That’s one of the hard-hitting questions we explored during my recent conversation with Jesse Turner—on The Readman Truth to Power Hour on 103.5 WNHH.
Jesse and I went deep. We talked about what’s really at stake in education right now—from the halls of Washington, D.C., to classrooms across the country.
I shared some of the insights I’ve gained through my journey in education—at the University of Michigan, Stanford, the University of Texas at Austin, and beyond. But more importantly, we talked about what happens next if we don’t protect and reclaim public education.
We discussed:
- What the elimination of the U.S. Department of Education would actually mean on the ground—like billions in funding losses for local district and universities.
- Exclusive: The NAACP’s new national education campaign and how it’s centered on community-driven strategies to make public education a site of justice.
- The ongoing erasure of Black history in schools and the political pressure universities are facing.
- And most importantly, how we continue to show up—for students, for truth, and for justice—through activism and community engagement.
This conversation wasn’t just about problems—it was about solutions, power, and the people leading the way.
🎥 You can watch the full episode here:
👉 The Readman Truth to Power Hour: Julian Vasquez Heilig on 103.5 WNHH or here
Also, I know some of you have been asking about my April Fools’ blog post. It’s already written—and believe me, it’s got some surprises—but due to some circumstances, I’m going to hold off on dropping it for a few months. Stay tuned. It’ll be worth the wait.
In the meantime, check out the episode and let me know your thoughts. This is the kind of conversation we need to be having—honest, and rooted in truth.