Guest Shakari Cameron Byerly, Dartmouth '96, recognized that at her core she is someone who brings communities together, shines a light the diversity within them, and amplifies the voices so all viewpoints are heard. She did that in her youth and in college through student assembly work and with the cultural communities that she was a part. She figured that she would have a future in public interest law or public service. But a straight path to law school didn’t feel right and she served the communities that nurtured her by returning to teach high school in the San Francisco Bay Area and Los Angeles.

Realizing she still had a yearning to work at a more macro level, she worked on the social services side of education and mentorship. But she still had the political bug, so pursued a master's in public policy, worked with the state legislature and think tanks on education policy and economic development, ultimately getting pulled into the world of public opinion polling that she never knew existed. The perfect fit for her community-building values, she now runs one of the only African American-owned polling firms in the country with husband Rodrego Bylery, Dartmouth ’98.

In this episode, find out from Shakari how amplifying and elevating the voices of everyday people can be its own kind of public service on ROADS TAKEN...with Leslie Jennings Rowley.

About This Episode's Guest

Shakari Byerly is partner and principal researcher at EVITARUS, the Los Angeles-based public opinion research and public policy consulting firm that she runs with her husband Rodrego Byerly, Dartmouth '98. The firm is one of the only African American owned and operated polling firms in the U.S. You can find out more at evitarus.com.

EPISODE TRANSCRIPT

Executive Producer/Host: Leslie Jennings Rowley

Music: Brian Burrows

Find more episodes at https://roadstakenshow.com

Email the show at RoadsTakenShow@gmail.com

Find more episodes at https://roadstakenshow.com

Executive Producer/Host: Leslie Jennings Rowley

Music: Brian Burrows

Email the show at RoadsTakenShow@gmail.com

Polling Place: Shakari Cameron Byerly on listening to community and amplifying voices

Roads Taken