Stacey Martin (she/her/hers) discovered her purpose at a young age as a speech and debate student. Her educational experience allowed her to discover her passions and gave her the opportunity to utilize her voice in spaces where Black and brown voices traditionally have been underrepresented, undervalued, and unheard. Since then, she has strived to inspire and motivate others to find their purpose and use their voices.
“Education can be freedom and ultimately the vehicle for social justice. The phenomenal Black educators in my life are living blueprints of the impact that great leaders can have on students. I hope to pay this impact forward in my own school by creating a racially equitable foundation with systems that allow students to discover and be inspired.”
Through the Build Track of the BES Fellowship, Stacey will propose a school that will support Black and brown students to uncover and grow their passions into careers, provide access to early college, and prepare them to embark on a lifetime of achievement by developing the social and emotional skills needed to navigate through adversity. “I want to found and lead a school that intentionally dismantles systemic racism by supporting students to build critical learning skills, master content, and advocate for themselves in the global community.”
Stacey most recently served as the academic dean at Achievement First Crown Heights Middle School in Brooklyn, NY, where she coached teachers on instruction and developed curriculum. Prior to this, she spent nine years across New York as a leader and educator at Success Academies and Ascend Network and in Department of Education schools. Stacey is an entrepreneur and champion for Black women in STEAM, having co-founded a marketing and engineering firm where she served as the executive project manager. Stacey received her bachelor’s degree in English literature and communications from Queens College and is completing her master’s degree in educational leadership from North Central University.
