Third Space with Jen Cort

Welcome to the final episode of Jen Cort's Third Space podcast. Hosted by Liza Tolusan and Bobby Edwards this episode brings together a vibrant community of former guests, friends, and family to celebrate the journey and impact of Third Space —a gathering place for courageous conversations about anti-racism, equity, identity, and hope. Throughout this special gathering, you’ll hear heartfelt refle...

n this powerful crossover episode, Jen Cort welcomes back Kwame Sarfo-Mensah—educator, consultant, and author of Learning to Relearn—for a deeply resonant conversation on justice-centered education and the evolving role of educators as cultural leaders and activists. Broadcasting from Lusaka, Zambia, Kwame brings a global lens to DEIJ trends, the impact of political censorship, and the nuanced way...

Juelz is a Towson University freshman majoring in Sports Management and minoring in Business Administration. He prides himself on demonstrating a strong work ethic and learning mindset in everything he does. He is an alumnus of Oneness-Family High School in Kensington, Maryland.

Jim Malone, a Math and Physics teacher at Mercersburg Academy since 1979, shares his unique relationship with mistake-making and connects it to his role as an aspiring ally. Jim graduated from Swarthmore High, an excellent public school outside Philadelphia, in 1973. He has always been good at math and science but could have done better in English or History. Jim liked reading good books and discu...

With practical advice and thoughtful insights, a student, faculty advisor, and diversity director discuss the beauty and challenges of their affinity group program.   Ved Rawat is a rising senior at Friends Academy Upper School. He plays tennis and basketball and volunteers at St Catherine's Hospital and nursing home. Ved is keenly interested in the positive development of our communities, as he w...

Kristen Pollard is an American living and working overseas in the international education system for over ten years, teaching English language and literature in schools in the US, Germany, and the Netherlands.  Her current position as the IBMYP Coordinator helps me support and manage curriculum development with staff across grades 6-10. Kristen's particular focus is developing a more forward-think...

Jeannie Gainsburg is an award-winning educational trainer and consultant in the field of LGBTQ+ inclusion and effective allyship. Formerly the Education Director at the Out Alliance of Rochester, N.Y., she is the founder of Savvy Ally Action and author of the book,  The Savvy Ally: A Guide for Becoming a Skilled LGBTQ+ Advocate.  Jeannie has a BA in psychology from Brown University and an MA in so...

Leo S. Ullman was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, in July 1939. After surviving WWIIas a “hidden child,” as chronicled in his book, “796 Days”, and in a documentary film, "ThereWere Good People...Doing Extraordinary Deeds: Leo Ullman’s Story” Harvard College (1961) received law and business degrees from Columbia University. He served in the U.S. Marine Corps and Marine Corps Reserve. Mr. Ullma...

L.J. challenges listeners: ‘within each of our roles in society, we have the power and opportunity to take risks’ and to ‘look at yourself, determine your privileges, and go do something different.’ As a proud, queer, and trans high school student in Jacksonville, FL, L.J. Valenzuela started advocating by joining Equality Florida's Youth Leadership Council and some local LGBTQ+ groups in his area....

About Natalie Gillard Natalie Gillard is a DEI strategist and the creator of FACTUALITY , a facilitated dialogue, crash course, and interactive experience that simulates structural inequality. Over the last six years, Natalie has led virtual and in-person FACTUALITY facilitations for over 57,000 global participants. FACTUALITY has supported the diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives at hundr...

Quentin McDowell, head of Mercersburg Academy. After arriving at Mercersburg in 2007, Quentin has served as history faculty, director of summer and extended programs, Admission, senior associate director of admission, financial aid, and head boys’ varsity soccer coach for eight years, leading the Blue Storm to its first-ever Mid-Atlantic Prep League championship and the PAISAA state championship g...

Authors, speakers, presenters, and change agents, Cornelius and Kass Minor of Minor Collective share how they live in the space of possibility. Cornelius Minor is a Brooklyn-based educator and part-time Pokemon trainer. He works with teachers, school leaders, and leaders of community-based organizations to support equitable literacy reform in cities (and sometimes villages) across the globe. His l...

