Nina is a doctoral candidate in the EPOL department’s Diversity and Equity in Education program. She is the proud wife to Thomas and mother to Winola (8), Maybelle (6), and Barrett (4). A 16-year veteran educator, Nina teaches Language Arts at Urbana Middle School. She strives to empower her students, especially those from historically marginalized groups. Nina’s research interests include encouraging student voice within the classroom, investigating the efficacy of workshop pedagogy, and promoting antiracist ideologies among preservice and practicing teachers. Upon graduation, Nina will continue teaching and begin amateur rock tumbling.