Despite the critical role educators play in shaping our young people, the teaching profession in the U.S. has been losing respect and admiration, with negative messages perpetuating an unflattering and incomplete image of a viable and impactful profession. Increasing teacher diversity is a critical component in the effort to elevate the teaching profession. The research is increasingly clear: a racially diverse teacher workforce benefits ALL students, especially students of color and American Indian students. Yet Minnesota schools have 38% students of color but only 7.3% teachers of color. This lack of teacher diversity is a significant contributing factor to our state's sizable racial gaps in educational outcomes. This EDTalk, featuring Dr. Rose Chu, focuses on Elevate Teaching, part of a state-funded teacher recruitment and marketing campaign and a movement to shift how we view, talk about and relate to the teaching profession to include the profound impact teachers have in our society. EDTalks is co-presented by Achieve Twin Cities and Graves Ventures, a project of The Graves Foundation. Learn more at www.achievetwincities.org/edtalks or follow us on Twitter at #EDTalksMN​. This EDTalk was live streamed from Icehouse in Minneapolis, MN on November 13, 2023. It was emceed by Adia Morris.