Teachers Ed with Edward DeShazer

Authentic Leadership: Creating Safe Spaces in Schools

• Edward DeShazer

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What happens when educators bring their authentic selves to work? Carlos Malavé, Director of Culture and Community at Bloom Academy in Houston, reveals how vulnerability transforms school environments and why being genuine as a leader creates spaces where everyone can thrive.

Carlos shares the story of finding his perfect professional fit—a position created to match his expertise in implementing curriculum, supporting teachers, and building restorative practices. His approach to building genuine connections among staff through exercises like "Need to Know" demonstrates how powerful it can be when leaders show their humanity first. By opening up about his own experiences, including his father's struggle with mental health that ended in suicide, Carlos creates permission for others to be their true selves.

"Creating the spaces I wish my father would have had" drives Carlos's mission in education. He recognizes how crucial it is for students—especially those from challenging backgrounds—to see male educators who demonstrate vulnerability, kindness, and emotional intelligence. This representation matters deeply, particularly in elementary settings where male educators are often absent until students reach the age of sports or discipline.

The conversation takes an inspiring turn when host Edward DeShazer shares a chance encounter with a former student who remembered him after 17 years—a powerful reminder that educators make lasting impacts even when the work feels thankless. These connections sustain educators through difficult days and remind us why this work matters so profoundly.

Discover why authentic leadership is transforming education and how being your true self—rather than trying to fill someone else's shoes—creates the foundation for meaningful relationships with students and staff alike. Whether you're new to education or a veteran seeking renewal, this conversation will remind you of the power in simply being yourself.

www.EdwardDeShazer.org

Speaker 1:

Now I'm also not saying that someone should just walk in and be like, hey, here's all my traumas, here's my problems, here's the things I went through. But I think there is power in, as a leader, being vulnerable, because then the staff are like, oh, he or she is human. I don't have to pretend to be perfect myself. If you're an educator, that's passionate, but you're tired and you're burnt out and you're wondering what to do next, this is the show for you. We're going to learn together, we're going to recharge together and we're going to grow together so you can be the best you and serve your students and your community to the best of your ability.

Speaker 1:

Welcome to the Teacher's Ed Podcast. I'm your host, edward DeShazer. Teacher's Ed Podcast is a place where the best and brightest in education come to be inspired, to connect, to learn and to grow. If you have not, do me a huge favor If you're listening on a podcast, make sure you subscribe to the channel or to the podcast. If you are watching this on YouTube, because we are new on YouTube, give it a little thumbs up down below, somewhere down there. Give it a thumbs up, subscribe to the channel so you don't miss any other episodes. Today I have the honor to bring on today's guest and it's someone I've known in educational space for a few years now. It's crazy, time is flying and he just took on a new position, so I'm excited to have on Carlos Malave on today. Carlos, what's going on, brother?

Speaker 2:

I'm good man. Thank you for having me. I'm excited about this. I've been trying to get on the books for a while. I'm happy we made it happen.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, we were on in the was the recording. That was like a year ago. The recording Some of the recording kept buffering out and the audio is terrible. So we're back. We're here.

Speaker 2:

Hopefully this one this.

Speaker 1:

This one records a little better. But yeah, man, I know you know school is rolling for you. You started off. So just to to to begin, let's give introduction to yourself, let people know who you are, where you're at, what you do, and we'll kind of jump right into what you got going on right now.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, man, my name is Carlos J Malave. I'm an educational consultant, motivational speaker, author and currently the director of culture and community at a elementary school called Bloom Academy out here in Houston, texas. So I got into it. I was doing the work for years, as you know, at consulting schools across the country and then internationally implementing curriculum and working with teachers to be able to deal with conflict with students and in the community. So somebody heard about what I was doing.

