Ep. 35: Brickettes, Bags, and Dump Trucks of Coal
EQ: Who in White America deserves lumps of coal this year?
We are lucky to be joined by Katy Evans, Assistant Executive Director @ Grand Cinema and most importantly, the Holiday Hero. Katy was a recent guest on NerdFarm Ep 49: It’s Cuffing Season
In this episode, three interchangeable brown-haired, white women discuss the joys of the Christmas season. We make recommendations for seasonal music, foods, and most importantly, we dissect weird Holiday traditions such as Krampus and Black Pete (it’s as racist as it sounds!). Lastly, we help Santa out by distributing varying amounts of coal to crappy, hateful and all-around awful people.
To begin, check out these links guaranteed to bring more joy to your life this season:
Katy’s favorite songs: Holiday Hero Xmas 2018, John Legend Holiday Album, Sia “Everyday is Christmas”; Ariana Grande's holiday EP, Penatonixs, Big Freedia “A Very Big Freedia Christmazz”
Katy’s Christmas Move Recs: Holiday Classics--Bell Book and Candle, Desk Set; Hannah, Carol, Tangerine, Gridlock, Harold & Kumar 3D Christmas, In Bruges, Rare Exports, Terry Pratchett’s Hogswatch, 30 days of Night, The Thing, Fargo, Snowpiercer, A Diva’s Christmas Carol, Trading Places
Then, follow up on these Christmas traditions:
Krampus Tradition
Who the hell is Black Pete? Yo, if the UN tells you to stop, you should.
If you want something warm and fuzzy consider buying your friend this cute book Santa’s Husband, Dave
Finally, we dole out coal one brickette at a time. Santa really should hire us.
Lena Dunham
Yanny or Laurel argument
People who voted No on 1631
Using mayonaise instead of Miracle Whip (apparently, there’s a division even in the studio. Oh, hwhite people)
Whoever runs the City Club Twitter account
News Tribune Editorial Board (they’re out of touch critique of Tacoma Against Nazis which we won’t even bother to link to here)
How many piles of coal does Quentin Tarantino deserve for being a perv?
White women voting for candidates who don’t have their best interests at heart.
ALL the white people who called on Black people living their lives this year. There should be cost to white people for calling on Black folks
The ladies from Idaho School who dressed like a border wall and Mexicans for Halloween.
Border Patrol condoning the use of tear gas against children and babies.
There are faaaaaaaaaar more people who deserve to be buried under truckloads of coal, but we ran out of time!
Guilty Favesies:
Hope: Horrifically corny holiday movies--but not about animals!
Annie: Vegan egg nog w/ bananas
Katy: Nora Ephron and favorite films like Sleepless in Seattle, While You Were Sleeping. Add to your must-watch list The Holiday Calendar, Bad Moms Christmas
Do Your Fudging Homework:
Annie: non-consumer holiday activities
Katy: Adopt of a family; not spend money on your own nonsense; Jeanette Winterson’s short stories Christmas Days: 12 Stories & 12 Feasts for 12 Days
Ep. 34: Housing Is a Human Right
**Since this recording Tacoma City Council UNANIMOUSLY voted to increase protections for renters!!
Read about it here!
Today’s EQ: What is a tenants’ union and why do cities need them?
Guest: Molly Nichols, recent transplant to Tacoma from Pittsburgh, where she organized transit riders. Now she works as the Tacoma outreach coordinator with Futurewise and a member of the Tacoma Tenants Organizing Committee. Also have experience as a high school and college teacher.
Molly talks about her journey, including working in leadership development, taking on graduate school (with a focus on environmental issues in the Caribbean, including a community fighting an aluminum smelter), and her need for urgency in her work life, which led her to grassroots organizing. Molly discusses decentering herself as a white woman and recentering those most affected by environmental and social problems to create sustainable change. She shares her experiences in Tacoma, including working at Futurewise, a statewide non-profit that fights for equitable and sustainable urban growth and land use policies, where she helped organize tenants who have been displaced by recent growth in Tacoma.
Be Less Basic and Read Up on some of these topics:
About the Tiki Apartments & Tenants Union
After Crisis At the Tiki, Tacoma Could See Vast New Protections for Renters
Some Displaced Tiki Tenants Move Back in after landlord deal
How We Got Here: A Reckoning with the US and Tacoma History Documentary
Examples of What We Could be Doing
Do Your Fudging Homework:
Hope: listen to ACHH episode on homelessness
Annie: if you’re a non-Tacoma resident, research housing issues in your community.
