In this episode of Moving Forward: Conversations on Culture, Identity, Healing, and Hope, Linda Anderson sits down with Dr. Tracie Tagamolila-Noriega — a proud second-generation Filipino-American, former teen mom, and one of the few Filipino-Americans serving at the cabinet level in California public education.

With nearly 30 years as a teacher, principal, district leader, Assistant Superintendent, and now ACSA’s Senior Director of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Professional Learning, Tracie has dedicated her career to building equitable and culturally responsive systems for students, families, and communities. She also leads the Filipino American Educators Association of California and co-hosts the Critically Conscious Classroom show.

Together, we explore how identity shapes leadership, why representation matters, and how healing-centered practices can transform teams and systems. Tracie shares how she broke generational and systemic patterns, how Ethnic Studies influenced her leadership, and what leaders in any field can do to create culturally affirming spaces where people feel seen, valued, and able to thrive.

Key themes in this conversation include:

• Identity as a source of strength
  

• Representation and visibility in leadership
  

• Healing-centered and critically conscious leadership
  

• Creating culturally affirming environments
  

• Staying rooted in purpose during challenging seasons
  

• Lifting others and opening doors as you lead
  

Tracie’s journey is a powerful reminder that healing is real, identity is transformative, and purpose can guide us through even the most difficult chapters.

Follow us on:

Instagram: @lluande1

Facebook: @Linda Unrath-Anderson

LinkedIn: @Linda Anderson

Music by Maksym_Dudchyk from Pixabay

Podcast produced by Ury Gonzalez