Crystal Martin, PhD 

This year, I found myself immersed in two transformative journeys. By day, I worked with a team at Metro alongside the NYC Department of Education to integrate healing-centered practices into schools. By night, I immersed myself in the 2024 banned and challenged book list, driven by a curiosity to understand why these stories sparked such resistance—and what they had to teach us about the world we live in. As an avid reader, this wasn’t just a casual project. These weren’t just books; they were cultural battlegrounds. I needed to form my own personal stance on each one, to feel the weight of the narratives that others found so dangerous. The very same challenges I was working to dismantle with the DOE and other partners. That’s how I found myself drawn into Octavia Butler’s Parable of the Sower. If you are familiar with Butler, you already know that her dystopias are never just about despair. They’re about imagining what’s possible beyond the wreckage. As I read, I couldn’t help but draw a connection between her storytelling and the healing-centered practices I was implementing in schools. Both are rooted in a foundational truth: to heal and transform, we must first imagine.  

Imagining future possibilities has always been the heart of my work. In my 13 years as a school counselor in Chicago, my day-to-day work centered on helping students explore their goals for the future—personal, academic, and social— exploring barriers, and guiding them to see pathways to achieve those goals. I’ve witnessed firsthand how the act of envisioning something greater empowers students to challenge their circumstances, redefine what’s possible, and dream beyond the limits imposed by systemic barriers. This is the very essence of freedom dreaming: imagining a future rooted in joy, justice, and possibility.

Robin D.G. Kelley describes this beautifully in Freedom Dreams: The Black Radical Imagination. He reminds us that dreaming isn’t escapism—it’s action. Freedom dreaming invites us to envision a world that’s more equitable, joyful, and just, and to take steps to make it real. For schools, this means reimagining spaces where students and educators feel empowered, valued, and connected. We know our current systems—economic, social, and educational—are broken. But imagination allows us to dream of better ones. Whether it’s changing the curriculum to reflect diverse voices, replacing punitive policies with restorative practices, or fostering joy through creative expression, freedom dreaming gives us a way forward.

The Role of Freedom Dreaming in Transforming Education

Schools have long been places where inequality shows up. For Black students and other historically marginalized groups, schools often reinforce prejudiced and culturally destructive treatment through things like biased discipline policies or a lack of representation in the curriculum. Freedom dreaming asks us to imagine schools that are antiracist, fair, and joyful. This requires changing school policies, practices, and teaching methods to make them more just.

But freedom dreaming is not just daydreaming; it’s an active, political process. In schools, this means encouraging creativity and big-picture thinking while working to remove injustices. For example, creating antiracist schools isn’t just about stopping discrimination—it’s about building environments where Black students and other marginalized groups feel joy, love, and empowerment. Earnestly aligned with those very principles, the Institute for Healing and Belonging in Schools (IHBS) at NYU Metro Center, we empower schools, districts, and communities to create healing-centered environments where students and educators can thrive. IHBS equips educators to challenge assumptions, confront biases, and remove barriers to student success. We create spaces of Belonging, cultivating critical consciousness in students to challenge systems of race, power, and privilege—both in schools and society.

Freedom Dreaming for Teacher Retention and School Transformation

Teacher retention is a significant challenge in education, particularly in underfunded and underserved schools. High rates of teacher burnout and turnover harm not only educators but also students and communities. Freedom dreaming offers a powerful framework for addressing this issue by transforming schools into spaces of hope, joy, and purpose for both teachers and students.

When schools embrace freedom dreaming, they create environments that center care, collaboration, and shared purpose. Teachers who feel supported and inspired by their work are more likely to stay in the profession. Freedom dreaming helps shift the focus from merely solving problems to building positive, empowering spaces where teachers and students can thrive together.

For instance, when schools focus on culturally responsive teaching and antiracist practices, teachers feel a greater sense of alignment with their values. They see their work as part of a larger mission to promote justice and equity.

The Institute for Healing and Belonging in Schools: Translating Freedom Dreaming into Practice

The Institute for Healing and Belonging in Schools (IHBS) at NYU Metro Center investigates ways that educators can “dream while on the clock” - by exploring ways to incorporate freedom dreaming and radical imagination into their daily practice. Freedom dreaming cohorts at IHBS translate research into actionable strategies by challenging educators, school leaders, and district administrators to reimagine schools as centers of belonging.

Participants in the Institute’s learning cohorts work to build the "muscle" of their imaginations in an effort to innovate new solutions through collective envisioning that celebrate culture, diversity, and lived experiences. The work emphasizes Indigenous worldviews and diverse ways of knowing, promoting educational practices that honor and uplift every student's identity. By fostering radical imagination, IHBS empowers educators to create schools where belonging and joy are central to the learning experience.

Practical Ways to Bring Freedom Dreaming into Schools

To make freedom dreaming a reality, schools need to create spaces where imagination can thrive. Here are some ways to do this:

1. Change the Curriculum: Build lessons that highlight the histories and cultures of many different groups. Teach about social justice issues and include the voices of Black, Indigenous, and other historically marginalized identities.
2. Practice Antiracism: Replace harsh punishments with restorative justice approaches. Make sure teachers and staff are trained to recognize and challenge racism in their schools.
3. Encourage Creativity: Give students and teachers opportunities to create art, music, and stories that reflect their experiences and dreams. Creative activities can help everyone express themselves and imagine new possibilities.
4. Support Teacher Well-Being: Provide resources for professional development, mental health support, and collaboration. Ensure that teachers have a voice in decision-making and the tools they need to succeed.
5. Work with the Community: Partner with families and local organizations to ensure schools meet the needs of the community. Collaboration can help schools dream and act together.
6. Empower Students and Teachers: Let students and teachers take the lead in imagining and advocating for changes they want to see in their schools. Create spaces where their voices and ideas can shape school policies and programs.

Freedom dreaming isn’t something you do alone—it’s a group effort. Kelley reminds us that the most powerful dreams come from working together. In education, this means bringing together teachers, students, families, and communities to imagine and create a better future. When people collaborate, they can build schools that are full of possibility and hope.

By applying freedom dreaming as a tool for teacher retention, schools can transform into environments that nourish both educators and students. Teachers are more likely to stay when they feel part of a mission that prioritizes equity, creativity, and joy. When schools are designed with freedom dreaming at their core, they become places of growth, inspiration, and long-lasting change.