Ep. 75: Keep Calm & Grow Plants

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Note to listeners: This episode was recorded the end of May, prior to George Floyd’s murder and ensuing civil unrest. We’ve added an additional 6minutes at the end of this episode for Kat to update us on her business and how her own thinking and learning has changed since that time.

EQ: How are small business owners coping with the coronavirus pandemic and why do we need plants now more than ever? 

Guest: Katherine Raz is the owner of  The Fernseed, a retail plant shop based in Tacoma, Washington that is now expanding its e-commerce offerings and opening a second location to service floral. You can follow The Fernseed on Facebook.

In this episode, Kat shares her passion for plants and her desire to be a thoughtful, white, female business owner. We discuss things such as gentrification, advice for other small business owners and the impact of COVID-19 on our business and communities. 

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Annie: gardening and cottage core Tiktok 

  • Hope: check out The Fernseed and buy plants!

  • Katherine: replace your Amazon spending with someone local such as King’s Books

    Follow us on Twitter @IWL_Podcast or Facebook: Interchangeable White Ladies Podcast

    Lastly, don’t forget to pick up your copy of The Body is Not an Apology for the #readlessbasic book club.

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Ep. 74: How A Pandemic & Civil Unrest Impacts Mental Health: Perspective from A Social Psychologist

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Notes to listeners:  This episode was recorded early June and was intended to discuss the impact of the coronavirus on our mental health and the initial responses to the protests against police brutality. There are many key issues we did not cover, but we hope you will find some solace in this episode.

EQ: What impact is the Coronavirus pandemic having on mental health and how are those impacts uniquely burdensome for female identified folx and people of color?

Guest: Michelle Ceynar

The pandemic is highlighting inequities in our society in new ways and exacerbating anxiety and depression around the world. This experience is much like adolescent ups and downs. The inability to recover from all the “fires” makes it difficult to ever fully recover. People of color are not only left out of conversations about mental health but are most impacted because of institutional racism and marginalization.

Related Links:

Champagne & Real Pain

🥂Legal Defense Funds

🥂Businesses coming out in support of BLM saying

🥂Conservative “middle” people who are waking up to the situation in America

🥂The Humble grocery store employee

👎🏻Murderers of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Ahmaud Arbery

👎🏻White people who refuse to understand George Floyd protests 

👎🏻Police officers who aren’t refusing to go to work or standing up to their crew

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Annie: Michelle’s work. Our episode cast a really broad net today, so don’t forget to learn more about social psychology theory and read Michelle’s new research. Psychology Today-  The Psychology of Rioting: the Language of the Unheard 

  • Michelle: Do internal HW--start thinking about why you’re responding to “riots” the way you’re responding.

  • Doug: don’t post fake images—do you homework on anything you post

Follow us on Twitter @IWL_Podcast or Facebook: Interchangeable White Ladies Podcast

Lastly, don’t forget to pick up your copy of The Body is Not an Apology for the #readlessbasic book club

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Ep. 73: The Police & Passive White Folks Are the Problem

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EQ: How do we make sense of the world in which we presently live? No, really - how? We need ideas. 

In this episode, Annie and Hope move through a range of thinking about current events in the US.

Some key points:

  1. For some white people this is their “awakening moment” what many experienced in 2012 with Trayvon Martin’s murder, in 2014 Michael Brown’s murder, in 2016 with Philando Castile  & Alton Sterling, 2017  Freddie Gray murder 

  2. We need white people to fight white supremacy (especially the “milk toast”, conservative types0

  3. Murder isn’t political. Stop making it that. Neither is Coronavirus for that matter

  4. To what extent is the white response to George Floyd’s murder performative?

  5. White people need to move from actors, to allyship, to being accomplices (see White Accomplices)

  6. We need the political will to address police brutality

  7. It is worth the risk to join the protests and stand up for Black lives

  8. We need to reimagine policing (maybe even abolish the police)

Learn More:

Champagne & Real Pain:

🥂white people who are doing the work and putting their bodies on the line; people of color who’ve continued to lead change 

👎🏻 The police!

