Freedom Dreaming: An Abolitionist Teacher Residency.

This article centers on conceptualizing an abolitionist teacher residency (ATR) as a transformative approach to teacher education that dismantles oppressive schooling systems and fosters liberation. Drawing on critical theories, abolitionism, the Black Radical Imagination, and abolitionist education, the authors identify four non-negotiables for ATRs: attunement to local geo-socio-historical and political contexts; democratic and participatory structures centering marginalized voices; a committed onto-epistemological orientation rooted in critical theories and abolition; and an emphasis on learning as a practice of liberation. The article situates this work within the challenges of urban teacher residencies, critiques neoliberal and deficit-based models, and describes an evolving Atlanta-based residency program that integrates community engagement, critical consciousness, and shared leadership. It concludes by inviting educators and researchers to join in the ongoing “abolitionist turn” toward reimagining teacher preparation grounded in justice and freedom.