SEEd & Growth: The Harvest Is Plenteous but the Laborers Are Few

Help Me, See Me: The Cost of Illiteracy Series – Finale

In this deeply moving finale of The Cost of Illiteracy series, Dr. Jacqui Virgil closes with raw honesty in Help Me, See Me. For the first time on the podcast, she shares her personal story as a student—one marked by pain, isolation, and the struggle to be seen within a system not designed to recognize her brilliance.

This episode was difficult to record, as it resurfaced many traumatic memories from her school years—times when her voice was dismissed, her identity misunderstood, and her potential overlooked. Yet, amidst the weight of those recollections, Dr. Virgil also revisits one unexpectedly fond experience that reminded her of the power of being genuinely acknowledged.

More than a reflection, Help Me, See Me is a bold call to dismantle the systems that continue to fail Black children in the U.S. It is a plea for educators, policymakers, and communities to defend every child’s right—not just to read, but to see themselves reflected, respected, and valued in their learning environments.

 

In My "Right" Mind- Part II

In Part II, we unpack the emotional and spiritual implications of teaching to the whole child, highlighting how identity, language, and environment intersect to shape learning. We address the structural barriers that often exclude neurodivergent learners and examine the role of educators, families, and communities in dismantling them.

In My "Right" Mind - Part I

In this thought-provoking episode of SEEd & Growth, we delve into the powerful intersection of neurological differences and literacy with our featured discussion, “In My Right Mind.” This episode challenges the dominant narrative around what it means to be “right-minded” by exploring how cognitive variation—often mislabeled as disorder—can be a source of innovation, resilience, and brilliance in education.

We unpack the groundbreaking white paper Rewiring Literacy, which reimagines reading development through a neuro-inclusive and culturally responsive lens. Rooted in the science of Universal Design for Learning (UDL), this approach dismantles one-size-fits-all literacy models, affirming the need for instruction that honors the diverse ways brains are wired to learn.

In this episode, we explore practical strategies for equipping students—especially those on the margins—with the tools to thrive academically and emotionally. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, policymaker, or advocate, this episode invites you to reframe difference not as deficit, but as divine design.

 

Key Topics:

• Rethinking “normal” in education
• Neurodiversity as strength, not limitation
• UDL and its impact on literacy outcomes
• Insights from Rewiring Literacy
• Cultivating identity-safe learning environments

Tune in for a paradigm-shifting conversation that brings clarity, compassion, and courage to the work of reimagining education for every kind of mind.

Sufficient Deception- Part II

In Part Two of Sufficient Deception, we continue to conversation and dive deeper into the implications of Alabama’s shifting language around reading proficiency.

 

This episode unpacks how “sufficient progress" is strategically used to blur lines between growth and grade-level mastery. We reveal how these euphemisms, while politically convenient, have real-world consequences: they contribute to grade inflation, erode accountability, and keep struggling students locked in cycles of underperformance—all while making systems appear functional on paper.

Sufficient Deception- Part I

In this thought-provoking episode of SEEd & Growth, we uncover the quietly dangerous shift happening in Alabama’s education system—one that’s reshaping how we talk about student reading achievement, and ultimately, how we understand learning itself.

 

Titled Sufficient Deception, this episode exposes how language is being weaponized to mask the persistent literacy crisis among young learners. Alabama’s new terminology, replacing clear academic benchmarks with vague, feel-good phrases like “sufficient progress,” risks misleading parents, educators, and communities about students’ true reading proficiency.

 

We explore the historical roots of such rhetorical shifts, connecting them to broader national patterns where policy makers reframe failure as acceptable progress.  Sufficient Deception raises urgent questions: Who benefits from redefining literacy standards? What happens when truth is replaced with technicalities? And how does this linguistic sleight of hand impact the most vulnerable students—particularly those from historically underserved communities?

 

More than just critique, this episode calls for clarity, courage, and a recommitment to transparent language in education. Because when we change the words, we change the expectations—and when we lower the expectations, we fail the future.

The Cost of Illiteracy

In this powerful episode of SEEd & Growth, Dr. Jacqui Virgil is joined once again by The Queen Bathsheba to explore the real and often overlooked consequences of illiteracy. Together, they unpack how the inability to read proficiently affects far more than academic performance—it impacts everything from employment opportunities and health outcomes to incarceration rates and generational cycles of poverty.

 

With heartfelt conversation and sharp insight, Dr. Virgil and The Queen Bathsheba examine how systems continue to fail communities by neglecting the foundational need for effective, literacy education. They shed light on the emotional and psychological toll illiteracy takes on individuals and families, and challenge listeners to rethink literacy as a human right that everyone deserves access to—regardless of background or ability.

 

Whether you’re an educator, parent, policymaker, or simply someone who cares about justice in education, this episode offers truth, perspective, and a call to action.

62%- Part I Continued

In this continued segment, host Dr. Jacqui Virgil and special guest The Queen Bathsheba pick up right where they left off—diving deeper into the systemic challenges, cultural implications, and untapped potential behind Georgia’s alarming early literacy gap.

This continuation isn’t just a follow-up—it’s a call to keep listening, keep questioning, and keep building.

If you felt the fire in the first half, this next segment is the fuel to keep it burning.

Press play. Part 1 continues now.

#SeedAndGrowth #62Percent #LiteracyCrisis #NeuroinclusiveEducation #Part1Continued #CageFreeVoices

62%- When the Numbers Speak, We Must Listen (Part I)

In the premiere episode of Seed & Growth, Dr. Jacqui Virgil—educator, innovator, and Executive Partner at Cage Free Voices—hosts a powerful conversation with The Queen Bathsheba, a nationally recognized EdTech strategist and neurodiversity advocate. Dr. Virgil, known for her leadership in equity-driven learning and adolescent development, brings a neuro-inclusive lens to the staggering data point that has implications far beyond test scores.

Together, they uncover the root causes of this literacy gap—from systemic inequities and outdated pedagogies to overlooked cognitive diversity—and offer real strategies for change.

If you’re an educator, policymaker, or parent ready to challenge the norm and help every child read to thrive—not just survive—this episode is for you.  Continue listening to the conversation in Part I continued.

Listen now. Share widely. Spark change.

#SeedAndGrowth #62Percent #LiteracyEquity #NeuroinclusiveEducation #EdPolicy #TheQueenBathsheba #DrJacquiVirgil #CageFreeVoices