Ep. 153: The DEIJ Collaborative--Working Towards Justice In International Schools

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EQ: What does social justice and education work look like in international spaces?

We jumped back overseas with today’s conversations, meeting with international educators Meredith Klein and Sherri Spelic. This is a very education centered conversation but we hope there’s a gem of thought for every listener. Throughout the episode we unpack various education acronyms such as CEESA and AEILOC. We hear the origin story of the Diversity Collaborative they started and the ways they hope it will impact teaching and learning across Europe. 

Lastly, if you are interested in reaching out you can connect with Meredith via LinkedIn, follow Sheri  @edifiedlistener, sign up for her newsletter Bending The Arc, or snag a copy of her book of essays  Care At The Core 

Champagne & Real Pain

🥂Action Aid International

🥂 AEILOC & Kevin Simpson

🥂Angeline Aow and her book Becoming a Totally Inclusive School

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Hope: Sign up for Bending The Arc

  • Megan: Connect to others that can help you be accountable to the work

  • Sherri: Worry less about knowing and get into learning (where can I learn about that? With whom can I learn about that?)

  • Meredith: DEI Deconstructed by Lily Zheng

Ep. 152: Sensible Gun Laws: A Marathon Not a Sprint

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EQ: To what extent is the WA state gun control conversation reflective of the national conversation and how might activists engage in making our state safer from gun violence?

Following our very dire previous episode on American fascism and gun violence, Hope and Megan are joined by two organizers and activists from Moms Demand Action, Rebecca Elbaum and Amy Newcomb. In this episode they discuss the landscape of gun violence and activism in Washington, make national comparisons, and dig into the recent legislation passed, sharing stories of hope and change in what many feel is an ocean of discouragement.

Bills Referenced in the Episode:

Get Involved!

Do Your Fudging Homework:

Ep. 151: Sliding into Fascism One Bill At a Time

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EQ: In what ways is the US political landscape a foreshadowing  of fascism?

In today’s episode Hope and Megan discuss how the political climate feels like a slide into fascism. In particular, they center the conversation using Tim Snyder’s 20 Lessons from the 20th Century. By framing it this way, they also encourage listeners to find ways to fight this slide.

Snyder’s 20 principles are listed below:

1. Do not obey in advance.

2. Defend institutions.

3. Beware the one-party state.

4. Take responsibility for the face of the world. 

5. Remember professional ethics. 

6. Be wary of paramilitaries.

7. Be reflective if you must be armed.

8. Stand out.

9. Be kind to our language.

10. Believe in truth. 

11. Investigate.

12. Make eye contact and small talk.

13. Practice corporeal politics.

14. Establish a private life.

15. Contribute to good causes. 

16. Learn from peers in other countries.

17. Listen for dangerous words.

18. Be calm when the unthinkable arrives.

19. Be a patriot. 

20. Be as courageous as you can. 

Playbooks On Fascism:

Topics referenced:

Ep. 150: Fake It Until You Make it & Other Imposter Struggles

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EQ: How does the intersection of different identities and societal expectations contribute to the development and experience of imposter syndrome?

Guests:

  • Crissy Calera, educator and former guest on Episode 98 our #readlessbasic book club episode on Caste, 

  • A new fresh face is the talented, provocative Mr. Israel Calera aka. Izy.

Today’s episode is brought to us by the New Yorker article Why Everyone Feels Like They’re Faking It. We define the idea of imposter syndrome, including it’s perhaps surprising origins. We explore the role of upbringing and family in developing our sense of acceptance, belonging, and search for community. As always, we consider the roles of gender dynamics, racial implications and socialization.

