#3 - How do we Fix Education Inequality for Poor & Urban Communities? Ft. Castella Copeland-Smith

Castella Copeland-Smith is a social justice educator and currently the Graduate Program Coordinator for the Psychological Sciences Department under the Class of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Connecticut. She was previously an associate instructor at the CREC Academy of International Studies Elementary School in South Windsor Connecticut. Mrs. Copeland-Smith was also previously a distance learning elementary classroom teacher at International Magnet School for Global Citizenship. She is currently a fourth-year doctoral student at Liberty University Online program with a concentration in Educational Leadership. She formerly graduated from UConn Class of 2017 with her Bachelor's degree and in 2019 with her Master’s degree. Her interests include contributing to the theory of intersectionality through a creative problem-based learning perspective through interactive curricula. She also facilitates advocacy through the spoken word on the intersections of multiracial and queer experiences through online and in-person events as the Vice-Chair of the Windsor Human Relations Commission. Castella has also been assisting with the facilitation and creation of events and podcasts for the National B.L.A.C.K Cooperative through engaging dialogues around current social injustices. She has been a peer mentor for marginalized youth for over ten years and enjoys finding new ways to connect with people of all ages. In her free time, you can find her figure skating, making paper cranes, or reading manga. Most recently, she has become a National Figure Skating Champion o…Read More