Teach the Babies w/ Dr. David J. Johns

Survival, friendship, acceptance, and love are themes that thread this episode together. Angela Rye, political strategist, culture architect, entrepreneur and Dr. Johns’ twin, joins the class to process what Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s life and legacy have to teach us in this moment: the importance of engaging in rituals that soothe and restore you, including building with friends who challenge yo...

Brother Brother Baba Ron Walker has more than 50 years of experience as a teacher, principal, staff developer, and consultant. He is the founding and retired executive director of the Coalition of Schools Educating Boys of Color. He joins the class to discuss lessons learned from educating Black Boys and being educated by Black people who love Black people.    Walker, Ron. Solomon’s Plan’s A Gift...

Brother Baba Christopher “Chris” Chatmon is the visionary founder and CEO of Kingmakers of Oakland, an award-winning nonprofit that elevates Black boys' educational and life outcomes nationwide. He stops by class to talk about the work he pioneered as the inaugural Executive Director of African American Male Achievement at Oakland Unified School District, the first of its kind nationally within a...

Dr. Johns and your favorite auntie’s DJ Eugene “Grovvy Gene” Brown reflect upon what they’re most thankful for, what they’re leaving in 2024, and are most excited about experiencing in the New Year. Eugene also shares the five songs that will absolutely be featured on his New Years Eve playlist. Does his playlist match yours? Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/tea...

Let’s be honest: this Holiday season doesn’t hit the same. This session holds space for processing all of the feelings washing over us.  Dr. Johns reflects on the origins of the pod in search of lessons to survive under legislated sub-humanization.  He processes out loud messages shared by ancestors like James Baldwin, who names the rage those of us who are relatively conscious are righteous in fe...

Few people know the responsibilities of leading one of the nation’s largest school systems or innovating a tech company to teach African American history and culture. Kaya Henderson stops by the class to discuss the lessons learned while innovating across sectors to ensure that poor Black students can access the resources affluent white students may demand and take for granted.  Kaya shares advice...

Stephen Chukumba is a trusted voice on issues of race, gender, and intersectionality. He stops by class to share some of the lessons he learned along his parenting journey, including the importance of mourning the loss of the life you imagine for your child to make space for the one they design and celebrating your child’s wins. Stephen talks about the first-ever Trans Prom, which took place on th...

Land ownership is our birthright, and we are NOT our labor. These are central themes in Brea Baker’s debut novel, Rooted: The American Legacy of Land Theft and the Modern Movement for Black Land Ownership. In this episode, we unpack our inability to work out the racial wealth gap caused by land theft and forced labor, the cost of Black women being forced to work, and the importance of being connec...

Did you know that structural determinants of health determine 60% of our health and that zip codes are among the strongest predictors of health, among other important life outcomes? These are facts, and it is essential to investigate how algorithmic biases appear in medicine and health care. #RaceBasedMedicine. Dr. Alisha Liggett, MD, joins the class to teach us how the environment influences heal...

During today’s Office Hours, we address the critical issue of hate crimes against Black queer men and Black trans women. On October 17, 2024, Daqua Lameek Ritter was sentenced to life in prison for the murder of Dime Doe, a Black transgender woman. This landmark case is the first guilty verdict under the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act aimed at protecting transgender...

Be advised, this sepisode includes a brief, but frank discussion about sex education, including online pornography. Have YOU had sex education? Yes, YOU, no, seriously? Think about the consequences of miseducation when it comes to sex, gender, development and everything in between. Dr. Ed Brockenbrough explains how a lack of gender, sexuality, and sex education in schools can leave students misedu...

bell hooks reminds us that each generation must defend democracies and that education is its midwife–it being education. In this episode, David is joined by Cici Battle and Tylik McMillan to bring the group chat reflections on the state of things following the most recent presidential election to life. If you too are angry, struggling to make sense of where we are and how we got here, have curiosi...

