It's Dee Thompson

09/02/2026

Leadership communication is not a soft skill. It is a power issue.

And nowhere is that more obvious than in schools, government, nonprofits, and community organizations.

When leaders control what information gets shared, when it gets shared, how it gets framed, and whose questions get answered, they are shaping what the public is able to understand—and ultimately, what the public is able to challenge.

Think.....

A school district announces a major decision after it has already been made.

A government agency provides a carefully worded statement that answers everything except the question people are actually asking.

A nonprofit asks the community for support but becomes defensive when the community asks how decisions are being made.

A community organization says, “We value your voice,” but only listens when people agree with leadership.

Then leaders wonder: “Why has the community lost trust?”

Trust isn't created by saying, “We value transparency.” Transparency is demonstrated by what you are willing to make visible. And public trust isn't built by communicating more.

Sometimes institutions communicate constantly—and still aren't communicating honestly. You can send newsletters. Hold town halls. Post statements. Publish reports. Create committees.

And still leave people feeling like decisions are being made about them, without them.

Here's what leaders need to understand: People don't expect leaders to get everything right. They expect leaders to tell the truth about what happened, explain how decisions were made, acknowledge who is affected, and be willing to answer uncomfortable questions.

That means saying:

“We made a mistake.”

“We don't have the answer yet.”

“Here's what we knew when we made the decision.”

“Here's what we should have communicated sooner.”

“We heard the concern—and here's what we're doing about it.”

That's leadership. Because when communication becomes selective, defensive, delayed, or deliberately vague, it doesn't just create frustration. It creates suspicion. And once people start questioning the communication, they eventually start questioning the leadership.

The question isn't simply: “Did you communicate?” The better question is: “Did your communication give people a reason to trust you?”

In schools, government, nonprofits, and community leadership, public trust isn't a public relations strategy. It's part of your accountability.

And when trust is lost, a polished press release isn't going to rebuild it. Consistent, transparent behavior will.

09/01/2026

What happens when a community rumor contains ONE fact and FIVE falsehoods?

Too often, people don’t stop to separate the fact from the fiction. They repeat it. They add to it. They form opinions around it.

And eventually, the rumor becomes accepted as “what happened.”

I’ve experienced what it looks like when this happens in a community. I’ve watched a rumor take hold, and what became increasingly clear was that it wasn’t just about misinformation. It exposed bias. It exposed racism. It exposed whose voices were believed, whose perspectives were dismissed, and whose actions were judged differently.

The people who ultimately lose when adults allow rumors, bias, and personal agendas to drive community decisions are often the CHILDREN.

Students can miss out on programs. Families can miss out on meaningful events. Communities can lose opportunities to come together.

And children can lose experiences that could have been educational, empowering, inclusive, and genuinely rewarding—all because adults became more invested in the politics of the situation than the possibilities for the children.

That should never be acceptable. There is something deeply troubling about adults putting their need to be right, recognized, validated, or in control ahead of the children they claim to advocate for.

If the outcome is that children have fewer opportunities because adults couldn't get past their own biases, conflicts, or desire to control the narrative, then we need to have a very honest conversation about who the adults are really serving.

Leadership isn't about being the loudest person in the room. It isn't about getting everyone to believe your version of the story. And it certainly isn't about making sure you are seen. Leadership is about making sure the people you serve are seen.

So when you hear a community rumor, especially one involving schools, children, parents, or community organizations, pause before you become part of the echo chamber.

Ask:
*What is the ONE fact?

*What are the FIVE assumptions or falsehoods?

*What can actually be verified?

*Whose voice is missing from the conversation?

*Is bias influencing how we're interpreting the situation?

And most importantly: WHO LOSES IF WE GET THIS WRONG?

Because sometimes the consequences of a rumor aren't just hurt feelings or damaged reputations. Sometimes a child loses an opportunity. Sometimes a family loses access. Sometimes an entire community misses out on something that could have brought people together.

Sometimes, when we look closely enough, we discover that what was presented as “concern” was actually bias wearing a much more socially acceptable disguise.

Our children deserve better than that. They deserve adults who will verify before repeating, question before judging, and put opportunity before ego.

