Meet Shareefah Mason | Educator

We had the good fortune of connecting with Shareefah Mason and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Shareefah, what’s the most important lesson your business/career has taught you?
Transitioning from a State of Texas Master Teacher to an Associate Dean of Educator Certification at Dallas College has taught me the importance of Black women truly becoming a part of the decision-making processes in education. In a field that is predominantly white, it is imperative that we begin to intensely diversify the teacher pipeline and the academia landscape so that the voices of all are heard. With the majority of the cultural mosaic in our nation’s classrooms being students of color, we should be compelled to ensure the teachers and professors, charged with educating and empowering our students, are a reflective collective of the students that are being taught. We cannot afford to provide education that does not embrace ALL students. It is a necessity that America’s students have a myriad of teachers that look like them, understand their lived experiences and can unlock their ingenuity. Our nation will continue to be stifled until we become brave enough to disrupt and dismantle the inequitable, systemic, structures that prevent the evolution and achievement of our most disenfranchised populations.

Let’s talk shop? Tell us more about your career, what can you share with our community?
I have really diversified my work in the educational space. I began as a teacher.

From my experiences, I began writing books and presenting at conferences across the country. I have served as an educational consultant and professional development specialist, using my occurrences to design unprecedented workshops to empower other educators. As a new Associate Dean of Educator Certification at Dallas College, I have just made Texas History. I worked on a team led by Vice Provost, Rob DeHass and Dean, Sara Delano to cultivate the first U.S. Department of Labor Teaching Apprenticeship in the great state of Texas. Now prospective teachers in our newly created bachelor’s program, (first TX community college to offer an advanced degree) will engage in a paid, yearlong residency in Richardson Independent School District and enjoy tuition stipends during their senior year. In 2021 I co-wrote the national paper, To Be Who We Are: Black Teachers on Creating Culturally Affirming Schools. In this work, I collaborated with Teach Plus and The Center for Black Educator Development to explicitly decree the unhealthy interactions that Black teachers have in the educational space and the solutions necessary to make the educational milieu more embracing of the unapologetic, authenticity of Black educators. I am an international-award-winning documentarian. My 2020 film From the Block is a trailblazing movie that amplifies the impact of Black teachers on ALL students, regardless of race and ethnicity. My entire career is dedicated to teacher diversity so that ALL students have an understanding and appreciation of the cultural makeup of America.

Any places to eat or things to do that you can share with our readers? If they have a friend visiting town, what are some spots they could take them to?
I would definitely take them on The Purple Bus Tour. It is a small, purple bus with six massage chairs that rides through the city blasting the music of your choice. The bus stops at several restaurants and scenic spots throughout the city. It is so much fun. I would also take them to Kitchen and Kocktails by Kevin Kelley, a Black-owned restaurant with AMAZING food and ambiance. Trinity Groves in West Dallas is a great hangout spot with cool eateries and awesome entertainment. Lastly, I would bring them to McKinney Avenue to ride the trolley.

We would get off at Klyde Warren Park and eat from the various food trucks lined up alongside the street.

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
I would LOVE to shoutout Teach Plus, a national, educational, advocacy and policy organization. This organization is so AWESOME becomes it empowers classroom teachers to utilize their voices in spaces that have been unreachable in the past. Teachers speak to legislators, podcasters, educational decisionmakers and stakeholders, share their stories and solutions to make education better. Teachers write legislative bills, papers and opeds that will revolutionize education and transform the landscape for marginalized students across the country.

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/shareefah-nadir-mason-206152b0/

Twitter: @masonmessages