Igniting Black Boy Joy | S2 Ep 3 | Changing the Course

Image shows three headshots in the background of the host and guests on Episode 3, Season 2 of Changing the Course: Building An Antiracist Education podcast. On top of the headshots, there is a blue transparent layer. On top of that, in the bottom right corner, there is blue text on a yellow background that reads "Episode 3: Igniting Black Boy Joy. In the bottom left corner, there is the Changing the Course podcast logo with the words Season 2 beneath it.
Published On: February 7th, 2023Categories: 2023, Changing the Course, Staff

WATCH THE THIRD EPISODE OF SEASON TWO NOW:

ABOUT THIS EPISODE

In episode 3 of Changing the Course: Building An Antiracist Education Season 2, Nicholas Jones talks with George Beecham, a Noble alum and 9th-grade biology teacher at Chicago Bulls College Prep, and Norma Gutierrez, Noble Schools’ Assistant Director of Student Experience.

During the conversation, Beecham and Gutierrez talk about their work to create better school experiences for our Black boys. Beecham focuses in on his perspective and experience as an alum of Bulls Prep now coming back as a teacher. Gutierrez speaks about her work with the Black Boys Collaborative, a group designed to address the educational inequities we see our Black boys facing.

> Read more about the Black Boys Collaborative, why it was created, and the events they’re running for our Black boys and men this year here.

You can learn more about Beecham and Gutierrez below.

Where to Find “Changing the Course”

Available in both audio and video format.
You can find it on YouTube, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and more.

ABOUT THIS EPISODE’S GUESTS

George Beecham | Alum & 9th-Grade Biology Teacher | Chicago Bulls College Prep

Photo shows a headshot of George Beecham in a gray suit and black tie. Beecham is a 9th grade science teacher at Chicago Bulls College Prep, a charter school in Chicago, IL.

George Beecham is a Noble Schools alum who attended Chicago Bulls College Prep, graduating in the class of 2014. Upon graduating, George matriculated to Amherst College in Massachusetts where he earned a Bachelor of Arts in Biology.

He returned to Chicago in 2018 and began working for College Possible, a nonprofit focused on supporting minority students in getting to and through college. He then worked in public health with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention for two years.

After the height of the pandemic, George decided he wanted to return to his community and make an impact on the lives of the next generation of leaders. Thus, he returned to Chicago Bulls College Prep as a 9th-grade Biology Instructor and an Assistant Coach for Varsity Boys Basketball. He has also enrolled in a graduate program centered around culturally responsive teaching and is expected to earn his Master of Arts in Teaching 9-12 Science in the Spring of 2023.

Norma Gutierrez | Assistant Director of Student Experience | Noble Schools

Photo shows a headshot of Norma Gutierrez in a bright pink blouse with a high collar. Gutierrez works as the Assistant Director of Student Experience at Noble Schools, a charter school network in Chicago, IL.

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