In this powerful episode of Choice Words, Jay sits down with Tee Wilson, founder and CEO of B.E. Academy for Girls in Nashville, Tennessee, a culturally responsive, STEAM-based school created to ensure girls are not just surviving school, but thriving in it.

What began as a deeply personal experience with discrimination became a bold vision: a school where identity isn’t managed or minimized, it’s honored.

Together, they unpack:

What “culturally affirming education” really means

Why confidence and academic rigor go hand-in-hand

How identity-centered learning fuels risk-taking and resilience

Why school choice matters for families seeking environments where their children can be fully seen

And how one founder turned generational pain into generational purpose

With enrollment tripling in its first year and a growing waiting list, B.E. Academy for Girls is proof that families are hungry for options that reflect their values, culture, and aspirations.

Because it was never just about hair.

It was always about dignity, belonging, and the freedom to choose a school that loves your child back.

What happens when a 5th grader’s love of learning is stifled—and her parents say enough? Meet Haley Taylor Schlitz, who left traditional school, graduated high school at 13, earned her law degree by 19, and now practices law—all after being denied access to gifted programs because of systemic bias.

In this episode, host Jay Artis-Wright talks with Haley about:

• Why her family chose homeschooling after racial barriers in public school
• How she accelerated her education and stayed socially grounded
• The book she co-authored with her mom: The Homeschool Alternative
• Advice for parents of gifted Black and Brown kids being overlooked

This conversation is a must-hear for every family asking: Is there a better way?

📚 Brought to you by Freedom to Choose Schools, this episode uplifts student-centered school choice, self-determination, and the power of customized learning.

What does it mean to lead with clarity, care, and courage while raising sons, stewarding land, and unschooling Black children in a world that often misunderstands all three?

In this powerful kickoff to Season 2, host Jay Artis-Wright sits down with Dr. Tracey Samone Dumas Clark—educator, consultant, and proud unschooling mom to explore what it looks like to unlearn harmful systems, reconnect with self and nature, and reimagine education for liberation.

From martial arts to micro schools, motherhood to movement-building, Dr. Tracey Samone breaks down how she lives in both practice and philosophy, building a life rooted in Black joy, stewardship, and radical self-determination.

🎧 Tap in for:

What it really means to be an “unschooler”

Why our children need more than standard schools

How Dr. Tracey Samone’s dissertation reframes parent power in education

In this powerful episode of Choice Words, host Jay Artist Wright sits down with Nicole Stewart, founder of the National Association of Black Micro School Leaders (NABML). Together, they pull back the curtain on the "National Crisis" facing Black education and discuss why thousands of families are divesting from traditional systems in favor of something more personal, cultural, and safe.

If you are an educator feeling restricted by rigid curriculums or a parent looking for a "one size fits one" education for your child, this conversation is your roadmap to change.

This week, we sit down with Dr. Patricia Brantley, CEO of Friendship Public Charter Schools in D.C., to discuss what it truly means to lead with freedom and power. Dr. Brantley, who learned the definition of purpose-driven work from civil rights legend Dr. Dorothy Height, shares how she built a Black-led charter network that's redefining excellence for 5,000 scholars.

In this episode, you will hear:

Her powerful answer to critics who call a school of all Black students "segregation": "The model of excellence does not have a color."

The political and financial battles charter leaders face, and her sharp challenge to parents: "Vote at the ballot boxes for your child's education."

How Friendship PCS achieves "multigenerational scale" by having its own graduates return to teach.

Her final word to educators: "You have to lead with heart and spine."

Tune in for an inspiring conversation on putting children first, challenging adult mindsets, and building schools as justice.

Lakisha Young of The Oakland REACH joins Jay Artis-Wright to discuss the evolution of The Oakland REACH. Lakisha shares her journey of moving an organization from simply demanding quality education to actively building it. Together, they explore how The Oakland REACH pivoted during the pandemic to create the "Liberator Model," proving that when parents are upskilled as paid tutors and The Reach Parent District. A look at Lakisha’s new "out of system" solution that combines AI tutoring (Amira Learning) with Family Success Coaching to drive literacy directly in the home.

What does it mean to truly have agency in your life—especially as a parent navigating a broken school system? In this powerful episode of Choice Words, Jay Artis-Wright sits down with author, educator, and charter school founder Ian Rowe to unpack the intersection of family, freedom, and the power to choose.

If you've ever felt boxed in by limited school choices or tired of being told to wait for reform, this episode speaks directly to you.

In this episode of The Choice Words Podcast, Jay Artis-Wright sits down with Dr. Myiesha Taylor, an emergency medicine physician, mom, activist, and co-author of The Homeschool Alternative, to explore why more Black families are turning to homeschooling or embracing a “homeschool mindset.”

Grounded in fresh polling from Freedom to Choose Schools, we unpack what’s driving this movement: 75% of Black and Latino parents say U.S. public schools are failing or going backwards. With culture wars erasing Black history and underfunded classrooms dimming student potential, families are demanding better.