Molly: The Color of Law, “Communities Over Commodities” report from Right to the City Alliance
DON’T FORGET
Follow us at @IWL_Podcast or on Facebook!
Get a copy of White Fragility and tweet your comments, thoughts, and questions using #readlessbasic
Become a Channel 253 Member! It’s just $4 a month or $40 a year. https://www.channel253.com/membership/
Ep. 33: Shut Up & Listen To Youth Voices
EQ: How are youth defining and deconstructing gender in 2018 and how can adults be allies to them?
Guest: Stella Keating, 8th grader in TPS, the WA state representative for the Gender Cool Project, Instagram-lover and a youth activist. Lisa Keating, My Purple Umbrella--Episode 14
Stella tells us about how she became involved in politics and activism through My Purple Umbrella’s work on in 2016 with the Anti-Trans Bill (1552 Bathroom Bill; initiative 1515). She even testified to the school board in 4th grade! She describes her involvement in the Gender Cool Project, a program that “seeks to reach every corner of the country with positive and powerful stories about who transgender kids and their peer allies are rather than what they are. We leave the labels at the door and build understanding through storytelling about the accomplishments of these remarkable young leaders.”
She shares what it means to be a “Gender Cool Champion”, what National Coming Out Day really means (raises awareness for people who don’t have to), the challenges of being a young activist, how she experiences sexism in the world, and how she really feels about Kavanaugh. And you MUST go read this article in Teen Vogue “Why Transgender Visibility Matters.”
Guilty Favesies
Annie: seeing exotic animals up close
Hope: Eyeglass frames
Stella: Instagram
Lisa: Facebook
Do your fudging homework
Annie: Educators and parents - see what support is available in your school for LGBQ+ youth and see what you can do to promote it.
Hope: Go back and listen to Episode 14; read book from Queerest Book Club Ever on FB
Stella: Queerest Book Club Ever (next book - Two Boys Kissing), read Handsome Girl and Her Beautiful Boy, read Symptoms of Being Human, shut up and listen to youth voices and educate the youth
Lisa: Queerest Book Club Ever. Families and allies welcome. Second Monday of the month - 7-8:30 PM. Skype with authors.
Ep. 32: #DangerousMom’s Perspective on Childbirth, Motherhood, and Advocacy
EQ: Why is being a stay-at-home-parent a fulltime, bad-ass job that we need in 2018?
Guest: Tobi Tommaney, Tacoma-raised, birth doula, wife, and mother.
In this episode we discuss:
Why Tacoma is the best place to raise a family
How you can be a block mom, a #dangerousmom, and a general bad-ass
How women’s bodies are strong and powerful---we just have to listen to ourselves.
The difference between pain and suffering
Midwifery, being a doulah, and why you should use the lotus method for your placenta
Recommended reading:
Ina May Gaskin--midwife
Robin Lim Placenta the Forgotten Shakra
An insider’s perspective on the Tacoma Teacher Strike
Most importantly, why you are enough and just showing up to speak your truth is ENOUGH! We need to make sure our legislators and school board know they are there to serve the community!
Do Your Fudging Homework:
Show up at a school board meeting, email your legislator and speak up!
Ep. 31: Not Data Without Stories, Not Stories Without Data
EQ: Why is the work of the ACLU in the Washington important and relevant in 2018?
Guest: Vanessa Torres Hernandez, Youth Policy Director at American Civil Liberties Union of Washington. Nerd Farmer Guest Ep 27
The formidable and fabulous Vanessa Torres Hernandez joins us to talk about the intersection of education and the law. Vanessa shares the story of her early life in Guam, the culture shock of American college life, and her years as a teacher.
Highlights include:
We need to pay more attention to school safety issues in Washington School Safety. Many instinctive responses to school shootings are wrong and not research based. We need more preventative resources.
There is an absurd amount of racial bias in school suspensions and other forms of discipline
We need to question and re-imagine the role of law enforcement in schools
The importance of stories with data and data with stories in improving school safety - it can’t just be about numbers or feelings, we have to examine both
Learn more about the Every Student Counts Alliance (ESCA), a new collaboration between organizations and individuals in Spokane working to end the overuse of suspension and expulsion in Spokane Public Schools and to eliminate disparities in rates of suspension and expulsion of students of color and students with disabilities.
Read more about WA state laws on suspension, including HB 1541 and Adopted Student Discipline Rules
Guilty Favesies
Hope: candles, especially if they’re on sale at Target
Annie: single-serving lunch snacks
Vanessa: celebrity gossip magazines
Do Your Fudging Homework:
Hope: What do you think about … Can the ACLU Become the NRA for the Left?
