Brody, Dylan: - Dylan Brody (they/them), MSEd, is a doctoral
student at the University of Georgia. They are currently the graduate research
assistant for the Department of Educational Theory and Practice, with a focus
on critical studies. Dylan began working as a full-time teacher with infants
and toddlers in 2010 and fell deeply in love with the complexity of teaching
young children. They worked collaboratively with a coteacher in a setting that
utilizes a continuity of care model, providing Dylan the space and support
needed to build intimate and meaningful connections with children and their
families over the course of a three-year cycle. This time allowed them to
create a more deeply reflective teaching practice and mindful rapport with
families through daily moments of trust building. Dylan's primary research and
teaching interests focus on ethics, equity, critical theory, mindfulness, and
advocacy for fellow teachers who experience marginalization. They prioritize
care practices and policies that allow all members of the community to feel
safer to be themselves and challenge the barriers in place that might prevent
success for all. Dylan hopes to work more closely in the future with early
childhood teachers in the LGBTQ+ community and to further advocate for trans
visibility and representation in the field. Dylan currently lives in Athens,
Georgia, with their beloved cat, Bean.