Event Details

When: Monday, May 4, 2026
Location: 100 Ivan Allen Jr. Blvd. SW ATL GA 30313
Time: 4:00 PM -7:30 PM EST

Been Here, Still Here:

Celebrating Black LGBTQ+ Educators

In honor of Teacher Appreciation Month, The Black Teacher Project and The LGBTQ Institute at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights gathered Black LGBTQ educators and their co-conspirators to learn about and celebrate those who came before and those who are continuing the work.

This event featured a celebration of past educators and a panel of current Black LGBTQ+ K-12 educator-activists sharing about their work. Attendees had opportunities to meet other educators and consider how they can continue to fight for justice in the fullness of their identity. We will also honord Black LGBTQ+ educational leaders, Dr. Bettina Love and Dr. David Johns.

Key organizers

  • Tim’m T. West (he/they) is an educator, researcher, writer, and movement leader with more than twenty-five years of experience advancing youth leadership development, civic engagement, and social justice education. As Executive Director of the Rustin Institute for Leadership Development (formally the LGBTQ+ Institute at the National Center for Civil and Human Rights), he founded the National Youth Advocacy Corps, the Georgia Youth Advocacy Fellowship, and YOU(th) Belong—innovative programs that equip LGBTQ+ young people with the tools to lead, organize, research, and advocate for change. His work centers intergenerational leadership, helping youth and adults build stronger movements through mentorship, political education, and community care.

    West has also taught at institutions including Stanford University, Humboldt State University, Houston Community College, and Oakland School for the Arts, where his courses explored race, gender, sexuality, philosophy, literature, hip hop, and critical thinking. Across both higher education and nonprofit settings, he is known for creating transformative learning spaces that invite students to connect scholarship with lived experience and public action. His research and writing examine masculinity, Black queer identity, HIV/AIDS, educational equity, and the power of culture and language in movements for justice.

    A widely published author and scholar, West’s work has appeared in books, journals, and anthologies, and he is the author of multiple poetry collections and memoirs. He is also a nationally recognized speaker and facilitator who has delivered lectures, trainings, and keynote addresses at universities, nonprofits, and conferences across the country. Through every facet of his work, Tim’m remains committed to nurturing courageous, compassionate leaders who can imagine and build a more just future.

  • Micia Mosely, Ph.D., (she/her) has dedicated her career to helping students reach their full creative and academic potential. A teacher, analyst and product of public education, she designs custom reform strategies that help educators and administrators increase equity while maximizing school performance. Mosely brings a wealth of classroom experience to her work, infusing bold strategies with real-world approaches that understand the burdens faced by educators and administrators. She is an expert on leadership, cultural competence, data-based inquiry and school design. Mosely began her career as the Social Studies department head at Thurgood Marshall Academic High School in San Francisco, CA and received her Ph.D. in Education, with an emphasis on Social and Cultural Studies from the University of California at Berkeley.

  • Olivia (she/her) has a background working in theater, as a softball coach, leading young women empowerment groups, and assisting youth in reaching their mental health goals. She has supported educational programming for both alternative high schools and college access initiatives. After serving in different educator roles for organizations such as Alameda Office of Education, Moving Forward Education, and College Advising Corps, Olivia joined the Black Teacher Project team in 2018. She is driven in her work by the vision of an education system that fosters liberation both inside and outside of schools. Olivia is a proud fourth-generation Oakland, CA resident. In her free time she loves engaging in wellness activities such as hiking, visiting the ocean, dancing to Afro-beats, yoga, and exploring new music. Olivia graduated from the University of California, San Diego with a bachelor's of science degree in Psychology.

honorees

  • Dr. David J. Johns is the chief executive officer and executive director of the National Black Justice Collective (NBJC), a civil rights organization dedicated to the empowerment of Black lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer+, and same-gender loving (LGBTQ+/SGL) people, including people living with HIV/AIDS. 

    Dr. Johns was appointed the first executive director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans by President Obama and served from 2013-2017. Dr. Johns was a senior education policy advisor to the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions under the leadership of U.S. Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) and has served under the leadership of the late U.S. Senator Ted Kennedy (D-MA). Dr. Johns was a Congressional Black Caucus Foundation Fellow in the office of Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY).

    Dr. Johns earned his Ph.D. in sociology and education policy at Columbia University. Dr. Johns obtained a master’s degree in sociology and education policy at Teachers College, Columbia University, graduating summa cum laude. He graduated with honors from Columbia College, Columbia University in 2004 with a triple major in English, creative writing, and African American studies. 

    Dr. Johns began his career as an elementary school educator in New York before applying the lessons learned in that space on Capitol Hill, working as a senior policy advisor to Congressman Charles Rangel (D-NY) in the US House of Representatives and Senators Edward “Ted” Kennedy (D-MA) and Tom Harkin (D-IA) in the US Senate, specifically the senate committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions. 