Vanessa: Attend Adult Civics HH; Flights and Rights (ACLU) in Seattle; issue oriented civic engagement--most important
Annie: clued in to what’s happening in legislature! Sign up for legislators emails
Ep. 30: Decolonize Your Bookshelf
EQ: Why is important to decolonize your bookshelf and how do you do it?
Guest: Kristen Sierra, Tacoma born & raised, Lincoln teacher-librarian, TPS mom
Kristen helps us understand what it means to decolonize your bookshelf, including challenging us to read more authors from diverse backgrounds! We also learn more about Project Lit, a Nashville based program that addresses the problem of “book deserts” in urban areas. This program focuses on providing high-quality, culturally relevant books that empower students as readers and leaders.
Support her work to transform the Lincoln Library by:
Donating to Project Lit Lincoln Abes
Learn more information about Project Lit as a Nation wide Movement:
Jared Amato who started Project Lit
Project LIT: How a Nashville educator turned a class project into a nationwide movement
Other useful links:
Contact for Tacoma Public Schools Library Director for information on supporting our Milgard Fundraiser & support in general: Ms. Suzanna Panter: spanter@tacoma.K12.wa.us
Link to Tacoma Public School Library websites for supportive citizens to contact their local school librarian (scroll down and click on the name of the school) https://www.tacomaschools.org/libraries/Pages/default.aspx
Contact for our Superintendent & our Assistant Superintendent to voice your support of school libraries:
Superintendent Santorno: csantor@tacoma.K12.wa.us; Superintendent Pace: tpace@tacoma.K12.wa.us
Link to requesting materials and sharing suggestions with our Tacoma Public Library (must sign in first to access this feature)
Attendance at events matters and created more opportunities for events! Link to event pages
Come out to Kwame Alexander Author Event on 10/15 at Urban Grace in Tacoma: tickets here
Guilty Favsies:
Hope: good ranch dressing (fancy spices)
Annie: niiiiice office supplies.
Kristen---People, Gossip
Do Your Fudging Homework:
Annie: use your public library. Support your neighborhood school’s library. Libraries are vital to our communities.
Kristen: buy a book for our library! Donate to Project Lit Lincoln Abes
Special Announcement:
We are going to read White Fragility by Robin DiAngelo! #IWLreads #readlessbasic
Ep. 29: Striking While Female
EQ: Is sexism even relevant to the teacher strikes or are women just being over-sensitive once again?
Guest: Megan Holyoke, 1st year teacher
Annie, Megan and Hope break down myths and sexism in the narrative about the Tacoma teacher strike.
Related links:
Teachers Are Paid Almost 20% Less Than Other Similar Professionals
“I feel mentally numb”: more teachers are working part-time jobs to pay the bills
SPECIAL NOTE: We did a little fact finding and want to be clear about some numbers regarding leadership gender dynamics.
According to Chalkbeat, “While women made up 73 percent of classroom teachers in Pennsylvania, the study showed they accounted for just 44 percent of school principals and 35 percent of superintendents.”
According to AASA “the vast majority of superintendents (87 percent) are male.”
According to Huffpost, “More than three-quarters of public school teachers are female while only 30% of educational administrators are.”
Ep. 28: IWL One Year Podiversary Podebration!
EQ: Has it really been a year since we started this podcast and where do we go from here?
Today’s podiversary episode is brought to you by the arbitrarily measured passage of time. In this episode we podlight significant episodes, wonderful listeners, and preview upcoming episode topics. We also announce the winner of the "Be Less Basic Bracket" and the 2017-2018 Most Valuable Interchangeable White Lady.
Do your homework: Follow our show on social media and follow one of our amazing guests!
Ep 27: Finding Joy and Giving Love: An Interview with Musician Stephanie Johnson
EQ: What’s awesome/challenging about being a women of color in the music industries?
Guest: Stephanie Anne Johnson of Tacoma (season 5 of The Voice). Born and raised in Tacoma. From a military family, Stephanie is a musician, performer and educator!
Ignore the star-struck awkwardness of the hosts during this interview with the amazing Stephanie Johnson. The way Stephanie talks about music, love, and relationships will have you reaching for your tissue box. Telling her “Tacoma Story”, Stephanie reminds listeners that each of us has a story that is uniquely our own and it is up to us to define and create these stories.
