We are thrilled to be joined in this episode by Dr. Denice Ross, faculty member at the University of Wisconsin and Chair of the UW System Institute for Urban Education. Dr. Ross is an advocate for literacy as a form of social justice. She describes how she applies verbal behavior (a language and literacy approach using principles of behavior) to reading and literacy, and discusses the systems and inequities that impact access to evidence-based practices. She further speaks to how the narrative of literacy for economically disadvantaged communities is often framed through a deficit lens. Dr.Ross also discusses how black children's literacy has historically been a tool of empowerment, and that reading instruction grounded in the science of behavior has a history of positively impacting learners' experiences.    For more information and to visit the references mentioned, please visit: UW System Institute for Urban Education: https://uwm.edu/education/institute-urban-edu/ Frederick Douglass Audio Autobiography: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vZrQFB9wRW4   National Reading Panel: https://www.nichd.nih.gov/sites/default/files/publications/pubs/nrp/Documents/report.pdf