Where We Rise
Real stories, real people, and the moments that change us — that’s Where We Rise.
Where We Rise
Latest Episodes
31 | "The Second Half of My Life" | From Survival to Peace
In this episode, Khalila sits down with Kristell Miles — a woman many first learned about through BET’s American Gangsters: Trap Queens. While the details of that story can’t be revisited here, Kristell opens up about the life she live...
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30 | "The Natural Progression" | From the Mat to the Classroom
This week, we sit down with Toccara Montgomery — a former Olympic wrestler whose journey began with a simple high‑school announcement and grew into something far bigger than she ever imagined. Before she became one of the most recognized women ...
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29 | "Beyond Her Capabilities" | Not Defined by Disabilities
In this Back‑to‑School episode, we sit down with Michelle Steiner — a writer, paraeducator, and advocate who has lived with dyscalculia and other learning challenges since kindergarten. Throughout her life, Michelle was repeatedly told what she...
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28 | "The Relationship is the Goal" | Homeschooling
In this episode, Christina Garrett shares the honest, unexpected journey that led her to homeschool her five children—a decision she never planned to make. Christina opens up about the early years of motherhood, the overwhelm she felt raising t...
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27 | "So Much More Than Algebra" | Impacting Our Youth
Dr. Emily Wassell shares her remarkable journey from aspiring politician to educator, revealing how teaching became the most powerful way she could change the world. In this conversation, she reflects on her work across diverse educational sett...
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Fan Mail
So excited to hear Toccara! She’s always in my heart. I’m her old third grade teacher who survived 30 years in the Cleveland Public Schools. So often we educators feel as if what we do doesn’t matter. 🙏❤️😊😊
Willoughby, Ohio