Do Your Fudging Homework:

Follow us on Twitter @IWL_Podcast or Facebook: Interchangeable White Ladies Podcast

Lastly, don’t forget to pick up your copy of The Body is Not an Apology for the #readlessbasic book club

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Ep. 72: Liberate & Chill--Embracing a Mindset of Possibility

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EQ: To what extent should we still strive to be anti-racist in a world on fire?

Guests: 

  • Kass Minor (she/her/hers) is an inclusive educator who is deeply involved in local, inquiry-based teacher research and school community development. Most recently, along with her partner and husband, Cornelius Minor, she has established The Minor Collective. You can follow Kass on Twitter @MsKass1

  • shea martin (they/them/theirs) previous guest on episode 69 “Working Toward Liberation”. You can find them on Twitter at @sheathescholar.”

Concretely learning about ways to “work towards liberation” in our classrooms, schools, and communities, is part of the necessary work for anti-racist educators. In the midst of a pandemic that has disrupted every aspect of our lives, many educators are looking for a “place to call home.” In this episode, we interview two of the four co-founders of the collective Liberate and Chill “an immersion online learning experience for anti-racists educators.” Kass and shea walk us through the inception and development of this new collaboration.  As we consider this current place and time, we are looking towards the future not as a “return to normal” but a “turn to better.” We’re reminded albeit contradictory, liberation looks like both  joy and rest. 

Learn more about Liberate and Chill by following them on Twitter and Instagram @liberateNchill 

Do Your Fudging Homework:

Follow us on Twitter @IWL_Podcast or Facebook: Interchangeable White Ladies Podcast

Lastly, don’t forget to pick up your copy of The Body is Not an Apology for #readlessbasic book club

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Ep. 71: Where's the Discourse on My Students? An Interview on Special Education with Monise Seward

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EQ: How do we create  systems that support ALL learners with a specific focus on supporting students with disabilities? 

Guest: Monise Seward is a 6th grade math and science special education teacher in Georgia, a student advocate, an IEP consultant, and the author of the blog (re)Birth of a Teacher. 

Monise begins by sharing her story of what brought her into education and why she chose to work in the world of special education. Even in 2020, special education is viewed as a “place” rather than services.  Misconceptions of the purpose of the services has led to few changes in the system over the years. The structure of our schools is stagnant---teachers aren’t receiving the supports and ongoing training they need to provide fully services to their students. Simultaneously, parents and students need to be trained on advocacy. Monise calls out K-12 education as a system which is ignoring elements of the law and refusing to provide the services students need and deserve. As an IEP consultant, Monise developed a resource “A Parents’ Guide to Being in the Driver’s Seat”. Additionally, listeners should read her ideas on her blog including, Supporting Students With Learning Disabilities During a School Shut down and Virtual Learning Cannot Support the Needs of Students with IEPs 

If you want to learn more about Special Education:

Sources for Understanding Impact of COVID-19:

Champagne & Real Pain:

🥂 Special education teachers working under impossible conditions to renew their IEPs this year. For those who don’t know, IEPs have to be renewed yearly and involve families in meetings, which has been made exceptionally difficult by the pandemic. Special education is a right and this work is not optional. 

🥂Gen Ed teachers who reach out to Monise asking specific questions so they can be a better teacher  to their students!

🥂Karen Pelander (at Clover Park HS) and Roberta Whitesell (Lincoln HS)

👎🏻 All the educators who claim to want social justice classrooms but don’t actively pursue ways to make their curriculum/instruction better for special education students

👎🏻 Don’t ring a bell every time you are doing something you’re supposed to do. Just do it.

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Hope: No homework! 

  • Monise: Reach out ot SpEd co-teachers. Ask your partner, “what are we going to do different next year?” Consider them your colleague and partner together.

