Before I was a teacher, I was a dancer, filmmaker, actor, and puppeteer. All of these forms of expression allowed me to tell stories. In order to tell those stories, first I had to listen for them and listen to them, opening myself up to them lovingly and holding myself accountable for sharing them as truthfully as I could. For me, SEED also lives in the stories. SEED story sharing is not performative but the listening, the openness, and the accountability feel like common threads.

I trained at New Leaders Week in July 2014, and now SEED shows up in everything I do. It is part of my classroom when I go around the circle and check in with my middle school students, honoring what they are bringing from the “curriculum in themselves” into our learning environment. SEED shows up when I draw on the courage to connect vulnerably with another adult in my professional community in order to dig deeper and do challenging work together toward more justice. It also shows up on my bookshelf, my watchlist, and my playlist, as I seek more windows and mirrors in daily life.

Currently I lead SEED seminars at an independent school in Washington, DC. Through SEED, I have been able to connect with folks from all corners of my institution. Through SEED, I have seen growth in, understanding of, and support for the shared work of improving equity, justice, and belonging in my school. SEED has also provided me with a web of connections to other practitioners across the country and the world.