Podcast – Zaretta Hammond on Culturally Responsive Teaching

by Arik Korman

In our Putting Students First podcast, we interview students, policymakers, partners, and thought leaders to spotlight education policies, research, and practices so that together we can create learning environments where every Washington student feels safe, supported, and a positive sense of belonging, so that they can achieve academically and access the life they choose.

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Arik Korman interviews Zaretta Hammond, author of Culturally Responsive Teaching and the Brain, about how culturally responsive teaching supports students in the classroom, how best to embed equity into education in Washington state, what worked and what didn’t work in her own education journey, and how she would change Washington’s education system if she were in charge and there were no budgetary constraints.

Zaretta’s new book, Rebuilding Students’ Learning Power: Teaching for Instructional Equity and Cognitive Justice, will be published in September. Sign up for her newsletter at CRTandTheBrain.com

 

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Podcast – Dr. Marcus Pimpleton, Chair of the LEV Board

by Arik Korman

In our Putting Students First podcast, we interview students, policymakers, partners, and thought leaders to spotlight education policies, research, and practices so that together we can create learning environments where every Washington student feels safe, supported, and a positive sense of belonging.

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Arik Korman interviews Dr. Marcus Pimpleton, Chair of the League of Education Voters (LEV) Board and Principal at Mariner High School in the Mukilteo School District, about how he bridges cultural divides, how he engages students as a leader, how to embed equity into Washington state’s K-12 system, what worked and what didn’t work in his own education journey, and how he would change Washington’s education system if he were in charge and there were no budgetary constraints.

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Washington Game Changers Podcast – Olgy Diaz of the National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington

by Arik Korman

Washington Game Changers with Lauri Hennessey features leaders who give back to our community, drive innovative solutions, and inspire others in making our state more equitable and just. This podcast is a one-on-one conversation with these powerful leaders in a time when we need to hear about more good in the world.

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Lauri Hennessey interviews Olgy Diaz, a longtime lobbyist and advocate who is President of the National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington. Olgy talks about getting women of color trained and elected, working as a lobbyist during the pandemic, and how to still have hope in a challenging time.

 

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Washington Game Changers Podcast – Joe Hunter, Jr. and Tony Allison, founders of RARE (Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity)

by Arik Korman
Joe Hunter, Jr. (L) and Tony Allison

Washington Game Changers with Lauri Hennessey features leaders who give back to our community, drive innovative solutions, and inspire others in making our state more equitable and just. This podcast is a one-on-one conversation with these powerful leaders in a time when we need to hear about more good in the world.

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Lauri Hennessey talks with Joe Hunter, Jr. and Tony Allison. They were classmates at Roosevelt High School fifty years ago. But looking back all of these years later, they and many of their peers realized we have not progressed in truly creating schools that are equitable. They created RARE (Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity) to give parents and community members everywhere – not just at Roosevelt – a chance to face these difficult issues together, creating a documentary and participating in discussions such as this one.

 

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Washington Game Changers Podcast – Regina Malveaux of the Washington State Women’s Commission

by Arik Korman

Washington Game Changers with Lauri Hennessey features leaders who give back to our community, drive innovative solutions, and inspire others in making our state more equitable and just. This podcast is a one-on-one conversation with these powerful leaders in a time when we need to hear about more good in the world.

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Lauri Hennessey talks with Regina Malveaux, Director of the Washington State Women’s Commission. Lauri and Regina discuss the Women’s Commission, childhood poverty, early learning for kids, and International Women’s Day on March 8th.

 

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Washington Game Changers Podcast – Frank Abe on the Day of Remembrance

by Arik Korman

Washington Game Changers with Lauri Hennessey features leaders who give back to our community, drive innovative solutions, and inspire others in making our state more equitable and just. This podcast is a one-on-one conversation with these powerful leaders in a time when we need to hear about more good in the world.

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Lauri Hennessey talks with Frank Abe, author of the graphic novel We Hereby Refuse and longtime advocate for Japanese-Americans. He shares about the upcoming Day of Remembrance and a presentation he will be giving February 19, 2022 at 4pm on Vashon Island about the day President Roosevelt directed the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.

 

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Washington Game Changers Podcast – Angela Griffin, Executive Director of Launch

by Arik Korman

Washington Game Changers with Lauri Hennessey features leaders who give back to our community, drive innovative solutions, and inspire others in making our state more equitable and just. This podcast is a one-on-one conversation with these powerful leaders in a time when we need to hear about more good in the world.

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Lauri Hennessey talks with Angela Griffin, Executive Director of Launch and new member of the Washington state Board of Education. Angela talks about the critical role early learning plays in a child’s life, her own passion for racial equity, and how organizations can better support people of color in leadership roles.

 

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Resources to Support the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community

by Arik Korman

By Lizzeth Mancilla
Engagement and Policy Intern

 

Asian Counseling and Referral Service

League of Education Voters is committed to taking action and rejecting any form of racism or hate against students, families, and communities. We support the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and communities of color across Washington state and everywhere.

Excerpt from the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Ten Ways to Fight Hate: A Community Response Guide:

Look inside yourself for biases and stereotypes.

Commit to disrupting hate and intolerance at home, at school, in the workplace, and in faith communities. Acceptance, fundamentally, is a personal decision. It comes from an attitude that is learnable and embraceable: a belief that every voice matters, that all people are valuable, that no one is “less than.”

We all grow up with prejudices. Acknowledging them — and working through them — can be a scary and difficult process. It’s also one of the most important steps toward breaking down the walls of silence that allow intolerance to grow. Luckily, we all possess the power to overcome our ignorance and fear and to influence our children, peers, and communities. Read More

Washington Game Changers Podcast – Dr. Ben Danielson

by Arik Korman

Washington Game Changers with Lauri Hennessey features leaders who give back to our community, drive innovative solutions, and inspire others in making our state more equitable and just. This podcast is a one-on-one conversation with these powerful leaders in a time when we need to hear about more good in the world.

In this episode, Dr. Ben Danielson, formerly the Director of the Odessa Brown Clinic at Seattle Children’s and now with UW Medicine, talks about his personal and career journey, and his work to advance racial equity.

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The Time for Action on Racial Equity Is Now

by Arik Korman

By Raymond Fenton
Guest Blogger

 

Across Washington state, most students have already completed little over a month of remote learning. As some adjust to this new normal and begin to settle, others are faced with adjusting to a little more than virtual classrooms and limited social interactions with peers. While we endure COVID-19, we are also witnessing, perhaps, the largest civil rights movement in America’s history.

As protests for Black lives intensify our focus on race and racism, and the pandemic increases strain on our economy and healthcare system, social inequalities across the nation could not be more visible. So where does that leave our most vulnerable in the education system?

That was the topic of Thursday’s virtual event: Racial Equity in Education, where the uniqueness, opportunity, and gravity of this pivotal moment was distinguished. “Now is the time.” That was the charge from Brooke Brown, 2021 WA state Teacher of the Year, as she addressed the audience yesterday. Read More