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Hope: Read “Stop Telling Women They Have Imposter Syndrome”; Dunning-Kruger Effect

  • Megan: reflect on your spaces–where you feel is your most authentic self? Then consider places you have power to create/replicate this feeling for others

  • Izy: Looking for areas where you can relieve someone from feeling like an imposter; encourage someone else by being vulnerable

  • Doug: Try to put yourself in other people’s shoes & support them in their “thing”

  • Crissy: Spend time in building self-confidence and self-affirmation; make a list of your successes and accomplishments

Ep. 149: Ride the Wave of the Bean

EQ: How can coffee and the outdoors empower young people to create positive change?

Guest: Quincy and Whitni Henry, Campfire Coffee
“We don’t claim to be coffee experts, we’re not coffee snobs. We appreciate a good roast, we love a rich single origin and a fun blend but if cream and sugar is how you roll it’s how we roll. We respect the nuances of coffee but even more, we respect that everyone has their thing. ✊🏾”

We were delighted to be joined today by Quincy Henry, co-owner of Tacoma’s Campfire Coffee. The audio is a little unstable and cuts out at times but we felt the conversation was extremely important for listeners to be a part of.

From the origins of campfire roasting methods to the lack of diversity in outdoor companies, programs and spaces, Quincy shares his story and experiences merging two things he loves–coffee and the outdoors. 

To support this work, please swing by their store in Tacoma, pick up a bag of coffee at Trader Joe’s or visit their website Campfire Coffee.

Congrats for recently being named Puget Sound Business Journal Family Business Awards honoree! 

Ep. 148: The SCOTUS Goons Have Been Busy

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EQ: What are some of the most significant Supreme Court cases this year and how could the ideological changes on the court impact the country?

Today we dig into the various cases in review by the Supreme Court, discussing the implications of a ruling in one direction or other. 

Related Sources:

Champagne & Real Pain:

🥂Mo Amer, Palestinian-American comedian came to Abu Dhabi for a show!

🥂 Jon Stewart!

👎🏻Desantis

Ep. 147: An IWL State of the Union

EQ: What exactly is the state of this union right now?

Megan and Hope convene for the annual IWL State of the Union. We kickoff the episode discussing the “official” SOTU and favorite and most absurd traditions from the event. We also talk about their own  “Dumpster Fire’s” from the previous year, like the potential Republican POTUS nominees for 2024, but also highlight the “Glimmer of hope” that come along with these things. The second half of the episode is focused the effort to avoid performative outrage and avoiding “basic” activism and allyship. We discuss how easy it is to get caught up in cyclical outrage and how it is important that we not, because the real people that are impacted by these issues go on being impacted even when the public stops paying attention. We share that we are going to be recording follow-up episodes about these key topics in the coming weeks and months. Starting with revisiting Residential Schools in both Canada and the United States.


If you have any helpful/relevant information of know somebody who would make a good guest for any of the following topics, please reach out to Hope (hope.teague@gmail.com) or Megan (megan.holyoke@gmail.com) :

  • Banning of books in classrooms/educational laws in Florida

  • The water crisis in Flint, MI and/or the Ohio train crash environmental crisis

  • Immigration and border crisis regarding the children separated from families at the border

  • Chinese Residential Schools for Tibetan Children

Related Articles:

Ep. 146: Outdoor Education & Urban Schools

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EQ: How and why  do outdoor education experiences in urban school change the relationships students have with science? 

Guests: Jen Holm & Natalie Rezka, Lincoln High School Science Educators; previously guests on IWL episode

Natalie and Jen have recently applied for AND received a $31,000 grant as part of the OSPI Outdoor Education for All Program! The grant is going to go towards providing Lincoln High School students with outdoor education opportunities that will help to supplement and enhance the learning that is taking place in their classrooms. They share about the barriers facing students in high needs communities and how outdoor education can really shift a young person’s mind.

If you’d like to reach out and support the work at LHS, please contact Natalie Rezka nreszka@tacoma.k12.wa.us

Related Articles:

Do Your Fudging Homework:

Ep. 145: How Long Form Journalism Can Shape a Community

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Essential Question: What is the role of race and gender in shaping the ways that journalists convey particular stories or pursue "truth" pertaining to charged events?

