Renee and Susan discuss the benefits of centering love and empathy in the work with so many negative voices and forces in the world.

How do we continue to show up as advocates when the world feels increasingly polarized and heavy? In this episode of Advocacy Bites, hosts Renee Sekel and Susan Book of Save Our Schools NC step away from the logistics of policy and primaries to have a vulnerable conversation about the emotional heart of advocacy.

Renee shares a powerful experience from a recent conference in Washington, D.C., where she encountered the work of Valarie Kaur and the Revolutionary Love Project. Together, Renee and Susan explore how we can move past feelings of hatred and exhaustion by reclaiming love and empathy as tools for social change.

In this episode, we discuss:

• The Revolutionary Love Project: A look at the philosophy of Valarie Kaur and how viewing "others" through the lens of wonder can transform our advocacy.

• Rebuking Hatred: Renee's personal journey in trying to live in a world where she doesn't want to be driven by anger, even when facing opposing viewpoints.

• The "Labor" of Change: Why advocacy is like the labor of birth—it is painful, it is work, but it is necessary to bring something new into the world.

• Sustaining the Everyday Advocate: A candid discussion on the "emotional spend" of activism, dealing with burnout, and the importance of finding a community that shares your core values of love and empathy.

Whether you're feeling "emotionally spent" or looking for a reason to keep going, this episode is a reminder that the way we show up for others starts with how we choose to see them.

(1:14) - Revolutionary Love Project

(2:18) - See No Stranger Framework

(4:13) - Rage and Listening Safely

(5:49) - Minnesota Story and Doubts

(8:33) - Susan on Love and Boundaries

(9:53) - Repairers of the Breach March

(12:16) - You Are Doing Enough

(15:04) - Data vs Ideology and Stories

(18:40) - Don't Let Officials Gaslight You

(21:33) - Empathy as the Core

(22:58) - Closing and Listener Check-In

Connect with Advocacy Bites:

• Join the Conversation: Visit the Advocacy Bites Facebook page and share how you're getting through the day and what keeps you inspired.

• Learn More: Check out the work of the Revolutionary Love Project and stay connected with Renee and Susan at saveourschoolsnc.org.

If this episode resonated with you, please subscribe and leave a review to help us reach more everyday advocates.

Keywords: Advocacy, Revolutionary Love Project, Valarie Kaur, Empathy in Politics, Save Our Schools NC, Social Justice, Activism Burnout, Personal Growth, Community Organizing.

Primary season is here, and it's one of the most critical times for everyday advocates to make their voices heard. In this episode, Renee and Susan from Save Our Schools NC pull back the curtain on how North Carolina primaries work, especially for the state's growing number of unaffiliated voters.

From understanding "open primaries" to the nuance of "strategic voting," this conversation is designed to move you from feeling overwhelmed by a long ballot to feeling confident in the voting booth. Whether you are looking at local judicial races or major state offices, this episode provides the tools you need to vet candidates and ensure your vote aligns with your values.

In this episode, we discuss:

• Navigating the Open Primary: How unaffiliated voters in NC can choose which ballot to pull and the different mindsets behind that choice.

• The "Down-Ballot" Dilemma: Why it is vital to research judges and local officials, and how these "quiet" races often have the biggest impact on your daily life.

• Vetting Candidates: Practical tips for researching candidates beyond their campaign websites—including looking at who is funding them and what their community reputation is.

• The Strategy of the Primary: Should you vote for the most "electable" candidate or the one who most closely matches your ideals?

• The Voter's To-Do List: A step-by-step guide to using "Voter Lookup" tools to print your sample ballot and make your decisions before you ever head to the polls.

Key Resources Mentioned:

• NC Voter Lookup: Google "voter lookup NC" to find your specific sample ballot.

• Save Our Schools NC: Stay connected with Renee and Susan's work at saveourschoolsnc.org.

Connect with Advocacy Bites:

• Subscribe: Never miss an episode by following us on your favorite podcast platform.