Related Links:
- PLU Late Knight Show: Check out this interview w/ Stephanie
- Rain City Rock Camp
- The Queen Aretha Franklin “Natural Woman”
Guilty Favsies:
- Hope--Expensive Vinegars
- Annie--Swedish fish
- Stephanie--the Kardashians
Do Your Fudging Homework:
- Stephanie - Buy music directly from the artist; pick up a book and READ
- Annie - Go to the Hilltop Street Fair
- Hope - Check out Stephanie’s music on CD Baby
Ep. 26: Mommy, Look How Woke I Am: On Performative Wokeness
EQ: What does it mean to be “woke,” and how can wokeness be performative?
Guest: Amy Young, PhD, Associate Professor of Communication and Chair of the Communication and Theatre Department at Pacific Lutheran University and author of Prophets, Gurus, and Pundits: Rhetorical Styles and Public Engagement. Guest on Nerd Farm Podcast, episode 5 “On Ignoring Calls for Civility.” Find her online: Facebook & Twitter (@Amy_Prof)
Amy brings the noise about political rhetoric and shares her insights on a variety of topics:
- Why she was drawn to rhetoric as a field and why it matters
- The phenomenon of master’s theses and conference titles always including a colon
- The fact that, when people want to talk about rhetoric (words, media, and timing), they don’t ask rhetoricians. They ask political scientists or historians instead.
- Donald Trump appealing only to his base using narrowly targeted rhetoric (and how some things are both authentic and unpalatable)
- Political correctness getting a bad rap and how it actually serves to foster empathy or connection to audience. Sometimes thinking about other people is a good idea.
- Creepy Stephen Miller’s shark eyes and his distinctive lack of exchangeability in politics (could he work in any other administration? No).
Performing wokeness…
- Appropriation--who gets to lay claim and perform that claim publicly--where’s the line? What’s the difference between being a fan (appreciating) and wearing a woke costume? Using Black vernacular to construct a public identity when the target identity is marginalized or oppressed. Appropriators are afforded social capital in a way that those who constructed the culture it aren’t .
- The tension between being clued-in and clueless. Rachel Dolezal's calendar - 12 months of pictures of her.
Greatest (and by “greatest” we mean the worst) examples…
- Urban Dictionary defines “fake woke”
- 13 Signs You're fake woke
- Beware of Woke Allies
- 6 Degrees of Wokeness: Asleep, Groggy, Newly Woke, Eyes Wide Open, Woke AF
- Use your privilege to get connected to actual issues and stand for them. Don’t just show up once and quit.
- Amy’s new book: conservative rhetoric. Heading to the press soon!
Guilty Favesies:
- Hope: Mangoes--manila, dried etc. Delicious - they’re fruit, so they must be good for you.
- Annie: cheap makeup. Crap for my skin, probably terrible for the environment. But I want a $2 e.l.f. eyeliner pencil and I won’t back down.
- Amy: Mister, Mister
Do Your Fudging Homework:
- Hope: Woke-check yourself. Be reflective and authentic.
- Annie: Go check out a list on Goodreads called “Popular Stay Woke Books.” Read all the books on the list, repeat as needed. Notable titles include The New Jim Crow and Islamophobia and the Politics of Empire.
- Amy: Amy’s making room in her intro classes to challenge her students by presenting rhetoric around diverse political views. Do the same in your profession (whatever it is).
Ep. 25: No Finish Line for Ending White Supremacy
EQ: What are white people doing wrong this time and how do we make it right?
Guest: Danielle Stubblefield - Seattle-based online and anti-racist frontline protester.
Danielle brings her expertise and insights to a number of topics, including:
- White privilege, white entitlement, and white terrorism, including the idea of “polite” white supremacy (no matter what, white people make sure the conversation stays civil and comfortable).
- No finish line for white supremacy--keeping it 💯, we have so much work to do
- We're all like dirty sponges--we can clean up a mess but we're tainted
- White supremacy is the house you need to tear down---demolition phase (take a hammer and tear sh!* up)
- Think about IMPACT, not just intent. Own our whiteness from the beginning, stumble through life and stop trying to be well-intended but causing damage.
- How to not be a “teacher” (aka think you know everything and are source of all knowledge). Instead we need to think of teaching and learning as hand-in-hand
- How to leverage white privilege for good and associated risk factors (Nordstrom comes up)
- How what is safe for white people is not safe for others.
- Missouri Nord Apologizes to 3 Black Kids
The impacts of racism on quality of life and health outcomes. Watch “How Racism Leads to Health Issues”
How to not worry about losing face with a stranger...fight dispassionately so it becomes your routine.
