Meet Brandi Epps | Author, Educator, & Speaker

We had the good fortune of connecting with Brandi Epps and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Brandi, what inspires you?
One of the things that inspires me most is the character building that is developed from life experiences. As a single woman, mother, author, doctoral candidate, and full-time career woman, life has taught me so much from how to be resilient and bounce back from situations meant to deteriorate me, to the patience it takes to manifest the true desires of my heart.

Without the failures I’ve experienced, I can’t say that I would’ve been half the woman I am today! It was heartbreak that led me to creating an exceptional book about waiting seasons; it was becoming a single mom that helped me delve deeper into my faith; and it is tenacity that has allowed me to work full-time, be an amazing mother to my daughter, and get this far in my educational journey!

I now approach valleys and plateaus as a means of providing my next bit of inspiration—for when life has ever given me a blow, it has—in turn—taken me to my greatest height!

Can you open up a bit about your work and career? We’re big fans and we’d love for our community to learn more about your work.
Long, but worthy read, so bear with me!

When you open textbooks in college education courses and take certification tests, any educator will tell you that they prepare you for a utopian educational system! Never in a million years does one think they’ll instruct in some of the schools and settings that I’ve witnessed in my tenure in education!

I started teaching Pre-K right out of college, but I didn’t reach an educational hurdle until I jumped to 5th grade on an improvement required campus. It has been my biggest feat to date, and I say that because it brought something out of me that I didn’t even know was buried within. It’s one thing to teach little ones whose families are financially well off! You know, those utopian schools I mentioned above, who have a myriad of resources, tutors, and life experiences that they bring to the classroom. Those students who all go home to lights, water, and food daily, not worrying about whether their basic needs will be met.

It’s a completely different ball game when you go into a school that sits at the epicenter of low-income housing, drugs, crime and the like! I don’t say that lightly or out of disrespect for anyone; it’s just a true statement and disheartening as an educator stepping into an environment like that! This is why I cannot and will not ever forget teaching in the infamous Houston neighborhood called “Sunnyside” (iykyk), and not only teaching, but making LIFELONG IMPACTS on students that most would give up on day 1. It was at a school in this neighborhood that my former principal, Dr. Natasha Watson, took a chance on me!

As a former educator in “the South,” she knew the grit and resilience it would take to transform the lives of the students there! So much so that she failed to let me stay mediocre after having had an “ok” 1st year. She decided against me being fully certified, which not only cost me financially but it made me the most uncomfortable I’d EVER been. This level of discomfort, however, was the change  agent in my success in the classroom at Ethel M. Young Elementary; a change I didn’t even realize I needed. I’ll tell you this much: Dr. Watson didn’t just see a teacher in me; she saw global potential, extending far beyond the walls of a classroom!

Her belief in me not only produced an exceptional teacher, but I’ve since invested 13 years in education and currently hold the title of Instructional Specialist for Dallas ISD! To top it off, I get the HIGHEST PRIVILEGE of going back to the neighborhood I grew up in and helping teachers perfect their craft on a daily basis! I know for a fact I’m on assignment, having walked the halls of schools in this area, and doing what many couldn’t do if they tried! (it’s not for the faint at heart—trust me)!

It takes a special type of individual to LOVE and REVERANCE areas that most people would run from at the drop of a dime; but NOT ME! I have and will continue to accept it head-on because I’m extremely passionate about the success of black and brown children. I can’t wait to see where God takes me, especially once I receive the title of Doctor of Education late 2022 or early 2023!!

#JustAGirlWhoHasAlwaysBeenSeriousAboutEducation

Let’s say your best friend was visiting the area and you wanted to show them the best time ever. Where would you take them? Give us a little itinerary – say it was a week long trip, where would you eat, drink, visit, hang out, etc.
Since moving back home to Dallas from Houston, I’ve found some pretty cool spots! Anyone who visits me definitely has to have brunch at Pangea or Jonathan’s! Once brunch was complete, we’d journey through either Bishop Arts, Trinity Grove, Lower Greenville, or Deep Ellum for all the wonderful shops, bar hopping, and Instagram worthy photos!

If there’s a sporting event or game happening in the city, Texas Live is equipped with not only screens for days but a great mix of restaurants, bars, and fun such as arcade games, bull riding, and themed events from time to time. A visit to Dallas wouldn’t be complete without setting our sights on the Dallas Skyline from atop Reunion Tower, one of the best views in the city!

Since I have a love of music, the trip wouldn’t be a trip without the sights and sounds of day parties at Sandaga on Saturdays, and live music at Lava Cantina on Sundays!

Shoutout is all about shouting out others who you feel deserve additional recognition and exposure. Who would you like to shoutout?
Wow! That’s tough to compact into one, but if I had to choose, I would undoubtedly select my mother and daughter! I watched my mother journey through single parenthood with faith, fearlessness, focus, and true femininity! She showed me that anything I put my mind to was possible, and to this day, she is the sole reason I’m still standing!

My daughter changed my life for the better! Through her birth, my life was given new meaning and a sense of pride that I can hardly put into words! Everything I do in this life is to demonstrate to her that she, too, can do the unthinkable if she puts her time, energy, and focus into the things that matter most!

Website: www.brandiwholeheartedly.com

Instagram: @brandi_wholeheartedly

Facebook: Brandi Epps

Image Credits
Jeromy Epps Brandi Epps Myunique Mikkonen Isis Taylor