In this powerful, in-person episode of the Unlearned & Unlimited Podcast, the conversation slows down — and gets honest.

Hosted by Dr. Sito Narcisse, this episode centers on a message many educators, leaders, and high-achievers rarely hear enough:

You’re doing a damn good job.

Even if it doesn’t look like you thought it would.

Even if it doesn’t feel that way today.

Even if the results aren’t loud yet.

In this episode, Tatiana Echevarria steps into the guest seat and reflects on growing up with high expectations — being told early on that anything less than an “A” wasn’t enough. The drive to excel brought success, involvement, leadership, and impact — but it also created a quiet fear of imperfection. A fear of stepping outside the box. A pressure to always perform, always prove, always deliver.

Tatiana talks openly about choosing teaching at a time when it was deeply respected — not for the pay, but for the impact. About teachers who questioned the path, mentors who pushed excellence, and the internal voice that equated worth with achievement.

This episode explores:

How perfectionism can motivate — and limit

What happens when excellence becomes a cage

Why impact matters more than appearance

And how unlearning the need to be perfect is often the key to real leadership

This is not a highlight reel.

It’s a reminder.

If you’re an educator, a leader, or anyone carrying the weight of expectation — hear this clearly:

You’re doing a damn good job.

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On this powerful episode of Unlearned & Unlimited, hosts Dr. Sito Narcisse and Tatiana Echevarria sit down with entrepreneur, educator, and coach Angelica Pompy, also known as the “Yes Queen,” to unpack her journey from health administration student to six-figure business owner and mentor to women entrepreneurs across the country.

Angelica shares how she started Pompy Portraits as a side hustle in 2017 while working a 9-to-5, often putting in 12-hour days during her “five-to-nine.” Despite being told photography couldn’t be a real business, she leaned into her creativity, saved a full year of living expenses, and made the calculated leap into full-time entrepreneurship in 2019 — photographing her first international wedding in Italy the same year.

Since then, her ventures have expanded into multiple businesses, including Angelica Pompy Education, Simply You Studio, and her growing coaching membership Business Church, helping women build systems, confidence, and clarity in their businesses.

In this conversation, Angelica breaks down:

Why “doing it messy” beats waiting for perfection

How systems like CRMs separate struggling businesses from sustainable ones

Why community beats competition, especially for women entrepreneurs

How visibility and using your voice directly impact revenue

What it really means to “stand on business”

Why women-led startups still receive only 2% of venture capital — and how knowledge gaps play a role

How to calculate risk with data, pivot strategically, and protect your work-life boundaries

Angelica also opens up about being the first in her family to graduate college and become an entrepreneur, how she turned a personal weakness into a leadership strength, and why choosing joy should be central to any entrepreneurial path.

This episode is a must-watch for:

Aspiring and current entrepreneurs

Women building service-based businesses

Creatives thinking about leaving corporate life

Anyone ready to unlearn traditional definitions of success

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What if the key to fixing high school starts with ninth grade?

In this episode of the Unlearned & Unlimited Podcast, hosts Dr. Sito Narcisse and Tatiana Echevarria sit down with Kaaren Andrews, National Director of the Center for High School Success, to unpack why the first year of high school is one of the most critical—and misunderstood—moments in a student’s life.

With over 20 years of experience as a principal, system leader, and education reformer, Kaaren shares powerful insights from her work building alternative education models in Seattle and scaling student-centered systems across 14 states. She explains why belonging and connection are not “soft skills,” but foundational drivers of academic success, especially for students with disabilities and those navigating systemic barriers.

This conversation also explores how schools can build internal capacity instead of constantly chasing new programs, why listening to communities matters more than top-down reform, and how AI in education could either widen gaps—or help schools finally meet students where they are.

Whether you’re a teacher, principal, district leader, policymaker, or advocate, this episode challenges you to rethink school structure, student support, and what real education reform looks like.

Key Topics Discussed:

• Why the first semester of ninth grade predicts long-term success

• How belonging impacts learning and student retention

• Lessons from alternative high schools that traditional systems can adopt

• Supporting students with disabilities beyond compliance

• Building sustainable capacity within schools

• The real promise—and risk—of AI in education

• Community-centered leadership in K–12 systems

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In this powerful episode of Unlearned & Unlimited Podcast, hosts Dr. Sito Narcisse & Tatiana Echevarria sit down with Dr. Dorsey Hopson, one of the most experienced and influential leaders in American K–12 education.

Together, they unpack the real cost of leadership—the emotional, political, and personal realities of serving in public institutions, and the surprising lessons learned after transitioning into the private sector.

Dr. Dorsey Hopson’s journey spans nearly 25 years, including some of the most challenging and high-impact roles in education:

Career Journey Highlights

Partner at The City Fund (2022–Present)

National K–12 Director, Cigna Healthcare (2019–2022)

Superintendent, Memphis-Shelby County Schools (2013–2019)

General Counsel, Memphis City & Shelby County Schools (2008–2013)

Education

Juris Doctorate, Georgia State University College of Law

B.A. in Political Science, University of Memphis

WHAT THIS EPISODE UNPACKS

The emotional toll of leading in K–12 during historic disruption

Why leadership demands sacrifice no one warns you about

How Dr. Hopson navigated district mergers, federal uncertainty, and community pressure

What the private sector showed him about impact, scale, and sustainability

Why unlearning old habits is the key to evolving as a leader

This is one of the most transparent conversations ever recorded about the true human cost of leadership.

