Dr. Danielle Moss Cox grew up on the Upper West Side of Manhattan, New Brunswick, NJ, and Barbados, WI. With a profound passion for education, she is dedicated to ensuring that young children receive the education they truly deserve.

As a TED talk speaker, Dr. Danielle delivered a highly motivational speech, emphasizing the importance of perseverance and personal growth. Her words resonated deeply, encouraging individuals not to give up on themselves and to strive for continuous improvement.
This remarkable woman, Dr. Danielle, effortlessly dedicates herself to ensuring that children receive the very best. Beyond her commitment to education, she is actively empowering women to become the best versions of themselves.

Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the inspiring Dr. Danielle Moss Cox—a true gem who continues to make a significant impact on education and empowerment.

What inspired you to become involved in education advocacy, particularly for underrepresented children and their rights?

My mother’s family originated on the island of Barbados, known for one of the highest literacy rates in the world. There were several educators in my family who were passionate about their work and who saw their commitment to education as an extension of their commitment to civil rights. As Black people, there are many things about institutional and structural racism that we have no control over. But the pursuit of a solid education felt like the most impactful and the most “available” lever we could pull to transform our position with the American caste system. I fight hard for Black and Brown young people because I see myself in their experiences, I see my own children through that same lens as I have tried to navigate the system as a student and also as a parent.

How do you perceive the current landscape in the non-profit education sector, and what opportunities or challenges do you see for driving significant change in this realm?

I came to the nonprofit education sector because I believed, and still believe, that there is opportunity for limitless innovation in how we support, uplift, and prepare our young people in a system that is not as wedded to regulation and bureaucracy as traditional school systems. But this sector is also touched by institutional and structural barriers that make it difficult for Black and Brown leaders to get the funding we need to be effective, to build the infrastructure we need, to pay the staff who are the driving force of the work on the ground, etc. Philanthropy has begun to really assess itself, how it relates to nonprofits, and how it supports nonprofits and the leaders who raise their hands to do the work. But their efforts don’t address how to bring corporate, private, and individual donors along on this “trust-based philanthropy” journey that is predicated on the notion that, as my good friend Ana Oliveira- President of the New York Women’s Foundation – always says and that is that “problems and solutions reside in the same communities”. While the nonprofit sector in NYC is still primarily fueled by the labor of women of color, we still don’t have proportional representation in positions of leadership. The struggle continues.

Can you share more about the key accolades and recognitions you’ve received, particularly from the New York State Education Department and the New York Women’s Foundation?

As someone who has labored in this sector for decades, recognition for my work – no matter where it comes from – has always helped me feel seen; that my contributions matter. But no leader doing this work can be successful without a dedicated team of professionals who share our values and ethos about what the work is and how the work gets done and what success looks like. Because after all, you’re not a leader if no one wants to follow you. Obviously, I am thankful that my work in education and women’s advocacy resulted in these awards, but the hardest and most rewarding aspect of the work is getting to results by communicating my passion and thought leadership to a team that is just as passionate about these issues as I am.

Your TED Talk on unlocking student potential gained immense popularity. Could you share more about the inspiration behind that talk and how it aligns with your mission at Oliver Scholars?

Oliver Scholars has done a fabulous job over the last 40 years of identifying talent in our communities not just based on what students have done in the past, although that matters, but also seeing beyond a report card or test scores to identify the kids who have the capacity and potential to do more and who are just waiting in the wings to be seen, to be ignited to action. Most people don’t stay at a “Level 10” their whole lives or their whole careers. There are lulls. My talk was about the importance of seeing the whole story, and not writing kids off. I used to tell my young people, “I’m going to have this conversation with the amazing young man or young woman I know you’re going to become – even if you aren’t showing up as your future self in this moment.” Sometimes I was the first person to tell a young person, “I see more in you and for you.” And of course, the student I referenced in the talk, Nicole, is an actual young person I mentored whose school counselor saw very little in her future despite what she’d already accomplished – and today she is a teacher with two master’s degrees. I’m grateful she gave me permission to share her story in my TED Talk. At 2 million views, I have heard from people all over the world who saw themselves in the middle and were ready to level up – they just needed an invitation.

How has your educational journey, obtaining your degrees from Swarthmore College and Teachers College, Columbia University, influenced your approach and leadership within the field of education?

The education I received at Swarthmore and at Teachers College gave me vision and tools and language to articulate how I could and should approach leadership and life in general. As an English and History double major with a concentration in Black Studies, I learned how words, and language and history help to shape what we know and understand about the world today. I read texts like How Europe Underdeveloped Africa? And unpacked harmful rhetoric from sociologists whose racism helped to shape much of American public policy. At Teachers College we debated about multicultural curriculum and who defines the American canon and what did Pedogogy of the Oppressed really mean? My education formed the foundation of my thinking but so did my mother, and aunts, and father and grandparents, and my youth leader at the YMCA, and countless others who have consistently poured into me over the years. And even with all of these earned credentials, I am still learning and growing and reimagining my place in this sector.

Can you elaborate on how your leadership at Oliver Scholars reflects your commitment to social empowerment and the principles of equality and human rights?

Oliver Scholars is built on three tenets – leadership, scholarship and service. Independent schools and competitive colleges and universities are vehicles that we have historically leveraged to create pathways to opportunity and economic mobility for communities that have been left out of the calculus of the American Dream. Because we see ourselves as shaping future Black and Latinx leaders, our curricula is contextual and reflective of the realities our scholars face and will face. We teach our scholars that to whom much is given, much is expected. You were great before you headed off to boarding school and college. Your communities of origin have value because that’s where you come from. Lift as you climb. Inform as you learn. Give as you grow. Many of our scholars have been the children of immigrants. How are you locating your opportunities within the struggles that your parents and families and friends face? We are not islands. I don’t believe in rugged individualism. If you have it, give it. If you know it, teach it.

What are the key goals you have set or wish to achieve, either personally or for Oliver Scholars, to further support and enhance educational opportunities for underprivileged communities?

My wish for Oliver Scholars is that given our enormous success over the years, we can serve as a springboard and catalyst for other communities to expand opportunities and shape future leaders with deep thought, intentionality, and an unwavering commitment to justice. And I want the systems that impact our communities to pay attention and take notes on our approach and strategies and see us as a blueprint for real change and equity.

What’s Next at Oliver Scholars and for Dr. Cox?

What’s next for Oliver Scholars is more young people served, and more opportunities to define best practices in this field. What’s next for Dr. Cox? More justice. More love.

We heard you were an author. What project are you working on?

I plan to release Mudsill, Mules and Magic in 2024. It’s an autobiographical book on one Black woman’s leadership journey.

What was the inspiration behind it?

I wanted to share my story and the tools and framework I’ve developed to help more leaders of all backgrounds, not just Black women, use the leadership modalities of Black women to advance their practices.

You can find Dr. Cox on all social media platforms @Dr. Danielle Moss Cox, CEO