Speaker 2:

I applied to a job and it went pretty well where I found a position for the first time where I'm getting to do everything that I built in my consulting company. Ironically, as I was in education, I was trying to find a way to offer more. Do can do what I've been doing in my businesses, whether it's consulting, professional development, coaching teachers, supporting students, and this position kind of was created for me, you know. So I'm super excited to be doing it, where I put all my skills all in one basket and able to offer it to this community. Where I am, you know, coaching teachers, I'm doing running professional developments. I'm able to work with the students, with student behaviors right and really bring you know, change the culture of the school and then try to bring the community together.

Speaker 1:

So just rewind for a second, did they? This was a position that was brand new, so this position was created as you were coming on.

Speaker 2:

Yeah. So it was a position that we're trying to create already. And then they found me and it kind of like it was ideal. You know, like everything. I read the description, it was kind of like one of those things. I read the description I was like, no, this can't be like. I've never seen that this is what I do for my business, whether it's the schools in New York City and Texas or in Abu Dhabi, like I was.

Speaker 2:

You know everything from top to bottom and implementing curriculum, building the advisory period, supporting teachers, you know, dealing with discipline and changing the culture to restorative. So I was doing the work already. So when I applied, it was kind of like, oh, you do this. And I was like, yeah, I've been doing this and it's kind of an ideal situation. So it was something that they were trying to change and create. And then when they created it, I had already been doing the work for years and it kind of like it was perfect timing. They had just created the position before meeting me. And then they for years, and it kind of like it was perfect timing, they had just created the position before meeting me. And then they met me and it was like the superintendent was like oh yeah, this is actually, this is you and we. We ended up agreeing on that and it's been great ever since.

Speaker 1:

Know listeners are listening or people that are listening are thinking, is every school. One of the struggles they have is when new staff are coming in and you're trying to get them to come in, and you know flow and vibe with the current staff, you know. So what are one of the things, um, that you did when your staff came back to really get them, uh, connecting on that level, where the new staff come in and feel welcome and you are new staff too, so it's kind of like you're trying to get in as well, but what's one of the things that you did in your position to get people back connecting?

Speaker 2:

No, absolutely. I have to lead by example. I had to talk about my mother for you to think about your mother, right, in that sense, right. So the first thing I used is Shock Value. Right, I jumped in, I got an introduction of all the work that I've done across the country, internationally, and all that. But once I started talking, I was more about the work that I did, not only in the schools, but that I aligned to my whole lifestyle right, as a husband, as a father, as a friend, right, and I connected it to, like you know, the story with my dad, right, how he ended up taking his own life in 2019 because he was never able to have those relationships and articulate what was wrong.

Speaker 2:

And, you know, have those difficult conversations that people avoid. Right, the name of my last book no More Dancing. Right, so, in that sense, I kind of dive into the work and show them how it is to be vulnerable, someone that they don't know first time. I'm here, too, and I'm fully laying it on the table. This is who I am, right, and from there I take it into. Okay, now let's practice. Right, so I give them the shock value and I do this game called need to know, right. So I'm like, okay, before we get into the activity, pull out a pencil, take out a piece of paper, write down who it is you need to talk to, right? What are those things you need to say to that person? What are you holding in? Because every time, you know, every time we don't say that thing. That bothers us. Every time that person comes in, you get tense, you get nervous, right. You feel different, you start behaving different, right? And it only takes that first time for it to be done and addressed. Then the person moves different around you. My wife told me this a long time ago putting you before everybody else, right? Why are you making others feel comfortable before you're comfortable, right? So with that, I'm telling her to write it down, right.

Speaker 2:

And then I'm a basketball player, so the way I got better I'm not the biggest, I'm not the tallest, I'm not the strongest, fastest I had to get my shots up, I had to get my reps. But how often do we get our reps in having these difficult conversations, right? So I'm like all right, let's get our reps. We're going to do this game called Need to Know. You're going to get real uncomfortable. You're going to sit in a chair. You're going to touch knees with the person in front of you. You're going to look them in the eye and talk to that person as if it's that person. You need to say that thing to the thing you wrote down. Call them by their name and say it. Hey, it makes me uncomfortable when you do this. This still bothers me. And have that conversation. Let's get those reps in and you see, once they jump into that, the emotions come out, they start bonding, they see each other differently and then all of a sudden, they see that they're not alone. Right. And one thing that I'm big on is you can't tell a kid to do something that you're not willing to do yourself that part. So if you see yourself getting there and seeing how hard it was for you and being vulnerable, now when you put a kid in that situation, you're able to remember this, like, oh, I connected to that. After they do that activity, I connected to that. I'm like, okay, cool. So let's put ourselves in those situations.

