Ep. 173: Perspectives From An American Librarian Abroad

EQ: How can school libraries effectively promote diverse representation, particularly of Black voices and histories, fostering greater social awareness and inclusivity?

In today’s episode we are joined by teacher-librarian Osa Oyegun, the whole school librarian (PS-12) at the American International School of Abuja, Nigeria. We discuss the power of representation in literature, the attack on books and libraries in the US, and ways to grow partnerships between the library and the community. Not to mention, we all throw a few book recommendations your way! Check out her curated list of Anti-Bias and Anti-Racist Resources.
Do Your Fudging Homework:

• Osa: Becoming by Michelle Obama; Jennifer Lewis The Mother of Black Hollywood, Ketura Kendrick No Thanks: Black, Female and Living in the Martry-Free Zone, Diahann Carroll, The Legs Are the Last Thing to Go

• Megan: Legacy: A Black Physician Reckons with Racism in Medicine by Uche’ Blackstock

• Hope: Eloquent Rage Brittney Cooper; 28 Days of Black History newsletter

Ep. 172: These Conditions Are Not Working For Us

EQ:  "In navigating the challenges posed by increasingly restrictive policies in the U.S. education system, how can educators strategically and actively build alliances to foster a more inclusive and just society?"

Guests: Candra McKenzie and Elana Eisen-Markowitz

In this episode, we discuss what it means for teachers to build alliances with peers and the community. Both Candra and EM have a wealth of knowledge as educators, activists, and organizers in their schools and respective communities. We discuss how schools have changed in the last 15 years and how the system continues to perpetuate inequalities and marginalized the traditionally marginalized. We touch on union involvement, teacher recruitment and retention, and the need to support educators of color and queer educators. 

Related Resources:

• ​Teachers Unite 

• Fulbright Distinguished Teacher Program  

• EM Fulbright Interview

• Vent Diagrams site; vent diagrams graphic org

• Teachers Unite

• Hall Pass Break

Reading Recommendations:

• Tuskegee Student Uprising by Dr. Brian Jones

• Homegoing by Yaa Gyasi

Do Your Fudging HW:

• Hope: Black History Month–grab a book and get your read on

• Candra: find something new to do & do it!

• EM: Examine our policies for who is at the center (let’s challenge the conditions that exist that put people in these positions).

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:

• When Your Book Gets Banned by the School Board

• List of 50 Books Texas Parents Want Banned from Libraries

• Book Bans Rise: Grounds for Moral Panic?

• ACLU Threatens Possible Legal Action if KSD Board Removes Book

• Author L.C. Rosen’s Statement

• Kent School Board Votes Against Banning

• KSD board voted NOT to ban the book

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