The fact that anti-blackness is real, and thoughts about why it exists. Jealousy? Why are white people so mad? Maybe it's because they see something they don't have! There’s a twisted sense of community that racism fills. Read Debbie Irving Waking up White to get a better understanding of racism as boxes & ladders.
It takes guts to challenge Oprah...especially when you're on a cruise with her!
Do Your Fudging Homework:
- Annie: Read Seattle’s Inability to Address Its Whiteness
- Hope: Read I Don’t Fear White Supremacists, I Fear Liberal Indifference
- Danielle: Michael Bennett’s new book Things That Make White People Uncomfortable
Ep. 24: Countering Slow-cooked Misogyny: A Coaching Chat w/Cat Peterson
EQ: How can we understand the slow cooked misogyny of male-dominated professions?
Guest: Catherine Peterson, Physics Teacher & Soccer Coach, one of the hosts of Flounders B-Team Podcast and Teachers United “Cat Peterson Award for Courage”
The beloved and fabulous Cat Peterson joins us to talk about working in male-dominated spaces: science education and soccer coaching. Cat shares her story about...
- Growing up in a small town and the importance of female role models
- Falling in love with soccer and science in high school, college, and beyond
- The intense demands of coaching and teaching at the same time
- The BS she puts up with as a female coach
- Equity issues in soccer and other high school sports - who has access and who doesn’t?
- The overwhelming whiteness in high school coaching
Guilty Favesies:
- Annie: white bread - especially English muffins
- Hope: Ketchup
- Cat: Candy all the time!
Do Your Fudging Homework:
- Annie: Positive Coaching Alliance
- Cat: Find female coaches and follow, retweet them @CM_Peterson
- Hope: Support LHS Girls Soccer by donating from their Amazon wish list
Ep. 23: Summer 2-for-One: Beat the Heat AND Nazis
EQ: What’s the best way to beat the summer heat while also handily dismantling racist, sexist, misogynistic hetero-patriarchal white supremacy?
We start this episode channel in our inner basic NW white lady with suggestions for how to stay literally cool thi summer. From cold brew to boozy slurpees, find ways to have a little fun and do a little self-care. Go enjoy a glacier while we still have them - i.e. go to a higher altitude and meditate on global warming.
We note that it seems that summer time not only emboldens bad outfit choices, it strengthens white supremacists. What’s up with Washington attracting white supremacists? Read more here:
- National Resurgence: Thousands of Fliars sent to “Patriotic” homes
- Renton: Puget Sound Anarchists No Sanctuary for Nazis
- BWT, Charlotteville Organizer application for permit to March on WA (Anniversary of Charlotteville protest)
- Seattle Times on the Atomwoffen Division, a Neo-Nazi group that houses its largest cell in Washington.
- The Northwest Territorial Imperative
- Inside Seattle’s white nationalist groups
- UW Tacoma/other college campuses inundated with fliers
Hot Tips for beating the Nazis:
- Educate yourself about white supremacist and white nationalist language and symbology so you can identify it when you see it. Educate others.
- Address issues in your neighborhood directly (or indirectly, if you’re concerned for your safety or the safety of others).
- Take action online - share information on social media so that others can access it. Look for dismissive language and know how to respond. For example, if someone says “Nazi is a misnomer. They were a political party and they no longer exist” on Twitter, prepare a snappy comeback, like “the ideology still exists regardless of labels,” or “Delete your account.”
- Disconnect White Power Tacoma or join Tacoma Against Nazis on Facebook
- What’s Going on With America’s White People
Do Your Fudging Homework:
- Annie: Go read “So You Want to Fight White Supremacy” by Ijeoma Oluo from the Establishment. Preferably while you drink a boozy slurpee on some covered patio while misting yourself with one of those spray bottle fans.
- Hope: Educate yourself on the rise of white supremacists in the NW and take action---if you need ideas, send us a DM
Ep. 22: That's Pinteresting!
EQ: To what extent has Pinterest influenced the creativity of the modern women/men and specifically educators? When is Pinterest too much or just enough?
Guest: Cat Melaunie (Melani), middle school teacher, education activist, and general badass. She’s a Texas native and Washington transplant with a degree in English LA & Writing and minors in psychology and education from McMurry University. She currently works in education in Washington and is a freelance writer, including writing for the Nerdfarmer Podcast. She hosts local trivia, emcees events, and volunteers all the time! Also, she has a guinea pig named Obiwan Guinobi who loves to dress up.
Cat’s Story:
- Her move from Texas to Washington, inspired by her best friend relocating and being RIF’d/laid off from her teaching job (Texas is a “right to work” state) because of her sexual orientation. SHAME BELL.