Speaker 2:

What happened last year? For those that are returning, right, for the newcomers, what was your experience prior? How do we come together and create a plan? Right? So it's all. It's all those action steps to create a plan together that we can build the culture off of. Like, we're doing this together. We're not. I'm not coming here saying this is what we're doing. It's like, ok, let's fill the room, right, and then let's let's create something together and then let's work on that before the kids come here, and when the kids come here, let's work on it and continue to adjust it for the needs of the kids, right? So that's basically what I do when it comes to, you know, addressing the newcomers and the old comers and trying to create a new culture, as me being a newcomer myself, yeah, and just so I'm going to make sure that anyone listening is clear the the activity you did.

Speaker 1:

They are not doing this with the person that they want to say this to. They are just practicing what it is like to say it to someone exactly okay, I just want to make sure, because someone's going to be like man you are going to pair some folks up and you're going to have you're going to have some issues right off the bat because, people aren't, don't feel, aren't in a safe space. Well, now you're confronting folks right away, so I just want to make sure no, that's why I'm listening was clear like you don't got to find the people that you know got problems.

Speaker 1:

You're paying up so I can practice.

Speaker 2:

This is how it feels to be able to say like this is what's going on 100 and I connected to more like who is that person you need to talk to outside of the school building, right like family related, friend related, so that they can understand what they got to do in the space, right? So I articulate that. I should have explained that while I was explaining it, but I articulate that in the PD I think. I think you went mute for a little bit.

Speaker 1:

Now we're back.

Speaker 2:

Yeah, there you go, all right.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, no, I was making sure that anyone listen. There was no excuses, like you know, because people will hear what they, what they want to hear. And I just want to make it very clear, like, what he did was he was pairing people up. However they were paired up, probably someone they may not have met or really had a conversation. You're getting an opportunity to practice how it feels to say these things that you know that there's going to be a time where you got to say to someone so I love it.

Speaker 1:

One of the things I wrote down because I want to make sure I didn't, I didn't miss this and it kind of leads into leadership and it kind of leads into leadership, and the word I wrote down was vulnerable leadership, because I think there's a lot of school leaders out there that feel that they have to be perfect and it's like you got to have everything's got to be all buttoned up and you just got to have it all in order. And you know, hearing that you came in and you and I'm also not saying that someone should just walk in and be like, hey, here's all my, my traumas, and now I'm also not saying that someone should just walk in and be like, hey, here's all my traumas, here's my problems, here's the things I went through.

Speaker 1:

But I think there is power in, as a leader, being vulnerable, because then the staff are like, oh, he or she is human. I don't have to pretend to be perfect myself. And you know, there's one thing that you know when in a school and people can take their mask off, I think people, people grow, they get more comfortable, real relationships are built. So what are some of you know? What does leadership look like? You know I obviously came in. You know you were very transparent with some of the things you've went through. Some of the challenges, like this is who I am Like. I'm not going to come in here and pretend I have it all together or I've always had it together. But what is leadership in a school in 2025? Because I feel like it's changed a lot. What is leadership in a school look like to you in today's day? That's a great question.

Speaker 2:

I think it's. It should be authentic with everything going on. It's finding your authentic style Like this is the way I do things. My personal experiences have led me to this position where I'm able, and the person that brought me in wanted me to be that type of person there. Right, every school is different and every culture and every community has different needs, right? So I think being authentic to it is the biggest thing.