  • Annie: Educate yourself on issues in special education

Find Monise on Twitter @MoniseLSeward

Follow us on Twitter @IWL_Podcast or Facebook: Interchangeable White Ladies Podcast

Lastly, don’t forget to pick up your copy of The Body is Not an Apology for #readlessbasic book club

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Ep. 70: On Creating a “Beloved Community” with Kelly Wickham Hurst

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Note to listeners: This episode was recorded prior to the corona outbreak in the US so you will not hear any discussion of its impact on this particular topic.

EQ: How can we better understand the double-taxation facing black educators and students in US schools?

Guest: Kelly Wickham Hurst is the founder and CEO of Being Black at School and author of blog Mocha Momma

Recorded in late February, Kelly joined us for an interview while returning home from a conference. In this episode, Kelly recounts her experiences as a woman of color and her journey through education--first as a student and then eventually as a teacher,  principal, and district leader. She delves into the double-taxation on Black educators and students and the trauma experienced in public schools. Her current work with Being Black at School sets an example for the rest of us about what it means to develop policies that center the priorities and needs of Black students. “You have to be in right relationships with your white folks and white folks you need to be reconciled with your people of color.”

Advice for those trying to mitigate the double-taxation on Black educators and students:

  • Do our own work

  • Collect each other (take responsibility)

  • Avoid deficits thinking in the way you discuss students & families

Champagne 🥂 & Real Pain 👎🏻

🥂 Monise Seward, shea martin

🥂All the amazing Black women who’ve taken the time to come on the show and help us #belessbasic

👎🏻 Betsy DeVos

👎🏻 Those in positions of power actively causing harm

Do Your Fudging HW:

You can find Kelly on Twitter

Follow us on Twitter @IWL_Podcast or Facebook: Interchangeable White Ladies Podcast

Lastly, don’t forget to pick up your copy of The Body is Not an Apology for #readlessbasic book club

Lastly, don’t forget to pick up your copy of The Body is Not an Apology for #readlessbasic book club

Ep. 69: Working Toward Liberation--An Interview with shea martin

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Note to listeners: This episode was recorded prior to the corona outbreak in the US so you will not hear any discussion of its impact on this particular topic.

EQ: What does it look like to center anti-racist work and marginalized populations within a k-12 classroom?

Guest: shea martin, “lit teacher, researcher, and community organizer who dreams and works toward liberation with teachers and students across the country.” They also play the jazz vibraphone.

We begin our interview by defining the importance of brunch and setting parameters for a “brunch window” and the necessity of planning for a nap. Then, shea shares experiences growing up in the DC metro area where many teachers of color encouraged academic excellence and called out the hidden potential. However, shea identifies significant experiences that push them out of the classroom and reiterated the fact that many educators often unconsciously project bias without considering its impact on students. Throughout our discussion we circle back to several key ideas but specifically that “identity is elastic and fluid.” If we internalize this idea and adjust our curriculum to reflect this, we are more likely to actually achieve our goal of inclusive and affirming classrooms. shea leaves us with some practical advice: 

  • If you are curating a more “diverse” classroom library, be sure to include books that counter the narrative of oppression of people of color. Your books should also reflect the brilliance of black and brown people.

  • You will not be able to teach or represent every perspective, but you can be transparent with your students about who or what is being left out (and why).

  • If you’re trying to do transformative work (such as disrupting white supremacy) you must be prepared. Students need routines and parameters for safe discussions. You, the teacher, need to be extra prepared.

  • Consider the ways you can incorporate LGBTQ authors, characters, and stories.

  • Go read Juliet Takes A Breath. 

Check out shea’s writing and other interviews:

Champagne 🥂 & Real Pain 👎🏻

🥂 Val Brown & Clear the Air Crew; Disrupt Text Ladies; Cody Miller & Josh Thompson, Liz Kleinrock, Lizzie Fortin

🥂 POC at BCCS crew and all our AMAZING STUDENTS; Queering the Classroom 

👎🏻 Well-meaning white people who don’t want to do the work; people that don’t wash their hands!  

