Ep. 205: Becoming a “Good Relative” with Author Hilary Giovale
EQ: How can individuals of European descent acknowledge their ancestral histories and take meaningful steps toward truth, healing, and repair in their relationships with Indigenous and Black communities?
In this powerful episode, we sit down with Hilary Giovale, author of Becoming a Good Relative: Calling White Settlers Toward Truth, Healing, and Repair, to explore how individuals of European descent can reckon with their ancestral histories and engage in meaningful truth, healing, and repair with Indigenous and Black communities. Hilary shares her personal journey of uncovering Celtic, Germanic, and Nordic roots, awakening to the harms of settler colonialism, and redefining what it means to be a “good relative” in today’s world. We discuss the significance of settler identity, the concept of “white peril,” the role of rituals and spiritual practices in healing, and her ten guidelines for building respectful, cross-cultural relationships. Through honest reflection and a deep commitment to relational accountability, Hilary offers a vision for how white settlers can move beyond denial toward connection, responsibility, and repair.
Do Your Fudging Homework:
Annie: Do Hilary’s homework–dig into your past/lineage/ways you can
Hilary: Following this guide, make a personal reparations plan
Sign up for a monthly contribution to a Land Tax program (all those I know about are listed on this page)
Read An Indigenous People's History of the United States, by Roxanne Dunbar-Ortiz
Hope: Support Tacoma Reparations
Ep. 182: Summer Sizzle: Books, Beats, and Beach Politics
EQ: What’s cooking this summer and how can we make the most of it?
Get ready for a sizzling summer with this silly episode. We're diving into fun in the sun, cold drinks, self-care, and social justice. From reading the latest books and curating your summer soundtrack to anticipating blockbuster movies and discussing summer fashion trends, we’ve got you covered. Plus, we'll share our thoughts on the political landscape ahead of the presidential election. Set a summer goal, support your local libraries, and join us for an unforgettable summer of enjoyment and empowerment!
Resources to Check:
Do Your Fudging Homework:
Annie: make a summer goal for yourself, either to have more adventures outside, get involved in a political cause, or drink more water. It doesn’t have to be anything crazy, just give yourself something to look forward to and something you’ll be proud of yourself for accomplishing.
Hope: to piggy back off that–if you’re someone who plans a million things for your kids or cats, do something for yourself as well.
Ep. 165: Jessie Daniels "Nice White Ladies", Author Interview
We are back to it with our #readlessbasic book club selection. Unlike previous book club conversations, we were lucky enough to connect with author Jessie Daniels to kick off this season’s book.
However, we start this episode with a brief note about the humanitarian crisis in Palestine right now.
We geeked out in this incredibly engaging conversation about historical perspectives on white women's roles, contemporary manifestations of white womanhood, and the complex interplay between whiteness, womanhood, and the perpetuation of white supremacy. We explored societal implications and personal reflections on breaking the cycle of generational whiteness. Lastly, Daniels discussed how her book aims to challenge readers to question and redefine their understanding of these entrenched societal structures.
There were many many references in this conversation so we will continue to add to this list.
Resources Referenced:
Layla Saad, “Me and White Supremacy”
Do Your Fudging Homework:
Hope: One of the recs in this book is to examine who you’re surrounded by – read more than white folks; make non white friends; go to activities & events w/ nonwhite folks
Megan: Do the work on yourself to make sure you are not going to take up the space when you occupy non-white spaces. Your whiteness has automatically centered your thoughts, feelings, and opinions in most spaces your whole life. I mean this in the kindest but most direct way possible, your feelings are not the most important in the room.
Jessie: Take inventory of the spaces you occupy. Start by paying attention to your environments and how that creates feelings for you.
Join our #readlessbasic book club by reading NWL. Download the NWL Discussion Guide and get together with some friends.
Ep. 130: A Book Challenge in our Backyard
EQ: How has anti-LGBTQ sentiment seeped in local school boards?
Hope is joined by guest Gavin Downing, a teacher-library in the Kent School district who recently experience a very intense effort by some community members to ban a young adult book, Jack of Hearts and Other Parts by L.C. Rosen. In this episode, we dig into the timeline of events, discuss the recent rise in book bans and how we can all be more proactive in our support of students’ rights to read diverse perspectives and experiences.
