Her Real Life

From The Beginning: Episode 3 (Part 1)

There are so many things that can be said about my guest. A doctoral student at Western Carolina University pursuing a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Equity and Social Justice. She is fashionable, intelligent and proactive. She has a heart for children and how they should be equally educated. Not only is my guest all those things, she’s also my baby cousin, Cassandra Farley Martin. 

This episode is rich with the story of humble beginnings, many childhood memories, and all the foundational things of our real life. From discussing the way our parents raised us, to our ancestors who braved the Middle Passage, (LITERALLY an inside joke. You have to listen to the episode to understand.) to believing that we could do anything. We cover all the things; lack of diversity and cultural awareness in teachers and students that we personally experienced and the lack of awareness of those same areas in our education system today. As a solution to these current problems and disparities, Cassandra, aka (Punkin) created Cardinal Ed., LLC to provide training and curriculum that can help school districts become better equipped for the menagerie of students they may encounter.

In Part 1, you’ll hear statistics that will blow your mind. You’ll hear information and data that shows how the system, educational and otherwise, really isn’t set up to create lots of winners. The amount of knowledge Cassandra gives to us will make your head spin. Her attention to detail and passion for children and their growth is astounding. Her desire to create a classroom environment that will produce a successful generation, while also educating the current teaching generation cultural and social awareness, educational equity, and inclusion. The goal is to have educational leaders consciously recognize that their classroom is not as monochromatic as history has tailored the curriculum to be. 

The Sound of A Bird: Episode 4 (Part 2)

In Part 2 the discussion about disparity in education continues with Cassandra Farley Martin. We learn more about her passion for cultural competence and assisting her fellow colleagues to not only open their eyes to the issues, but actually realize that their eyes are closed. We get into her love for being a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha and the history of that beautiful organization. Cassandra expresses her heart’s mission to make all children and educators knowledgeable of other races, genders, cultures and socioeconomic statuses. We discuss unity and how we’ve been trained to not be united. As you listen to the conversation, you’ll gather insight on biases in our society, but also question your own personal biases. 

The sound of birds mean there is life. Bird sounds are awakening and refreshing; calming. Cardinals bring peace and comfort. It’s the state bird for North Carolina and it happens to be one of  Cassandra’s favorite birds as well. The name of her business is no coincidence as Cardinal Ed., LLC has been constructed to bring peace and inclusion to all. Cardinal Ed., LLC: Culturally Aware Racially Diverse Intentionally Nurturing All Learners Ed., LLC is an independent education consultant firm where, Cassandra is the owner, creator and founder. The services of Cardinal Ed., LLC, offers cultural competence training that school districts and leaders need to be equitable in their practices and behaviors in the classroom. Amongst the services offered, Cassandra is able to assist in developing curriculum that is culturally inclusive as well as helping with personal biases. Mrs. Martin is ready to identify the need, look at data and put things in place strategically and intentionally for the best result. Cassandra wants leaders in the educational arena to not be afraid to deconstruct and reconstruct the broken system they’ve worked with for so long, so it works for all students. Being culturally responsive and sensitive are more than recognizing one abbreviated month of Black history; it’s also recognizing, for example, that there are various dialects in the Latinx language, or recognizing that, like our country has people who can speak English but can’t read it, there are the very same situations with children from other countries, other ethnicities and cultures. The need for translators and documents written in native languages should be just as accessible as having sign language/or interpreters for the hearing impaired. The list goes on and on for the needs of cultural awareness. Cassandra Martin is a beast in her field, she’s my family and I love her and her passion dearly. 

Meet Punkin

Cassandra R. Farley Martin has always loved learning and at an early age decided she would be a teacher and marry Micheal Jackson. She is a North Carolina native and proud Appalachian State University Mountaineer, who has passionately invested in education for over a decade as a classroom teacher, teacher leader, grant project director, and administrator. By her personal experiences as an underserved gifted learner, a sister to a brother on the Autism Spectrum, and in serving a diverse population of scholars throughout her career, Cassandra's desire to ensure every child is served equitably and feels as if they belong, is a calling and obligation. In the fall of 2020, Mrs. Martin's commitment to equity led her to a mid-sized North Carolina school system and her role as their first Director of Equity and Inclusion. Creating brave spaces of empowerment and safety for all learners is her mission. That mission is why she started CARDINAL Ed., LLC as an extension of her already established career; expanding her capacity to serve outside of her district. Her role is a Director of Equity, her obligation is to humanity.