Tony Keith, Jr. and Mel Cort share the paths they have walked to ensure understanding of their unstated identities. Lacking windows or mirrors for their historically marginalized identities, poetry created an avenue to express, explore, understand, and speak these identifiers. Bio Anthony (Tony) Keith, Jr., PhD. is a Black American gay poet, spoken word artist, and Hip-Hop educational leader from...

Justine Ange Fonte joins Third Space to share her story, wisdom, insights, and challenges for school colleagues. IPOC, who is your community? And White people, what is your role in an ethical community? About Justine Justine Ang Fonte, M.Ed, MPH, is an award-winning health educator, public speaker, consultant, ghostwriter , and professor based in New York City. We can all learn about health but ne...

Toni Graves Williamson is a nationally recognized diversity practitioner, consultant, now Director of Equity and Inclusion at Friends Select School Toni is a founding faculty member of the National Diversity Practitioners Institute , served on the faculty of the Student Diversity Leadership Conference, and co-founded Mid-Atlantic Region Diversity Conference. She conducts diversity climate studies,...

Tricia Montalvo Timm is a first-generation Latina board director, venture investor, and speaker. She is on a mission to inspire anyone who has ever felt like an “other” in the workplace to embrace their true selves, owns their identity, and achieve success and fulfillment in their life and career.

Kimberlee is, first and foremost, a humanist, a deep believer in what is possible when humanity is centered. Her mix of authenticity and raw truth permits those around her to choose progress over perfection and bring their whole selves into the room. She is known for finding humor and challenge at just the right moments and, like the best of coaches, leaning in and pushing audiences just enough to...

Bill Ivey (he/any) is Middle School Dean and teaches Humanities 7, Rock Band, and Academic Skills at Stoneleigh-Burnham School, a gender-inclusive girls' school for grades 7-12 in Western Massachusetts. Bill serves on the NELMS Board of Directors as an equity, inclusion, and social justice advisor and on the AMLE Equity in Middle Grades Education Committee. He earned an A.B. in French at Middlebur...

Dr. Kelly Pascarella is a 17-year public school educator from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. During her career, she has taught and held leadership positions in two of the top performing school districts in the state of Pennsylvania, Mt. Lebanon, and Upper St. Clair School Districts. Her dissertation research examined teacher access, management, and evaluation of digital education resources amid the Cov...

Kojo Clarke is currently a Director of Diversity, Equity & Inclusion (DEI) at a pre k- 9th grade school. In his role he works closely with school leaders to oversee programming and professional development, while supporting parents and caregivers to explore and understand the world of DEI. As a member of the Leadership Team he also supports work of the school's Board of Trustees in several diversi...

High School Students reflect on school based DEI work, share advice and ideas for future programming. Student Bios: Ty’Shea Woods (she/her) is a recent graduate Garrison Forest School, and will attend Northwestern University to double major in psychology and international studies with a minor in Japanese. She was President of the School, on DEI advisory board, a member of the Baltimore Girls Stude...

Liza Talusan returns to Third Space! Liza (LIE-zuh) earned her Bachelor's degree in Psychology from Connecticut College, a Master's Degree in Student Personnel Administration from New York University; a certificate in Human Resources; a PhD in Higher Education from the University of Massachusetts Boston; and her certified coaching credentials from the Institute for Professional Excellence in Coach...

Susan Yao (she/hers) is an educator with experience as a middle school humanities teacher and middle school head. She is passionate about building communities of racial solidarity and believes that collective thriving is possible when we learn how to be in a community together in supportive and authentic ways. Susan has launched professional development programs such as the Friends Institute for N...

Logan Dechter (he/they) is a May 2022 graduate of the University of Maryland School Counseling Program and a professional school counselor in Montgomery County Public Schools. Logan serves as one of the advisors for his school's Rainbow Club, a developmentally appropriate Genders and Sexualities Alliance for 4th and 5th grade students. Logan also led the charge for the implementation of a Genders...

Kristen Tubman grew up and lives in Baltimore, though she was born on the Eastern Shore of Maryland. She has spent the last 15 years teaching Spanish and engaging in Diversity & Equity work with 6th-12th grade students. Additionally, Kristen facilitates and learns with adults in various white affinity groups and workshops on a wide range of topics including Anti-racism, Whiteness, and Privilege. S...