Related Links:
ACLU Threatens Possible Legal Action if KSD Board Removes Book
Author L.C. Rosen’s Statement
Do Your Fudging HW:
We can’t do this alone–reach out to SD, let them know/policies for district; shore them up BEFORE the challenge comes in; school board; public library
How folks can support you/prevent the banning of books in KSD or in their local districts
Ep. 108: Hot Reader Summer
EQ: What can woke-aspiring individuals do to have a hot reader summer (hint: read books)?
Megan and Hope are joined by Lincoln High School Librarian, Kristen Sierra. They sit down to discuss all of the best reads and what has been at the top of their list. From easy vacation reads, books to read as a family, and books to push your thinking and learning, they cover it all in this episode! Check out a previous conversation with Kristen about Decolonizing Your Bookshelf.
Vacay Reads/Easy Reading:
Furia, Yamile Saied Mendez
Leviathan Wakes (Expanse Series), James A Corey
Rodney Scott’s New Cookbook - Rodney Scott’s World of BBQ
Roar, Cecilian Ahern. Short stories separate so something you can read and put down/pick up easily.
A Wicked Kind of Husband, Mia Vincy (romance)
The Lovely War, Julie Berry (highly recommend the audiobook on Libro.fm)
Firekeepers Daughter, Angeline Boulley
Patron Saints of Nothing, Randy Ribay
Young Adult:
Grown, Tiffany Jackson
White Smoke, Tiffany Jackson
Blackout, Dhonielle Clayton, Tiffany D. Jackson, Nic Stone, Angie Thomas, Ashley Woodfolk, Nicola Yoon
Clean Getaway, Nic Stone
Dear Justice, Nic Stone
From Little Tokyo, With Love, Sarah Kuhn (silly YA Romcom)
Concrete Rose, Angie Thomas (especially the audiobook)
Emergency Contact, Mary Choi (YA romcom)
Walk Two Moons, Sharon Creech
On the Come up, Angie Thomas
Concrete Rose, Angie Thomas
Nonfiction Favs:
What Unites Us: The World Citizen Series, Dan Rather
(Several Channel 253 members recommended) How the Word is Passed: A Reckoning with the History of Slavery Across America, Clint Smith
March, John Lewis
How We Get Free: Black Feminism & the Combahee River Collective, Keeanga Yamahtaa Taylor
Treatise on investing mutual funds. Stock picking is like picking a needle in a haystack with index fund investing, you buy the whole haystack: The Little Book of Common Sense Investing, John Bogle
Know my Name, Chanel Miller (was a #nerdfarmreads book)
Unrig, Dan G. Newman
Fault Lines in the Constitution: The Framers, Their Fights, and the Flaws that Affect us Today, Cynthia Levinson and Sanford Levinson
Caste: The Origins of our Discontent, Isabel Wilkerson
Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood, Marjane Setrapi, Mattias Ripa
After the Fall: Being American in the World We’ve Made, Ben Rhodes
Up From Slavery, Booker T. Washington
Yes Please, Amy Poehler
Bossypants, Tina Fey
A Promised Land, Barack Obama
Something You Can’t Help But Love
The Once & Future Witches, Alix E Harrow
The Pale Horse, Agatha Christie
Open Book, Jessica Simpson
Green Lights, Mathew McConnaghy
Something Every Teacher Should Read:
“These Kids Are out of Control: Why We Must Reimagine Classroom Management for Equity”, Milner, Cunningham, et al
We do this Till We Free Us: Abolitionist Organizing and Transforming Justice, Mariame Kabe (the science & art of organizing)
Kristen Sierra’s book “Core Values in School Librarianship”
Pillars of the Republic: Common Schools and American Society, Carl F. Kaestle
The Practice of Adaptive Leadership, Ronald A. Heifetz, Alexander Grashow, Marty Linsky
Raising Free People: Unschooling as Liberation and Healing Work, Akila S. Richards
Silencing the Past, Michel-Rolph Trouillot
Things to Read as a Family:
I survived (series), Lauren Tarshis
Percy Jackson (series), Rick Riordan
Babysitters Club (newer series), Jordan Silver
Ep. 65: Throw Out the White Canon #DisruptTexts
EQ: Why is it important to interrogate our notions of a traditional “canon” and create a more inclusive curriculum (especially ELA)?