👎🏻 Educators who consistently get names and pronouns wrong.

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Annie: Read 1 Teacher in 10 by Kevin Jennings. I think I’ve recommended this before, but it’s really helpful for understanding the experiences of queer educators. 

  • Hope: Read the post from Crawling Out of the Classroom “If I can’t opt my kid out of the homophobia she will experience, you shouldn’t be able to opt your kid out of reading books with LGBTQ characters.”

  • shea: Go out and listen to Brittany Howard’s album Jamie

You can find shea on twitter at @sheathescholar or through email: writeshea@gmail.com

Follow us on Twitter @IWL_Podcast or Facebook: Interchangeable White Ladies Podcast

Ep. 68: Throw Out the White Canon #DisruptText Part II w/ Lorena German

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Note to listeners: This episode was recorded in mid-February as a part II to episode 65 “Throw Out the White Cannon #DisruptTexts

Shortly after this recording, Lorena German was featured in The New York Times “Bringing A New Vibe to the Classroom.”

EQ: What does it mean to teach in multicultural and multilingual classrooms and communities in 2020?

Guest: Lorena German, classroom educator and Chair of the National Council of English Teacher’s Committee Against Racism and Bias in the Teaching of English and co-founder of #DisruptTexts

In this episode, Lorena explains the origins of The Multicultural Classroom and its mission: “we aim to address the national issue of effectively teaching in multicultural and multi-lingual classrooms and communities. We believe that a culturally sustaining pedagogy can be practiced through targeted professional development.” Lorena also digs into her work on the NCTE Committee Against Racism & Bias and how it’s helped her advance her vision of effective and compassionate teaching in multicultural/multilingual classrooms. She talks about her role in co-founding #DisruptTexts with Julia Torres and Tricia Ebarvia and future projects she’s looking forward to. Read her post “Disrupting Shakespeare”.

Champagne 🥂 & Real Pain 👎🏻

🥂 Ibram X. Kendi

🥂 The Love & Lies of Rukhsana Ali by Sabina Khan

🥂 Black educators on Twitter (i.e. Kelly Wickham Hurst)

👎🏻 Revisionist history and people beating the drum about white history

Do Your Fudging HW:

Follow us on Twitter @IWL_Podcast or Facebook: Interchangeable White Ladies Podcast

Ep. 67: What A Pandemic Reveals About Education Equity--Teaching & Learning During the Covid-19 Outbreak

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Note to listeners: This episode was recorded on Saturday March 14. Some information may have changed by the date this was published. Unfortunately, due to timezone issues, Annie was unable to join the discussion.

EQ: What has this pandemic revealed about issues of equity and access in education?

Guests: Aaron Shelby, Secondary Curriculum Coordinator, and Amy Daraiseh, Learning Support at the American School of Abu Dhabi.

Weeks ago, educators in East Asia transitioned to virtual teaching, offering synchronous (live) and asynchronous learning opportunities for students kindergarten through university level. Many international teachers kept tabs on this progression, perusing social media for what was inevitably coming to all of us. Concerns about teaching students with special needs, supporting English language learners, and managing poor internet connection across the globe were hot topics on many message boards. For better or for worse, it seemed the US was living blissfully in denial of the impending virus that would sweep the nation and ask educators to re-examine what it means to teach and to learn in the midst of a pandemic. 

To get some perspective on the logistics of remote learning, listen to the conversation  “Teaching Online During the Covid-19 Outbreak” Nate Bowling had with two teachers, Jordan Moog and Michele Curley, from the American School of Abu Dhabi.

In this episode, two of Hope’s favorite colleagues join her for a discussion on the range of equity issues rising to the surface in educating in the “new frontier” of the coronavirus. We discuss special education accommodations, tech access, wrap-around services (food, childcare, medical care), and how to provide social-emotional support to students in a time of crisis. Our conversation has a global framing but Hope weaves in Washington specific data and concerns in order to keep listeners grounded in something more familiar. 

