Rahsaan Liddell - Educator & Speaker

This week I had the privilege of attending the 117th NAACP National Convention in Chicago.

As an educator, I believe professional growth doesn’t end when the school year does. Some of the most valuable learning happens by listening to different perspectives, building new relationships, and engaging in conversations that shape the future of education and the future of our communities.

During the convention, I had the opportunity to learn from national leaders, connect with fellow educators, meet inspiring college students, and hear discussions on public education, civic engagement and leadership.

One of the highlights was meeting members of the NAACP Youth & College Division from Grand Rapids, Michigan. Seeing young people invest in leadership and service reminds me why education matters.

Experiences like this strengthen my work both in the classroom and through Global Pathways Education & Publishing. They also reinforce a message I share whenever I speak:

Education is about preparing people to lead, serve, and succeed in an increasingly interconnected world.

I’m grateful for the conversations, the new connections, and the opportunity to
learn alongside other leaders committed to expanding opportunity and creating a lasting change.

If your school, university, nonprofit, or organization is looking for a speaker on global education, cultural competency, leadership, or preparing students for success in an interconnected world, I’d welcome the opportunity to connect.

I’m honored to be attending the 117th NAACP National Convention here in Chicago.

For me, conferences like this are about much more than attending sessions. They’re opportunities to learn and engage in conversations about the future of education, leadership, and our communities.

After spending nearly a decade teaching in China, I’ve come to believe that preparing students for the future requires more than academics. It requires cultural understanding, global awareness, and the ability to connect with people who may be very different from our own experiences.

Those beliefs shape my work as an educator, author, and speaker.

Here’s to building bridges, creating opportunity, and preparing the next generation to lead with knowledge, understanding and purpose.

This weekend I’ll be attending the 46th Annual Chicago Chinatown Summer Fair, one of Chicago’s premier celebrations of Chinese culture and community.

For me, this event represents a full-circle moment.

After spending nearly a decade teaching in China, I returned home to Chicago determined to keep that connection to Chinese language and culture alive for my son. I enrolled him at the Chinese American Service League, where he continued learning about his second culture while I became an active volunteer supporting community events and programs.

Around that same time, I also began volunteering with the Chicago Chinatown Chamber of Commerce, helping with events like the Chicago Dragon Boat Race for Literacy and building relationships throughout Chicago’s Chinatown.

Those experiences introduced me to educators, elected officials, business leaders, and lifelong friends. More importantly, they reinforced something I had already learned while living overseas.

Education has the power to bring people together across cultures.

Today, that same belief is what Global Pathways Education & Publishing is all about. My mission is to help young people develop the language skills, cultural understanding, and global perspective they’ll need to make it in an interconnected world.

I’m looking forward to reconnecting with some old friends, making a few new connections, and celebrating another year of the Chicago Chinatown Summer Fair.

If you’re attending this weekend, let’s meet!

Every stage of my journey has reinforced my belief that education changes lives.

That belief has taken me from classrooms in China to classrooms in Chicago, and now to pursuing a Ph.D. in Global Citizenship Education at DePaul University.

Throughout my career, I’ve seen that language learning is about more than vocabulary. It develops cultural understanding, expands opportunity, and prepares students for a world that is more and more interconnected.

My research and professional work is guided by one question: How do we prepare young people not only for successful careers, but for meaningful global citizenship?

Whether I’m teaching Mandarin, writing curriculum, speaking with educators, or building Global Pathways, my mission is to empower, build bridges across cultures and help develop the next generation of global leaders.
www.RahsaanLiddell.com

One of the greatest privileges of my career has been living and teaching in China for nearly a decade.

That experience changed the way I think about education.

I learned that speaking another language isn’t only about communication. It’s about developing cultural understanding and preparing young people to thrive in an increasingly interconnected world.

Those experiences inspired me to write Mandarin for the Culture: A Cultural Passport from “The Chi” to Shanghai.

The book reflects the same philosophy I bring to every keynote, workshop, and classroom:

Education should prepare students not only for the next test, but for the world they’ll inherit.

Whether I’m speaking with educators, community organizations, business leaders, or students, my message remains the same:

Language opens doors.
Culture builds bridges.
Education transforms lives.

If you’re looking for an engaging resource to introduce young people to Mandarin language and Chinese culture, I invite you to explore the book.

📘 Available now on Amazon:
https://www.amazon.com/Mandarin-Culture-Cultural-Passport-Shanghai-ebook/dp/B0FLKLNKSN

Changing lives, one character at a time.

Today, I’m excited to introduce something that has been in my heart and mind for years.

After spending nearly a decade living and teaching in China, I saw the power of language and cultural understanding to transform lives. Those experiences continue to shape my work as an educator and have inspired the next chapter of that mission.

Today, I’m proud to announce the launch of the Black-Asian Bridge Initiative through the Global Pathways Cultural Foundation.

Our mission is simple.

To prepare the next generation of Black and Asian leaders through language education, cultural understanding, leadership development, and meaningful community partnerships.

This initiative will focus on:

• Mandarin language education
• Cultural exchange experiences
• Youth leadership development
• Community dialogue
• School and university partnerships

Chicago is one of the most diverse cities in the world. Yet too few opportunities exist for Black and Asian communities to learn from one another, build lasting relationships, and create opportunities together.

I believe education is where those bridges begin.

Over the coming months, I’ll be connecting with schools, universities, nonprofits, businesses, community organizations, and philanthropic partners who share this vision.

If your organization is interested in collaborating, sponsoring programs, or helping us expand opportunities for young people, I’d love to connect.

Together, we can build bridges that prepare the next generation for a more connected world.

Rahsaan Liddell
Founder & CEO
Global Pathways Cultural Foundation