• Join the Conversation: Share this episode with a friend who is new to the primary process or feeling "ballot fatigue."

Remember: Every seat on your ballot matters. Be curious, do your research, and complete the whole ballot!

Renee & Susan reflect on the beginning of a new(ish) year, and the ideas and thoughts they want to bring into 2026. We kick off the new year not with rigid resolutions, but with honesty, compassion, and intention. As they enter their fifth year of podcasting, Renee and Susan acknowledge that January doesn't always feel like a fresh start—especially amid relentless bad news, family pressures, and the emotional weight carried by so many everyday advocates.

Instead of traditional New Year's resolutions, the hosts explore the power of mantras: simple truths we can return to when motivation is low and hope feels fragile. Renee shares her personal mantra, "I am capable," reflecting on identity, self-worth, stay-at-home parenting, and reentering the workforce. Susan offers her own grounding reminder, "You're enough", and reframes survival, care work, and showing up imperfectly as meaningful and valuable.

The conversation then turns outward, as Susan calls on advocates to recognize their collective power, especially at the local level. From school boards to county commissioners to the North Carolina General Assembly, this episode emphasizes why community action still matters and why special education advocacy must be front and center in 2025. The hosts discuss proven policy solutions, fair pay and training for educators and instructional assistants, and the urgent need to fully implement Leandro recommendations.

In true Advocacy Bites fashion, Renee balances hope with sharp accountability, offering a blunt New Year's wish for legislators: give a damn. The episode closes with concrete opportunities to take action, including upcoming public education demonstrations, teacher-led walkouts, and simple ways to practice showing up in community, even when it feels hard.

🎧 In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Choosing mantras over resolutions

• Advocacy burnout, grief, and showing yourself grace

• Identity, caregiving, and self-worth

• Reclaiming personal and collective power

• Special education funding and policy solutions

• Leandro, public school funding, and educator support

• Practical ways to get involved locally in 2025

(02:18) - Choosing a Mantra: I Am Capable

(06:15) - New Year's Resolutions and Social Media

(07:53) - Empowering Advocates in Education

(12:23) - Legislative Resolutions and Advocacy

(15:46) - Hope and Action: Upcoming Events

(20:31) - Conclusion and Call to Action

Susan and Renee discuss their deep-dive into a right-wing legislator's social media and the patterns they noticed. In this candid episode of Advocacy Bites, hosts Renee Sekel and Susan Book take listeners inside what they call the anatomy of a right-wing legislator, not by naming names, but by dissecting the recurring patterns, priorities, and contradictions that show up again and again in state-level politics.

Drawing from an extensive deep dive into a legislator's social media presence, Renee unpacks how Second Amendment absolutism collides with so-called "school safety" policies, exposing the absurd cycle of putting more guns into communities and then demanding millions for armed officers, metal detectors, and security theater in public schools. Susan adds personal perspective on the real harm these policies cause, especially for students with disabilities and other marginalized kids.

The conversation expands into education policy, highlighting performative "pro-education" messaging, school privatization, resistance to teacher pay increases, and the obsession with pork projects and oversized ceremonial checks, funded by taxpayers and used as campaign props. Renee and Susan question what true fiscal responsibility looks like when public schools remain chronically underfunded.

As always, the episode leads back to the courts and the ongoing failure to enforce Leandro v. North Carolina, connecting legislative hostility toward public education with efforts to cap property taxes, weaken county funding, and undermine libraries and other public goods. The hosts explore how these moves are not accidental, but part of a broader strategy to starve public institutions while shifting blame to local governments.

Despite the frustration and righteous anger, the episode closes on a note of hope, reflecting on community, tradition, and the power of collective action to sustain everyday advocates through difficult political moments.