Guests: 

You may know our guests from other Channel 253 shows or from hearing their voices as cohost of The Walk Home Podcast @NPR station @knkxfm.

Most recently, Kari was a panelist in the NF Live: Adult Civics Happy Hour

In this episode we focus on the evolution of journalism and what it means to sit at the intersection of race and gender in this profession. Mayowa and Kari are candid about their personal experiences and give us insight into their experience creating, recording, and shaping The Walk Home podcast.

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Kari: Media literacy–know who owns your local paper and who is shaping the stories; it’s key to our democracy

  • Mayowa: Donate to your local public radio station

  • Hope: If you haven’t, listen to “The Walk Home” (ditto)

Ep. 144: The Year of Charcuterie

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Essential Question: To what extent is 2023 the year of charcuterie? 

In this episode Hope sticks to her beliefs that charcuterie boards are white supremacy, but she concedes that if you take out the whiteness from the experience, then maybe they are okay after all. Listen and laugh at this silly new year episode. 

A Few Related Links:

Cultures that have things on boards/equivalents

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • When life hands you lemons, slice them up and add them to your charcuterie board!

Ep. 143: Goals, Red Cards & Other Superlatives

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EQ: In the game of life, who scored an epic goal and who deserves to be ejected from the game in 2022? 

This final episode of 2022 we give a nod to the World Cup by recounting the year’s triumphs and tribulations in soccer terms. Special thanks to all the listeners who contributed their ideas for who to card, who earned the Golden Boot award, and who was the player of the year.

PS—forgive us for any misused terms. We tried.

Ep. 142: Developing Intercultural Intelligence Part II

We’re back for a Part II of understanding cultural competency–as a reminder our EQ is…

EQ: How might centering cultural competency in our schools/workplace change & improve the health of our communities?

Guest: Shelley Reinhart, Knowledge Workx,  a company specializing in certifying practitioners in inter-cultural  intelligence. 

After our conversation we decided we needed a Part II–to clarify strengths and limitations of each worldview, unpack the implications of the 3 worldviews Shelly laid out and dig more into the intersection of these world views with such systemic things as race, class, and gender.

Do Your Fudging Homework:

Ep. 141: Developing Intercultural Intelligence Part I

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Joining us today is Shelley Reinhart, an intercultural intelligence practitioner with Knowledge Workx, a company that certifies practitioners in intercultural  intelligence. 

In this episode we discuss why it’s important to change how we think about culture–that we can have active roles in shaping culture. Megan and Hope learn foundational elements about the three major worldviews present in society: innocence vs. guilt, honor vs. shame, and power vs. fear. We explore implications for how these worldviews can influence relationships and community building our classrooms and workplaces. Reach out to Shelley on Twitter or LinkedIn

Do Your Fudging Homework:

Ep. 140: On Making Space for Trauma & Grief in DEI Work

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EQ: What is the role of brain science and psychology in creating more inclusive organizations? 

Guest: Noor Awad, a “brain science and psychology” student, a corporate diversity and inclusion specialist, and the founder of Homegrown Palestine @homegrownpalestine

This conversation took surprising turns as we discussed grief, trauma, creating inclusive spaces and how listening to the stories of others is a chance for healing and community building. We hope you will find some encouragement and comfort in this episode.

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Noor: to understand generational trauma check out Dr. Gabor Mate

  • Megan: Do the work—get therapy

Ep. 139: No, It's Not Too Late to Talk About Halloween

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EQ: To what extent is the world trying to steal our hallowed peace at this time of year?  

Today’s episode a mix of fun and shade. We bring back one of our favorite segments, Timeless or Terrible. Surprisingly, we’ve never discussed Halloween on the show so we decided to tackle this wacky, short season. We talk about how folks should be intentional about having a fun costume that isn’t race-ish or glorifying a serial killer. We also discuss some local news such as a recent transrights protest in Tacoma and the Paul Pelosi attack.

