Meet the Team

Nathan

Dean

Marketing & Communications Manager

Nathan Dean brings passion and purpose to communication, connection, community understanding, and advocacy for people with varying educational goals. With his North Star of seeking to understand how people exist, choose to move through the world, and encouraging them to achieve their goals one moment at a time, he advocates for students and people by highlighting their strengths while helping them unlock their ultimate potential.
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Before joining Black Men Teach, Nathan spent 5 years at Target, where he led various marketing campaigns, brand launches, and developed strategic strategies utilizing data pattern recognition to transform complex narratives into easy-to-understand initiatives. Nathan maintains his entrepreneurial and future-forward mindset, as he created volunteer tutoring programs at M Health Fairview Masonic Children’s Hospital for students in long-term hospital care, enabling them to continue learning even when they were physically unable to be in the classroom.
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Nathan’s passion for envisioning a future with more Black men in the classroom stems from attending public schools in the South Twin Cities metro, where there was only one Black teacher within the entire district. Creating spaces where Black students can be seen, heard, and understood drives Nathan to continue advancing the work and communal connection that Black Men Teach strives to achieve.

6 QUESTIONS

WITH

Nathan

1 How would you describe what you do?

I build, manage, and grow Black Men Teach’s social and brand presence to engage our community, develop partnerships, and grow relationships while BMT continues to create opportunities for young Black students.

My role revolves around understanding, advocacy, and amplification.

2 What about the mission inspired you to join BMT?

Representation is vital.

‍As someone who attended K–12 with minimal Black educators, I often did not feel seen, heard, or understood by staff and faculty.

Our mission is honorable and demands commitment to create change from within our North Star state.

The ability to create lasting change for future generations drives me daily as we create opportunities for young students.

3 If you could describe in one word why you work at BMT, what would it be?

Advocacy

4 What is a piece of advice you would give to Black Men who are considering becoming teachers?

It is okay to build the plane as you fly it.‍
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Often in life, it is not about what you say, but how you say it.

Teachers are foundational to how individuals see themselves and their future potential.

Black men have the opportunity to inspire, encourage, and drive generational change within their communities.

5 What is the name of the teacher or teachers who had the most impact on you? Why?

As a student from Minnesota, I am passionate about helping people seek, understand, and strive for their own greatness.

Whether it be a desire to build generational wealth, set personal records, or become an individual who wants to create more for themselves.

Knowledge is power, and I am thrilled to be in a position to advocate for our community as we create many more opportunities.

6 What else do you want the community to know about who you are, your passion for the work, and the skills you bring to the work?

1

How would you describe what you do?

1

2

What about the mission inspired you to join BMT?

2 Advocacy

3

If you could describe in one word why you work at BMT, what would it be?

3

4

What is a piece of advice you would give to Black Men who are considering becoming teachers?

4

Mr. Mixon.

‍He affirmed for me that you can see the world differently from those around you and that this can be a superpower rather than a weakness.