Michael Kucera is the English director at Niles West High School and was recently an adjunct lecturer in the Department of Education Policy, Organization & Leadership at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. He has worked as a teacher and curriculum director in a variety of diverse public-, private-, and charter-school settings. His research interests include equitable academic access and opportunities for black and Latinx students and antiracist leadership. Kucera's professional work currently focuses on student empowerment, voice, and representation in the curriculum.