S5E5: Equity & Education: Can Schools Fix Racism?

Apr 30, 2021

Welcome to a new episode of Race, Culture & Beyond: A Naked Conversations Podcast. In today’s episode, our special guest Amy Nelson will share with us her thoughts on racism and education. 

Amy Nelson (she/her/hers) works full-time supporting schools and school leaders with equity-focused school improvement and developing authentic partnerships with families and the community.  She is a scholar-activist, racial justice advocate, and youth organizer.   Amy is currently pursuing a Doctoral degree in Educational Studies, Innovation, and Reform, with a focus on social justice and equity in education (just passed oral exams last week!). 

Amy has over 15 years of experience in education, both in the United States and abroad.  She brings with her a wealth of experience working with culturally and linguistically diverse students and their families. Her dedication to social justice and equity in education can be seen across many platforms: community involvement, participation on equity-based committees, teaching experience, volunteer work, as well as her research. Through her research, she aims to amplify voices that are historically marginalized, both within our education systems and in society as a whole. 

Amy shares her own experiences as a Black student navigating mostly white schools, and how that contributed to the work she now does.  She discusses lessons learned from teaching in other parts of the world and how those experiences informed her current work.

The main questions answered during this episode center around “How can we do better to support equity in our schools?”

Schools should be great equalizers and a place where everyone feels included. Unfortunately, they don’t. We must ask ourselves, do our students feel seen at school? Are they hiding any aspects of their identity? If they can’t show up as their authentic selves, they most probably won’t be able to achieve what they truly want.

During this episode, we also discuss the relationship teachers must grow with their students. Only by relating to them, listen, and care, can we expect a change in educational spaces.

Thank you for listening to the show. It is such an honor to have these conversations with you. They are necessary and needed, and we are here to do the work. 

 

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