Staff
Click on a staffperson's name to view their biography.
SPECIAL PROJECT CONSULTANTS
Don Allen
PARENT ORGANIZING
America Calderon Tellin' Stories General Manager and Bilingual Parent Organizer
Dyana Forester Tellin' Stories Family-Schools Organizer
Yarel Marshall Tellin' Stories Bilingual Parent Organizer
Doris Watkins Tellin' Stories Citywide Senior Coordinator
Jill Weiler Tellin' Stories Senior Program Coordinator
PUBLICATIONS - CATALOG
Osmin Canales Publications Fulfillment Specialist
Lauren Cooper Publications Coordinator
Carolina Valencia Publications Sales Senior Coordinator
PUBLICATIONS - BOOKSTORES
Don Allen Bookstore General Manager
Derrick Weston Brown Bookstore Sales Associate
Aaron Dorsey Bookstore Sales Associate
Linda Finkel-Talvadkar Bookstore Sales Associate
Hannah Jayanti Bookstore Sales Associate
Saba Sebhatu Bookstore Sales Associate
Katie Seitz Bookstore Sales Associate
PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT
Cecelia Alvarado Early Childhood Equity Initiative, Project Director
Jenice View Civil Rights Movement, Senior Professional Development Specialist
ADMINISTRATION
Julie Choe Associate Director
Deborah Menkart Executive Director
SPECIAL PROJECT CONSULTANTS
Enid Lee Virtual Scholar
Alana Murray Putting the Movement Back Into Civil Rights Teaching
BIOGRAPHIES
América Calderón
Usually, I am asked if I was named because of the “country” so I use my name to educate people that America is not a country but a continent. I am from Guatemala. I was forced to flee my country in 1982. For the first six months in the U.S.A., I did not get a bed because I thought the “revolution” was going to win and we could go back soon. Twenty five years later, I am still here, we did not win the revolution, nothing has changed back in my country, but I got a bed. I started working in the Tellin’ Stories Project in February 2008 as a program manager and community organizer. I like working with such a diverse group of women in a collaborative, supportive way that I could not get anywhere else. I have three children: one lives in Mexico, one in Pittsburgh, and the youngest is finishing college in Providence, RI. I love biking to work, swimming and my passion is doing ceramics. My great accomplishments are my children.
Dyana Forester
Dyana was raised in Washington, D.C. but spent summers in Kansas City, KS, where she was born. Because of her mother's occupation as an undercover police officer they lived in every quadrant of the district, from Mt. Pleasant, NW to Southern Avenue, SE. Dyana and her younger sister both graduated from D.C. Public Schools and credit their mother’s consistent involvement in their education to their success. Currently, Dyana is working with the Tellin’ Stories Project as a Family School Community Organizer, merging her previous experience as a union organizer and her role as a mother of two into one dream job. “I love working with parents to connect them to the resources they need to be actively involved with their children's education. I learn from them and they learn from me. Together we work to make a difference.”
Yarel Marshall
My love for a well-rounded education for my children brought me to Tellin' Stories. I'm that mom who attends all the meetings and volunteers for almost everything. With Tellin' Stories I can share my passion for our children's education with other parents and be a part of the social changes that occur as we demand more for our children. I enjoy socializing with other parents, getting to know my school community, and being part of something progressive in the world of academics. But what also makes me who I am are my college sweetheart, immigrant parents, a large family, New England seasons, military life, and a passion to try most things at least once. Fun for me is hanging out with close friends, going to the movies, trying a new restaurant, going salsa dancing, hosting a party, scrap booking, traveling, making new discoveries with the kids, dating my husband, and many more adjectives. Let's just say I go to sleep exhausted! (But I wouldn't have it any other way!)