Learn about what’s happening in WA state:

Around the World:

Champagne & Real Pain:

  • 🥂 to Educator Temporary School Closure for Online Community and all the educators making themselves vulnerable to share ideas. 

  • 🥂 Naomi Campbell for telling us to wipe down our seats

  • 🥂 American Community School administration and colleagues

  • 👎🏻 to the ashholes who are hoarding TP and being butts to others during a time of crisis

  • 👎🏻 those who are still traveling which puts others in danger

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Hope: keep sharing your resources, bringing hopeful in the midst of chaos

  • Amy: channel positive energy and spread it to those around you

  • Aaron: be good to yourself and check in on your neighbor

Follow our guests on the socials: Aaron Shelby (Twitter) Amy Daraiseh (Twitter)

Ep. 66: Let Black Folks Do What They Want With Their Hair

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EQ: How is hair discrimination a not-so-subtle manifestation of racism & white supremacy? Why can’t white folks just let black folks do what they want with their hair?

Guest:  Jenna Hanchard is a lifelong community storyteller who has spent her career centering and amplifying diverse voices. Jenna is the leader of Culture & Innovation at The Riveter Co, a women-run co-working and community company poised to become a modern union of working women. She is a three-time Emmy award winner and an Edward R. Murrow award recipient. She was also on the Nerd Farmer Podcast Episode 9 on covering Tacoma and TV News, and Episode 53 “Review in Shadecast”

In this episode, Jenna explains how hair discrimination is rooted in white supremacist ideologies that view hair style as choice rather than understanding the way hair styles reflect culture and history. She shares the story behind Washington state’s HB 2602 (a kind of “Crown Act” bill), led by Representative Melanie Morgan and the intentional language choices in this bill. Jenna gives concrete advice for how to disrupt hair discrimination in the work place (and schools). We hope you leave this conversation challenged and motivated to examine the policies that do/don’t exist in our school districts, our cities, and our states. Call your local legislator using the hotline 1800-562-600 “I’m calling to support HB 2602 because everyone deserves the right to wear their natural hair. Because not passing this bill would directly perpetuate systemic racism in our country.” ALSO, go sign The Crown Act petition!

Context for Hair Discrimination Legislation:

High profile cases for hair discrimination:

Move to pass legislation:

Progress in WA state:

Champagne & Real Pain:

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Hope: Go watch Hair Love and watch you attitude about people's hair

  • Annie: learn history! Shout out to Teen Vogue for pivoting from vapid fluff to hard-hitting journalism.  

  • Jenna: look and see where your state is--what’s passed, not passed, look at local district policies. If there isn't a bill figure out how to get one started. If there is, go and show up. 

Follow us on Twitter @IWL_Podcast or Facebook: Interchangeable White Ladies Podcast

Ep. 65: Throw Out the White Canon #DisruptTexts

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EQ: Why is it important to interrogate our notions of a traditional “canon” and create a more inclusive curriculum (especially ELA)?

Guests today are Julia Torres, Tricia Ebarvia two of the amazing women who started the #disrupttexts movement.

To learn more about the work of Julia Torres

To learn more about the work of Tricia Ebarvia

In our conversation we discuss the impetus for the creation and organization of #disrupttexts and why this is a critical movement for educators in 2020. When we asked which text had met the greatest pushback from traditional canon advocates, we thought for sure the answer would be Shakespeare or Lord of the Flies. Surprisingly, it is the stance against To Kill a Mockingbird and The Great Gatsby that has met the most white fragility. Julia and Tricia remind us that what we value will be what is centered in our classrooms. The inclination for ELA teachers to hold tight to their ideals about the canon are completing rooted in a cultural canon constructed and perpetuated by a racist system. The notion of cultural capital is inherently white and we have to change that. We have to have the knowledge, will, and capacity to do what we can to change this system. 

