Why does she engage in the work? For Dr. Jackie Bruce, it’s crystal clear – and it’s inspiring. “For me, the ‘Why’ is that we are creating a more equitable, more just, more liberated community. That’s the point…not just to improve the bottom line…but so that every single person can be the person they were meant to be. That’s the point.” Her clarity struck me in a powerful way.

Quotes From This Episode

• “The moment when we acknowledge that anybody can be a leader is huge.”
• “As the conversations become more complex, as the world becomes closer, as the problems become more nuanced…the old stuff maybe doesn’t fit anymore.”
• “When I think about why we do this…why do I go into the classroom every day to educate young people on leadership? For me, the ‘Why’ is so that we are creating a more equitable, more just, more liberated community. That’s the point…not just to improve the bottom line…but so that every single person can be the person they were meant to be. That’s the point.”
• “My K-12, educator friends use the phrase ‘you got to Maslow before you can Bloom.” It’s the idea that we have to have those basic needs met. Kids have to be fed, sheltered, and clothed. They have to feel like they belong. They have to feel secure. And then we can start teaching them reading, writing, and arithmetic.”