Coming Soon: Watch Jillyan's TEDxFolsom talk on reimagining education through equity and storytelling

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Equity Isn't the Goal. It's the Standard.

Too many schools and organizations talk about equity, but don’t know how to live it. Jillyan McKinney is a liberatory educator and speaker who helps you move from performative equity work to sustainable, community-led change.

  • Trusted by school districts

  • Featured speaker at major education conferences

  • TEDx Folsom 2025 Speaker

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Speaking: TEDx speaker, 100+ speeches delivered

Looking for a speaker who inspires brave action, not just awareness?

As a speaker, I combine powerful storytelling with lived experience to move audiences. Whether keynoting a district-wide training or speaking at TEDx, I speak truth with care and clarity.

Speaking Topics Include:

  • Equity as the standard, not the goal
  • Centering student voice in systemic change
  • Lived experience as leadership
  • How storytelling shapes systems
  • Culturally Responsive Teaching
  • How to create inclusion and belonging
  • How to be Enough
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Equity Isn't the Goal. It's the Standard.

Curriculum is one of the most powerful tools for equity, but only when it reflects the communities it serves.
I work with schools and organizations to co-create inclusive, anti-bias learning experiences that uplift identity, encourage critical thinking, and empower students to lead.

My workshops and trainings are built around liberation, not compliance. I help educators and teams recognize bias, interrogate systems, and develop practices rooted in love, accountability, and belonging.

This isn’t your standard professional learning session; it’s deep, ongoing work supported with structure, safety, and strategy.

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What People Say About Me…

    ~ Tiffany Allen Vargas, TEDx Folsom audience member

    “I had a true ‘yes!’ moment when Jillyan talked about not just representation in history, but positive representation. As a Black student, I used to get a knot in my stomach knowing the slavery unit was coming because that was all we were ever taught about African American history. Like your student said, that is not our whole story; it is only a part of it. We are so much more.”

      ~ Debra Wogksch, TEDx Folsom audience member

      “Lead with love!” This gave me chills.
      “I thought it was so powerful when you shared that you created an equitable classroom and that it was seen as ‘dangerous,’ to the point where you had to walk away from teaching. The fact that teaching all children equitably can cause fear and conflict shows just how much power there is in education and knowledge.”

        ~ Dennis Delgado, TEDx Folsom audience member

        For me it was really the message of connecting with overlooked youth, understanding their interests, and cultivating their voice. I was a terrible tester, but I excelled in project based learning and discovered my interest through mentors and volunteers.

          ~ Erin Whipple, TEDx Folsom audience member

          For me, it was the statement, “ Equality is not equity.” Equality gives everyone the same thing, Equity is giving everyone what the need to thrive.”

          My Approach

          Five Core Principles

          01/

          Equity Is the Standard

          Justice isn’t a special initiative; it’s where we begin.

          Too often, equity gets treated like a compliance, something to revisit once a year or assigned to a committee. But real equity work isn’t something you add on after the fact. It’s a mindset. A lens. A daily commitment.

          We weave equity into hiring, curriculum, budgeting, and everyday decisions by asking: Who benefits? Who's left out? Who needs to be at the table?

          This isn’t just about doing better, it’s about building something more just, more human, and more honest from the ground up.

          02/

          Lived Experience Is Expertise

          This work isn’t just theory, it’s personal.

          As an educator who's often been the only one in the room with a diverse perspective, I bring perspectives that don't make it into policy documents. My lived experience helps me notice what data misses and create spaces where people feel truly invited in.

          03/

          Community-Led Transformation

          The people closest to the problem are closest to the solutions.

          The people closest to the problem are closest to the solutions. Real change grows from the inside out, centered on those who've been most impacted by inequitable systems.

          04/

          Liberation Through Learning

          Education should set us free, not ask us to shrink.

          Too many learning spaces unintentionally tell students to silence parts of who they are. Their culture, language, or background becomes something to “manage” instead of something to celebrate.

          But when we center liberation in education, everything changes. Students are invited to bring their full selves. Identity becomes an asset, not a barrier. And learning becomes a tool for empowerment, not conformity.

          When I work with educators, we move past buzzwords and into practices that truly affirm and uplift. Because when students are allowed to see themselves in what they’re learning, they don’t just succeed, they thrive.

          05/

          Courage Over Comfort

          Transformation starts at the edge of what’s easy..

          It’s a harsh truth that equity work can be uncomfortable. It asks us to get honest about our systems, our histories, and even our roles. But that’s also where growth begins.

          I create brave spaces, not perfect ones. Places where people can ask hard questions, feel challenged, make mistakes, and still feel supported. Where intent doesn’t outweigh impact, and where we move forward with honesty, humility, and care.

          This work asks for courage. But you won’t be asked to do it alone. I’ll be right there with you, holding space, guiding the process, and helping you move from intention to real, lasting impact.

          Who I Work With

          For Leaders Ready to Do the Real Work

          I support:

          01/

          School leaders and educators seeking transformation beyond performative equity

          02/

          Community-based organizations building grassroots equity initiatives

          03/

          Policymakers ready to center lived experience in systemic change

          04/

          Institutions designing inclusive, liberatory programs and spaces

          If you're committed to justice and ready to go deeper, this is for you.

          Want to book Jillyan as a speaker?

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          Looking for ongoing support?

          Consulting Services

          Coming Up: TEDxFolsom 2025

          16

          August 2025

          Don’t Miss this!

          I'm honored to speak at TEDxFolsom this August, sharing how storytelling and equity can shape our collective future, a call to action to reimagine education as a space for healing, justice, and liberation.

          Get Notified When the Talk Goes Live

          About Jillyan

          With over 20 years of experience as a multiracial educator, Jillyan McKinney brings lived experience, relational leadership, and a bold vision for justice to every room she enters. She empowers educators, students, and leaders to move from passive awareness to courageous action.

          Education: M.Ed. in Education with an emphasis in Culturally Responsive Pedagogy

          Speaking: 100+ keynotes delivered • TEDx speaker

          Impact: 25+ organizations transformed • 10,000+ educators trained