🎧 In this episode, you'll hear about:

• Second Amendment absolutism vs. school safety reality

• Why armed SROs don't make schools safer

• Education privatization and performative advocacy

• Pork spending, "big checks," and political theater

• Property tax caps, local funding, and the Leandro case

• How courts and legislatures enable systemic neglect

• Finding hope, community, and resilience in advocacy

Renee and Susan discuss the ongoing Leandro Case. In this episode of Advocacy Bites, hosts Renee Sekel and Susan Book confront a sobering question: What is the value of a constitutional right if it cannot be enforced? Sparked by national conversations with education advocates and legal experts, this episode delivers an unflinching examination of how justice is delayed—and effectively denied—in North Carolina's public education system.

Renee revisits the Leandro case, focusing on the 2022 Supreme Court decision and the years of inaction that followed after a partisan shift in the North Carolina Supreme Court. The discussion unpacks separation of powers, judicial authority, and how courts are increasingly using delay as a political tool, leaving students without the constitutionally guaranteed right to a sound basic education.

Susan connects the legal failures to real-world consequences: chronic underfunding, teacher shortages, rising classroom instability, special education breakdowns, and the growing risk as federal education oversight is dismantled. Together, they examine why counties are being wrongly blamed for failures that are constitutionally the state's responsibility—and why upcoming primaries and judicial elections may be the most consequential in years.

The episode closes with a direct call for civic engagement, ethical leadership, and basic human decency—reminding listeners that advocacy is not abstract, and language, elections, and accountability all matter.

🎧 In This Episode:

• What Leandro really decided—and why it still hasn't been enforced

• How partisan courts undermine constitutional rights

• Why delayed rulings are a form of injustice

• The real causes of classroom disruption and teacher burnout

• What voters must demand during primary season

• Why kindness, accountability, and advocacy are inseparable

Renee and Susan celebrate our milestone 100th episode with a discussion of corruption and primaries.

In this milestone 100th episode of Advocacy Bites, hosts Renee Sekel and Susan Book celebrate four years of conversations about what it truly means to be an everyday advocate. From grassroots wins to tough legislative battles, this episode looks back at the moments that shaped the show — and the movement behind it.

Renee and Susan share their favorite memories, from deep-dive episodes like the NC lottery breakdown to the unforgettable "Futurama Committee" series that perfectly captured how ordinary people can step into advocacy with nothing more than time, curiosity, and determination. They honor the early support of Every Child NC, reflect on their evolution as advocates, and highlight the powerful impact of elevating issues like Leandro, disability rights, and public school funding through a parent-centered lens.

Then, in true Advocacy Bites fashion, they shift from celebration to action — tackling the topic of corruption in politics. Renee breaks down what corruption actually means, how it shows up in North Carolina, and why everyday people should expect more from their elected officials. Susan brings it home with a candid look at primaries, cronyism, long political memories, and how voters can make informed choices in a system that can feel messy, chaotic, and deeply flawed.

Finally, the hosts ask for a small birthday gift: if you listen to the show, please leave a rating or review to help Advocacy Bites reach even more advocates across North Carolina.

🎧 In This Episode:

• Celebrating 100 episodes and four years of advocacy

• Behind-the-scenes stories from the early days of the podcast

• Why the Leandro case, disability rights, and parent-led advocacy matter

• What "corruption" actually looks like in local and state politics

• How to navigate primary season (and why it's so hard)

• Why everyday voices still matter — maybe more than ever

👉 This week's to-do: Leave a rating or review to celebrate 100 episodes — and then keep an eye on primary filings in your community.

Renee and Susan discuss the 2025 elections from national and local perspectives. In this episode of Advocacy Bites, they break down a week filled with big wins, surprising momentum, and a whole lot of hope for everyday advocates. From sweeping Democratic victories across the country to record-breaking turnout in local Wake County races, Renee and Susan explore what these results mean for communities, educators, families, and grassroots organizers in North Carolina and beyond.