In this exciting return episode of Teach The Babies Office Hours, we welcome back Brittany Packnett Cunningham, a leading voice in culture, justice, and policy. After closing out Season 1, Brittany shares her insights on the recent presidential election and its impact on our communities, especially as a mother of a young Black boy. She discusses the vital narratives surrounding anti-trans, anti-LG...

In this engaging episode of Teach The Babies Office Hours, Dr. Raquel Martin, a pioneer in Black mental health and liberation psychology, joins Dr. David J. Johns for a lively, laughter-filled conversation. Together, they explore the pressing challenges following the recent presidential election, emphasizing the importance of community healing and the impact of political environments on mental hea...

For Brianna Baker, founder of Justice 4 Black Girls, these words are more than a motto; they are a mission.  This proud Spelman Alumna, classroom educator, curriculum developer, and BOSS joins the class to share the experiences that led to founding an organization dedicated to ensuring justice for Black girls.  Top lines include Black girl barretts and revolutionary dreams; honoring and protecting...

In this compelling episode of Office Hours, host Dr. David J. Johns welcomes renowned scholar, author, and activist Marc Lamont Hill for an in-depth discussion on the pressing issues surrounding the Middle East and the complicity of the U.S. government and both major political parties in shaping the conditions that led up to October 7, 2023.Marc offers a master class on the region's historical and...

CEO, author, media commentator, fantastic husband, father, and friend of the class Joshua DuBois stops by the class to discuss being our first Black President’s (Barack Hussein Obama, don’t play) spiritual advisor; lessons learned bringing together community leaders from across the ideological spectrum to tackle some of the nation’s most significant challenges; and things his children teach him an...

In this episode of Teach The Babies, host Dr. David J. Johns is joined for office hours by renowned journalist, author, and cultural commentator Clay Cane. Together, they dive deep into the pressing issues surrounding the current presidential election, exploring the critical role of Black voters and otherwise Queer constituents in shaping the political landscape. Cane takes us on a historical jour...

Tina Turner famously sang, " What’s love got to do with it?” Educators in meaningful relationships with their students know love is the answer to this question is Love. Love is at the center of Dr. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz’s pedagogy, and is also at the center of this conversation between educators who understand the power of love. Questions fueling this conversation include: Where did you catch sense...

In addition to our regularly scheduled class, we’re adding office hours. These office hours will feature election-specific content.  Sometimes, it’ll be just me, and sometimes, I’ll invite thoughtful people who also care about and spend time working to understand, defend, and expand democracy to join me. The goal is to cut through some of the dis-information, misinformation, and straight-up BS (th...

There is something powerful about educators who are committed to introducing children to the genius in them.  Dr. Chris Emdin is a genius personified, and this intellectual cipher between two intellectual powerhouses who love Black people, teach the babies, and defend democracy is anchored by the freedom to dream and the importance of having safe and supportive spaces to nurture our dreams. Dr. Em...

This episode features the story of Barbara Johns–no relation–the 16-year-old high school student who organized a student-led protest when her teachers dismissed her concerns about poor facilities and shabby equipment. Become a supporter of this podcast: https://www.spreaker.com/podcast/teach-the-babies-w-dr-david-j-johns--6173854/support .

Host Dr. David J. Johns reflects upon the inaugural season of this podcast and the lessons learned in producing it. He discusses the best parts of teaching in this medium, which include the community that’s been cultivated, the conversations had both those recorded and inspired by what’s aired, and the Afro-futuristic anchored freedom dreams that are strengthening schools, communities, and democra...

Brittany Packnett Cunningham is an educator, activist, writer, award-winning podcaster, leader, mother, and friend. She is an NBC News and MSNBC Political Analyst and host of UNDISTRACTED, a news and justice podcast with an intersectional lens on the world. This series concluding episode of the inaugural season of this podcast invites listeners to the freedom dream with one of our generation’s mos...

Can you imagine walking out of fourth grade in protest against white supremacy and racism? Dr. John B. Diamond did exactly that before becoming a sociologist studying race and education. He’s not alone, did you know about Barbara Johns and the 1951 student walkout in Farmville, VA? In this episode, we break down the relationship between social inequality and educational opportunity, revisit what D...