    Dr. Johns received the Active Advocate Award at BET’s Black and Iconic celebration in 2024, was honored with the Bayard Rustin Advocate Award by Better Brothers Los Angeles in 2024, was named to the Out100 list in 2021, Ebony’s Power 100 in 2015, the Root100 in both 2013 and 2014, and received an early career award from Columbia University Teachers College in 2016. Dr. Johns was named to the 2025 Time Magazine Closers list of Black leaders working to end the racial wealth gap. Johns was also recognized as a 2025 Native Son honoree.

  • Dr. Bettina L. Love holds the esteemed William F. Russell Professorship at Teachers College, Columbia University, and is the acclaimed author of Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal, a New York Times bestseller. This groundbreaking work led to her being awarded the prestigious Stowe Prize for Literary Activism and being named a finalist for the LA Times Book Prize. Recognized as one of the Next 50 Leaders by the Kennedy Center in 2022 for her dedication to fostering inspiration, inclusivity, and compassion, Dr. Love’s impact extends far beyond academia. In 2024, she was honored with the Truth Award for Excellence in Education from Better Brothers Los Angeles and The Diva Foundation.

    Dr. Love actively contributes to nurturing and empowering educators and parents committed to combating injustice within their educational institutions and communities. Additionally, Dr. Love was instrumental in founding the Task Force behind the groundbreaking “In Her Hands” program, which disbursed more than $13 million to support Black women in Georgia.

    Renowned as a highly sought-after public speaker, Dr. Love covers a wide range of compelling topics in her engagements, including abolitionist teaching, anti-racism, Hip Hop education, Black girlhood, queer youth, educational reparations, and the use of art-based education to foster youth civic engagement. Her profound insights and expertise have earned her recognition in various news outlets, including NPR, PBS, The Daily Beast, Time, Education Week, The Guardian, and the Atlanta Journal-Constitution. In 2018, the Georgia House of Representatives honored Dr. Love with a resolution for her impactful contributions to the field of education. She is also a prolific writer, contributing articles on race in America to Education Week Opinion. With her bestseller We Want To Do More Than Survive, she has sold close to 200,000 copies, making it a staple in classrooms nationwide and solidifying her as a leading voice in the field of education.

Black queer educators have long transformed classrooms, campuses, movements, and communities into spaces of possibility. This event celebrates the brilliance, courage, and enduring impact of Black queer educators whose work has shaped generations of young people—both within and beyond traditional schools.

At this event, we will honor contemporary leaders such as David Johns and Bettina Love, whose work challenges us to build classrooms rooted in truth, justice, and liberation. At the same time, we place them within a powerful lineage— some who’ve gone before us and others still living— that stretches across generations: Bayard Rustin, whose commitment to nonviolent leadership cultivated young organizers; Angela Davis, whose teaching has inspired countless students to imagine freedom; Pauli Murray, who used both scholarship and moral courage to challenge injustice; and Kabir Amari X, whose “Black History is Queer History” workshop has been a groundbreaking way of educating both students and educators that any Black history that omits LGBTQ+ people is incomplete, inaccurate, and a disservice to the fullness of our collective story.

We also celebrate event organizers who have a long history as friends and co-conspirators: Micia Mosely, whose founding of The Black Teacher Project has created vital space for Black educators to thrive, lead, and teach from a place of wholeness; and Tim’m West’s continuing work as a brave educator—from helping create Teach For America Prism Alliances nearly a decade ago to building intergenerational leadership models through the LGBTQ+ Institute and now The Rustin Institute for Leadership Development—ensuring that young people are seen, affirmed, and are equipped to become the next generation of courageous leaders.

Together, these figures remind us that Black queer educators have never simply taught lessons—they have taught us how to live with courage, how to imagine more just futures, and how to become the next generation of “angelic troublemakers.

From Bayard to Bettina: Black Queer Educators Lighting the Way

Moderator - Jack JORDAN

Social Worker, First Trans Student in Miami-Dade School’s

  • Jack Lee Jordan (they/them) is a non-binary social worker, training facilitator, and organizer. Originally from Miami Gardens, FL, they reside in Atlanta, GA.

    Jack started their activism journey as a sophomore in high school, the first transgender student out in their high school and one of the first transgender students out in their school district. This resulted in their becoming a youth advocate, working to shift their high school and school district policies through speaking engagements, educating administrators, teachers, staff, and other critical staff throughout Broward and Dade County Schools, and centering disability and LGBTQ+ youth of color.

