Curriculum Developers
Meet The Educators
Joel Medina
Joel Medina is an educator living in Orange County. He started his career teaching English as a Foreign Language in South America and later returned to the United States to pursue his passion of working with newcomer language learners. He has taught writing and English to students of all ages. He currently works as a Family Liaison at a continuation school in Orange County.
Kearci Moir Thompson
Kearci Moir Thompson is a Visual Arts Educator at Portola High School. She has been teaching for 6 years and runs a Fine Arts program spanning five levels that focuses on painting & drawing, as well as contemporary art history. In her program, she hopes that students are able to develop their own creative voices, hold discussions of the purpose and meaning of art considering context and societal issues, and find in artmaking a joyful and challenging outlet. As she aims to grow as an antiracist educator, she is a core member of the Teachers and Educators for Equity and Allyship at Portola and is passionate about creating spaces for conversations about racial justice, where the voices of the marginalized are prioritized.
Naehee Kwun
For 16 years, Naehee Kwun served as a math teacher, instructional coach, mentor, curriculum designer, and consultant. She designs professional learning experiences for teachers. She speaks at and organizes conferences to elevate teachers in their commitments to make education relevant for all learners and foster student agency to fight for justice. Her portfolio can be found at www.mathingforequity.org Naehee is a first generation Korean American, a wife and mother, and an avid baker.
Twitter: @NaeheeK
LinkedIn: @NaeheeKwun
Facebook: @Naehee.Kwun
Naomi Breedlove
Naomi Breedlove is an elementary school teacher with 6 years of experience in education. She has taught in schools in both Los Angeles and Orange County. As an educator at the elementary level, she strives to help kids not only build their foundational skills in essential subjects such as reading, writing, and math but also their ability to empathize and connect with others in their community. When not teaching, Naomi spends time with her husband Kyle, daughter Blake, and dog Albus.
Virginia Nguyen
Virginia Nguyen is a high school history teacher and co-founder of Educate to Empower. She is committed to fostering school communities that center student voice, belonging, and empowerment. In addition to being a teacher and district leader, Virginia impacts teachers nationwide by facilitating workshops, writing articles, and speaking at events advocating for equity and justice in education. Recently, she spearheaded the inaugural Teaching for Justice Conference at UCI. Virginia is a wife, mom, and proud daughter of Vietnamese refugees. These identities continue to shape her dreams and aspirations. As a teacher of 20 years, she believes educators have the power to change the world.
Twitter: @edu_to_empower
Instagram: @edu_to_empower