- Everything she loves about her college, small hometown, and Tacoma.
- Full-time subbing in Tacoma and the differences between teaching in Texas and teaching in Washington: being 100% “on” all the time vs. being herself and “blending her worlds.”
- Accidentally coming out to students. Spoiler: it’s funny and not awful.
- Saying “no” for a long time and learning how to say “yes” to beautiful new experiences.
- Being Hispanic and finding out she was a person of color, including her different experiences in Texas and Washington.
- Watching Starbelly Sneetches with her students to teach them about how to be kind.
Segway: Pinterest...your favorite thing or your most favorite thing?
For the uninitiated, Pinterest is basically an online corkboard where you collect pictures of things you like from the internet - the pictures are usually connected to a link. Cat describes it as the ancient art of finding great ideas that other great people found before you. It’s possible to scroll through Pinterest for 1,000 hours and not know what happened.
- Pinterest board numbers: Hope stopped counting at 30, Cat has 30, and Annie has...102. Hope has cleverly named boards about teaching, working out, and books worth reading. Cat has a mermaid board, treats board, hair board, and two for Harry Potter - memes and HP stuff. Plus - Star Wars wedding. Annie has so many that it’s hard to pick a fave.
- Pinterest is renowned for its massive collection of recipes. Hope is doing the keto thing, Annie is vegan, so we decided to try and find something that everyone could eat. Annie made these. They’re not a total fail! Hope participated in the adventure, too - coconut milk chocolate mousse. It wouldn’t blend but it was delicious.
Bad advice from Pinterest!
- Flowery background with “bloom where you’re planted” - worse than “what doesn’t kill you makes you stronger.”
- Rustic junk like beach trash with inspirational quotes.
- The whole fitspo situation. You used to see a lot of “thinspo” or “thinspiration,” now its “fitspo” or “fitness inspiration,” which basically glorifies abs and squat challenges. Plus the before and after weight loss pictures.
- Not exactly bad advice, but you can’t go on Pinterest without seeing white women all over the place using Starbucks cups as accessories. The Starbucks cup is the new tiny dog in a purse.
- CAT WROTE US SOME POEMS ABOUT PINTEREST, including a limerick and a poem on the spot. It was impressive.
- Men also enjoy Pinterest, especially posting pictures of their beards and beards they think are awesome.
- While it’s a social media platform, Pinterest is also a consumer trap.
Guilty-Favesies:
- These are things that you make feel “guilty” about but are secretly or not so secretly favesies.
- Annie: looking for government jobs so she can be like Leslie Knope.
- Cat: comic books - but not so guilty. Eating fried chicken and drinking cheap beer in a bubble bath. Netflix (laptop on the toilet - not over the tub. Don’t electrocute yourself).
- Hope: Diet Pepsi with a Twix bar.
Do Your Fudging Homework:
- Annie: Google “Pinterest Fails” and remind yourself that no one has a perfectly curated Pinterest life and that FAIL stands for “first attempt in learning.”
- Cat: say “yes’ to new experiences. It will change your life.
- Hope: follow Cat’s guinea pig on Pinterest and make it out to the Black Kettle on Thursdays at 7:30 for trivia.
Please consider supporting the podcast by joining Channel 253 as a member.
Ep. 21: Share the Stage, Hand over the Mic: An Interview with the National Teacher of the Year
EQ: Who is the NTOY and what’s her deal?
Guest: Mandy Manning, 2018 WA STOY and National Teacher of the Year
Mandy Manning teaches English and math to refugee and immigrant students in the Newcomer Center at Ferris High School in Spokane, Washington, where she is her students' first teacher once they arrive in the U.S. This bio is lit
Mandy answers weird questions such as “what’s your favorite degree?” to “how does being NSTOY provide you a platform for your advocacy work or to speak about social justice, equity, or more serious things?” and “how do you see yourself as a white lady doing this work with mostly black and brown students--how to keep the ‘White Savior’ complex in check?”
Mandy elaborates on why it's important to think at a systems level and why our schools need to meet the needs of the specific community they serve.
