Curtis Valentine

Curtis Valentine, founder of Real Men Teach, is at the forefront of advocating for the recruitment and retention of male educators of color. His initiative stems from the insights gained during his ten-year tenure as an At-Large School Board Member for Prince George’s County Public Schools, and the subsequent creation of the Male Educator Network. Through Real Men Teach, Curtis collaborates with schools, districts, nonprofits, and universities to champion diversity in teaching.

A dynamic and nationally recognized speaker, Curtis has shared his insights at prestigious platforms including SXSW, the Black Male Educator Conference (BMEC), ASU-GSV, ESSENCE Fest, the Congressional Black Caucus Annual Legislative Conference, 100 Black Men Annual Conference, and Amplify KC. His expertise extends to policy and academia, serving as the Co-Director of the Progressive Policy Institute's Reinventing America's Schools Project and as a Public Policy Professor at the University of Maryland.

Curtis’s academic journey, spanning Morehouse College and Harvard University, laid the foundation for his career. Starting as an Education Volunteer with the U.S. Peace Corps in South Africa, he then transitioned to a middle school educator in Maryland. His written work has been featured in the Washington Post, Huffington Post, Washington Informer, and the Theory Into Practice Literary Journal. Currently, Curtis is penning 'Real Men Teach,' a book that explores the profound influence of Black male educators, tracing back to the 18th century.