Achievement Addiction and the Quest for Wellness with Najmah Ahmad

The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators

Achievement Addiction and the Quest for Wellness with Najmah Ahmad

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Published on Feb 3, 2025, 8:13:00 PM
Total time: 01:02:27

Episode Description

In this powerful and reflective episode of The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators, Dr. Asia Lyons sits down with Najmah Ahmad to discuss her nearly 20-year journey through education, from working in nonprofits and higher education to leadership roles in school districts and national policy. Najmah candidly shares her experiences navigating systemic challenges, microaggressions, and the often overwhelming toll of racial battle fatigue.


Listeners will hear how Najmahs desire to support people in moments of transition shaped her career and led her to create transformative programs for young people, such as leadership curriculums and paid internships. She also opens up about the pivotal moment when her physical health forced her to confront the toll her work was taking on her mind, body, and spirit, leading to her decision to leave traditional education spaces and build her own consulting business.


This episode explores themes of wellness, self-liberation, and the importance of acknowledging the impact of systemic racism in professional spaces. Najmahs story is a testament to resilience, healing, and the power of creating your own path to freedom.



More about The Exit Interview: A Podcast for Black Educators
Amidst all of the conversations about the recruitment of Black educators, where are the discussions about retention? The Exit Interview podcast was created to elevate the stories of Black educators who have been pushed out of the classroom, main or central office. The podcast asks guests to share their education journey, the "last straw" that made them decide to leave education, and, most importantly, what they are doing now that they have left the traditional education sphere.