Lately, I’ve been wondering what still inspires me. And it has taken me a little longer than I expected to answer that honestly. When society feels uncertain, when the room feels like it’s tilting and my feet can’t quite steady themselves, I reach out to the people in my life whose ability to believe in love and goodness seems much stronger than mine. My senior-year world theology teacher, Sister Susan, is always at the top of that list. She is an educator I have aspired to be like: kind, thoughtful, a skilled teacher, and a lifelong learner. As a woman of great faith, her belief in love is larger than language, and her wisdom far exceeds most.
As the world of education has become heavier, I’ve found myself returning to her words. Over and over, she has reminded me: Situations and people who are not working for the greater good of others have existed since the beginning of time. And since that same beginning, people across faiths, cultures, and generations have stood up and said no to it.
I don’t know why that reminder steadies me the way it does. But somehow, every time, it pulls me back to the belief that anchors almost every part of my work and life. The belief in radical love.
What Radical Love Means to Me
Radical love can be defined as a deep, unwavering, and unconditional love that goes beyond conventional expectations, embracing individuals fully and offering unwavering support and acceptance, even in the face of adversity. As a social worker and educator, radical love has been both my calling and my teacher. At times, it pushed me outside of my comfort zone while advocating for staff, students, and families. It’s given me the ability to speak truth in rooms where silence could have created complicit words and actions. It's my internal compass guiding me toward the greater good of humanity. Radical love has shown up for me in ways that have surprised and helped me become the person I am today. And in return, my work, my life, and my creative expression are deeply rooted in it.
Radical Love Begins With Seeing People Fully
In every role I’ve had in education, as a social worker, equity facilitator, district leader, and school board member, I have learned one of my most valuable lessons: people behave based on their experiences, not their character. As a district leader, I was often brought into disciplinary situations where students, especially Black girls, were labeled as “aggressive” or accused of “doing too much,” often for behaviors like questioning authority, expressing frustration, or refusing to make themselves smaller in the classroom. These moments usually followed referrals for "disruptive” or “disrespectful” conduct or speech.
However, sitting across from these girls, I saw something completely different. I saw brilliance, protection, frustration, and natural resilience. Radical love required me to slow the process down, ask what was behind their behavior and what they needed in that moment. More importantly, it shaped what came next. I worked to interrupt the disciplinary cycle, creating space for restorative conversations, ensuring their perspective was heard, and working with educators to address unmet academic and emotional needs rather than simply the behavior.
Radical love has pushed me outside of my comfort zone while advocating for staff, students, and families. It's my internal compass guiding me toward the greater good of humanity.
Making Hard Decisions With Humanity
Leading with an equity mindset is much more than just being “nice” to all. The work is heavy. When I was a school board member, I experienced firsthand how daunting it can be to make decisions that impact the lives of thousands of families, many of whom I would never meet. A simple “yes” or “no” vote at a board meeting can create school consolidation plans, staffing shifts, and resource allocations. As with any decision that impacts the lives of many, people have strong opinions and deep attachments. In those moments, radical love required me to tell the truth about limited resources and inequities, even when that truth disrupts comfort or challenges deeply held beliefs. It has meant casting votes that align with that truth, knowing that that choice may disappoint people and shift systems. Radical love requires both truth and courage to be effective.
Radical Love as Restorative, Not Punitive
Over the past several years, I have traveled the country to host professional development sessions on restorative practice. The clearest expression of radical love can be found in restorative practice. Spending time with a diverse group of educators has reminded me of the importance of restorative work, which, at its core, should remind us that kids are more than their worst moments. Discipline is about addressing the behavior and not discarding the child. Creating solutions that don’t just involve suspension (both in and out of school) isn’t always easy. However, it should be about creating accountability that's grounded in empathy. Radical love is about teaching that the harm is not the end, and restorative practices are about inviting one to begin again.
What’s Stopping You From Radical Love?
Let me be clear, radical love in education is not for the faint of heart. It requires you to dig in deep within yourself when pressure, stress, and the idea of summer break feels fleeting. At the same time, we have a lot more to gain when we show up in educational spaces rooted in radical love. We operate in a system that is full of uncertainty and inequity.
At this point, radical love isn’t a risk; it is our responsibility. It is the belief that Sister Susan has instilled in me, knowing that even when the world feels heavy, people have always chosen to stand up, to say no, and to love anyway. Radical love has the power to transform our lives and those of those around us. It gives clarity to situations that once seemed overwhelming. It helps us lead with empathy and equity at the center, teach with the belief that quality education will shape our next generation, and learn that when knowledge is protected, it has the ability to create power.