Speaker 2:

With everything going on in education in our country, in our world, I think the biggest thing is just about being authentic and we're getting closer and closer to people just having certain experiences that, now that they're in leadership, they're like oh wait, a minute, let's get better, let's get real. And I'm seeing more of that. And even you, like, I follow you. I've been following you for a couple of years now. We've known each other and I see the way you're going about being an administrator of a school and just being your authentic self, right, and aligning it.

Speaker 2:

Like I'm very big on alignment and continuing to work. Once again, we are not perfect by any means. We're just trying to have these conversations to encourage people to do the same for their own situations. We're just aligning it to the way we are in these school buildings is the way we are with our partners, with our friends, with our children right, and that is what authentic leadership should be. When I walk out the building, the kids can see me be the same person everywhere, that I am, same thing with the staff, and I think that's what we're leaning towards and I hope you know we continue to go that way, because I think it creates a good environment for not only the students, the staff.

Speaker 1:

Yup, and someone that's listening, like hearing, because there's someone that just moved into a position at a school they've been at and you don't have to get in there and pretend to be the person who was there before you. Like, you got that position because it's you and that is something that people just have to remember and I think that's kind of my challenge. That's why, when you were talking about the position, I love that it was a position that was created, because I think one of the biggest challenges in education is we do it because it's just what it's been. You know, and that's why it's 2025 and we're still doing stuff from 1995 in some schools because everyone's like, well, the last person did it and the last person before them did it, and it's just like we have this cycle of you know stuff that hasn't worked, but we're still doing it. You know, and and it's no different than you know someone walking into a new position right now Like you're in that position, be yourself, you know. Yes, there are some things that the other person did that were probably great, but if it's not, you do the position the way you would do the position, because when you start, you know getting in positions and you're trying to be you know someone you're not, it becomes uncomfortable and it's not real. And I think that is just critical.

Speaker 1:

Today is people want people that are real and they don't want like we've. You know, we've went through, you know the people that pretend to be you know this, or pretend to be that or, like you know, I get, I become a new principal and I'm like, well, the last principal, this is all the things they did and it's like that's like I'm stretching myself. I'm not speaking to me about me personally, but you know you're stretching yourself because you're being someone that you're not. And the more people can get into, um, these positions and be their authentic self, their authentic selves, I think the better off they're going to be. And that's where school environments grow, because they your coworkers know who you were before you got your promotion. You know you have there's a principal that I was just working with and, um, she's been at the same school for 30 years, you know, and very like I was very impressed with with some of the things I saw, but I think it's, it's something when someone was a teacher and then they become a principal because, like, I know who you were as a teacher like so don't get, you know, don't. What are they like?

Speaker 1:

I don't know if the kids will say, like, don't be brand new now that you got a new title. You know and I think that's what some people do because they're so worried about you know, the, the perception of other people, the new title, and they try to be someone they're so worried about you know, the, the perception of other people, the new title, and then they try to be someone they're not, versus like, just be who you are. Like you got the position because of who you are. You keep the position because of who you are and if, if, for some reason, you don't, it's, you know it's not, it wasn't your position. So, um, just kind of hearing what you're saying, that's something I just want to really encourage. Uh, someone that's listening of you know, whatever position, if you're moving into something new, if you're moving into a new building, like, just be authentic to who you are. Like that is what is going to bring school communities closer together. When everyone is just truly who they are, people are going to love who people are as not the person they're pretending to be. Because I'm the new principal or I'm the new curriculum director. Um, you know, like just be authentic, be authentic to yourself, so want to kind of lean into.

Speaker 1:

You know, I know your book came out and I know you're you've been passionate about the work that you do. But what is? I'm not going to ask you what your why is, but like, what is your like driving factor to why this work is so important to you? So I don't you know, and I guess it's kind of your why, but like, what drives you to be? Um so, and because one you know, I mean I've been around. I say I've been around the block in education it's my 21st year and I've been around the block in the consulting speaking space as well. And there are some people that, um, that like actually live the work, and there's some people that are like just kind of doing the work, if that makes sense, and you're someone that I've always thought has lived the work. So what is it about education and culture and all those things? Like, what is your driving factor? That is why you like live the work that you're doing.