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In this powerful episode of the Unlearned & Unlimited Podcast, host Dr. Sito Narcisse is joined by Nurse Practitioner Shetila Burrell, FNP-C, a 20+ year U.S. Navy Reserve medical leader and founder of Heart 2 Heart Care Clinic.

Together, they tackle one of the biggest misconceptions people have today:

“I’m fine. I don’t need to see a doctor.”

Young adults, men, women — everyone thinks they’re invincible… until something goes wrong.

Shetila breaks down why regular checkups, annual screenings, and prevention are the real keys to longevity. She exposes common myths about hereditary illness, explains how secondhand smoke can trigger cancer, and shares why stress management is essential for lifelong health.

This is a must-watch for anyone who cares about staying healthy, staying ahead, and taking control of their future.

In This Episode, You’ll Learn:

Why “feeling fine” is NOT proof of good health

Why health checkups should start early — not after a crisis

How cancer risk is influenced by both genetics and environment

The hidden dangers of secondhand smoke

How stress and lifestyle impact long-term health

Why your body changes every decade — and how to prepare

Why prevention saves money, time, and lives

How to build consistent health habits at any age

Featured Guest: Shetila Burrell, FNP-C

Nurse Practitioner • U.S. Navy Reserve • Heart 2 Heart Care Clinic

Specialist in preventive healthcare, family medicine, military readiness, and holistic wellness.

Host: Dr. Sito Narcisse

Unlearned & Unlimited Podcast

Why This Episode Matters

Health isn’t a reaction.

Health is a habit.

If you want to live longer, stay stronger, and age better, the work starts NOW — not later.

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In this transformative episode of the Unlearned & Unlimited Podcast, we sit down with Dr. Andre Townsel, the new Superintendent of Hartford Public Schools in Connecticut, for a deep, unfiltered conversation about the future of urban education, community trust, and the work required to rebuild a school district from the ground up.

Dr. Townsel shares his powerful journey — from athletics shaping his early discipline to leading one of the most complex school systems in the country. He breaks down why community engagement, teacher recruitment, student success, and workforce development must be at the center of Hartford's comeback story.

We explore how AI in education can transform learning for families, why chronic absenteeism threatens student achievement, and how shifting the perception of the teaching profession is critical for long-term change.

This episode captures the urgency, the challenges, and the hope driving the next chapter of Hartford Public Schools.

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On this episode of the Unlearned & Unlimited Podcast, Co-host Tatiana Echevarria takes the host's chair and Guest co-host Dr. Luz Randolph sit down with a nationally recognized education leader to unpack the real story behind rising in K–12 leadership — the adversity, the isolation, the grind, and the lessons most people never see.

He breaks down why people only see the finished product, why authentic leadership requires real struggle, and how being “the only one in the room” shaped his perspective on service, equity, and resilience. This clip speaks directly to anyone who has ever worked twice as hard just to get in the room — and then had to fight to stay there.

Leadership isn’t about the spotlight — it’s about the journey nobody saw you take.

Featuring: Special Guest — Dr. Sito Narcisse - National Education Leader (Host of U&U Podcast)

Tatiana Echevarria — Host

Dr. Luz Randolph — Guest Co-host

In this episode you’ll learn:

• Why people only see your success, not your struggle

• The truth about being the only minority in the room

• How failure, not perfection, shapes real leadership

• Why wisdom comes from pressure, repetition, and adversity

• The hidden grind behind “being in the right rooms”

• Why authentic leadership requires vulnerability

• The importance of coexistence in divided spaces

If you’re leading, growing, or fighting your way toward impact — this episode will speak to your journey.

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On this episode of the Unlearned & Unlimited Podcast, hosts Dr. Sito Narcisse and Tatiana Echevarria sit down with Dr. Mark King, Ed.D. — Chief Education Officer at Arts for Learning Maryland — to unpack one of the most urgent conversations in American education:

👉 Why arts education is disappearing… and why we desperately need it back.

Dr. King breaks down the realities facing schools today: declining student engagement, rising behavioral challenges, inequitable access to resources, and the widening gap between what kids need and what schools provide. Through his decades of experience in K–12 leadership, he shares powerful insights on how arts education can reshape student outcomes and school culture.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

Why arts are the first programs cut during budget shortfalls

How arts engagement boosts attendance, confidence, and academic performance

The deep equity gaps in access to arts education

How arts integration helps students demonstrate mastery in multiple ways

Why technology is pushing creativity — and teaching — into new frontiers

How students under 12 are driving innovation in arts and learning

Why teacher preparation must evolve to match classroom realities

How artists + teachers create powerful, transformational learning experiences

Why arts education reduces disciplinary incidents

How communities can advocate for and sustain arts funding

This conversation reveals a powerful truth:

If we want students to thrive academically, emotionally, and socially, arts education must be at the center — not the margins — of K–12 schooling.

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