Martiaè Jenkins-Alexander is a Resident Principal – Chicago Leadership Collaborative at Chicago Public Schools. “Surge means operationalizing the principle of Ujima. This happens by bringing my gifts as a strategist and servant leader to a community of talented education leaders with a collective clear purpose in standing firmly in our commitment to serving Black and…
Stephanie Hernandez is the Teacher Leadership Operations Manager, Distributed Leadership Specialist at Chicago Public Schools. “To me, Surge is a collective of like-minded people of Color serving youth in Chicago who are striving to create and improve organizations so that kids and families of Color receive nothing less than they deserve, which is access to every…
Sameka Gates is a 7th Grade Social Studies Teacher at KIPP Chicago. “Surge means an opportunity to continue to grow as a person and as a leader. To be surrounded by driven individuals who will support me while I support them and to be in an environment where growth and authenticity are the norm.”
Wisam Fillo, Director, Alumni Leadership Advancement (Talent) at Teach for America. “I believe strongly that our students deserve to have high-impact leaders who look like them. On top of that, I feel a deep sense of responsibility in making sure black and brown school leaders feel adequately supported and developed and appreciated. I also need…
James Fields is a Senior Program Director – Neighborhood Leadership Initiative at Mikva Challenge. “My experience as a black educator on Chicago’s south and west sides has taught me that partnership and relationship building with people who are passionate about education and youth work is vital to the success of any radical change in education.…
Tony Diaz is the Deputy Program Officer at After School Matters. “My goal in joining the fellowship is to meet and connect with other influential leaders of color in the formal and informal education setting to bring about changes that will benefit Chicago’s youth at large. I envision a paradigm shift in reimagining the current…
Jazzy Davenport Russ is an Instructional Coach at Chicago Public Schools. “I believe that the Surge fellowship can provide the training, support, and learning that I need to become the impactful educational leader I desire to be and that students, teachers, parents, and our Chicago communities deserve. Engaging in the Surge fellowship is just one…
Mercedes Alvear is a Success Bound Coach at Lefkofsky Family Foundation/Success Bound. “For years Black, Brown, and Indigenous people have worked vigorously to dismantle systems of oppression and white supremacists who have interrupted safe spaces of learning for both educational leaders and students of color. With the influence of Surge, my internal and external journey…
India Johnson (INDY’21) was featured on an episode of Terrell Talks where she shares on her work and how she is lighting the path to the future through her educating and healing our youth. “This my favorite of all the interviews I have ever done because I was authentic in my expression of the joys,…
Dawn Hicks (CHI’17) has accepted a new role as Senior Director of the BES Fellowship at BES. In this role, she will providing direction and strategy to the Fellowship, oversee Fellowship training and coaching, and manage the BES Fellowship Team. Learn about about BES at: https://bes.org/