Dr. Monique Redeaux-Smith is a Chicago Public School scholar-activist-teacher currently on leave. She taught middle school Social Studies for over eleven years on the South and West sides of Chicago. While working as a full-time teacher, she actively participated in community struggles for educational justice and received her doctorate degree from the University of Illinois at Chicago in Educational Policy Studies in Urban Education. Monique transitioned from the classroom in December 2016. She currently works for the Illinois Federation of Teachers as the Director of Professional Issues where she continues her work as a youth, community and union organizer by advocating for anti-racist policies and practices that will improve the educational opportunities and life outcomes of Black and Brown students and communities.