You're not alone in your quest to better the educational system for Black, Indigenous, and students of color.
Meet the team that coaches and supports school leaders ready to do the WORK.
Hello, and welcome!
Allow us to introduce ourselves properly. We are Elin & Christina - two former classmates and colleagues turned School Leadership Coaches with big voices and even bigger passion. As friends and proud Oaklanders, we’ve supported each other step by step in our pursuits to become changemakers and disruptors. We have broken barriers as first-generation college students and educators. Not to mention, we are the definition of our ancestors’ WILDEST dreams!
Collectively, we have over 30 years of K-12 experience, with 15 of those years as school administrators. While we’re two dynamic leaders with different approaches, we share the same mission:
To support and empower school leaders to create and sustain transformational schools.
Our commitment is to encourage current and aspiring school leaders to maintain a healthy lifestyle and avoid burnout while revolutionizing our K-12 school system. We want to help you show up as the best version of yourself and take actionable steps to become a culturally-responsive educator while inspiring your staff and administrators to do the same.
Unpacking Our ‘Why’
It’s no secret that the K-12 school system is brimming with unjust practices, limiting the growth and access for Black, Indigenous, and students of color. Don’t believe us? Brooking’s Institute says:
Schools with high concentrations of low-income and minority students receive fewer instructional resources than others.
Many schools like the ones described above leave minority students with -
Lower-quality curriculum resources and labs
Lower-quality computers
Significantly larger class sizes
Less qualified teachers
Less access to high-quality curriculum
Unfortunately, the list goes on. These racial and economic disparities were happening long before we became educators. We discussed the need for improvement in K-12 policies in our private conversations, and it didn’t take long before we decided to take matters into our own hands.
Putting Our ‘Why’ Into Action
In 2020, the intense and publicized racial tension in America opened our eyes and the eyes of so many others. With the tragic murders of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor headlining news outlets nationwide, we stepped up to take a stand for Black, Indigenous, and students of color. Our way of tackling the issue of white supremacist constructs was to speak up about how it directly impacted the K-12 educational system - students and teachers alike.
This led us to the realization that we can amplify our voices beyond our schools.
Enter...
Empowered Conversations with Elin & Christina - our form of protest against racial inequality and social injustice.
We quickly learned there weren’t many podcasts that addressed the flaws in our American education system from a school administrator’s POV. That’s why we created our podcast specifically for school leaders who have the desire to implement radical changes to fight the destructive nature of racism and injustice.
We offer a safe space for passionate school leaders, and aspiring school leaders, to listen in as we voice our concerns, laugh at our mistakes, and strategize ways to overcome adversity as educators, all while keepin it gangsta’!
So, if you’re a current or future school leader, your action today can combat this harsh reality of educational injustice. With invested co-conspirators, we can disrupt harmful policies that have lingered far too long at the demise of Black, Indigenous, and students of color.
Won’t you join us?
As a classroom teacher for more than 15 years...
I have experienced various administrators. Dr. Macalino and Dr. Peinado are indeed two of the best. They have a realistic understanding regarding structures and PLCs within a large comprehensive high school. Under their leadership, collaboration is valued and encouraged while implementing final decisions that are student-centered.
-Carlisa Johnson, Assistant Principal - Oakland Unified School District
Get to Know Elin & Christina.
Co-Founders - Thought Leaders - Educators
Our educational paths have continued to intertwine since the moment we met as teenagers 20 years ago during our 10th-grade Future Teachers Academy elective class at Skyline High School. Sharing roots of being born and raised in Oakland, California, our educational journey continued after Skyline High School when we completed our undergraduate degrees at San Jose State University.
After spending a few years apart, we reunited at San Lorenzo High School – Elin as an academic counselor and Christina as an English teacher. Shortly after, we once again went our separate ways for a few years. Our reconnection occurred at Mills College while pursuing our Administrative Credentials and Educational Leadership doctorate degrees. Simultaneously, while completing the doctoral program, Elin and I were assistant principals at our alma mater, Skyline High School – the school that inspired us to pursue a lifelong career in education.
Today, we’re tight as ever and even more committed to helping school leaders question policies that hinder Black, Indigenous, and students of color students through various intentional, reflective, and authentic practices.
Who We Are
Elin P. Cervantes, Ed.D.
I have five years of experience as a high school administrator and 11 years as a school counselor
I’m a bookworm at heart
I wrote my dissertation on how school counselors can build comprehensive programs with the support of school administration
I’m a pizza fanatic and coffee lover, even though they don’t always love me back 💔
I’m an Oakland native
My favorite pastime is reading books to my baby
Family & friends would describe me as:
A great listener, Christina's personal therapist, very reflective, caring, a selfless helper, and super chill.
Nothing fuels my creativity more than creating art, although I like to keep my masterpieces to myself!
Christina M. Macalino, Ed.D.
I have 6.5 years of experience as a secondary teacher and 10.5 years as a K-12 administrator
I collect 1st edition Steinbeck books and own over 500 books (yes, I “out-book” Elin!)
I treasure time spent with my infant
I wrote my dissertation about organizing and assisting effective and efficient collaborative practices in a K-12 system
Hello Kitty has my ♡
I adore the San Francisco Giants, though I’m an Oakland native
Family & friends would describe me as:
Direct, silly, intelligent, family-oriented, hard-working, resilient, loud, and a better driver than Elin!
A perfect day would include getting a new tattoo, wine tasting, and golfing (definitely not in this order, though)!
Join us as we revolutionize our K-12 school system!
