Educate U.S.

Ariel Taylor Smith, Senior Director of the National Parents Union Policy & Action Center, returns to discuss the state of education in the U.S.  We delve into the growing literacy crisis, examine the impact of conservative policies on schools, as well as Ariel provides insights into the potential implications of Project 2025.  This episode is brought to you b...

EdLoc, led by educators of color, envisions a future where barriers in education, healthcare, and immigration are tackled to create equal opportunities for young people of color. Angelica Solis-Montero, EdLoc's Chief Policy Officer, will share their approach to building generational wealth and dismantling systemic obstacles. Join us on this critical journey. Links from today's episode - EdLoc:&nbs...

Literacy encompasses more than just the basic ABCs. In this episode, we unpack the definition of literacy in an ever-changing world, as Dr. Kara Hollins joined the program, to discuss how to nurture critical thinking skills, plus what practical advice she has for inspiring a passion for reading and writing in children. Whether you're a parent, educator, or lifelong learner, this episode will help...

Nick, Stacey & Patrice welcome in Dr. Anisha I. Jogee, to discuss her work exploring the profound influence of cultural background on education, the fostering of social-emotional well-being for students, and how she strives for equality in education. We delve into specific topics such as the significance of cultural background in education, establishing nurturing learning environments, and set...

UNC School of Law professor, and friend of the pod, Osamudia James returns to chat with Patrice & Stacey about DEI, recent Supreme Court decisions, school choice & more, in a conversation you won't want to miss. This episode is brought to you by -  Fresh Roasted Coffee & Positively Tea - Taste the amazing coffee that fuels us at https://lddy.no/1i34i & use the promo code EDUCA...

In this episode, Nick, Stacey & Patrice look back at the past year of ' Educate U.S. ' as they reach the one year anniversary of their show. This episode is brought to you by -  Fresh Roasted Coffee & Positively Tea - Taste the amazing coffee that fuels us at https://lddy.no/1i34i & use the promo code EDUCATEUS for 20% off your first purchase! Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privac...

In Brownsville, Brooklyn, young leaders are tackling community issues. Join us to learn more about Kevin, one of the Young Leaders at the Ella Baker Institute's Young People's Leadership Cooperative after school program, as he joins Stacey & Patrice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Our guest this week is Lori Heisler, who has been in education for over 20 years, as a teacher, a Dean, and an Asst. Principal. She is currently a coach and consultant, who specializes in creating more equitable and inclusive classrooms, as well as helping schools become more trauma informed.  Lori serves in her local chapter of Moms Demand Action, an organization that focuses on ending...

From efforts to defund public schools to a new bill allowing religious figures to work in public schools, Florida continues to make headlines with their education laws. To make sense of all this, we are re-joined by Lissette Fernandez and Dr. Vanessa Brito from Moms For Libros. To learn more about Moms For Libros , visit their  website  or  Linktree . This episode is brought to...

Friend of the pod, Akil Bello, returns to chat about the current realities in college admissions and higher education. Akil is the Senior Director of Advocacy & Advancement at FairTest, a consultant & analyst for education policy, and a strategic advisor for the College Admissions Futures Co-Laborative. Articles mentioned in this episode - https://akilbello.com/202...

Nick & Patrice are joined by Kim Parker, Director of Social trends research at the Pew Research Center. Kim breaks down the recent data that Pew has collected on America’s teachers. Kim oversees research on emerging social and demographic trends, manages major survey projects, and writes and edits reports. Prior to joining Pew Research Center, she worked as a research associate at the Ame...

The crew is reunited as Patrice returns from vacation, and they share and discuss recent articles and media clips focused around DEI and education laws (by state).   Here are the articles and full clip discussed in the episode - “Didn't Earn It”: Right-wing cable news and online influencers amplify the latest attacks on DEI” Charlamagne Tha God Has An Issue with DEI (from YouTube) A...

Nick & Stacey are joined by Founder & CEO of Charter School Business Management, as well as the FOREsight Financial Services for Good, Raj Thakkar, for a conversation on charter schools & more. Raj is also the author of  fiscally seCURE: prepare, protect & propel your CHARTER SCHOOL with responsible financial managemen t.  Follow Raj & his work at - CSBM.com &nbs...

