In this episode of Two Dope Teachers and a Mic, Gerardo sits down with Alix Guerrier, CEO of DonorsChoose, to talk about how classrooms become engines of justice when teachers are trusted with resources—and when young people are trusted with big ideas.
From robotics programs serving new immigrant students, to youth-led racial justice campaigns sparked by classroom reading groups, to hydroponic gardens blooming on school rooftops in Puerto Rico—this conversation pulls back the curtain on how creativity thrives when scarcity isn’t the dominant story.
Alix also breaks down what equity means beyond buzzwords, how data from over 90% of U.S. schools is shaping systemic insight, and why investing in kids is not just morally urgent—it’s economically undeniable.
Episode Chapters:

00:00 — Opening Question: What needs a remix in education?
05:00 — What DonorsChoose Is (and Isn’t)
12:00 — Classroom Stories that Spark Movements
30:00 — Acceleration vs. Remediation: Rethinking Learning Gaps
41:00 — What Equity Looks Like in Practice
47:00 — The Next 25 Years of DonorsChoose
52:00 — Top Five Rappers
55:00 — Closing Reflections

Links & Resources
Support Teachers & Classrooms

DonorsChoose: https://www.donorschoose.org
Fund real classroom needs across the U.S.

Follow DonorsChoose

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/donorschoose
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/donorschoose/

Learning Resources Mentioned

Zearn Math – Acceleration-focused math equity model
https://www.zearn.org
Math Mind by Shalinee Sharma — research on accelerating learning instead of remediating gaps

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