Dealing with Feeling Transforming SEL with Culture, Care & Community with Dr. Dawn Brooks-DeCosta
Dr. Dawn Brooks-DeCosta joins Dr. Marc Brackett on Dealing with Feeling to explore what happens when social and emotional learning is delivered with culture, care, and true community partnership.
A longtime educator and Deputy Superintendent in Harlem's District 5, Dawn shares what it takes to build schools where students feel seen, families feel respected, and emotional learning becomes something communities shape together — not something imposed from the outside.
In this conversation:
- What SEL looks like when it's rooted in trust and cultural humility
- Why delivery matters as much as the curriculum itself
- How leaders can create emotionally safe school environments during crisis
- The difference between compliance-based SEL and community-built connection
- What it means to lead with emotions, not around them
About the guest:
Dr. Dawn Brooks-DeCosta is Deputy Superintendent in Harlem's District 5 and co-author of The Change You Want to See. Her work focuses on culturally responsive leadership, community-centered SEL, and building school cultures grounded in connection and belonging.
Dr. Dawn Brooks-DeCosta's book: https://www.solutiontree.com/the-change-you-want-to-see.html
Connect with Marc Brackett:
Website: https://marcbrackett.com
Instagram: https://instagram.com/marc.brackett
X: https://x.com/drmarcbrackett
Facebook: https://facebook.com/drmarcbrackett
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/drmarcbrackett
Dr. Marc Brackett's Books:
Explore Marc Brackett's work at the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence, where he serves as founding director, and learn more about RULER—an evidence-based, systemic approach to SEL developed at Yale that supports leaders, educators, students, and families in building emotional intelligence and creating healthier school climates.
A special thank you to the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence for supporting this webcast. I also want to thank Oji Life Lab for their generous support: https://ojilifelab.com. Oji Life Lab is the leader in mastery-centered learning for the workplace. To develop your skills in leadership, emotional intelligence and more, visit oji life lab dot com or click the link in the description of this video and use the promo code DEALINGWITHFEELINGS to save 25%.