Other References & Resources:

Champagne & Real Pain

Do Your Fudging HW:

Ep. 64: Why We ALL Need an Equity Literacy Framework

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Today’s episode is extra special to us as we get to chat with two incredible educators who are shaping the profession through their interrogation of the personal and professional ways educators perpetuate white cultural norms in schools.

Our essential question is: How can we “learn to be a threat to inequity in our spheres of influence” in 2020?

Guests: Katy Swalwell, Associate Professor of Social & Cultural Studies in the School of Education at Iowa State University, and Paul Gorski, founder of Equity Literacy Institute and  EdChange. 

We first heard about the equity literacy framework from our guest Marquita Prinzing in Ep 46: Don’t be a Passive Progressive Educator and were incredibly excited when Katy reached out to us to share how she was using the podcast with her pre-service teachers. We are incredibly grateful she and Paul were able to come on the show.

In this episode Katy and Paul describe how they came to this work, specifically unpacking the idea of equity literacy which “moves us beyond cultural competency.”  They share how schools and districts are approaching this differently than a simple list of strategies and emphasize that this work is a mindset shift. We highly recommend that listeners spend some time with the Equity Literacy Institute directly. 

Finally, we ask Paul to share the story behind his controversial tweet that calls out white liberalism. 

Do Your Fudging Homework:

Follow us on Twitter @IWL_Podcast or Facebook: Interchangeable White Ladies Podcast

Ep. 63: Rethinking the Purpose of Spirituality in 2020

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EQ: What obligation do religious communities have in fighting injustice?

Guest: Dana Coggan is an "environmental advocate, community connector, youth advocate, minister."

Note to listeners: Last January we had Erin Jones on the show to discuss her take on evangelicalism and politics. Today we’re excited to invite Dana Coggan on our show to have a similar conversation but casting a wider net for understanding faith and spirituality.

In this episode we discuss the different between being spiritual and being religious. We share stories of how “the church” can both “shape and scare you.” In sharing our own experiences and hearing Dana’s perspective, we reference a handful of current events such as how organizations like Christianity Today, the Methodist Church, and the Mormon Church are struggling to stay relevant or speak out against injustice. 

References:

Champagne & Real Pain:

  • 🥂 Open and Affirming Churches

  • 👎🏻👎🏻 “Evangelicals” and Trump as Jesus; Mormon church abusing tax exemption

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Hope: reconsider the notion of what religion looks like in your life. 

  • Annie: Educators, flex your compassion and empathy with your students from faiths and religious practices that differ from your own. 

  • Dana: Speak out against the displacement of local homeless community

Follow us on Twitter @IWL_Podcast or Facebook: Interchangeable White Ladies Podcast

Ep. 62: Why Social Justice Education Matters in A World on Fire

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EQ: How can social justice education help students and teachers be better global citizens?

Today our guest is Christina Torres also known as @biblio_phile. 

From Teach For America to leading her own classroom at the Punahou School in Honolulu, Hawai‘i, Torres opens up about her journey as a social justice educator.  Throughout the episode we circle back to three major questions:

  1. What is my work in justice now, given my position of privilege?

  2. How can I make my kids feel safe/heard/comforted at this moment in time?

  3. How can I continuously reflect and grow in my own awareness about matters of justice in the world?

We know that our students will face a variety of challenges, injustices and problems in the world. It’s not about what they will experience but a matter of how they might experience it. Social justice oriented educators strive to equip students with the tools to navigate the challenges (not necessarily solve them).  We help students understand the “danger of a single story.” 

Finally, we explore the tension between staying aware and protecting our mental health/managing tumultuous times through self-care. We share our own strategies for helping students discuss these important issues while managing the array of emotion present in any given classroom.

References & Resources:

      • Build their own understanding of world events.

      • Think about their values and what's important to them.

      • Take learning into the real world.

      • Challenge ignorance and intolerance.

      • Get involved in their local, national and global communities.

      • Develop an argument and voice their opinions.

      • See that they have power to act and influence the world around them.