Stacey and Nick talk to Cathlin Goulding, a co-founder of the Yuri Education Project, which helps educators tell a more complete narrative of history, aiming to build coalitions and understanding across diverse communities. The organization helps schools design curriculum with a focus on Asian American History. To learn more about Cathlin’s work, be sure to visit  YuriEducationProject.co...

Nick is joined by Lissette Fernandez and Vanessa Brito, Ph. D., who lead 'Moms For Libros', an advocacy group that helps families in Miami understand & combat the efforts to ban books and harm public education. In this episode, we learn more about their organization and the political battles they’re taking on in Florida. To learn more about Moms For Libros, visit their  website &nbsp...

Nick & Stacey are joined by Dr. Jerome Rucker, an adjunct professor at USC (Research Methods and Data Analysis), husband & girl dad, fellow podcast host, and an AP at a high school in Southern California. Dr. Rucker recently authored a book about earning his Doctorate, and has another one coming out about creating safe spaces in our conversations about race and equity. To check out Dr...

Have you ever felt like you constantly have to prove yourself? In our latest episode, Stacey & Patrice explore the unique challenges faced by Black female leaders at HBCU's, as Dr. Donna Brock joined the pod to discuss her research on how these leaders are undermined, overloaded, and micromanaged. Dr. Brock explains the "agentic penalty," infantilization, and the double-edged sword of "other-m...

Nick, Stacey & Patrice discuss the heartbreaking story about the death of Nex Benedict in Oklahoma. This tragedy highlights the rise in hate-based violence in schools. It's scary, but silence isn't the answer. Together, the crew talks about the ways to have open and honest dialogue with our kids about these difficult topics, to help empower them. This episode is brought to you by - ...

Chalkbeat Newark Reporter Jessie Gomez joins Stacey and Nick to discuss education news in Newark, her to road to being an education reporter & more. Jessie shares insight on her recent story on the efforts to meet the needs of English Language Learners in a local high school. To check out Jessie's work and the work the writers at Chalkbeat are doing, visit - Jessie’s archive- https:/...

Black History Month brings up a lot of mixed feelings and questions. What does it say about the U.S. that we need Black History Month? As we are approaching the 100th anniversary of the creation of Black History Month, Patrice, Stacey and Nick discuss the origins, needs and legacy of Black History Month. This episode is brought to you by -  Fresh Roasted Coffee & Positively...

Nick, Stacey & Patrice welcome Paul Breda to a show, a colleague & fmr. school board member for over 20 years. Paul currently serves on the Board of Directors for NJ School Boards Association, and he has presented at statewide school board conferences on topics of interest for school board members. Paul shares with us his experience serving on school boards and how the role of th...

Stacey, Patrice & Nick welcome Dr. Damary Bonilla-Rodriguez, an educator, author & ACLU Board member to the show, to discuss her extensive work experience in leadership development, diversity, inclusion, and advocacy space. To learn more about Dr. Rodriguez's work, visit:  https://drbonilla-rodriguez.godaddysites.com/ . And for more from our show, visit us at https://www.leonmedianetw...

Nick, Stacey & Patrice welcome in AI futurist and humanist, Caroline Chubb Calderon, to discuss the impact of autonomous and intelligent machines on education, business & society. Caroline breaks down the work she does with visionary leaders on the future of AI, as well as the work her company HelloHumanity does to help reimagine humanity in the age of machines. For more from our show...

Nick & Patrice talk about a recent story in The New Yorker on schooling and if it has become optional for students. Here is the article that Patrice and Nick reference in this episode - "Has School Become Optional?"-from The New Yorker . This episode is brought to you by -  Fresh Roasted Coffee & Positively Tea - Taste the amazing coffee that fuels our show at https://lddy.n...

Nick, Stacey & Patrice reflect on loss, as a dear friend and colleague of theirs has passed away. This episode is about us making sense of this loss and recognizing our relationship with grief. This episode is for anyone who has experienced loss and would like to hear how others process tragedy.  This episode is brought to you by -  Fresh Roasted Coffee & Positively Tea - Ta...