Maurice J. Elias, Ph.D., is Professor, Psychology Department, Rutgers University, Director, Social-Emotional and Character Development Lab(www.secdlab.org), Co-Director of the Rutgers-based Academy for SEL in Schools, which offers online certificates in SEL Instruction and School Leadership (SELinSchools.org) and a member of the Leadership Team for SEL4NJ and SEL4US (www.SEL4US.org). Research interests include social-emotional, character, and purpose development in schools and families, promotion of antiracism, and SEL implementation. Recent books include Nurturing Students’ Character: Everyday Teaching Activities for Social-Emotional Learning; Social-Emotional Learning Lab: A Comprehensive SEL Resource Kit (2021, with Victoria Poedubicky); and the just-published Morning Classroom Conversations: Build Your Students’ Social-Emotional, Character and Communication Skills Every Day, Addressing equity through culturally responsive education and SEL. (NPRinc.com), and Students Taking Action Together: 5 Teaching Techniques to Cultivate SEL, Civic Engagement, and a Healthy Democracy.