Speaker 2:

That's. That's a good question, man. Thank you, um. First and foremost, I think, um, it's creating the spaces I wish my father would have. It's deeper.

Speaker 2:

You know I dealt I was my dad's confidant since I was 10 years old. I was put in a position where he was having conversations with me Maybe I should not have been having and he was coming to me to ask questions that maybe I was not ready to answer, but somehow I was able to advise him and support him. So with that I was given a gift. You know, it was my journey and I think you know I always thought what if he would have had the support growing up? What if he had more male influence sooner in his life? And as you know, like you know this, in being an educator and being in education, we don't see men until we're old enough to get disciplined or sports. It's only those two areas. So it's middle school to high school where you see men prevalent in the school buildings, but we don't usually see them in elementary showing vulnerability, showing kindness, showing support, showing love right, a different, you know being soft right. They don't usually see them in elementary showing vulnerability, showing kindness, showing support, showing love right, a different, you know being soft, right, they don't see that right. So for me, going into this elementary school at Bloom Academy, that was the biggest thing, like representing that right, a whole different. I've done elementary before but this one was very intentional, where the position was literally what I've been doing for years and I get to focus it in one community right Now. Truly, I want to support I see, I see the, I see my father in these students, right, not, you know, coming from broken homes, coming from traumatic events that they just experienced. I was talking to a nine-year, a 10-year-old, and she had just lost her dad a couple years ago, so we connected on that. She's 10. I'm like, damn so just having these conversations and just represent being a representative of the work. And that doesn't mean, you know, I was talking to my staff too.

Speaker 2:

With restorative practice, there's a stigma of like rewarding, you know, misbehaviors, right, and it's a different way of going about things, but it's unfamiliar and it's scary, right, because people haven't seen it done fully and it takes consistency. So for me, being consistent in who I am and being transparent, not just with the staff, with the students, with the community, with the families, right, and showing them like I've ran parent engagements already and just you know similar type of engagements with the parents and letting them know who I am or what I come from, right, and that is going to be challenging Me. Being able to connect with you isn't like a pass, you know. It's us being able to keep each other accountable, like hey, like you're not on top of it, right, you can't be afraid to have those conversations. I'm going to meet you where you're at, meet me where I'm at right. So I think it's that's the thing that drives me creating the spaces that I wish my father would have and me being a representation of the work.

Speaker 2:

My daughter just finished elementary, she just started middle school and having that experience of her going through certain things that we had to help her get through because some adults just weren't willing to have the conversation. My friend, dr Nathaniel Bowie. He's a principal in New York City and he says it all the time the worst students are sometimes the educators, because they just got through and they didn't have to address certain things. So when they're dealing with particular communities, they can't connect because they didn't have to address things in their own situation. So you have to address the teachers to then address the students, to help the student get where they need to be right. So that's a whole different. As an admin, that's a whole different perspective you have to take on and a challenge you have to take on. So I think that's the driving force to change the narrative and create these spaces that I wish my father would have had for these students.

Speaker 1:

Yeah, and I love it. Man, I know you know people, I always you know I mean I follow what these you know educators are mad about on TikTok, I see it. I was like don't get in front of me and tell me to remember my why. And listen, I get all that because everyone knows. But I think it's important for people to share why they do the work. I don't need to get up here and remind someone why I do it, but I think it's important for every educator to share with other people why they do the work, because sometimes, even for us, just saying it out loud, it's like, man, because there's going to be a day when the work is difficult, when you're stressed out, when you're tired, when you've done all these things and something's not going right with a staff or a student or a classroom or whatever it may be, and it's those little moments that you're like this is. You know that it's that time when you know you see a young lady and she had a breakthrough. You're like this is why I do this work, you know. So it's for me, I, I I'm always encouraging educators to share their why, um, and why they love you to do the work, because those are the things that on those difficult days that are going to sustain you and it's not always a single you, those are the things that on those difficult days that are going to sustain you and it's not always a single, you know, it's not always a big reason Like for you, you know the underlying thing of being the person your father needed, but for some people they don't have. You know, not everyone has a story like you have, but you have made a difference in one student's life and like that moment was the why in that moment, and you know, the next year it's another kid. And you're like, that's why I do this work when they come back. And you're like Mr, mrs, so-and-so, I've been this or man.

