No. 7 - Educational Wellness with Dr. Gemar Mills
For his Stir Crazy Festival 11 days after the death of George Floyd, JP Reynolds engaged some of his brilliant friends in wellness conversations. In this episode educator, speaker, and author Dr. Gemar Mills joins JP for an exchange about educational wellness, the role of parents in teaching, and intellectual curiosity.
About Dr. Gemar Mills:
Born and raised in Paterson, NJ, Gemar Mills is an American author and speaker and was the youngest principal (27) of Malcolm X Shabazz High School, one of the most troubled schools in the Newark Public Schools District. While there, he accomplished the unthinkable by drastically improving student test scores, created a safe school atmosphere and made the students believe in themselves, the school and in education again. Under his leadership the illustrious school pride and sports culture was featured on Sports Illustrated award winning series “Underdogs”. In addition, Star-Ledger released a series of articles and a documentary authenticating the school’s turnaround. Mills holds a Bachelors of Science degree in Math Education from Montclair State University and a Master of Educational Leadership from American Intercontinental University.
About JP Reynolds:
Called “remarkably special” by AllHipHop, JP Reynolds is an innovative artist, rapper and songwriter with an eclectic sound. The creator of “rap gumbo,” his music is a powerful blend of jazz, funk, gospel and soul. In addition to music JP is an entrepreneur, coach, activist, and minister. In 2012, he created Peace and Power Media, an artistic hub that produces music and multimedia content. Since 2014, JP has supported young people in pursuing passion and purpose through various initiatives and partnerships with organizations and communities within the non-profit sector. JP holds a Bachelor of Arts in African-American Studies and a Master of Divinity from Yale University.
Conversation Topics:
The Shift in Modern Education (3:12) • Parents Stepping in as Teachers (9:21) • Intellectual Curiosity (14:14)
Book Choices: Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell • Talking to Strangers by Malcolm Gladwell • Tears We Cannot Stop by Michael Eric Dyson
Theme Song: "Reset (Hold Your Horse)" - JP Reynolds + BACHTROY
