S3 Ep1: Black History Month Special - Changemaker Maya Woods-Cadiz; An Affirming School Culture at Learning By Design; The Living Legacy of Julia Lee

CCSA's CharterNation Podcast is back with Season 3 in 2024!

In February, we bring you a special Black History Month episode featuring perspectives of dynamic Black charter school leaders in California.

Changemakers: CCSA President and CEO Myrna Castrejón interviews Maya Woods-Cadiz, Superintendent of AIMS K-12 College Prep Charter District in Oakland. She became leader of AIMS-K12 about a decade ago and is credited with turning around that charter school. Under her leadership, AIMS now has three campuses – a elementary, middle, and high school – all of which consistently earns top honors for advancing the academic performance of its Black students.

An Affirming School Culture for Black Students: CCSA Director of Local Advocacy Los Angeles David Ritcherson interviews Charla Austin-Harris, the Founder and Executive Director of Learning by Design. LBD is a charter public school that’s bringing a student-centered learning approach to families of color in South Los Angeles. She talks about the importance of cultivating a school environment in which Black students can thrive.

Postcards from Charterland: For Season 3, we’re rolling out a new segment called Postcards from Charterland, short audio stories set to music featuring the voices of charter school students, parents, teachers and leaders across the state.

Our first “postcard” comes from Tanya Lee-Taylor, Founder and CEO of Julia Lee Performing Arts Academy, a TK-8th grade charter that’s growing artistically-minded scholars in Riverside County.  The theme of national Black History Month this year is African Americans and the Arts. Tanya says that theme hits close to home because the inspiration behind her school is her great aunt, Julia Lee, a Kansas City Blues legend.