JANUARY 2025 | DR. CHRISTINA KISHIMOTO
Dr. Brione Minor-Mitchell is an experienced educational leader with a focus on culturally responsive education. She has a proven track record of fostering student-centered environments and improving academic outcomes.
As principal of Cunningham Elementary School in Las Vegas, Brione prioritizes student well-being and learning through community-driven goals. She has successfully led professional learning communities across K-5 grade levels.
Dr. Minor-Mitchell advocates for integrating technology and AI in education, particularly in high-needs elementary schools and emphasizes the importance of hands-on computer science and AI experiences to prepare students for the future.
Enjoy the conversation with Dr. Kishimoto and Dr. Minor-Mitchell below.
The following transcript has been edited for length and clarity.
Dr. Kishimoto
Hello everyone. Welcome to 2025. I am so excited. I’m Dr Christina Kishimoto and I am here for our first edition of the New Year. And how appropriate for me to have a dear friend with me. Dr Brione Minor-Mitchell, a school principal, not just a school principal, but also an outstanding national leader making waves in all the right ways in public education. I am so excited, Brione, to have you with me as a friend, a colleague, a dear person to start off the year in conversation.
Dr. Brione Minor-Mitchell
Thank you, Dr Kishimoto. Thank you so much for having me on your show.
Dr. Kishimoto
So, 2025! New Year’s is always like this big deal for my family and for me, whether there’s a reason for it to be a big deal or not, we make it a big deal. There’s closure for the year before entering into the new year. I’m wondering how you’re feeling coming into 2025?
Dr. Minor-Mitchell
I want to say I’m feeling hopeful for 2025. I’m feeling restful as well. I think this is going to be a big year, not only to reflect on the years prior, but also to reflect on where we’re going in the future. And so, I’m excited about 2025 but also, I think this is a year of just rest and really opening our eyes and just learning so that we can get better.
Dr. Kishimoto
I’m glad you used the word restful and rest within like the first minute of having this conversation. That’s not a highly used word amongst educators, especially when you’re leading schools, leading districts. I’m wondering whether you did something during the holidays that made you feel more restful, or whether you’re just good at this and you know how to center yourself, enjoy and rest?
Dr. Minor-Mitchell
I think since the pandemic, everyone has been through so much, and I think as a collective, of educators, and a collective of women, a collective of people of color, a collective of people who have been through this pandemic, I think the new word out there is rest. It’s restful, it is hopeful. It’s all those things. And I really want to take that seriously and really apply that this year.
Dr. Kishimoto
I love that!
And you know, we in Voice4Equity and the network, and the women leading across the country have a big event coming up. It’s the Tech, Power and Equity conference. In three weeks’ time we’re going to get together as leaders across the country to talk about what’s happening in the world of technology and AI and the opportunities it brings, as well as, how do we get ready for it? How do we leverage it, how do we take advantage of it? And I thought it was appropriate for us to have a conversation today about the work you’re doing. You’re an elementary school principal. You have been leading the work of technology and computer science. You are thinking deeply about AI. I wonder if you can tell us a little bit about how you’re leading in this space.