  • Unesco defines global citizenship in this way, “While the world may be increasingly interconnected, human rights violations, inequality and poverty still threaten peace and sustainability.”

  • NPR Podcast “Codeswitch”

Bernice

Do You Fudging Homework:

Ep. 61: Fighting for Equity in New Zealand Public Schools

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Essential Question: How is fighting for equity in schools a universal struggle?

Sometimes you attend a conference and one of the most powerful takeaways is a connection with someone from another part of the world. When Hope was partnered with Naketa during a pair-share exercise, she knew this was a conversation that needed to be recorded and shared with a wider audience. This week’s episode is truly a GLOBAL conversation. On December 21, Annie braved floods to record in our Tacoma studio. Our amazing guest, Naketa Ikihele woke up bright and early to record with us on her summer vacation (from her car!). Hope tried not to laugh too loudly at 1 am as she recorded in her sister’s dining room in the Philippines.

Naketa Ikihele is a primary school educator, and coach/consultant with Kia Mahira in Auckland, NZ. To start the show, she introduces herself with a traditional opening common in Maori culture that honors her family, tribe, and land. Throughout the episode, we compare NZ and US education systems, specifically focusing on how teachers fight for diversity and equitable educational opportunities for all students. Naketa shares insight into governance and the effort to revitalize cultural pride in indigenous children. She also describes how NZ systems approach challenges such as the recruitment of teachers and supporting vulnerable students. One highlight is when Naketa shares that developing partnerships with parents is starting with a simple question “what do you dream for your child?”

For further study:

You can follow Naketa’s work by visiting her websiteKia Mahira  or on Twitter @Naketa_NZ

Champagne & Real Pain:

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Hope: read one of the links we posted & make room in your mind 

  • Annie: learn more about global poverty from the “We Day” website

    Follow us on Twitter @IWL_Podcast or Facebook: Interchangeable White Ladies Podcast

Ep. 60: It's the Most Wonderful Time To Reignite the War on Christmas

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EQ: How should we handle holidays in the classroom, are they uniquely special abroad, and what do we have to be thankful for this year?

We review our generally warm feelings about this time of the year, but acknowledge our very Christian upbringings. We delve into why it’s not okay to force Christmas imagery in the classroom even if you are “properly teaching it” or trying to be “exclusive”. We blame Tom Rademacher for restarting the war on Christmas (aka white middle class women) with this tweet:

If you don’t get the reference, check out this article from Snopes on the history of the struggle.

Annie and I reflect on why so many Americans “need” to compare everything to Christmas (Christian) traditions. Go read Stop Calling Hanukah the Jewish Christmas. Finally we toast (pass out hypothetical cookies) to our dear friends and family. We are free with the goal for all the shady folks making the holidays about consumerism and Elf on a Shelf.

Do Your Fudging Homework:

Ep. 59: On Representation in Film & Creating New Archetypes

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EQ: Why are women, specifically women of color, underrepresented in media and media production and what can be done to elevate their voices and experiences?

Guest: June Nho Ivers. June is a documentary filmmaker and previously joined us for Episode 55: Understanding Gentrification, Displacement, and Mass Incarceration with the incredible Tonya Wilson. 

Every aspect of this conversation felt like it should be longer. We’ve tried to include links to all the things mentioned in this episode in hopes that you will #belessbasic and learn more about the challenges of representation in media and the way it is changing. 

Movies Mentioned: 

Shows with a Female Lens:

Horror as a sociological genre:

LGBTQ lens:

  • Ryan Murphy

  • Glee

  • American Horror Story

  • Pose

 Asian Diaspora Representation:

Music Conversation

Seattle Talent

 Theater

Other Related Links:

Champagne & Real Pain:

  • Champagne: Elle Magazine just released their 2019 Women in Hollywood Power List and 6 of the 12 finalists are women of color. 

  • Real Pain: NBC - yes, the television network - for attempting to derail Ronan Farrow’s story exposing Harvey Weinstein. 

