Alcine Mumby knew she wanted to be a teacher at 5 years old.
By then, she was already a reader; her older cousin (when trying to practice her own alphabet and words out on her baby cousin) had inadvertently become one of Alcine’s earliest instructors. Even at that age, Alcine says knowledge felt powerful.

Libertad Montoya is an absolutely fascinating person. In one conversation, not only is it clear that she’s lived a thousand lives, but it’s more than evident that she’s nowhere near done: in her work, in her personal growth, or in her fight for equitable care in her chosen field. Talk with Libertad for 30 minutes—maybe even less—and you will be ready to quit your job and jump into a career in health care.

About a decade ago, Jared Joiner was in graduate school studying mind and brain education. At the time, he says he was keenly aware—and maybe a little envious—of his fellow students whose coursework allowed them more time to explore topics in sociology, youth empowerment, and community organizing in education. However, his own curriculum and even his career immediately after graduation didn’t allow him a lot of space to apply these ideas and frameworks in the way he really wanted to.

It’s hard to capture the fire in Alex Bernadotte’s voice when you hear her describe our country’s urgent need to reimagine higher education.

Her anger is righteous, she is impossibly sure, and it’s clear she’s undeterred by any obstacle she encounters in her fight for the young people she serves. What’s even more evident is that her clarity and fuel come from a place that is both incredibly communal and deeply personal.