Gholnescar (Gholdy) Muhammad is a Professor of Curriculum & Instruction with a focus on literacy, language, and culture. She has served as a classroom teacher, literacy specialist, school district administrator, curriculum director, and school board president. She studies Black historical excellence in education, with the goal of reframing curriculum and instruction today, and has received numerous honors and awards for that work. Dr. Muhammad's scholarship has appeared in leading academic journals and books. Her HILL Model has been adopted in thousands of schools and districts, and her best-selling books, Cultivating Genius and Unearthing Joy, have been read and revered by educators far and wide.