Dr. Khalid Mumin on Education, Legacy & Infinite Possibilities
PALO: Every great leader has a beginning. What inspired you to become an educator?
- MUMIN: My 10th-grade English teacher, Mr. Dick Smith, inspired me to become an educator. He challenged me with Shakespeare, opening my eyes to the power of literacy. More importantly, he constantly told me I was smart and destined for success. I carried those words through college and knew I wanted to become a teacher.
PALO: Looking back at your childhood, who believed in you before you believed in yourself?
- MUMIN: I was a kid from Philadelphia’s Logan neighborhood, living in poverty, who loved ninth grade so much I did it twice! My family—especially my mother, father, sister, and aunt—along with mentors, coaches, and educators, believed in me while I was living for the day instead of the future.
PALO: We chose to photograph you in the library. What does a library symbolize to you?
- MUMIN: Libraries are safe havens where people can explore the world through literature, the arts, and now technology. They remain welcoming spaces for everyone to learn and grow.
PALO: You’ve served as a teacher, principal, superintendent, and Pennsylvania Secretary of Education. Which role taught you the most about leadership?
- MUMIN: Serving as Pennsylvania Secretary of Education taught me the most. It allowed me to draw on every previous experience while impacting 1.8 million students across all 67 counties. It reinforced that education is essential for every child, regardless of ethnicity, gender, location, or socioeconomic status.
PALO: You returned to lead the Reading School District. Why was this the right time?
- MUMIN: Returning to Reading was a dream come true. I was able to see earlier plans come to fruition and bring new expertise in social-emotional learning, mental health, and workforce development to help our 16,000 students unlock infinite possibilities for success.
PALO: Success isn’t always measured by grades. How should we redefine student success?
- MUMIN: Student success should be measured by growth, access, and opportunity. Students should demonstrate learning by doing and graduate with the confidence to learn, lead, and compete in an ever-changing world.
PALO: What inspired you to write Problem Child, and what do you hope readers take away?
- MUMIN: Problem Child is my story—from child to educator. My challenging upbringing taught me that education creates opportunities beyond imagination. The book is an ode to children living carpe diem, educators who inspire greatness, and leaders who practice H.O.P.E.—Health, Open Advocacy, Passionate Action, and Empathy—to lead with humility and heart.
PALO: As a Black educational leader who has broken barriers, what responsibility do you feel to the next generation?
- MUMIN: My responsibility is to pay it forward by encouraging future leaders to lead unapologetically for the students and communities they serve, knowing education is our greatest opportunity to shape America’s future.
PALO: Reading is one of Pennsylvania’s most diverse cities. How can the community help every child succeed?
- MUMIN: It starts with alignment and a shared commitment. As Pennsylvania’s fourth-largest city, we must continue investing in education, supporting students’ dreams, and walking beside them as they pursue careers, military service, entrepreneurship, or higher education.
PALO: What chapter of your story are you writing now, and what do you hope comes next?
- MUMIN: This chapter is called My Legacy. By God’s grace, I’m becoming more focused on the footprints I’ll leave to inspire youth, educators, communities, and leaders through education. My next chapter is passing the baton and helping develop the next generation of educational leaders.
Palo’s Rapid-Fire
- Coffee or tea? Both—Black coffee and herbal tea.
- Favorite book? Invisible Man by Ralph Ellison.
- Favorite quote? “Look to the future with new vision. Tomorrow is not yesterday.”
- Morning person or night owl? Night owl.
- One word that defines your leadership style? Visionary.
- If you weren’t in education, what career would you have pursued? Carpenter.
