Uniquely Supported’s mission is to reimagine all classrooms as learning spaces where the rightful presence of all kinds of learners is affirmed and celebrated as undeniably necessary and valuable.  Dr. Allegra Johnson, CEO and Founder of Uniquely Supported, is a former middle school and high school special education teacher, former Director of Special Education, and former Executive Director of Educational Services for a network of charter schools in southern California.  She has over 10 years of experience with inclusive special education design, professional development facilitation, and shifting adults beliefs and behaviors in support of inclusive education.  

Her doctoral research focused on the mindsets and beliefs necessary for the successful inclusion of students with learning disabilities in general education classrooms.  Additionally, Dr. Johnson is an Adjunct Professor for both pre-service special education and general education teachers.  Allegra believes deeply in the power of transformational coaching, job embedded professional development, and the intentional cultivation of empathy, relational trust, and collaborative teaming. 

The Uniquely Supported Approach

Our work is guided by three core beliefs: 

  1. Adults working with persistently marginalized students need and deserve accessible, responsive, and personalized job embedded support in order to disrupt the status quo and oppressive racialized outcomes.

  2. When we dismantle our deficit based and othering beliefs about students from persistently marginalized communities, we are uniquely positioned to design affirming and supportive learning environments for all kinds of learners that can propel them into the future reality they desire.  

  3. Professional development must be transformative, not transactional, in order to build the capacity of teachers and youth leaders to actualize equity in their work with students. 

Uniquely Supported core Values

courage

We have the courage to create realities that don’t yet exist

community

We intentionally cultivate community because transformative change is impossible in insolation.  Collective transformation is forged in affirming community. 

healing

We center healing because we understand that we can’t move toward liberation without first healing from the trauma that we have all suffered as a result of systematic oppression.  We meet folks where they are at by leading with humanizing love, radical empathy,  and kindness

creativity

We lean into our curiosity and creativity to imagine and implement alternatives that disrupt the status quo.