Owen Bondono is a ninth grade ELA teacher at Oak Park High School, located in the Oak Park School district in Michigan. As the first-known transgender teacher to be named the Michigan Teacher of the Year (2021), Owen strives to create an empathetic space where students feel safe and empowered as they develop critical thinking and communication skills. An advocate for LGBTQ+ youth and anti-racist practices, Owen is passionate about fostering supportive communities in all aspects of his life, inside and outside the classroom.