Interesting links to keep your basicness at bay:
- WA State Teacher of Year Program
- National Teacher of the Year Program
- Spokane Public Schools Newcomer Center
- The Japan Exchange Teaching (JET) Program
- “Make the Most of Your World” Peace Corps
- “25 Things You Probably Didn’t Know about Armenia”
- Trump Told to Take Care with His Language on Immigrants
- Teacher of the Year Delivers letters from Refugee & Immigrant students to President Trump
Guilty Favsies:
- Hope--Flair pens or fancy gel pens from Japan, Korea, or Hong Kong (Ketchup, Silver Swan Soy Sauce; mangoes)
- Annie: Protein Powder
- Mandy: Sneaking out for coffee during planning period
Do Your Fudging Homework:
- Mandy: leave your house; go meet your neighbor--self awareness to become more culturally competent; what impacting your view; get knowledge
- Hope: Born a Crime by Trevor Noah
Please consider supporting the podcast by joining Channel 253 as a member.
Ep. 20: We Just Want to Build A Wall and Make Seattle Pay for It
EQ: How do we better understand the relationship between race, class, and real estate, and why does that matter?
Guest: Marguerite Martin, curator of the Move to Tacoma movement and host of the Move to Tacoma Podcast, the Pod Auntie and a founding pod host on Channel 253 (the spry, young matriarch of the network).
Marguerite shares her story:
- Her love for Tacoma and her early days downtown (what used to be the cheapest neighborhood!).
- Her start in real estate in the last boom market, circa 2005, and occupational survival in the downturn.
- The launch of the Move to Tacoma movement (website and, later, the podcast) as a resource for people relocating to the area.
- Feelings about her career - the thrill and terror of entrepreneurship. You can be creative and be yourself, workaholic!
- Why lots of people get their real estate license - it’s not too hard to meet the requirements, but it IS hard to build a career (the test has nothing to do with the actual work of selling real estate). You may not get the support you need as a newbie.
- Making her way - from the dream of being the Queen of Spanaway Real Estate to carving out a niche, first as a condo specialist, then as a downtown realtor, and later as a buyer’s agent. PLUS! The first prototype of Move to Tacoma - Get Real Tacoma.
- The changes in the local market, especially skyrocketing prices and the lack of affordable housing options.
- The market now: buyers have to give up more. Buyers are currently at a tremendous disadvantage, especially low-income folks. Those with a lack of intergenerational and historical wealth, especially people of color in Tacoma, don’t have access to the resources they need.
- Issues with the lack of diversity in the profession--the median age of realtors is 60 and 87% of agents are white. The field is treated by many real estate professionals as a meritocracy. Spoiler alert: it’s not. (Dis)trust and implicit bias fuel ageism, sexism, and racism in the business. Being “woke” in real estate is - maybe - impossible because systems of capitalism are inherently exploitative.
- Marguerite’s favorite Move to Tacoma Podcast Episode “The Tacoma Dating Scene”
Guilty Favsies:
- Annie & Hope: Target, Target, and more Target!!
- Marguerite: John Mayer and Younger
Do Your Fudging Homework:
- Annie: Go watch a video called “Housing Segregation in Everything” from NPR’s Code Switch Podcast.
- Hope: To understand our country’s history of housing segregation and why things are they way they are today, go read Nicole Hannah Jones: Living Apart and Nerd Farm Reads book “Evicted:Poverty & Profit in the American City” by Mathew Desmond (Ep 30 & Pop the Trunk Addendum)
- Marguerite: Adams Ruins Everything “The Disturbing History of the Suburbs” and Race Power of Illusion.
Ep. 19: Twice As Much To Be Considered Half As Good
EQ: How are women’s athletics treated differently than men’s athletics and why does the difference matter?
Guest: Maya Smorodinsky, English Professor at Shoreline Community College and Ultimate Frisbee aficionado.
From basic rules to the difference between "mixed" and not-mixed leagues, Maya breaks down the mysterious world of ultimate frisbee. Most importantly, we talk about the relationship between the sport and social justice including discussing the privilege of male athletes in creating space for sports like ultimate (pro leagues), unconscious bias on the field (you can’t get better if no one passes to you), and how all-women leagues develop leadership. Furthermore, we realize that Ultimate is a metaphor for education!
Some things to read:
- Ultimate for Dummies
- Equity in Mixed Ultimate
- Age Up in South Seattle: athletic and leadership empowerment for youth of color
- The Sky is Red documentary; Follow on Twitter @skyisredfilm
- Upwind Ultimate
Guilty-favesies:
- Annie: frozen packaged food! Terrible for the environment, but so convenient.
- Hope: Vampire Diaries. Irresistible TRASH.
- Maya: consumerism. Also, television!
Do Your Fudging Homework:
- Hope: go look up some of the great resources and information Maya brought to share.
- Annie: “We Must Change the Narrative Around Women’s Sports” by Sally Bergeson at Outdoor Magazine.