As a lifelong learner and scholar-practitioner, Mrs. Martin is always seeking opportunities to continue her learning and development as an agent of change. She is a doctoral student at Western Carolina University pursuing a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Equity and Social Justice. Cassandra holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Appalachian State University, a Master of Arts in Education in Teacher Leadership in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Post-masters School Administration license in Executive Leadership Studies both from Gardner-Webb University. Recently, Cassandra earned her certification in Diversity and Inclusion Organizational Leadership from Cornell University.

As a dedicated servant leader, Cassandra believes every child is gifted and it is the job of educators to first, see them and then nurture them intentionally every single day. When Cassandra isn't joyfully serving in education, she can be found spending time with her husband of 17 years and fellow Mountaineer Du'Shon, and their four children. Cassandra is happiest when she is at home with her family doing absolutely nothing.

The conversation will bring laughter, nostalgia, wide-eyed head turns and a sense of hope, all at the same time. I’m thankful for our time and hope you feel the same.

Cassandra R. Farley Martin
Cardinal Ed., LLC
Phone: (980)355-9073
Email: [email protected]
Website: https://cardinaled.wixsite.com/website

***********************************************************

Her Real Life, The Podcast
Creator and Host
Linette Colwell

Post Production Editor
Holly Harris, Torn Roof Entertainment

HRL Theme Sound
Kingdrums

From The Beginning: Episode 3 (Part 1)

There are so many things that can be said about my guest. A doctoral student at Western Carolina University pursuing a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Equity and Social Justice. She is fashionable, intelligent and proactive. She has a heart for children and how they should be equally educated. Not only is my guest all those things, she’s also my baby cousin, Cassandra Farley Martin. 

This episode is rich with the story of humble beginnings, many childhood memories, and all the foundational things of our real life. From discussing the way our parents raised us, to our ancestors who braved the Middle Passage, (LITERALLY an inside joke. You have to listen to the episode to understand.) to believing that we could do anything. We cover all the things; lack of diversity and cultural awareness in teachers and students that we personally experienced and the lack of awareness of those same areas in our education system today. As a solution to these current problems and disparities, Cassandra, aka (Punkin) created Cardinal Ed., LLC to provide training and curriculum that can help school districts become better equipped for the menagerie of students they may encounter.

In Part 1, you’ll hear statistics that will blow your mind. You’ll hear information and data that shows how the system, educational and otherwise, really isn’t set up to create lots of winners. The amount of knowledge Cassandra gives to us will make your head spin. Her attention to detail and passion for children and their growth is astounding. Her desire to create a classroom environment that will produce a successful generation, while also educating the current teaching generation cultural and social awareness, educational equity, and inclusion. The goal is to have educational leaders consciously recognize that their classroom is not as monochromatic as history has tailored the curriculum to be. 

The Sound of A Bird: Episode 4 (Part 2)

In Part 2 the discussion about disparity in education continues with Cassandra Farley Martin. We learn more about her passion for cultural competence and assisting her fellow colleagues to not only open their eyes to the issues, but actually realize that their eyes are closed. We get into her love for being a member of Alpha Kappa Alpha and the history of that beautiful organization. Cassandra expresses her heart’s mission to make all children and educators knowledgeable of other races, genders, cultures and socioeconomic statuses. We discuss unity and how we’ve been trained to not be united. As you listen to the conversation, you’ll gather insight on biases in our society, but also question your own personal biases. 

The sound of birds mean there is life. Bird sounds are awakening and refreshing; calming. Cardinals bring peace and comfort. It’s the state bird for North Carolina and it happens to be one of  Cassandra’s favorite birds as well. The name of her business is no coincidence as Cardinal Ed., LLC has been constructed to bring peace and inclusion to all. Cardinal Ed., LLC: Culturally Aware Racially Diverse Intentionally Nurturing All Learners Ed., LLC is an independent education consultant firm where, Cassandra is the owner, creator and founder. The services of Cardinal Ed., LLC, offers cultural competence training that school districts and leaders need to be equitable in their practices and behaviors in the classroom. Amongst the services offered, Cassandra is able to assist in developing curriculum that is culturally inclusive as well as helping with personal biases. Mrs. Martin is ready to identify the need, look at data and put things in place strategically and intentionally for the best result. Cassandra wants leaders in the educational arena to not be afraid to deconstruct and reconstruct the broken system they’ve worked with for so long, so it works for all students. Being culturally responsive and sensitive are more than recognizing one abbreviated month of Black history; it’s also recognizing, for example, that there are various dialects in the Latinx language, or recognizing that, like our country has people who can speak English but can’t read it, there are the very same situations with children from other countries, other ethnicities and cultures. The need for translators and documents written in native languages should be just as accessible as having sign language/or interpreters for the hearing impaired. The list goes on and on for the needs of cultural awareness. Cassandra Martin is a beast in her field, she’s my family and I love her and her passion dearly. 

