You're pulling into the school parking lot, podcast still playing, coffee cooling in your cup holder.
You just heard Corey say:
“We are DEI activities—and we’re proud of it. We won’t take the money if it means silencing our students.”
And now you’re left holding that question in your chest:
Would I be willing to lose funding to protect my community’s voice?
About the Episode:
In this episode of Brave Voices in Education, I sit down with Corey Yarbrough—nonprofit executive, movement builder, and proud gay Black Southern leader—to talk about what happens when your values cost you something real.
Corey is the Executive Director of 826 Boston, a youth writing and publishing powerhouse that centers student voice as resistance. When a recent federal policy threatened that voice, Corey and his team made a bold decision: walk away from $250,000 rather than erase identity from the page.
This episode is a study in courage—the kind that doesn’t just tweet or talk, but restructures budgets and shifts entire programs to stay aligned.
Together, we talk about:
- Being first-gen and finding purpose through debate and justice work
- Leading Black and LGBTQ+ youth in a climate that’s increasingly hostile
- Choosing transparency and public accountability over quiet compliance
- Why cozy, joy-filled resistance is still resistance
- And how to lead when the stakes are personal, political, and deeply human
Your #CupOfCourage: Takeaways to Reflect On
Would you trade comfort for conviction?
Corey could’ve complied quietly. Instead, he made the decision to speak truth out loud—and take the hit with eyes wide open.
What stories are you protecting?
When your students’ lived experiences are labeled “too political,” will you still print them? Platform them? Defend them?
How do you define DEI when no one’s watching?
DEI isn’t a tagline. It’s how we honor the full humanity of every learner, even when it costs us.
What if bravery is just… showing up messy?
Perfection isn’t a prerequisite for leadership. Vulnerability is.
My Reflection: What This Episode Taught Me
This one shook something in me.
As a consultant, former school leader, and Black queer man, I know what it means to fight for belonging in boardrooms that aren’t built for us. I know the temptation to “tone it down,” to stay fundable, to survive.
But Corey reminded me that the cost of compromising your values is far greater than a grant.
My #CupOfCourage today?Say the hard thing in the meeting.
Don’t soften your impact to stay in the room.
And if the check requires silence? Push it back across the table.
Listen to the Full Episode
Choosing Courage Over Checks — Brave Voices in Education
Resources + Guest Info
- 826 Boston – Youth writing and publishing nonprofit
- Connect with Corey on LinkedIn
Need support?
Take It With You:
If you’re reading this while waiting in the drop-off line, prepping for your first Zoom, or decompressing on the train ride home…
Take 60 seconds today to ask:
What am I willing to lose to stay rooted in what I believe?
Tag @bravevoicespod and share your #CupOfCourage.
Let’s build a community of leaders who aren’t just strategic—they’re brave enough to be human.