Do Your Fudging Homework:

Ep. 58: Equity in Science Education

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EQ: Why is equity an issue in science education and what can be done to promote access and opportunity for women, students of color, and young people living in poverty?

Guests: Natalie Reszka and Jen Holm, Masters in Science Education both educators at Lincoln High School in Tacoma. 

Natalie and Jen share their journey into the sciences, including barriers they face as women in this field. They unpack systemic issues current facing low-income high schools and the lack of funding to support well-rounded science programs. They elaborate on concrete ways they help students see themselves as scientists, and why we need to speak up and advocate for our students, calling out disparities in science education.

Related Links:

Donate to Jen and Natalie’s classrooms!

  • For a tax-deductible donation send a check to Lincoln High School addressed to Patrick Eriwn with a note for Natalie Reszka (nreszka@tacoma.k12.wa.us) or Jen Holm (jholm@tacoma.k12.wa.us)

  • Contribute via Venmo @Natalie-Reszka

Champagne & Real Pain:

  • Champagne: first all female space walk!

  • Real Pain: For the DB who think that only men can be scientists or enter scientific fields; those denying climate change

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Hope: How Islamic Scientists changed the world 

  • Annie: read the research about gatekeeping in science and continue to educate yourself about educational disparities. There’s a ton of great research and we need to revive science education to literally save the planet. 

  • Natalie: Watch Before the Flood

Ep. 57: Don't Be a Chump. Support Women's Soccer.

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EQ: How has the explosive growth of professional women’s soccer changed the conversation about the game?

Guest: Teresa Predmore , Reign FC

In this episode, we’re beyond excited to welcome Teresa Predmore, co-owner of Reign FC. Teresa shares her journey as a female athlete through the world of women’s soccer. She discusses what it means to be at the forefront of “changing the game” and impacting the larger community. She unpacks what it’s like to be in the game with other movers and shakers like Tammy Murphy of Sky Blue FC and how women in leadership are shaking things up. Lastly, Teresa breaks down the academy system and elaborates on why investing in young women (especially soccer players) matters. 

Relevant links:

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Hope: Julie Ertz "Chase Your Dreams"

  • Teresa: 1) Go to the Games 2) Buy the merch and where it EVERYWHERE 3) Bring your kids 4) Support Reign Academy Scholarships

  • Annie: BUY REIGN GEAR!

Ep. 56: An Interview With Leah Ford On Being a Boob Defender

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Note to listeners: This was our last pre-recorded episode from the summer. We recorded this back in August during National Breastfeeding Month! Enjoy!


EQ: What is the current state of women’s health in Pierce County and why is this a social justice issue?

Guest: Leah Ford,  a TESC graduate, breastfeeding peer counselor, mother of 2 and advocate for women’s health in Pierce County. 

Leah defines the role of a breastfeeding peer counselor, explains why it’s so crucial for breastfeeding moms (especially of color), and why this work is not recognized on  a systemic level. For example, while Pierce County needs more peer counselors it doesn’t offer benefits and supports to generate more interest. For varying reasons, our county doesn’t follow effective models like King County. 

Leah elaborates on the racial and ethnic disparities in breastfeeding citing important data around why Black Women Higher Risk of Pregnancy Complications and how America Is Failing Black Moms. The conversation includes wrestling with the biggest challenges in health services in Pierce County and what we need to do to overcome these issues. 

A few resources mentioned in the episode:

Champagne & Real Pain:

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Annie: normalize breastfeeding by encouraging your favorite local businesses to put up signage or create a comfortable space for breastfeeding parents (not in a bathroom stall, please). 

  • Hope: Deal with your issues if you’re uncomfortable with breastfeeding--if you’re in the medical field, try to use privileges to complain/criticize/critique the system in order to improve it.

  • Leah: support moms by offering breastfeeding rooms; reconsider the time of breaks; make a policy as your office (if you don’t know what this looks like, research tool kits and adopt a reasonable policy).