Related Links:

Do Your Fudging  Homework:

  • Hope: keep an eye out for bots & help orgs/people you love; promote good work on itunes, etc.

  • Megan: outshout the haters; post positives

Ep. 138: If We Want Equity, We Have to Put It in Contracts

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EQ: To what extent would re-writing seniority clauses in teacher union contracts promote retention of educators of color and better serve our students?

In this episode of IWL, we are joined by Chris Stewart, the Chief Executive Officer of brightbeam, to discuss the recent change in the Minneapolis Teacher Union contracts. Chris was part of the first campaign to protect Black teachers (and other teachers of color) back in the early 2000s when he was on the school board. We discuss what this current provision in the contract means, including implications for other school districts. More importantly, we learn key contextual information behind this provision and how Black educators are fighting for their right to stay and teach the diverse body of students in the Minneapolis school district. 

To learn about Chris’ work check out his website Citizen Stewart and follow him on Twitter @citizenstewart 

Related Links:

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Hope/Megan: Follow @citizenstewart for some thought provoking tweets

  • Chris:

    • Support the local NAACP chapter fighting for Black educators

    • Write to the union president Greta Callahan and tell her you support the protection for educators of color

    • Find a group of friends to learn more about the situation facing Minneapolis educators of color. Read together, discuss and consider how it relates to your local context.

Ep. 137: Hiking the Wonderland Trail--Turning Your Bucket List into Real Goals

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EQ: Why do white women sign up for rigorous outdoor activities to eat/pray/love/wild it up? 

In this episode, Megan shares her recent accomplishment, hiking The Wonderland Trail, a 93 mile jaunt around Mount Rainier. She opens up about the factors that led to this adventure, how she prepared for this rigorous hike and the highlights from her journey. Additionally, Hope and Megan highlight the importance of turning teams into actually achievable goals. There will be no perfect time. Do something you want to do–something that will bring you joy. Do it now and don’t wait.

Do Your Fudging Homework:

  • Hope: Shout out to all the GCC ASCD leaders 

  • Megan: Get outside. Stop putting off some dream. Just make it a goal and take the steps to do it.

Ep. 136: Nerd Farm Crossover: WTF Did I Just Watch

There’s no essential question here, folks. But you will love this episode. Nate Bowling, Hope Teague-Bowling, and Megan Holyoke join forces to talk about Running with the Devil: the Wild World of John McAffee, a new Netflix documentary film and Untold: the Girlfriend that Didn’t Exist, a series about the catfishing of Manti Te’o, then linebacker at Notre Dame.

Going Further

Ep. 135: Kent Educators on Strike

EQ: Why are Kent Educators on strike?

Guests: 

This episode was recorded on Sept 4, seven school days into the Kent School District Strike. Nathan and Byron lay out the reasons for the strike, including the union demands (which frankly are quite reasonable). Principal demands “KEA’s principal demands are: increased support for student mental health; reduced class sizes and caseloads for educators working with students receiving special education services; and a competitive salary with neighboring districts.” We discuss why Kent didn’t go on strike in 2018 when so many other districts resorted to withholding their labor. We compare the current strike to the 2009 resistance. Finally, learn how you can support KEA educators.

Related Sources:

What Can You Do To Support:

  • Please amplify the message of the educators! 

  • Email the school board and superintendent!

Ep. 134: Back to Life, Back to Reality

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EQ: What concerns, questions, ideas, or fears do you have for the upcoming school year?

In this episode of IWL, Hope and Megan recount the last few years in education. From ”we think the pandemic is over but wait, surprise it’s not” to ”we’re back to normal” to ”Pandemic is over now…maybe, we think.” They’ both excited and nervous about the return to school this year. There are a wide range of contextual factors shaping the upcoming school year. Their discussion centered on how teachers might “protect your peace” this school year. 

Previous Back to School Episodes:

Do Your Fudging Homework: