How Community-Driven Leadership Creates Equity | Dr. Brenda Garcia Castro on Future-Ready Schools

What if the key to educational transformation lies in the voices we’ve ignored too long?

Dr. Brenda Garcia Castro—an inspiring assistant principal, researcher, and professor at Pepperdine University—joins Dr. Michael Conner for a rich, research-based conversation on leading with intentionality, disrupting inequities, and building culturally responsive ecosystems that center families, multilingual learners, and community voice. Her work on immigrant family partnerships and inclusive school models offers a lens into what's possible when leadership is rooted in trust, empathy, and systems-level strategy. This episode is a masterclass in education leadership, equity in education, and preparing students and communities for the future of learning.

What You’ll Learn:
How to design equitable systems rooted in family, student, and community agency
Why access, culture, and trust redefine school transformation
Real strategies for elevating immigrant and multilingual families
The link between intentional leadership and AI-readiness for schools
Why the future of education must be co-designed with stakeholders

⏱️ Timestamps:
0:00 – Welcome & introduction with Dr. Michael Conner
1:00 – Meet Dr. Brenda Garcia Castro: Community warrior and equity leader
4:30 – Her song of leadership in the AC (after-COVID) stage of learning
7:00 – The meaning of “lean into discomfort” for educators and families
10:00 – Who is Dr. Garcia Castro? A look at her leadership and identity
13:00 – Building trust-based relationships with students and families
17:00 – Dual doctorate journey: EDD and in-progress PhD
20:00 – A model for immigrant family integration and system access
23:00 – How schools are overlooking key access points for parents
26:00 – Application of her model for diverse and underserved communities
32:00 – How her school builds culture and community beyond the classroom
36:00 – Why AI and mental health must be part of the same conversation
40:00 – Empowering families for the future: Workforce, AI, and self-advocacy
46:00 – Three words for leading innovation in education

💬 What inspired you most in this conversation? Share your reflections below.
👍 Like, subscribe, and hit the bell to stay connected with today’s leading voices in education.
🔗 Explore more episodes and resources at https://voicesforexcellence.com