Victor Rios' Teacher Saved His Life

At age 14, Victor Rios' best friend is shot and killed. Afterwards, Victor thought, "I am going to end up dead like him or in prison for life." But Victor turns his life around after having a high school technology teacher named, Ms. Russ. He goes on to college, earns a Ph.D. in sociology, and becomes a professor at U.C. Santa Barbara.  

In this podcast episode, Dr. Rios reflects on his extraordinary life, the critical role teachers can play in students' lives, and the support teachers need to be successful, especially with students, like him, who grow up in poverty.   

Near the end of the interview, Victor also speaks about the Black Lives Matter movement and the opportunity it presents for educators to help students learn about this "cultural revolution."