Guests today are Julia Torres, Tricia Ebarvia two of the amazing women who started the #disrupttexts movement.
To learn more about the work of Julia Torres
Vice-President and President of the regional NCTE affiliate–The Colorado Language Arts Society
To learn more about the work of Tricia Ebarvia
Literacy consultant & fellow for The Educator Collaborative.
Contributes regularly to Moving Writers and Write Share Connect
In our conversation we discuss the impetus for the creation and organization of #disrupttexts and why this is a critical movement for educators in 2020. When we asked which text had met the greatest pushback from traditional canon advocates, we thought for sure the answer would be Shakespeare or Lord of the Flies. Surprisingly, it is the stance against To Kill a Mockingbird and The Great Gatsby that has met the most white fragility. Julia and Tricia remind us that what we value will be what is centered in our classrooms. The inclination for ELA teachers to hold tight to their ideals about the canon are completing rooted in a cultural canon constructed and perpetuated by a racist system. The notion of cultural capital is inherently white and we have to change that. We have to have the knowledge, will, and capacity to do what we can to change this system.
Other References & Resources:
James Banks Approaches to Multicultural Education
Carol Anderson We Are Not Yet Equal
Evette Dionne Lifting As We Climb
Ibram X. Kendhi Stamped From the Beginning
Tiffany Jewel This Book is Antiracist
Liz Ann Baez Aguilar “Having Courageous Conversations in the Classroom”
Val Brown “Clear the Air”
Champagne & Real Pain
👎🏻 👎🏻 Barnes & Nobles “Fake Diversity”
Do Your Fudging HW:
Hope: Go read some of the blog posts on #disrupttexts and then take ONE action to applying an idea in your current unit or build multiple steps into an upcoming unit
Annie: check out past #disrupttexts Twitter chats to see how educators are engaging with this awesome organization
Julia: a) Buy #disrupttexts gear and wear it or give it to a friend b) Read “hard history” and counternarratives--Indigenous History of the US, Stamped by Kendi & Reynolds, Evette Dionne Lifting As We Climb
Tricia: read all the things that Julia said and “The Racial Healing Handbook” by Dr. Singh
Follow us on Twitter @IWL_Podcast or Facebook: Interchangeable White Ladies Podcast
Ep. 54: Read Less Basic Book Club--"White Rage" by Carol Anderson
Today we're discussing our 2nd book in the #readlessbasic book club. We encourage listeners to read more of Carol Anderson’s work and listen to her interview on Democracy Now.
Guests: Nate Bowling and Jennifer Newton
Nate Bowling, host of the Channel 253 Nerd Farmer podcast
Jennifer Newton, long time listener and even longer time friend. Educator, NBCT and general rabblerouser
Discussion Highlights:
The connection between Anderson’s work and Derek Jensen’s Endgame
The nature & goals of the book. Feels almost like a “second in a trilogy”
White Fragility
White Rage
Things we gloss over in history classes but Anderson brings home
How our own racial identity influences our reading of the book
Criticism and wishes for the text
Why everyone should read White Rage in the current political climate
Listener To Do List:
Read the discussion of this book on Twitter #cleartheair
Human Smoke Nicholson Baker
“The Tunnel” Criminal Podcast, Episode 120
Read Less Basic Book Club: White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo
Discussion Highlights Include:
Passages that resonated with us - insights, challenges, surprises, and takeaways
Discussion around the idea that “Racism is a structure, not an event,” (J. Kēhaulani Kauanui)
Colorblindness and associated issues
White women’s tears
Personal experiences dealing with racism as perpetrators or bystanders and how white people must disrupt racism to make any meaningful change
Lessons from the book that we can apply to our everyday lives and next steps
Listener To Do List:
Read White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo so this episode makes sense
Reach out to IWL on social media if you have questions for Robin DiAngelo - we’re interviewing her in early March!
Become a subscribing member of Channel 253
Borrow or buy (at your favorite local bookstore) our next #readlessbasic book - White Rage by Carol Anderson