More than half of the student population in U.S. public schools identify as students of color; yet less than one in five—18 percent— of the teacher workforce identify as teachers of color. Does diversity and inclusion in the teaching profession even matter? And, if so, how can public policy play a constructive role? To find answers to these questions, Khalid Kaldi (MPP ’21) sat down with two former teachers of color. MPP student, Whitney Parra, explains the importance of cultural understanding in the classroom and provides a window into the personal experiences of a teacher of color. Then, UC Berkeley Assistant Professor of Education, Travis Bristol, shares some of his policy recommendations on how to strengthen the ways we recruit and retain teachers of color. For more on demographic shifts, check out our episodes on aging and transportation, direct care workers and fertility.