A Theorist with the Heart of an Artivist
My name is Tezeru (Teh'zeh-roo) and it means “harvest” in Amharic, Ethiopia's main language. Over time, I have come to see that meaning as a reflection of both who I am and how I work: planting ideas, cultivating relationships, and creating the conditions for people and communities to grow.
As the daughter of immigrants, different cultures, institutions, communities, and ways of understanding the world often existed alongside one another in my life. That experience shaped my curiosity and taught me to look for connections between people, ideas, disciplines, and systems that may not immediately appear related. Today, that instinct sits at the center of my work.
I am a scholar-practitioner, educator, theatre artist, researcher, and civic engagement leader whose work moves across higher education, community organizations, public institutions, and the arts to create opportunities for people to shape the institutions and communities that affect their lives. I have worked with young people navigating juvenile justice systems, first-generation college students, educators, community leaders, nonprofit organizations, and public agencies to design programs, research, partnerships, and learning experiences that turn participation into meaningful influence.
In many ways, that brings me back to my name: a harvest is never accidental—it is the result of what has been planted, nurtured, and given the conditions to grow. My work is about helping create those conditions for people, ideas, and communities to take root and flourish.
Testimonials
“What has impressed me most throughout the years is Dr. Teshome's ability to build bridges…She notices the student standing quietly in the corner, the community member whose voice has not yet been heard, and the colleague whose idea deserves further exploration. Whether working with university faculty, community organizations, public agencies, or young people, she listens deeply, values multiple perspectives, and helps others discover their own capacity to contribute.”
— Dr. Perla Myers
Executive Director, Jacobs Institute for Innovation in Education, School of Leadership and Education Sciences
“Dr. Teshome sees student success not as an abstract institutional outcome, but as something built through recognition, relationship, structure, and sustained belief in students’ capacity to thrive…She is a strong proponent of equity over equality and passionately defends the point that when students are at different levels of preparedness, many times due to factors outside of their control, they should be given the support needed to succeed, which may not be the same for all. She has a welcoming, enthusiastic, relaxed, and authentic personality that makes students comfortable engaging with her, while still holding them to meaningful expectations…Her leadership in the AnchorSTEM Scholarship program is one of the most memorable contributions she made at USD because its legacy is still unfolding in the success of the cohort she helped bring together.”
— Dr. Odesma Dalrymple
Professor of Community-Engaged Engineering
Faculty, Department of Industrial & Systems Engineering
Director, Engineering Exchange for Social Justice“Working with Dr. Tezeru Teshome during my tenure as a San Diego County Juvenile Justice Commissioner, after having been a federal prosecutor, was truly refreshing. Tezeru brought a creative vision, scholarly rigor and strategic leadership to her position as a Commissioner. Although her background is in theatre and doctoral research, she brought together judges, probation leaders, attorneys and policymakers to create a new way to hear youth voices in our juvenile justice system. Her collaborative leadership resulted in the Commission's first-ever youth survey pilot project, creating a direct pathway for young people's voices to inform both our work on the Commission and the work of other entities in the juvenile justice system. She patiently worked with each stakeholder, helping them to see the value of her vision for including the voices of young people in decisions about juvenile justice policies and practices. Tezeru’s perspective was extremely valuable, and her contributions were both distinctive and deeply impactful.”
— Kimberly Allan (Attorney, retired)“I had the opportunity to work with Dr. Teshome on the first ever youth in juvenile facilities report done by the JJC and I was extremely impressed with how she ensured the report was grounded in the youth's experience we conducted interviews with and placed their narrative front and center for our work. As a lecture in the School of Public Affairs at San Diego State University and a published author of research on civic engagement of youth in Washington D.C. It was also apparent Dr. Teshome strived for a high level of academic excellence with our work, while also producing a report that would be easily accessible and useful for the county entities we interacted with in the JJC and also for the general public who wanted to learn about youth in the San Diego juvenile facilities.
This trail blazing work provided openings for the JJC that had not been pursued before and made our organization more accountable and effective in our court mandated mission. I was extremely impressed with how Dr. Teshome navigated our committee through the process of producing this report and working not just with the entire JJC body, but with our Court and County Administration oversight entities. The leadership skills Dr. Teshome exhibited during this multi year process I believe speak well to her true character, as well as the innate leadership and communication skills she also possesses.”
— Dr. Darwin Fishman
Educator, Equity Strategist, Community Engagement Leader