Speaker 1:

I was just out with my cousin a couple of days ago. We were grabbing lunch. She's in town from London and ran into a student that I have not seen since. He was in like third grade and he's 27 years old. And I remembered him and I was like by a chance, is your name Elante? And he was like, and like this story is just kind of crazy, because he was like that is. And I started talking to him and he was probably looking like how in the world this guy remember me. He remembered me and I was like man, how's your sister doing? And I was with my cousin who at the time we were teaching together and his sister's name was Michaela. He's like she's doing well and like 10 minutes later, like I go about my business, my cousin and I are sitting at a table. He comes over and he was like he looks at my cousin. He was like is your name, miss wave? She was like it is, and he had his sister on the phone. She's 30 years old and she was just so unbelievably excited to FaceTime with my cousin and it's like those are the moments that I just think I'm like you know this was. You know she's 30 years old, she hasn't been in our school in what? 17 years? And she still remembered her fifth grade teacher, you know.

Speaker 1:

So it's at times this work can feel super thankless. You know we do all these things and you know sometimes we're working later, we're doing stuff on the weekends, but just remembering like we're in the business of changing lives. You know we're in the business of really creating an impact and that's why I just hope you know educators that are listening are really taking this in and thinking about, like, what is your driving factor every single day that you show up and maybe on one day it's different than the other days, but that is the stuff that is going like these kids are going gonna look back and remember that conversation that you had with them, you know, and, and that's the stuff that goes a long way, uh, with these kids. So, um, man, just important. I just want to share that story just because it literally just happened a couple days ago and it was just powerful.

Speaker 1:

I told my cousin I'm like you, you clearly had an effect on her for him to want to call his sister, who was 30 years old, and for her to want to see if it was you, to facetime you. It's like that's why we do this work, like those, the moments that you're like this is why, in those nights I was worn out. I didn't give up, um, but yeah, we're gonna, I'm gonna get ready to wrap this up. But what I always like to do a little this or that game, so a little thing that I encourage other school people to do with their staff, like let's learn about each other. So I'm going to give you a couple of this or that, just off the cuff. I want you to answer them. So the first one I know this, this I don't know. I'm curious what your answer is going to be Mentoring adults or mentoring students?

Speaker 2:

Oh, mentoring students.

Speaker 1:

I was curious because I'm like man. I know you've really done well in both spaces, I do both.

Speaker 2:

I do both. It's hard, actually, I don't know. I'm on the line of either because I do both and I enjoy it. You know it's different challenges. You know I think that mentoring adults is harder because you have to help them unlearn a lot of stuff before you get back to the root. Where a student it will be quicker to get to the root Right. So like it's a different type of work. But yeah. Let me say adults, I'll say adults.

Speaker 1:

All right. Next one is one onone meetings or a large group, pd and the in the one-on-one meetings where you're like coaching someone, not like not that difficult one-on-one meeting, the, the coaching meeting, or a large pd group pd.

Speaker 2:

I think a large pd is what I enjoy more, more, because it's that relatability part Like I may not connect with you, but like there may be something in this PD that will connect you to somebody else. And that's what I love. Like I love seeing people like connecting to PDs and they're like oh, then they build on their own relationship off this one experience that they had. So I love creating those spaces where that can happen.

Speaker 1:

Okay, the next one. Are you a dress shoe or a sneaker to work person Dress shoe.

Speaker 2:

I like the dress shoe. I like the buckle. What's your?

Speaker 1:

dress, shoe.

Speaker 2:

I like the buckle. You know the nice brown shoe with the buckle over it.