Doris Watkins
I would like to think that I have been an organizer most of my life. When you’re the oldest girl of ten siblings and the first girl of five boys, and have the responsibility of raising the seven younger siblings, you are an organizer. In 1988 I helped to organize the Benning/Marshall Height Neighborhood Coalition Against Drugs and Crime because I wanted the best for my daughter and other children of the community. Soon after, I was hired as a community organizer by the Marshall Heights Community Organization, directed by Lloyd D. Smith. I organized my neighborhood to take back our streets from the dealers who wanted to take over. Because of the successes of that model of organizing we were featured in the HBO film Day in the Death of America and I received requests to train other community members locally and nationally to do the same in their neighborhoods. Employed by Teaching for Change since 2000, I try to mobilize parents to advocate for quality education not only for their children but for children across the city. This work is important to me because I believe as Martin Luther King, Jr. did, that “young learners actually believe that they can achieve until convinced otherwise.”
Jill Weiler
At Tellin’ Stories since 1998, Jill is inspired by parents who use their passion, courage and power to transform schools for all children. She was an English teacher in the D.C. Public Schools for eight years and one day would like to return to writing poetry with adolescents in a public school setting. She has a Masters degree from Ohio State in Educational Policy and Leadership focused on Curriculum and Instruction and co-directed the D.C. Area Writing Project for two years. She lives in Brookland, D.C. with her three kids, David, Jacob and Maria, all who attend D.C. Public Schools; her husband Steve, whose work in the field of international development has many common threads of that of Tellin’ Stories; and her dog Lacy, a sweet black lab.
Osmín Canales
Born in La Unión, El Salvador, Osmín was raised by his grandparents. He attended school until the age of 18 when he was brought to this country by his parents, along with his siblings, in September 2002. Due to the lack of being fluent in English, Osmín had to repeat high school. He attended Bell Multicultural High School in Washington, D.C. Even though this was a set back, this did not stop him from graduating in the Top 10 of his class in June 2007. He started working for Teaching for Change during his senior year in 2007. Since graduation, he continues working for TFC because he supports the value of teaching social justice in the classrooms. In his spare time, he enjoys playing soccer--that is his passion.
Lauren Cooper
Born in Phoenix, AZ, Lauren fled the 110°+ summers as soon as she could. With an interest in independent media, she’s accumulated 8 years in professional publishing including the Phoenix New Times and Independent Press Association. Since standardized testing week in 3rd grade, she’s dreaded the drudgery of school. At the Johnston Center for Integrative Studies (University of Redlands), she discovered how wonderful and challenging learning can be when the student is able to actively participate in the educational process. She now takes satisfaction in providing the materials to make school enriching to other 3rd graders and beyond. At Teaching for Change she coordinates publications marketing and outreach, bookstore bookkeeping, and special projects including the Zinn Education Project. She’s Native American (Creek and Pima) and enjoys “being around books and the people who read them.”
Carolina Valencia
Carolina graduated from the Multicultural Career Intern Program (MCIP) in Washington, D.C., and in 1990 she joined the MCIP Family as a staff member where she worked for nine years. Originally from El Salvador, she came to the U.S. in 1979. Carolina is a lucky mother of three boys. Carolina joined the TFC family in 1999 when she became very interested in justice, social change and activism. The struggle for social change is why she’s still a member of the TFC family.
Don Allen
Don has been working in bookstores and libraries since his Kent State college days when everyone was protesting against apartheid in South Africa. He learned for the first time that the government lies when Reagan fired his dad for being a striking member of PATCO, the air traffic controllers' union. Since that time, it has been harder and harder to find truth coming from our elected leaders.
Don seriously believes that Franny and Zooey is a much better Salinger novel than Catcher in the Rye and Dostoyevsky was the greatest novelist to walk the planet. Don and his wife, Kelly, recently left Mount Pleasant to live in Takoma, D.C., where he spends his free time rooting for last place baseball teams (The Nats and the team from Cleveland), being terrorized by their ferocious cat, and plotting to turn the yard into a garden.
Don seriously believes that Franny and Zooey is a much better Salinger novel than Catcher in the Rye and Dostoyevsky was the greatest novelist to walk the planet. Don and his wife, Kelly, recently left Mount Pleasant to live in Takoma, D.C., where he spends his free time rooting for last place baseball teams (The Nats and the team from Cleveland), being terrorized by their ferocious cat, and plotting to turn the yard into a garden.