Renee reflects on the national landscape — including major shifts in Virginia, New Jersey, and Maine — and what these wins say about voters pushing back on divisive policies, book bans, and attacks on marginalized communities. Susan brings the focus home, celebrating the surge of municipal engagement, the impact of the No Kings movement, and the growing desire for connection, community, and unconventional organizing.

Together, they dig into:

• Why this election cycle felt different — and more hopeful

• How community-driven actions like rallies, walkouts, and local collaborations are reshaping advocacy

• What Gen Z and grassroots volunteers are doing that traditional political structures often miss

• Why disagreement, experimentation, and "just trying stuff" are powerful tools for change

• How advocates can keep the momentum alive through 2026 — without burning out

This episode is a reminder that victories—big and small—matter. And that you don't need permission, a polished strategy, or perfect alignment to make a difference. You just need hope, community, and the willingness to act.

👉 Today's To-Do: Celebrate the wins. Remember this feeling. Harness this hope. And then go do good things.

Stay connected at: https://saveourschoolsnc.org/

In this episode of Advocacy Bites, hosts Renee Sekel and Susan Book detail what Susan is seeing on the local level and how that relates to national issues in special education. We dive deep into the state of special education—from alarming local stories in Wake County to the broader national challenges facing students with disabilities.

Susan shares her family's personal journey through the trauma of restraint and seclusion practices in schools, shedding light on the policies, data gaps, and systemic failures that continue to harm vulnerable students. Together, Renee and Susan connect these issues to the national dismantling of education oversight, including the impact of cuts to the Office for Civil Rights and Department of Education staff, and what that means for families who rely on federal protections.

This episode unpacks:

• Wake County's rising restraint and seclusion numbers — and what's behind them

• The role of lawsuits and media transparency in driving accountability

• How systemic bias impacts Black and Brown students in special education

• Why federal oversight matters now more than ever

• What parents and advocates can do to create safer, more equitable schools

👉 Call to Action: Learn more and get involved with Disability Rights North Carolina — subscribe to their newsletter, stay informed, and support their advocacy for students and families.

If you care about education equity, disability rights, and meaningful change in our schools, this episode is a must-listen.

#SpecialEducation #AdvocacyBites #EducationReform #DisabilityRights #WakeCountySchools #Inclusion #EverydayAdvocacy #ParentsForChange #EducationPodcast

Susan discusses Medicaid cut impacts on our families and schools while Renee does a deep dive on what is going on with the University system.

In this episode of Advocacy Bites, hosts Renee Sekel and Susan Book dig into what happens when the North Carolina legislature simply… does nothing. From stalled Medicaid funding to the growing crisis in the UNC university system, this conversation exposes how legislative inaction and political meddling are creating real harm for students, families, educators, and care workers across the state.

Susan unpacks how the General Assembly's failure to reconcile its budget has left Medicaid providers, schools, and vulnerable North Carolinians facing devastating cuts — including $200 million in lost support for public schools. Then, Renee takes listeners inside the UNC System, revealing how decades of political control have eroded academic freedom, gutted funding, and fueled efforts to reshape higher education through partisan oversight and ideological censorship.

It's a revealing, infuriating, and deeply important conversation about public education, healthcare, and democracy in North Carolina — and what everyday advocates can do to fight back.

🎧 Listen now to learn:

• How the NC legislature's inaction threatens Medicaid and school-based care.

• Why faculty across the UNC system are speaking out about political interference.

• What the new "School of Civic Life and Leadership" really represents.

• How citizens can pressure lawmakers to fund essential services and protect education.

👉 Subscribe to Advocacy Bites to stay informed and empowered about public education and advocacy in North Carolina.

Keywords: North Carolina advocacy, public education, Medicaid funding NC, UNC system, higher education reform, legislative interference, academic freedom, healthcare cuts, NC General Assembly, civic engagement, Renee Sekel, Susan Book, everyday advocacy.

Susan and Renee discuss the current free speech situation in the US, and the current financial situation in Winston Salem/Forsyth County public schools.

Stay connected at: https://saveourschoolsnc.org