Speaker 1:

That's my joints, right there, man see, when I, when I was first getting into my position, I was man. My problem is I was getting dress shoes that look cute, that weren't comfortable so it was rough, man my end of my day, my feet were hurting I was like no, let me just stick with it. Let me stick with it, do with it with it, with sneakers. These days, you know, you put some good slacks on some sneakers and I don don't know.

Speaker 2:

So, yeah, I'm more of a sneakers guy these days I'm getting into the sneakers too, because you know I'm an addict when it comes to basketball or sports. Right after our PD, we had lunch break and the ball started bouncing and all of a sudden, 10 minutes later, I'm in a full sweat, butting down, with some church shocks on the buckle shoe on and I'm shooting fadeaways. I'm in a full sweat, butting down, with some church shocks on the buckle shoe on and I'm shooting fadeaways. I'm like, oh my God, why did I do this?

Speaker 1:

With the wood bottom.

Speaker 2:

So you know there's no grip underneath it 100%.

Speaker 1:

All right, I got two more for you. Best movie of all time.

Speaker 2:

It's not even a guess for that.

Speaker 1:

Best movie of all time.

Speaker 2:

He's not even against that best movie of all time he got game to me, he got game because the relationship with the pops jesus uh, jake shuttlesworth and jesus shuttleworth like that relationship was like hard. It reminded me a lot of mine, like the way they bump heads, but at the end it was understood like that was love. You know, I mean, no matter what the pops uh ended up doing, the mistakes he made, like I had to find it in my heart to forgive so I can continue to grow. So like that movie hit on different. I watched it real. Maybe I shouldn't have watched it when I watched it. I watched it very young and, uh, it was one that stayed with me to this day.

Speaker 1:

That movie hits okay, best I won't say rapper best music artist? This last question best music artist? If you have one music artist, you can only listen one music artist for the rest of your life. Who are you picking?

Speaker 2:

tough, that's real tough. I like all different, different types of music, but if I would, it would have to be a storyteller, and the most current one would be J Cole. Just the storytelling and he gets into different types of experiences. That's the one that I would say now. It used to be Jay-Z, but J Cole right now.

Speaker 1:

Okay, well, I love it. So what I want to do, Carlos, before I wrap up, man, I want to give you an opportunity just to let anyone listening know, um, where they can find you on social media website, any information where they can get your book at, like, um, let them know, uh, where, where they can find you and everything, carlos, on online.

Speaker 2:

Appreciate it, man. So you can find me on social media, cj motivation, or on LinkedIn and Facebook, carlos J Malavet Just remember the J in between Um and my website, cjmotivationcom. My book no more dancing was a bestseller in May, this past May. Uh, you can find it on Amazon or anywhere you buy books, bonds and novels. All that, uh, no More Dancing by Carlos J Malavés. So it's been a pleasure and I appreciate you. I love being on this platform. Whatever you need from me, man, continue to do the things that you're doing. I'm inspired by you, man. Thank you.

Speaker 1:

No, the feeling is mutual, man. That's why I'm trying to build this community of just people and education. That's why I love going to conferences. It's like people that still know that this work is valuable. You know, because it is. But there's a lot of people like I see it in comments on Instagram Like, man, why are you still doing this work? Like you sound like you've already given up, like these kids can't do this, they can't do that. The parents are the. Why are you still doing this work? You know so, man, it's, it's always, it's always empowering to be around people that still know that this work is valuable. So, man, I appreciate all the work that you're doing.

Speaker 1:

I appreciate you for joining me the second time around, even though the first one didn't make it out Cause we had all kinds of issues. Even this time, we had some issues where I lost thing, my microphone's muted. But you know him a follow, check out his book, check out his website. If you like this episode again, I always say please share it with another educator, tag us both in it, make sure you subscribe, make sure you like and make sure you all keep tuning in. Connect with Carlos, keep tuning in. But, carlos, I truly appreciate. You, appreciate everyone for tuning in and we will see you all next week.