Derrick Weston Brown
Derrick holds an MFA in Creative Writing from American University. He has studied poetry under Dr. Tony Medina at Howard University and Cornelius Eady at American University. In 2006 he released his first chapbook of poetry entitled The Unscene and is currently working on his second chapbook/manuscript tentatively entitled Gist. He also teaches an amazing group of 6th and 7th graders at Hart Middle School in S.E. Washington, D.C. He is the Poet-In-Residence at Busboys and Poets bookstore and restaurant. He is a native of Charlotte, NC, and currently resides in Mount Rainier, MD.
Derrick holds an MFA in Creative Writing from American University. He has studied poetry under Dr. Tony Medina at Howard University and Cornelius Eady at American University. In 2006 he released his first chapbook of poetry entitled The Unscene and is currently working on his second chapbook/manuscript tentatively entitled Gist. He also teaches an amazing group of 6th and 7th graders at Hart Middle School in S.E. Washington, D.C. He is the Poet-In-Residence at Busboys and Poets bookstore and restaurant. He is a native of Charlotte, NC, and currently resides in Mount Rainier, MD.
Aaron Dorsey
Aaron joined Teaching for Change as a part-time bookseller in 2007. When he is not at the bookstore, Aaron is the Manager of the National School Boards Association's Extended-Day Learning Opportunities (EDLO) Program. Aaron has also worked as an educational consultant with various non-profit agencies in Washington, D.C., including D.C. Safe Schools and Communities Coalition, Academy for Educational Development, and The Africa Society of the National Summit on Africa. From 2001-2004, Aaron served as the Community Coordinator for the Positive School Climate initiative with Oakland Unified School District and in the late 1990's as a school and community resource volunteer in the Republic of South Africa. In addition, Aaron has a range of professional experiences that includes teaching, youth development, research, school-community-family collaboration and community outreach.
Aaron holds a bachelors degree in History from San Francisco State University and Masters Degree in international comparative education from Stanford University.
Aaron holds a bachelors degree in History from San Francisco State University and Masters Degree in international comparative education from Stanford University.
Linda Finkel-Talvadkar
Linda has been a bookseller for Teaching for Change since August 2007. She loves advocating for TFC and helping customers fall in love with the stores selection of books -- especially the children's collection.
Since 2005, Linda has served as a Commissioner on the District of Columbia's Commission on National and Community Service. Linda's professional and volunteer background is rooted in education, public and community service. Her education experience includes serving as principal and guidance counselor of St. Ann's High School at St. Ann's Infant and Maternity Home; supervising student-led diversity workshops in high schools; directing an elementary before-school program; managing a "City at Peace" educational performing arts production; and substitute teaching. Her community service endeavors have focused on family and educational institutions involvement in Martha's Table, D.C. Habitat for Humanity and Habitat for Humanity International. Linda's public service volunteering includes serving as press secretary for her respective ward, and state political party committees as well as for a national presidential campaign.
She earned a Master of Education in student development administration in higher education at American University, and an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Massachusetts-Boston. She also has specialized training in mediation, leadership and parenting education.
Since 2005, Linda has served as a Commissioner on the District of Columbia's Commission on National and Community Service. Linda's professional and volunteer background is rooted in education, public and community service. Her education experience includes serving as principal and guidance counselor of St. Ann's High School at St. Ann's Infant and Maternity Home; supervising student-led diversity workshops in high schools; directing an elementary before-school program; managing a "City at Peace" educational performing arts production; and substitute teaching. Her community service endeavors have focused on family and educational institutions involvement in Martha's Table, D.C. Habitat for Humanity and Habitat for Humanity International. Linda's public service volunteering includes serving as press secretary for her respective ward, and state political party committees as well as for a national presidential campaign.
She earned a Master of Education in student development administration in higher education at American University, and an undergraduate degree in political science from the University of Massachusetts-Boston. She also has specialized training in mediation, leadership and parenting education.
