About this episode

S. Jae Ali shares her experiences as a Black educator across different countries and discusses the challenges and triumphs she faced in the education system.

S. Jae Ali, EdM, has taught in Charlotte, Chicago, China, and Brazil, and every classroom taught her something the next one couldn't fix. In this episode, the South Side Chicago native and former educator gets honest about the racism she faced in her teacher prep program, the mental health toll of toxic leadership, the thrill of watching struggling students soar, and why she ultimately walked away from the classroom. From COVID lockdowns in Zhengzhou to a private school in So Paulo where she was the only Black teacher, Jae's story is proof that the problem isn't always the kids and that choosing yourself isn't quitting. Now running wellness workshops and speaking engagements through her platform S. Jae Ali Speaks, she's still teaching. Just on her own terms.

People in this episode

Host: Dr. Asia Lyons

Guest: S. Jae Ali

Topics covered

• racism in education
• mental health
• toxic leadership
• student success
• educator experiences
• wellness workshops

Keywords

• education
• racism
• mental health
• teacher experiences
• wellness
• Black educators
• student success

Mentioned in this episode

Organizations: S. Jae Ali Speaks

Places: Charlotte, Chicago, China, Brazil, South Side Chicago

More episodes of The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators

• When Equity Work Become a Cage with Dr. Danica Moore · July 10, 2026 · 1h 58m
• Pressing the Reset Button with Dr. Jamita Horton · June 30, 2026 · 1h 18m

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