Strawberry Letter

News to Know: She calls for a cultural shift back to intellectual development through reading.


Listen Later

Two-time Emmy and Three-time NAACP Image Award-winning, television Executive Producer Rushion McDonald interviewed Diana Ha.

Editor, Writer, Literacy Advocate, and College Prep Specialist.

šŸ”‘ Episode Highlights šŸ“š Diana’s Background

  • Daughter of South Korean immigrants, raised in NYC.
  • Attended Stuyvesant High School and earned a linguistics degree from the University of Pennsylvania.
  • Taught in both urban and suburban school districts, including gifted and special education (IEPs).
  • Later moved to California, tutoring students and professionals in English and writing.

šŸ“± The Literacy Crisis

  • Warns of a ā€œlanguage and literacy epidemicā€ among youth raised on smartphones.
  • Observes:
    • Inability to write complete sentences.
    • Poor vocabulary (even among affluent students).
    • Short attention spans and difficulty with long-form reading.

šŸ“– The Power of Reading

  • Advocates for deep, immersive reading—especially physical books.
  • Recommends reading widely: newspapers, essays, biographies, and well-written fiction.
  • Encourages parents to read to children from the womb and model reading habits.

šŸŽ§ Audiobooks & Accessibility

  • Supports audiobooks for students with dyslexia or visual impairments.
  • Emphasizes that any form of reading—print, audio, Braille—can imprint language and build cognitive strength.

🧠 Practical Advice for Parents & Students

  • Read 20–30 minutes daily.
  • Subscribe to publications like The New York Times or The Atlantic.
  • Choose books that align with personal interests or career goals.
  • Re-read and study one book deeply, as modeled by NYU professor Scott Galloway.

🧠 The Bigger Picture

  • Warns of a future where technology replaces critical thinking.
  • Notes that even elite colleges are seeing students struggle with basic writing.
  • Calls for a cultural shift back to intellectual development through reading.

🌐 Connect with Diana Ha

  • Website: DianaHa.com (as referenced in the transcript)
  • Hosts webinars and literacy seminars

#SHMS #STRAW #BEST

See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

...more
View all episodesView all episodes
Download on the App Store

Strawberry LetterBy iHeartPodcasts

  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5
  • 4.5

4.5

1,653 ratings


More shows like Strawberry Letter

View all
Angela Yee's Lip Service by iHeartPodcasts

Angela Yee's Lip Service

4,109 Listeners

CockTales: Dirty Discussions by Kiki Said So & Medinah Monroe

CockTales: Dirty Discussions

3,219 Listeners

The Steve Harvey Morning Show by iHeartPodcasts

The Steve Harvey Morning Show

2,334 Listeners

The Breakfast Club by The Black Effect Podcast Network and iHeartPodcasts

The Breakfast Club

14,252 Listeners

Run That Prank by iHeartPodcasts

Run That Prank

1,391 Listeners

THE JASON LEE PODCAST by The Jason Lee Show

THE JASON LEE PODCAST

1,444 Listeners

Here's The Thing by KevOnStage ThatChickAngel

Here's The Thing

7,776 Listeners

Pour Minds Podcast by The Black Effect Podcast Network and iHeartPodcasts

Pour Minds Podcast

2,997 Listeners

Ellis Ever After by iHeartPodcasts

Ellis Ever After

16,334 Listeners

Dear Future Wifey by Laterras R. Whitfield

Dear Future Wifey

2,141 Listeners

Black Girl Gone: A True Crime Podcast by Cloud10

Black Girl Gone: A True Crime Podcast

2,277 Listeners

Sistas Who Kill: A True Crime Podcast by CAKE MEDIA

Sistas Who Kill: A True Crime Podcast

9,739 Listeners

Angie Martinez IRL by iHeartPodcasts and The Volume

Angie Martinez IRL

1,044 Listeners

Rickey Smiley Morning Show Podcast by Urban One

Rickey Smiley Morning Show Podcast

500 Listeners

Fatal Attraction by Urban One

Fatal Attraction

274 Listeners