From The Beginning: Episode 3 (Part 1)

There are so many things that can be said about my guest. A doctoral student at Western Carolina University pursuing a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Equity and Social Justice. She is fashionable, intelligent and proactive. She has a heart for children and how they should be equally educated. Not only is my guest all those things, she’s also my baby cousin, Cassandra Farley Martin. 

This episode is rich with the story of humble beginnings, many childhood memories, and all the foundational things of our real life. From discussing the way our parents raised us, to our ancestors who braved the Middle Passage, (LITERALLY an inside joke. You have to listen to the episode to understand.) to believing that we could do anything. We cover all the things; lack of diversity and cultural awareness in teachers and students that we personally experienced and the lack of awareness of those same areas in our education system today. As a solution to these current problems and disparities, Cassandra, aka (Punkin) created Cardinal Ed., LLC to provide training and curriculum that can help school districts become better equipped for the menagerie of students they may encounter.

In Part 1, you’ll hear statistics that will blow your mind. You’ll hear information and data that shows how the system, educational and otherwise, really isn’t set up to create lots of winners. The amount of knowledge Cassandra gives to us will make your head spin. Her attention to detail and passion for children and their growth is astounding. Her desire to create a classroom environment that will produce a successful generation, while also educating the current teaching generation cultural and social awareness, educational equity, and inclusion. The goal is to have educational leaders consciously recognize that their classroom is not as monochromatic as history has tailored the curriculum to be. 

The Sound of A Bird: Episode 4 (Part 2)

In Part 2 the discussion about disparity in education continues with Cassandra Farley Martin. We learn more about her passion for cultural competence and assisting her fellow colleagues to not only open their eyes to the issues, but actually realize that their eyes are closed. We get into her love for being a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha and the history of that beautiful organization. Cassandra expresses her heart’s mission to make all children and educators knowledgeable of other races, genders, cultures and socioeconomic statuses. We discuss unity and how we’ve been trained to not be united. As you listen to the conversation, you’ll gather insight on biases in our society, but also question your own personal biases. 

The sound of birds mean there is life. Bird sounds are awakening and refreshing; calming. Cardinals bring peace and comfort. It’s the state bird for North Carolina and it happens to be one of  Cassandra’s favorite birds as well. The name of her business is no coincidence as Cardinal Ed., LLC has been constructed to bring peace and inclusion to all. Cardinal Ed., LLC: Culturally Aware Racially Diverse Intentionally Nurturing All Learners Ed., LLC is an independent education consultant firm where, Cassandra is the owner, creator and founder. The services of Cardinal Ed., LLC, offers cultural competence training that school districts and leaders need to be equitable in their practices and behaviors in the classroom. Amongst the services offered, Cassandra is able to assist in developing curriculum that is culturally inclusive as well as helping with personal biases. Mrs. Martin is ready to identify the need, look at data and put things in place strategically and intentionally for the best result. Cassandra wants leaders in the educational arena to not be afraid to deconstruct and reconstruct the broken system they’ve worked with for so long, so it works for all students. Being culturally responsive and sensitive are more than recognizing one abbreviated month of Black history; it’s also recognizing, for example, that there are various dialects in the Latinx language, or recognizing that, like our country has people who can speak English but can’t read it, there are the very same situations with children from other countries, other ethnicities and cultures. The need for translators and documents written in native languages should be just as accessible as having sign language/or interpreters for the hearing impaired. The list goes on and on for the needs of cultural awareness. Cassandra Martin is a beast in her field, she’s my family and I love her and her passion dearly. 

Meet Punkin

Cassandra R. Farley Martin has always loved learning and at an early age decided she would be a teacher and marry Micheal Jackson. She is a North Carolina native and proud Appalachian State University Mountaineer, who has passionately invested in education for over a decade as a classroom teacher, teacher leader, grant project director, and administrator. By her personal experiences as an underserved gifted learner, a sister to a brother on the Autism Spectrum, and in serving a diverse population of scholars throughout her career, Cassandra's desire to ensure every child is served equitably and feels as if they belong, is a calling and obligation. In the fall of 2020, Mrs. Martin's commitment to equity led her to a mid-sized North Carolina school system and her role as their first Director of Equity and Inclusion. Creating brave spaces of empowerment and safety for all learners is her mission. That mission is why she started CARDINAL Ed., LLC as an extension of her already established career; expanding her capacity to serve outside of her district. Her role is a Director of Equity, her obligation is to humanity.

As a lifelong learner and scholar-practitioner, Mrs. Martin is always seeking opportunities to continue her learning and development as an agent of change. She is a doctoral student at Western Carolina University pursuing a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Equity and Social Justice. Cassandra holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Appalachian State University, a Master of Arts in Education in Teacher Leadership in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Post-masters School Administration license in Executive Leadership Studies both from Gardner-Webb University. Recently, Cassandra earned her certification in Diversity and Inclusion Organizational Leadership from Cornell University.

As a dedicated servant leader, Cassandra believes every child is gifted and it is the job of educators to first, see them and then nurture them intentionally every single day. When Cassandra isn't joyfully serving in education, she can be found spending time with her husband of 17 years and fellow Mountaineer Du'Shon, and their four children. Cassandra is happiest when she is at home with her family doing absolutely nothing.

The conversation will bring laughter, nostalgia, wide-eyed head turns and a sense of hope, all at the same time. I’m thankful for our time and hope you feel the same.

Cassandra R. Farley Martin
Cardinal Ed., LLC
Phone: (980)355-9073
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://cardinaled.wixsite.com/website

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Her Real Life, The Podcast
Creator and Host
Linette Colwell

Post Production Editor
Holly Harris, Torn Roof Entertainment

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