We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Marlee Bunch. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Marlee below.

Marlee, looking forward to hearing all of your stories today. Was there an experience or lesson you learned at a previous job that’s benefited your career afterwards?

My life as an educator has taught me many valuable lessons. The most important two lessons that my time in the classroom taught me was that our young people have so many important perspectives to share, and most importantly that listening to stories can be transformative. I often used storytelling in my classroom to teach concepts, but what I learned, was that storytelling is also a tool to bridge differences and help people have difficult and important conversations. Storytelling and the sharing out of experiences became a powerful device that we used in the classroom to delve into more difficult texts, concepts, or discussions. The desks in my classroom were always arranged in a circle format, and I would allow time for students to share their perspectives through Socratic seminars, debate, or creative expression. Hearing an original poem, or the voice of a student who didn’t previously engage in discussion, proved time and time again, that if we center stories we ultimately center the human experience and create a place for the voices of everyone to thrive.

Marlee, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?

I entered education hoping to be the teacher and mentor for my students that I had not had in my own K-12 schooling experiences. High school in many ways temporarily ruined my love of learning, and then my college experiences redeemed and renewed the curiosity and love of lifelong learning that I have. I obtained my college degree to break generational curses and find a profession that would allow me to inspire and support others. After receiving my bachelor’s degree in English, I pursed two master’s degrees: an MEd in Education and a MS in Gifted Education.

I have been an educator for over sixteen years. Most of my classroom teaching was at the high school or post-secondary level in school deemed (“low income or urban”). It was in these classrooms that I truly learned the most about my own leadership, and my students challenged me and together we navigated curriculum, social/emotional struggles, social issues, and so forth. Teaching has always been an act of also uplifting marginalized students and offering them representation in the classroom. I believe that education and equity are inextricably linked. Covid would unfortunately force me out of the classroom, and that is when I decided to go back to school to obtain my doctoral degree. I am currently finishing my doctoral degree at the University of Illinois in Education Leadership with a concentration in diversity/equity/inclusion.

My current research examines the impact that integration and Brown v. Board had on the lives and careers of Black female educators. My oldest interviewee is 99 years old, and she taught for over 40 years in the segregated Jim Crow south. History does not often illuminate the stories of everyday people and marginalized communities, so it was important to me that I heard from the voices of those who were formative in laying the groundwork for education, the Black community, and the civic engagement and civil movement that occurred between the 1950s-1970s. The women I interviewed did phenomenal things for their students even without equal access to materials or resources. They were innovative, creative, and brave.

My goal is to share their histories and stories so that future generations understand the full scope of this important history. In many ways my love and utilization of stories have come full circle. My study seeks to help illuminate and share these stories so that we as a society can be better informed and more prepared to help address some of the current day issues we are facing in education. My future goals include a book publication to get these stories into the world and building out curriculum and framework so that other educators can easily incorporate oral histories into their own classrooms. My recent collaboration with artist Kevin Hopkins helped to begin making these stories visible by paring the stories with a visual piece. Our collaborative exhibit “Unlearning the Hush” featured at HAW Contemporary Gallery was a step towards combining visuals and histories (“vistories”) to help make this content accessible for everyone.

I am most proud of being part of a legacy that is connected by both my own teaching experiences, my personal journey in education, and now the legacy of the incredible Black educators that worked to help pave the way for others. As our classrooms and world become more diverse, it is important to find ways to ensure that the voices and needs of Black and Brown teachers are being respected and valued. Having a diverse teaching population ultimately benefits all students and moves the needle of ensuring inclusion.

Are there any books, videos or other content that you feel have meaningfully impacted your thinking?

There are so many resources that have impacted my career and personal growth. My focus of education, diversity/equity, literature, poetry, and oral histories lend itself to a wealth of resources. Here are a few of my favorites:

Between the World and Me by Ta-Nehisi Coates, Learning from Loss by Brittany Collins, From the Cottonfield to the Schoolhouse by Christopher Span, Citizen by Claudia Rankine, The New Black by Evie Shockley, Our National Conversation About Race Podcast, The Sum of Us by Heather McGhee, Faces at the Bottom of the Well by Derrick Bell, Teachers in the Movement Project by Derrick Alridge, The Freedom Schools by Jon Hale, anything written by Vanessa Siddle Walker, Good Black Art website, Smithsonian online resources, and so many more.

Any stories or insights that might help us understand how you’ve built such a strong reputation?

Educators and those of us who work in the realm of equity centered work, focus on the humans we are attempting to serve. I believe that authenticity and an open heart and mind is the best way to approach this work. I always try to consider how I can best support and partner with anyone I work with. Collaboration and listening are both key components to building strong and successful working relationship. Having that approach speaks for itself. For most of us in the education field, it is not about our reputation, but more so about how we can improve education for students and learners and help to undo the systemic inequities that exist. This requires continues learning and self-reflection.

Contact Info:

• Website: marleebunch.com
• Instagram: m.s.bunch
• Linkedin: linkedin.com/in/marlee-b-8020aa44
• Other: collinsbunch.wixsite.com/my-site

Image Credits
Artwork in pictures by Kevin Hopkins. Exhibit “Unlearning the Hush” was a collaborative exhibit with Marlee Bunch and Kevin Hopkins.