAVE TO INVITE YOU BACK.

SHE IS SPITTING BARS ON "BEHIND THE WOMAN."

>> I LOVE THAT BECAUSE SOMETIMES I THINK WE ARE SO BUSY... >> YES, AND THAT'S WHY WHEN YOU SAID THAT, DURING COVID, WE FINALLY HAD TIME TO SIT DOWN AND BE LIKE, WAIT A MINUTE, WHAT AM I NOT DOING?

AND SO ALMOST TO YOUR POINT, LIKE THAT POINT OF BEING IS SUCH A POWERFUL-- THAT GOT ME HERE.

WHAT IS IT THAT YOU HOPE FOLKS WILL TAKE AWAY FROM THE WORK THAT YOU ARE LEADING?

>> FOR ME, PROBABLY 14 YEARS AGO I CREATED A MISSION STATEMENT FOR MYSELF AND I SAID MY MISSION IS TO EMPOWER INDIVIDUALS, TO INDIVIDUAL EACH OTHER AND RALLY A COLLECTIVE VOICE WITH A VISION FOR POSITIVE CHANGE.

BECAUSE WITHOUT THE VISION, YOU PERISH.

>> RIGHT.

RIGHT.

>> IF YOU CAN'T SEE IT, YOU CAN'T BE IT.

AND THAT'S IMPORTANT.

AND THEN FOR YOUNG WOMEN TO UNDERSTAND THAT THEY ARE-- THAT THEY DO HAVE THE CAPACITY TO MAKE CHANGE.

AND REALLY NOT JUST YOUNG WOMEN.

I HAVE TWO SONS, RIGHT?

BUT FOR YOUNG BLACK AND BROWN BOYS AND YOUNG MEN TO GET IT.

TO SAY LISTEN, YOU ARE BEAUTIFUL.

YOU ARE CAPABLE.

>> RIGHT.

>> HERE'S THE ACCESS.

NOW YOU RUN WITH IT AND MAKE THAT CHANGE.

AND BE THAT CHANGE.

>> SHE JUST-- THAT ACCESS, THAT OPPORTUNITY, MAKING SURE THAT BLACK AND BROWN STUDENTS HAVE THE VOICE, THEY CAN KEEP THE VOICE.

THEY GO INTO THESE WHITE SPACES OR SPACES PERIOD.

BUT CAN THEY SHOW UP AS THEIR MOST AUTHENTIC SELF AND HOW CAN THEY DO THAT AND CAN THEY HAVE OTHER INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE GOING TO BE CO-CONSPIRATORS OR BE THOSE INDIVIDUALS WHO ARE THERE, AGAIN, TO HELP THEM REACH THEIR FULL POTENTIAL, TO MAKE SURE THAT THEY CAN CHANGE THE THAYER TIFF FOR THESE BLACK AND BROWN BABIES OR ANY STUDENT THAT IS IN THE CLASSROOM THAT THINK THAT THEY CANNOT, AGAIN, WE WANT THEM TO BE SO THAT THE STUDENTS KNOW THAT THEY CAN BE AND SO THAT, AGAIN, WE CAN DO.

>> THAT IS POWERFUL.

I WANT TO THANK YOU TO THE BOTH OF YOU FOR JOINING ME THIS EVENING ON BEHIND THE WOMAN, AND ALLOWING US TO LEARN MORE ABOUT WHO YOU ARE, AND HOW YOU ARE UPLIFTING THE EDUCATION SYSTEM.

IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO VIEW TONIGHT'S EPISODE AGAIN, OR WATCH PAST SEASONS OF THE SHOW, GO TO WCNY.ORG/BEHINDTHEWOMAN.

MY NAME IS DOCTOR JUHANNA ROGERS, AND ON BEHALF OF THE BEHIND THE WOMAN TEAM THANKS FOR WATCHING AND HAVE A GOOD NIGHT.