New Staff Spotlight: Tyrai Bronson
We’re excited to welcome a long-time contractor to the Research in Action staff: Tyrai Bronson has joined us as Coaching and Training Manager! Learn more about Tyrai in the short Q&A below!
What would you like to share about your educational and professional background?
Prior to joining RIA, I served as the Vice President of Capacity Building for a national strategy firm; was Director of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion at a university; and led diversity initiatives for a non-profit in the Twin Cities. Earlier in my career I had the privilege of building and practicing curriculum development skills while working in elementary school classrooms.
I have a Master of Arts degree in Organizational Leadership and have earned an Equity & Diversity certificate from the University of Minnesota. In 2016, I was awarded the Catalytic Leader Award by the Minnesota Council of Nonprofits and became a Qualified Administrator of the Intercultural Development Inventory (IDI) and the Intercultural Conflict Styles Inventory (ICS).
What is your passion for equity and justice in the community—and how will you apply that in your position at RIA?
I am dedicated to empowering leaders to recognize and leverage differences to create change in themselves, their workplaces and their communities, specifically through the lens of race and gender justice. I am grateful for the opportunity to work with community members, partners and RIA staff to develop skills that are rooted in deep, cultural self-awareness that will support the research projects and desired outcomes.
What connects you personally to the work of racial justice?
My Blackness influences every experience I have in life. It shapes how I interact with others, what I wear, the language I use, how I style my hair, and even the foods I eat. I am a queer, masculine-presenting person who carries both masculine and feminine energy. I have come to understand that “safe space” can mean different things to different people, and I am deeply aware of what it means for me and my community. Flags, social media posts, and bumper stickers can feel performative when they are not accompanied by actions and policies that reflect genuine inclusion and belonging. Being Black and queer brings with it both pride and pain—feelings I carry with me as I navigate spaces that are often white, straight, and cisgender.
Malcolm X said, “Education is the passport to the future.” As a third-generation educator, I learned early that education is not simply about what happens in a classroom—it is about access, possibility, and liberation. I began my career teaching Black and Brown students in under-resourced communities, committed to giving them what textbooks could not: affirmation, opportunity, and the tools to see themselves as capable of more. That commitment now shapes my work with adult leaders across the country.
In every aspect of my life, I work to normalize the truth that gender and sexuality are not binary, that race is a social construction with very real consequences, and that every child deserves access to a high-quality education. I do not simply advocate for inclusive spaces—I work to create them. My identities inform my purpose, and my purpose is rooted in making room for people to learn, lead, and exist fully as themselves.
What are you most excited about in your work with RIA?
Bringing my passion and energy for leadership development, curriculum building and strategic action to supporting leaders in embodying racial justice practices in the hopes that it will influence those in and outside of their industries.