Ep13 Dr. De'Shawn C. Washington, Ed.D., Statewide Teacher of The Year: Leadership Development podcast

This leadership development podcast is brought to you by: Ovi Vasquez, Inspirational Leadership Keynote Speaker. Fatherless farm boy from rural Guatemala—Inspiring teams to peak performance. He challenges teams to embrace change and step into bold leadership through leadership culture. He grew up in a village off-the-grid, migrated to the U.S., learned English in two years, graduated from high school in three years, earned a B.A. in management, in two years.  Ovi has worked for Apple, Tesla, Salesforce, and Uber. He is a TEDx speaker, author, and a social entrepreneur. 

GUEST:  Dr. De’Shawn C. Washington is the 2024 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year and Founder of Cultivating Changemakers, LLC. He is an educator, author, and national speaker focused on literacy, financial education, and equity, helping schools create joyful, student-centered learning environments. 

Find our guest at: https://www.cultivatingchangemakersllc.org
Find our host at: https://www.ovinspires.com

Leadership Keywords: educational equity, teacher development, Gen Z leadership, student-centered learning, restorative practices, financial literacy, classroom culture, youth empowerment, instructional coaching, values-driven leadership 

Leadership Summary: In this episode, Dr. Washington shares how he went from struggling new teacher to statewide leader. He explains how the “CRAZY” framework builds strong classroom systems, student voice, and trust. His stories highlight the impact of mentors, morning meetings, and culturally affirming spaces. Leaders in education and corporate spaces will find practical strategies to build emotional safety and high performance. 

10 Takeaways on Leadership
✅ See talent beyond today
✅ Feedback is support
✅ Mentorship creates legacy
✅ Kids need voice, not control
✅ Normalize financial education
✅ Build systems, not quick fixes
✅ Praise effort, not perfection
✅ Teach through relationships
✅ Stay aligned with your purpose
✅ Develop routines that grow trust 

5 Titles for Leadership
✅ From Classroom Chaos to CRAZY Framework
✅ Dr. Washington’s Blueprint for Teaching with Purpose
✅ Every Teacher Was Once a Learner
✅ What Students Teach Us About Leading
✅ Why Financial Literacy Belongs in Every School 

5 Sound Bites for Leadership
🗣 “Your story gets better when you add others to it.”
🗣 “Joy is the goal, structure is the tool.”
🗣 “Teaching is the profession that builds all others.”
🗣 “You need mentors older and younger than you.”
🗣 “We are models of learning, not perfection.” 

10 Chapters on Leadership
00:00 – Meet Dr. Washington
03:00 – Serving Massachusetts Students
06:00 – Reading With Grandma
09:00 – Business or Education?
12:00 – Failing, Learning, Rising
15:00 – Student Voice and Community
20:00 – The CRAZY Framework
25:00 – Financial Literacy for Kids
30:00 – Lessons from Losing Focus
35:00 – Tools, Books, and Final Advice 

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