Meet Punkin

Cassandra R. Farley Martin has always loved learning and at an early age decided she would be a teacher and marry Micheal Jackson. She is a North Carolina native and proud Appalachian State University Mountaineer, who has passionately invested in education for over a decade as a classroom teacher, teacher leader, grant project director, and administrator. By her personal experiences as an underserved gifted learner, a sister to a brother on the Autism Spectrum, and in serving a diverse population of scholars throughout her career, Cassandra's desire to ensure every child is served equitably and feels as if they belong, is a calling and obligation. In the fall of 2020, Mrs. Martin's commitment to equity led her to a mid-sized North Carolina school system and her role as their first Director of Equity and Inclusion. Creating brave spaces of empowerment and safety for all learners is her mission. That mission is why she started CARDINAL Ed., LLC as an extension of her already established career; expanding her capacity to serve outside of her district. Her role is a Director of Equity, her obligation is to humanity.

As a lifelong learner and scholar-practitioner, Mrs. Martin is always seeking opportunities to continue her learning and development as an agent of change. She is a doctoral student at Western Carolina University pursuing a doctorate degree in Educational Leadership with a concentration in Equity and Social Justice. Cassandra holds a Bachelor of Arts in English from Appalachian State University, a Master of Arts in Education in Teacher Leadership in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Post-masters School Administration license in Executive Leadership Studies both from Gardner-Webb University. Recently, Cassandra earned her certification in Diversity and Inclusion Organizational Leadership from Cornell University.

As a dedicated servant leader, Cassandra believes every child is gifted and it is the job of educators to first, see them and then nurture them intentionally every single day. When Cassandra isn't joyfully serving in education, she can be found spending time with her husband of 17 years and fellow Mountaineer Du'Shon, and their four children. Cassandra is happiest when she is at home with her family doing absolutely nothing.

The conversation will bring laughter, nostalgia, wide-eyed head turns and a sense of hope, all at the same time. I’m thankful for our time and hope you feel the same.

Cassandra R. Farley Martin

Cardinal Ed., LLC

Phone: (980)355-9073

Email: [email protected]

Website: https://cardinaled.wixsite.com/website

***********************************************************

Her Real Life, The Podcast
Creator and Host

Linette Colwell

Post Production Editor
Holly Harris, Torn Roof Entertainment

HRL Theme Sound
Kingdrums

Meet Ricky Duncan; my friend, a clinician, and Black man.

There are some people in your life that you meet, interact with and never forget. As the years have passed, Ricky Duncan is one of those people. I met Ricky in 2002, literally almost 20 years ago. Ricky and I both worked for the Department of Social Services in Cleveland County, Shelby North Carolina. I was fresh out of college, confused yet believing I could save the world. Ricky became my roommate and we shared a home for a while during some of the most immature years of my life! Not only was he a great roommate, but an even better Social Worker, and a walking fashion icon. He was respectful and wise beyond his years. He was like  a unicorn. A soft spoken, powerful, game spittin’, gentle, fashion giant; like a mythical beast. 

Fast forward to 2021 and of course, we don’t live or work together anymore, but we keep in contact via social media. As we spoke during the interview, it was as if we had never lost time. We’ve followed each other’s lives and it was amazing to reflect all of the growth. Ricky is still cool as ever, stylish, calm and collected. He’s developed yet another talent by way of photography, which isn’t a surprise. His eye for colors, patterns and outfits prove he sees things artistically that others may not see. Ricky is an intelligent, huge hearted friend that I was able to reconnect with to discuss the super important issue of mental health. Now that I’ve shared with you the social side of my friend Ricky, I am even more excited to share with you the professional side of Ricky. When you hear how huge his heart is, and the way he’s giving back to his community professionally and personally, you will understand that Ricky is the epitome of a renaissance man. He can do it all, very well, and I’m proud to call him my friend. 

