SXSW EDU 2026

It was quite the achievement that the Coffee with a Little Bit of Cream podcast got their proposal accepted this year and fellow Washington Teacher of the Year, Brooke Brown, and I could join Paul and Shomari for a powerful live episode. We discussed bringing students back from the brink of disengagement and disconnection. Only about 14% of proposals get accepted and we honored to contribute to such an important conversation on such a thoughtful podcast. Be sure to check out Coffee with a Little Bit of Cream wherever you get your podcasts.

Of the many incredible sessions in Austin, I was happy to see and support the only Native session led by the incredible organization, Native Forward. It was a fantastic session and incredible opportunity to hold space for and highlight Native scholars and scholarships.

Perhaps the most magical moment I had was being able to visit the incredible community at the Austin Native American Cultural Center for one of their Sew Indigenous nights. Urban Native spaces have always been close to my heart and even though I didn’t know anyone, the place they’ve created immediately felt like home. The place was busy with folks from tribes all over including regulars and other new folks joining for the first time. The night I arrived to Austin, I made to sure to pick up a shirt so I could learn to make a ribbon shirt. I was surrounded by gracious and friendly teachers who guided me to supplies, and shared their knowledge and mentorship with me. I was able to make a ribbon shirt to donate to Native Studies. They gifted me an experience I’ll never forget.