Dena Simmons is assistant director of the Yale Center for Emotional Intelligence and faculty at the Yale Child Study Center, where she supports schools to use the power of emotions to create a more compassionate and just society. She has been a middle school teacher, teacher educator, diversity facilitator, and curriculum developer, and is a leading voice on social justice, anti-racism, and equitable social and emotional learning in teacher education. Her writing and speaking have led her to the White House, the inaugural Obama Foundation Summit, the United Nations, TED, and beyond. She is the author of the forthcoming book White Rules for Black People. Q: How did you get into the work you do with teachers about social justice? A: I always wanted to