Teaching Truth in a Time of Censorship: Hedreich Nichols on Brave Education and Cultural Resistance
Jul 24, 2025
You’re pulling into your school’s parking lot, the sun barely up, and your mind’s already on the parent email you haven’t answered, the lesson plan you still need to tweak, and that one hallway conversation you’re dreading.
Then you hear Hedreich say:
“History is not history. It’s histories.”
And suddenly, you're wondering:
Am I still teaching the truth—or just what’s safe?
About the Episode:
In this heart-filled and truth-telling episode of Brave Voices in Education, I sit down with the brilliant Hedreich Nichols—curriculum designer, author, and global educator—to talk about what it really means to stay rooted in integrity when the system wants you quiet.
Together, we unpack:
- How Hedreich’s childhood, church life, and Sesame Street shaped her approach to identity-affirming education
- What’s really lost when funding for DEI and special education disappears
- Why educators must resist sanitized curriculum narratives
- How to protect your peace while staying informed (no, doom-scrolling is not research)
- And how brave teaching isn't always loud, but it's always real
Your #CupOfCourage: Takeaways to Reflect On
Teaching truth is an act of love—and resistance.
Sanitized lessons are easy. Truth-telling takes heart.
Your curriculum is a mirror and a window.
Are your students only learning how others live, or are they seeing themselves reflected too?
Empathy builds safe classrooms.
It’s not just about what we teach, but how we hold space for students to be seen and heard.
Wellness is a form of activism.
When the world feels heavy, choosing joy and rest is a radical choice.
My Reflection: What This Episode Taught Me
Whew. This episode reminded me that being brave isn’t about always being unbothered—it’s about showing up even when bothered.
My #CupOfCourage today?
To check my own lessons, language, and leadership.
To ask myself: Am I making it easier for students to love who they are?
And if not, what am I afraid of?
Because, as Hedreich said:
“If we don’t tell the full story, who will?”
Listen to the Full Episode
Banned, Brilliant, and Unbothered with Hedreich Nichols – Brave Voices in Education
Resources + Guest Info