The closing session of the 2025 Early Educator Leadership Forum brought the room to its feet—not with a formal keynote, but with a deeply personal and profoundly moving panel discussion moderated by Christina Lopez. The panel featured four powerful voices: Jessica Acevedo, Ana Teresa Farias, Giane O’Connell, and Nicole Johnson—educators, researchers, and frontline leaders who are transforming early education from within.

Together, they offered a compelling portrait of what leadership looks like when it’s rooted in love, equity, and lived experience.

“I’m here to be the leader I didn’t see.”

Jessica Acevedo, a doctoral candidate and family child care provider in Cambridge, described her leadership as a commitment to visibility and authenticity:

Her research centers on the sustainability of family child care programs in public housing—spaces that are often invisible in mainstream policy conversations. “When research lacks equity,” she warned, “it can lead to harmful practices and policies that persist for generations.”

“In my own classroom, I focus on developing leadership skills in educators, children, and families—because strong leadership starts with empowerment.”

“You don’t need a title to be a leader.”

Giane O’Connell shared how her journey from nanny to family child care provider was shaped by her Brazilian heritage and her community. Reflecting on her work with families, she shared:

“I didn’t know I was a leader since I was little—but my friends said, ‘You were a teacher when you were still a child yourself.’”

Through her advocacy and professional development, Giane is challenging perceptions of quality in family child care and helping others in her community navigate systems that too often exclude them. “We need to speak up and stick together—for policies that reflect our lives.”

“There is room for everyone.”

Ana Teresa Farias, now a training coordinator, traced her leadership evolution from preschool teacher to college instructor. “I never thought I’d be teaching at Urban College,” she said. “But when opportunity knocks—take it.”

“We all can grow. We don’t need to step on others to make space. There is room for everyone.”

She described her greatest leadership “aha moment” as seeing educators try something new and succeed. “When someone says, ‘I tried this, and it worked,’ I know the children are the ones benefiting. That’s what it’s all about.”

“Cultural affirmation changes who a child can become.”

Nicole Johnson, architect of Cambridge’s universal preschool program and a doctoral candidate, reflected on growing up in a culturally affirming environment.

“The first five years of my life, I was surrounded by loud, loving Jamaicans who made me feel seen. That shaped who I believed I could be.”

Nicole’s vision is clear: “I want to build a preschool model that elevates Black educator voices and affirms Black and Brown culture.” For her, leadership is about challenging systems and creating space for new narratives. “We need to stop asking educators of color to prove they belong. They hold so much knowledge—and we need it.”

When asked what seeds they would plant for the future, the panelists shared bold visions:

Jessica called for cross-sector partnerships and housing stability for educators: “Housing instability impacts care. If we want sustainable programs, we have to stabilize the lives of those who lead them.”

Ana Teresa emphasized inclusive leadership: “If an educator says, ‘I want to facilitate,’ say yes. Encourage them. Make space.”

Giane spoke from the heart: “We are all one. Let’s fight together—for better early education.”

And when handed a metaphorical “magic wand,” Nicole didn’t hesitate: “I want sustainable federal funding. I want birth-to-five systems. I want to honor legacy teachers who have the wisdom, but not the credentials—and I want to remove the barriers that keep them out of leadership.”

“Even when it’s hard, we show up.”

The conversation ended on a deeply emotional note as panelists reflected on what keeps them going in hard times. Jessica, speaking just a month after the passing of her father, shared, “True leadership is showing up—even when you don’t want to. Even when you’re grieving. Even when you’re overwhelmed. You show up because someone needs your message.”

Nicole added, “I’m clinging to joy. It’s heavy right now. But joy and community are how we get through.”

Ana Teresa echoed the power of presence: “Sometimes all it takes is a smile from a child. That’s the moment you remember why this work matters.”

As the session closed, Anne Douglass reflected on the panel’s central theme: “Leadership isn’t about authority or hierarchy. It’s about love and affirmation. And today, you showed us what that looks like.”