- Maya: donate to Age Up!
Ep. 18: Save Your Hemorrhoids Story For Facebook
EQ: How are disability justice and racial justice intertwined?
Guest: Carrie Basas, Director at WA Education Ombuds; Former Employment & Civil Rights Lawyer; Harvard Law School
Hope first met Carrie at the Seattle Times Ignite Event when she presented “Short Bus to Social Justice.” In this (delightfully) looooong conversation we discuss what it means to “pass,” what Crip Hop is and who Wheelchair Sports Camp is. Learn about Lawrence Carter Long and how the term “disabled” is being reclaimed.
Be less basic about the disabled community and and how disability rights intersect with racial equity issues by checking out the following:
- #DisabilityTooWhite
- #CripplePunk Instagram
- #365dayswithdisability
- Stella Young Ted Talk “I’m Not your Inspiration”
- DisCrit: Disability Study and Critical Race Theory in Education
- Alice Wong Disability Visibility Project
- Lydia Brown: Autistic Hoya
- National Coalition for Latinx with Disabilities
- Asians and Pacific Islanders with Disabilities of California
- National Study on the Experiences of Natives with Disabilities
- Vilissa Thompson: Ramp Your Voice
We started a new segment “Guilty-Favesies”!
- Hope: microwaveable popcorn. Covered in weird plastic and waste, but SO delicious and convenient!
- Annie: my commute. It’s a contemplative, quiet time in the car.
- Carrie: dysfunctional family shows and romantic comedies. See: “Love” and “Grace and Frankie” on Netflix.
Do Your Fudging Homework:
- Hope: Go read Carrie’s article Disabilities So White and Let’s Play Ableism Bingo
- Carrie: October Disabilities Month
- Annie: My AP Government students just learned about the Americans with Disabilities Act, or ADA. If you care about civil rights, which I know you do, go read up on the law and make sure you understand it. The ADA prohibits discrimination against individuals in all areas of public life, including employment, education, transit, and anywhere else open to the public.
Ep. 17: White Ladies, White Lies
Our EQ: Are lies ever really victimless and why do lies from white women have a disproportionate impact?
Lying is a familiar activity to everyone. Whether it’s little - I swear I didn’t take the last Girl Scout cookie, must have been you - or big - I swear I’m not cheating on you, we’re just friends - lies have consequences. This is especially true for White women who are believed innocent more than anyone else. White lady lies or hwhite lies have more detrimental consequences because of systemic racism and white supremacy. Urban Dictionary defines a white lie as “lies that white people have told others to make their self look righteous”
Famous white ladies who lied:
- Tanya Harding---see documentary I, Tonya
- Rachel Dolezal--The Rachel Divide documentary April 27 on Netflix!!!
- Ijeoma Oluo article from the Stranger April 2017 called The Heart of Whiteness
- Hope Hicks
- Hilary Clinton Superpredators
- One of the worse offenders is Carolyn Bryant Donham who finally admits her claims against Emmett Till were false
Timeless or Terrible:
- Travel size anything
- Teen gossip shows - Gossip Girl, Pretty Little Liars
- Soft Pretzels & Cheese
Do Your Fudging Homework:
- Hope: stop telling white lies; Being Black in a World Where White Lies Matter
- Annie: don’t let people in power get away with their lies. Hold them accountable!
Ep. 16: Pagan Zines Save the World
Our EQ: How do white people appropriate religious traditions? How does religion shape social justice and why keeping an eye on American pagans matters?
We’re super excited about long time listener and friend Mandy Paradise joining us to explain Paganism in the NW, including how it fits into our current work of understanding and confronting white nationalism and supremacy. Find Mandy on Instagram or through her website The Anchor and the Star and check out her zines, including “Witches, Pagans, and Cultural Appropriation.” Other episode highlights:
- Some paganism/witchy basics for non-pagans--how do you bring folks together for ritual in a meaningful way?
- Free Witch Camp, The Crystal Cove, and Cresecent Moon Gifts
- The idea of white sanctuary in some pagan traditions and why it’s important to be aware of it. Check out this article Far Right & NeoPaganism
- Cultural appropriation of religious traditions (think the shelf of concrete Buddhas at Ross) and “Columbussing”
Timeless or Terrible:
- Dyeing your hair a warmer color
- Face Swap
Do Your Fudging Homework:
- Mandy: Read "On Tyranny" by Timothy Snyder
- Annie: Watch “Kill the K Cup” on YouTube and be nicer to the planet.
- Hope: Go check out Mandy’s Instagram or website The Anchor and the Star.