Ricky Duncan, a man of many talents. Helping others are on the top of that list. Ricky has 18 years of total experience as a social worker and 7 years as a clinical therapist. Ricky studied social work at NC State University where he was a a student athlete as part of the track and field team, received his BSW and completed his graduate studies in social work at University North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Ricky’s dedication to helping others has always been the fuel that has ignited his passion in having positive impact on those in his community. 

Ricky provides therapeutic services to adults and teenagers with a range of diagnosis and life experiences. Ricky currently works as a clinical therapist at Centra Health in Danville, Virginia where he does one on one therapy. Ricky splits his part time clinical work with both Grow Encourage Empower and Holly Hill Hospital. Another amazing effort  that Ricky participates in annually is being a leading fundraiser for the American Cancer Society. He hosts many fundraising events in honor of his Mother, of whom he lost at a young age to breast cancer. 

There are so many layers to Ricky Duncan. Our conversation on Her Real Life was interesting, moving, powerful and informative. We discussed the importance of mental health and how the traditional way of providing services has drastically changed since the onset of Covid. We also discussed the cultural stigma that surrounds therapy in the black community.

Ricky is still in the great state of North Carolina but commutes to Virginia to help those in need as well. Two ways to connect with Ricky for services, if you’re in those areas, are: Grow Encourage Empower, and Psychologytoday.com. On each site you can simply put “Ricky Duncan” in the search bar and begin the process for receiving counseling services. To learn more about Ricky’s fundraising efforts for the American Cancer Society, check out the ACS website and stay tuned for more information throughout the year. 

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and I’m thankful that we’re able to have this open conversation about the importance of our mental health and the need for therapy and self care, especially during the social, medical, and economic times we’re in right now. I use all types of ways to stay sane, sleep better and function to the best of my ability. One app that my family uses and loves is Calm. This month the Calm Calendar is a way that the good people at Calm encourage you to check in with your mind and take good care of yourself. Hop over for a free May Calm Calendar download. Along with this great resource, please don’t forget to pray, seek the face of God. Remember it’s okay to ask for help, take a mental break and step back from all the events of the times. Reach out to others who you trust and who can help you. It will make a difference.

*Her Real Life, The Podcast
Creator and Host, 
Linette Colwell 

*Post Production Editor
Holly Harris, Torn Roof Entertainment

*HRL Theme Sound
Kingdrums

Who is Mike Jones the trainer? I’m SO glad you asked!! For me, Mike has been a life saver in more ways than one. From the very beginning of my fitness journey, I knew that I would need someone who was knowledgeable, played no games, expected results and checked in on me for follow through. Mike Jones was all of those things. Our interview took place at the beginning of this year, but our virtual fitness relationship has done nothing but flourish. Some call Mike Jones just a trainer, I call him a life coach.

Our conversation was filled with insight, laughter, encouragement and all things fitness. Mike Jones is the truth. He not only trains his clients by his methods, but he also lives by them. I hope you enjoy our conversation.We had fun.

But enough of me talking, I’ll let his bio speak for him.

Meet Mike Jones, my virtual personal trainer.

************************************************************

 Michael (Mike) Jones lives by the great quote of the late Kobe Bryant,

 “The most important thing is to try and inspire people so that they can be great in whatever they want to do”.

 Mike Jones is a graduate of Gardner-Webb University with a B.S. in Health and Wellness. He is a former European Basketball Player with a passion for athletics, fitness, and healthy living. Mike served as the Fitness and Nutrition Correspondent for Vitamin C Magazine from 2016-2019. Mike is the creator of the Mike Jones “Get Moving, Get Fit”Kickball League, CEO of Grit, Grind and Muscle, IFBB Pro Bodybuilder and Certified Personal Trainer. 

Mike has helped dozens of people lose weight, gain muscle but most importantly, live healthier lifestyles. He believes that fitness is about maximizing our potential as human beings. It's more than just exercising; it's finding the strength and will to keep pushing yourself to become greater!

“YOU CANNOT OUTWORK A BAD DIET” - Mike Jones **********************************************************
Mike Jones
Email: Gritgrind[email protected]
IG: @MikeJonesTheTrainer
Facebook:  @MikeJonesTheTrainer
Website: www.gritgrind-muscle.com
____________________________________________

Her Real Life, The Podcast
Creator and Host
Linette Colwell
Post Production Editor
Holly Harris, Torn Roof Entertainment
Kingdrums
HRL Theme Sound