When adults compete to control the narrative, children shouldn't be the ones paying the price.

08/28/2026

Am I right or am I right?

08/27/2026

NO ONE should be surprised by Target at this point!

08/27/2026

When One Voice Becomes the “Black Community”

One of the most subtle ways institutions can dismiss legitimate concerns from Black communities is by finding one Black person who disagrees—and treating that individual opinion as proof that the broader concern doesn’t exist.

It can sound like:

“We spoke to a Black parent, and they don’t have a problem with it.”

“Not everyone in the Black community feels that way.”

“Our Black employees told us they don’t see an issue.”

And technically, those statements may be true. But one person’s perspective does not cancel out the experiences of everyone else.

There is an important distinction between including Black voices and using a Black voice to silence Black concerns.

🚩 Here are some signs to watch for:

1. One Black person is presented as the authority for an entire community. ---> A single individual is treated as representative of a group with diverse experiences, opinions, and perspectives.

2. Institutions seek out disagreement instead of understanding the concern. ---> Rather than asking, “Why are people experiencing this?” the focus becomes finding someone who says, “I haven't experienced that.”

3. The existence of disagreement is used to dismiss the issue entirely. ---> Black communities are not monolithic. Internal disagreement doesn't mean a concern isn't legitimate.

4. The institution stops listening once it finds a dissenting voice. ---> The goal of meaningful engagement should be understanding the full range of experiences—not finding the one person who provides convenient validation.

5. Black representation is confused with Black community engagement. ---> Having a Black person at the table is not the same as creating a meaningful process for hearing from the people affected by a decision.

Here's the bigger question:

Are institutions actually listening to the community—or are they looking for the one Black voice that allows them to say they listened? Representation should never become a shield against accountability. And disagreement within a community should never be weaponized to invalidate the experiences of others.

A healthy institution can hold multiple Black perspectives at the same time. It can acknowledge disagreement and take patterns of concern seriously. That's what authentic engagement looks like.

💬 Have you ever seen an institution use one person's opinion to dismiss a concern raised by a broader Black community? I have! What did that look like for you?

08/25/2026

Restorative Justice explained in one powerful example!

08/24/2026

Middle school can be complicated. So what happens when conflict enters the picture?

Middle school students are navigating friendships, identity, emotions, expectations, and so many changes—all while still learning how to communicate, manage conflict, and understand the impact of their choices.

So when conflict happens, how do we respond?

In this conversation, I sit down with Syreeta L. Carrington—author, educator, and restorative justice advocate—to explore what it means to navigate conflict with adolescent students in ways that go beyond simply assigning blame or punishment.

We talk about accountability, relationships, repair, and the role adults play in helping young people learn from conflict rather than simply being punished for it.

The goal isn't to pretend conflict won't happen. It's to help young people learn what to do when it does.

🎥 Watch our conversation, “Navigating Conflict in the Adolescent Student.”

👉

In this compelling episode, guest co-host Resse and I sit down with...

08/24/2026

“I'm sorry” can acknowledge harm—but real accountability goes further.
The best apology is changed behavior.

That’s at the heart of restorative justice: not simply punishing people for what happened, but creating space to acknowledge harm, take responsibility, repair relationships, and make different choices moving forward.

Because accountability isn’t just about what you say after the harm. It’s about what you do differently because of it.

Full video link in the comments.

08/23/2026

Sunday is a good time to pause, reset, and prepare for the week ahead. ☀️

As I think about the week ahead, I’m also looking forward to the conversations, collaborations, and connections that will come along with it.

One thing I’ve learned is that we don’t thrive in isolation. The right connections can encourage us, challenge us, open doors, introduce us to new possibilities, and remind us that we’re not doing this alone.

Building a stronger community means being intentional about the relationships we create—and being willing to show up for one another.

So this week, I’m making room for meaningful conversations, new connections, and opportunities to build something positive together. Who are you looking forward to connecting with this week? And what kind of community are you creating around yourself?

Here’s to a new week, new possibilities, and connections that help us all thrive. 💛

08/22/2026

Speak up, speak out, be encouraged!