Saba Sebhatu
Saba grew up inspired to write, travel and photograph life. Holding a BA in Journalism she is currently working at the TFC bookstores at Busboys and Poets to promote themes of community and social justice. Her interests include African Affairs mainly its history, politics and development. She also is the Chairperson of a 501(c)3 National Union of Eritrean Youth & Students (NUEYS-DC), which promotes continuity, organization and the overall advancement of Eritrean-American youth in the African Diaspora.
Katie Seitz
Katie recently celebrated her tenth year in D.C., which has come to feel like home. She came here to attend Georgetown University in 1998, and became active in the campaign for an LGBT resource center while a student there. Since graduation, she has pursued numerous areas of activism, study and work, including her longtime association with INCITE! Women of Color Against Violence, an internship at a dairy farm as a cheesemaker, and almost two years as administrative support for AVODAH: The Jewish Service Corps. She has spent time away from D.C. to live in London and Seoul, but always comes back in the end.
Cecelia Alvarado
A former Senior Associate and director of a national early childhood leadership initiative at the Wheelock College in Boston, Cecelia was Chairperson of the Early Childhood Education (ECE) Department at Santa Barbara City College from 1982-1997. This California native is a former president of the California Association for the Education of Young Children. In addition to directing the Early Childhood Equity Initiative at Teaching for Change, Cecelia currently consults with the National Council of La Raza and ZERO TO THREE while teaching in the Graduate School of Education at George Mason University and supervising teachers in the D.C. Public Schools. Cecelia’s 30 year-old son, Adam, shares her passion for art and his encouragement has led to the development of her new website www.artforceceliaalvarado.com where her mosaic, fiber art and jewelry pieces can be seen.
Jenice View
Dr. Jenice L. View is an Assistant Professor in the Graduate School of Education at George Mason University. For more than 20 years, View has worked with a variety of educational and nongovernmental organizations, including a public charter school, the Just Transition Alliance, Rural Coalition, the Association for Community Based Education, and LISTEN, Inc. to create space for the voices that are often excluded from public policy considerations: women, people of color, poor urban and rural community residents, and especially youth. She has a B.A. from Syracuse University, an MPA-URP from Princeton, and a Ph.D. from the Union Institute and University. View, a native of one of the last U.S. Colonies (Washington, D.C.), is the proud mother of two daughters, Ava and Leah. She hopes to pass on her inheritance of being a politically aware and socially active woman that she received from many including her paternal grandparents (among the first organizers in the Nation of Islam in the 1940s), and her parents (who have helped form and sustain many local D.C. community institutions).
Julie Choe
Julie grew up moving from country to country, which gave her a great curiosity about the world and how things work in different places. She’s used that curiosity in her professional life to learn from different industries, from children’s publishing to finance, from teaching to non-profit management, in locations as varied as an office overlooking Central Park in New York City to the loft of a horse barn in rural Massachusetts. Julie’s diverse background and ability to blend best practices serve her well at Teaching for Change, where she’s able to oversee fundraising, human resources, and organizational development of our varied programs while seeing how they all connect and serve each other and their constituents. An alumna of Tufts University, Julie serves on the board of The Farm School and enjoys growing vegetables, windsurfing, curling up with a great book, and discovering yummy places to eat.
Deborah Menkart
Raised in D.C., Deborah’s activism began in junior high school when she protested D.C.’s “taxation without representation” and the “dresses-only” dress code for girls. The dress code changed, but D.C.’s colonial status continues. Her perspective on the world was shaped by being the first born in the U.S. of European immigrants on both sides of her family and being raised by a single mother who worked as a dressmaker. During the 1970s Deborah lived in San Diego, California, where she worked as a shipyard electrician and was active in the antiwar, women’s, international solidarity, and labor movements. Through all of these experiences she decided that for any social justice movement in the U.S. to succeed, a change in pre-K - 12 education is essential. Since 1989 she has been pursuing that belief in her work at Teaching for Change.