There is power in living life in community; no one is superhuman.
Mary Rice-Boothe, Ed.D., currently serves as Executive Director, Curriculum Development and Equity at the NYC Leadership Academy. She has had the opportunity to partner with
school systems across the country to support them in implementing their equity policies, as well as supporting the development of equity-focused resources for district-level
leaders looking to name and dismantle the inequitable practices they are seeing at the
school and district levels. Mary holds a BA in Metropolitan Studies from New York University, an MA in English and English Education from the City College of New York, and a Doctorate Degree in Leadership and Organizational Change from the University of Southern California, and has written Leading Within Systems of Inequity in Education: A Liberation Guide for Leaders of Color.
The challenge we are all faced with is the question of, how do we take care of ourselves, physically and spiritually, but also emotionally. This is not something that can be achieved alone, we have to look further into community, allowing ourselves to learn from those around us; correlation is key.
Nurturing ourselves will only be possible with the help of others!
Show notes:
π Ron and Mary have so much in common: concentric circles in New Leaders, K12 education, and NYU.
02:00π§πΎββοΈ The low expectations that were put on women in three generations: a story of the cotton fields of Arkansas.
03:28π©πΎβπ« Experiencing education in practice in college: after-school nonprofit world and becoming a teacher.
08:22π Mary wrote a book: practical advice and examples for those who want to dismantle the system and create a more equitable space.
11:27π Liberation guide: competencies that are a framework for the book, divided into three sections.
15:54β‘ Being a principal of a school is a lonely job: the power of being in a community.
19:12π Maryβs circles of champions; she has multiple of those: nurturing yourself with the help of others.
22:54ππΎββοΈ Running marathons: Maryβs first marathon and creating time for herself and her body.
25:10πΈ How do you take care of yourself physically, spiritually, and emotionally?
30:13π Building systems of wellness in K-12 education: creating space for your team to feel good.
34:36β οΈ Equity and leadership development: not all teams are working in witness times and hours.
38:11π€ Her book as retention strategy: a framework for liberation to happen.
40:25π Maryβs RONdering: Power of doing things together - you are not a superhuman.
42:04π€ Individual thinking and rise and grind culture is not a pathway to real, healthy success.
44:53Links:
What is Ronderings?
In season one of Ronderings, Ron talks to his guests about their superpowers, including career advice, diversity, mindset, wellness, and leadership. Ron grew up in New York City, and has been coaching and leading executive searches for the last five years, taking what he has learned from 15 years in corporate, higher education, government, and non-profit contexts. He and his wife are obsessed with reality television, and Ron also moonlights as a men's personal stylist and group fitness instructor. Ron says, "I believe in the power of intuition and deepening oneβs self-awareness and impact on others. I believe in the power of connection and transparency. I believe that we must dismantle systems of oppression and racism to recover our fullest humanity. Most of all, I believe our power to change the world starts from changing ourselves first."