    Jack's leadership as a youth organizer was pivotal in the development of comprehensive training programs on crucial topics such as healthy relationships/consent, safer sex practices, and systemic oppression. At TransCon, a conference for the transgender community, Jack played a key role in initiating youth-specific programming. These sessions were designed to center conversations around young people and create a shared youth space. Their expertise was widely recognized, with esteemed organizations like the AIDS Healthcare Foundation, ClassLink, Unite Us, and CommonHealth Action seeking their consultation. They earned a Bachelor's in Social Work with a minor in Nonprofit Management from the University of Central Florida in 2023. Currently, they are the Youth Engagement Organizer at Georgia Equality, where they facilitate education on LGBTQ+ youth acceptance and participate in coalition-building on issues affecting the well-being and healthy development of LGBTQ+ youth in college and K-12 school districts throughout Georgia.

Panelists

Jacques Etienne

Special Education Department Chair
The STEAM Academy at Carver

  • Jacques Etienne is an educator, teacher leader, and advocate with over a decade of experience serving students in Atlanta. He currently serves as the Special Education Department Chair at The STEAM Academy at Carver, where he supports students and teachers through inclusive instruction, compliance, collaboration, and a deep commitment to equity.

    As a Black gay educator, Jacques brings both professional expertise and lived experience to conversations about representation, belonging, and affirmation in schools. His work centers on helping students feel seen, supported, and empowered—because when students feel safe enough to be themselves, they don’t just learn, they shine. And honestly? That’s the assignment.

    Beyond the classoom, Jacques is passionate about community, faith, mental health, civic engagement, and creating spaces where LGBTQIA educators and students can show up fully and authentically. He believes visibility is not just personal—it is transformative. Whether he is leading a department meeting, supporting a student, or reminding the room that joy is also a form of resistance, Jacques brings heart, humor, and a little bit of Black gay magic to everything he does.

Vincent Callender

Atlanta Public Schools Teacher

  • With nearly two decades in the classroom, Vincent Callender is a dedicated elementary educator for Atlanta Public Schools who truly believes in teaching the whole child. His passion for helping students grow in every way—not just academically—sparked during his AmeriCorps days, where he led hands-on learning projects and coordinated volunteers across metro Atlanta. Through this experience, he decided to pursue a career in education. 

    Vincent’s journey to the classroom gives him a unique lens, blending his foundational knowledge of business, public policy, and education. His background includes a business administration degree from Morehouse College, a master’s in public policy from Georgia State University, a specialist’s degree in elementary education from the University of West Georgia in 2025, and a STEAM certification. His professional background also spans multiple areas of government, where he has worked for elected officials in his home state of Massachusetts and Georgia including the late Congressman John Lewis. This diverse toolkit doesn't just inform his teaching; it powers his passion for community leadership, where he has held leadership and elected roles within his school. 

    Outside of the classroom, Vincent is an avid tennis player. He also serves on the Board of Carrie’s Closet of Georgia, an organization focused on clothing children and as president of his neighborhood association in East Point. He has a love for politics, music, cooking, and has picked up woodworking. For Vincent, staying curious about the world is the best way to live, and he tries to inspire that same sense of wonder to his students.

nicole young-turner

Founder & Principal Consultant, Kaleidoscope Village Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion Leader | Brave Educator | LGBTQ+ Liberationist

  • Nicole Young-Turner, Founder and Chief Consultant of Kaleidoscope Village, is a #Brave Educator, courageous advocate for elevating and empowering LGBTQIA2s+ communities of color and cultivating allyship. Her identity and lived experiences as a Southern Black Queer Woman fuels her passion for educating diverse leaders and mobilizing underrepresented people through an equity and inclusion lens. Nicole began her journey as  a first generation college student at Georgia Tech where she received a President’s Undergraduate Research Award for a study focusing on media representations of LGBTQ+ families. 

    For over a decade, Nicole has played an integral role in educating communities and establishing transformational Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Initiatives on a regional and national level, including launching the national LGBTQ+ Community Alliance at Teach For America, leading Employee Resource Communities, and serving as the current Board Chair of the Prism Metro Atlanta Coalition.

    Mrs. Young-Turner currently lives and leads in her hometown Atlanta, GA with her wife and co-creator, Margo Young-Turner, and is energized to continue her work as the Founder of Kaleidoscope Village, a diversity, equity, and inclusion consulting firm and community nonprofit with the mission to elevate the voices of our community, educate all leaders on building truly inclusive cultures, and creating empowering spaces for all people in our village to connect and thrive! 

This event is brought to you with generous support form The Black Teacher Project.

The Black Teacher Project’s (BTP) mission is to sustain and develop Black teachers to lead and reimagine schools as communities of liberated learning.

Black teachers navigate an ecosystem of push out factors, including: invisible racialized role expectations that are uncompensated; lack of leadership opportunities & culturally responsive professional development; difficulty navigating inequitable and anti-Black systems; racial micro and macro aggressions; isolation; and health & safety challenges.

BTP’s core services provide professional development in racial affinity that aim to equip participants with the knowledge, tools, conditions, and sources of rejuvenation needed to reimagine our schools and systems. We also offer workshops and consulting to support school, district, and systems leaders in recruiting, developing, and retaining Black teachers.