Teachers Unify

This episode features Kristin Song & Robin Fox, who came together in the aftermath of the death of Kristen’s son Ethan in January 2018. They share their own stories and connections to gun violence, Kristen’s work with Ethan’s Law and safe storage initiatives, the work they’ve done collaboratively through “Trust Talk For Teens,” and much more.

This episode features Rori Abernethy, a teacher from the Oakland/San Francisco area. She speaks about being a child of the Black Panther Party, her experience as a teacher dealing with school & community gun violence and her hopes for the future.

This episode features Eric Garner, a teacher/survivor from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. He speaks about what brought him to education, his experience from Feb. 14, 2018, his journey through healing & why it’s important to use your voice.

This episode was recorded from a Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence Back To School Zoom held on Sept. 12, 2024. Hosted by Teachers Unify co-founders Abbey Clements and Sarah Lerner, the special guests were American Federation of Teachers President, Randi Weingarten and White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention Deputy Directors Greg Jackson & Rob Wilcox.

This episode features Megan Doney, an English professor at New River Community College in Virginia. She shares her experience from surviving the campus shooting in April 2013, how she navigated healing, the book she wrote to help survivors, and much more.

This episode features Darren Thomas, a teacher who survived the tragedy at Saugus High School in 2019. He talks about his experience that day, working to create the yearbook with his students, how he’s cared for his mental health, and much more.

This episode features Hope Nuzback, a gun violence survivor who created the first chapter of Future Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence at Penn State. She talks about her experience with gun violence, the work she’s done with Future Teachers Unify, and things teachers can do to make change.

This episode features Ben Tucker, a recently retired teacher from Nevada, who is a school shooting survivor from Sparks Middle School. He shares his experience as a photojournalist in California, his healing journey since the shooting at his school and how he believes that teachers and school-based personnel can make change for students in crisis.

This episode features Florida State Senator Shevrin Jones, a Democrat who represents the state's 35th District. He speaks about being an educator, the work he’s done within his community, why politics matters, and how we can all work to keep communities safe from gun violence.

This episode features Cyrena Arokium, a survivor from the Sandy Hook School shooting in 2012. She talks about her experience, what it’s like being a college student and her plans for the future.

This episode features Khadijah Butler, founder & president of the Craig D. Butler Scholarship Foundation. She speaks about the loss of her father to community gun violence, the scholarship foundation she’s created in his memory, working to help the students of Philadelphia and much more.

This extended episode features Melissa Gibbons, a teacher at Oxford High School in Oxford, Michigan. She speaks about her experience from Nov. 30, 2021, how she’s using her voice to speak out, and much more.

This episode features Robert Wilcox, Deputy Director of the White House Office of Gun Violence Prevention, which was created by the Biden Administration in Sept. 2023. He talks about his experience with gun violence, the work he’s done with the Office of Gun Violence Prevention and things teachers can do to make change.

This episode features Kaitlin Haynes. She speaks about losing her best friend and uncle to gun violence, going into schools every day for work, being a mom with the struggles and fears of raising Black sons today, and much more.

On this episode, we’ll hear from Natalie Niemeyer, a survivor from the Des Moines East High School shooting in March 2022. She speaks about how having educator parents shaped her formative years, which led her to education, her experience from the shooting, being a new mom amidst the loss of her parents, guiding her journalism students through covering the tragedy & navigating through caring f...

In this extended episode, we’ll hear from Reed Alexander. He played Nevel Papperman on iCarly and has gone on to become a world-class professional journalist with Business Insider. He speaks about his experience as a child actor, how it led him to journalism, how journalism led him to cover the events at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018 & why it’s important to be a trauma-informed...

In this episode, we’ll hear from Logan Rubenstein, the former director of March For Our Lives Parkland. He speaks about his experience adjacent to the events at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School on Feb. 14, 2018, how he’s gotten into politics & his plans for the future.

In this episode, we’ll hear from Rachel Archambault, a speech-language pathologist, public speaker & gun violence survivor. She speaks about her experience at MSD, how she’s helping to educate about trauma-informed care & her unique perspective in education.

On this episode, we’ll hear from Santiago Mayer, Executive Director of Voters of Tomorrow. He shares the organization’s origin, what young people can do to speak out about issues that matter, like gun reform, and why he feels so strongly about educators.

In this episode, we’ll talk about “Parkland Speaks,” the book that was released in January 2019, published by Random House. It’s an anthology of writing, art and photography from students and faculty from Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School who survived and share their experiences from Feb. 14, 2018. We will hear from several contributors, hear how the book came to be, where the proceeds were don...

On this episode, we’ll hear from Jack Hilton, a social worker in Maine who specializes in trauma-informed counseling. He shares how his personal trauma and work as a local journalist led him to a career in social work. He also talks about EMDR, gives some tips for when someone becomes activated & anxious, and the benefits of therapy.

In this episode, we’ll hear from Amy Kenny, an educator & yoga instructor. She speaks about her experience with gun violence, why yoga, meditation & the mind-body connection are so important to healing, and the sides of survivor guilt most people don’t talk about.

In this episode, we’ll hear from Antonius Wiriadjaja, an educator, artist & gun violence survivor. He speaks about the moment that changed his life, being in the gun violence prevention space & how art helped him through his healing journey.

In this episode, we have a follow-up interview with WKBW anchor, Ed Drantch. He shares what life is like in Buffalo a year and a half after Tops, how his reporting has changed & what his hopes are for the future.

In this episode, we’ll hear from Winfred Porter, an educator & survivor from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting in 2018. He speaks about his early life, being an educator, his experience from Feb. 14, and his journey through mental health & self-discovery.