Nothing Without Us

 "I feel like maybe disruption, maybe disorder, maybe some degree of changing and a little bit of chaos, even, it's just the way that we live. But in that we have the opportunity to cling on to things that are really sure that are really secure. And there is nothing short or secure than our own sense of ourselves. Because that's what we were born with, we walk with it every day, we hold it, whether we like it or we want to change it is a different matter. But we all are here with a sense of ourselves. And so I've been looking into the future and trying to work out how I can bring people together to commune around identity in really deep ways and meaningful ways a bit like the community project, but also in ways that continue to be innovative and continue to be inspirational." 

In this short solo episode, Angie talks about her community project This Is How We Look When We Lead and how it inspired her Virtual Summit, which is coming soon.

Connect with Angie on her website - www.angelabrowne.co.uk

A full transcript of this episode can be found at  https://being-luminary.simplecast.com/episodes/announcing-our-virtual-summit

This podcast was written and presented by Angie Browne. Original music was by Martin Austwick. 
The series is edited and produced by Big Tent Media and Emily Crosby Media.

"I'm trying to recognise that I have been able to bring a body of work into the world that benefits from being shared and interpreted and articulated by others. And also just to really see the impact of becoming the bottleneck for all of that getting out into the world. There's something of ego in there isn't there, there's something of hubris like, Oh, I'm the only person that can do this. That also sits in there. And I've been working in exploring that as well as I expand into the next level of myself and also, as the business expands into the next level of it being."

In this solo episode, Angie explores the expansion of Being Luminary and how her thoughts and feelings have changed with it. 

Connect with Angie on her website - www.angelabrowne.co.uk

A full transcript of this episode can be found at  https://being-luminary.simplecast.com/episodes/updates-and-expansions

This podcast was written and presented by Angie Browne. Original music was by Martin Austwick. 
The series is edited and produced by Big Tent Media and Emily Crosby Media.

“I think the idea of it being a golden ticket to being an insider, has already gone. And I think that's a good thing. I mean, I don't have a problem with it. And I think one of the big challenges for the independent sector is, is to ensure that we are fully integrated in society. And we are a force for good both institutionally and for the individuals that we send out into the world.”

In this distilled episode, Angie talks to Steffan Griffiths about how he approaches DEI work while holding a lot of privileges. They also talk about how Norwich School dealt with an open letter about racist incidents in the school, and the positive steps Steffan has taken to make the school more diverse and inclusive.

Steffan Griffiths has been Headteacher at Norwich School since September 2011. After reading Classics at University College, Oxford, he taught at Tonbridge School (1995-1999) and Eton College (1999-2006). In 2006, he was appointed to the role of Usher (principal deputy head) at Magdalen College School, Oxford. Steffan also holds a first-class honours English Literature degree from the Open University.

https://www.norwich-school.org.uk/

Connect with Angie on her website - www.angelabrowne.co.uk

The full episode can be found at https://being-luminary.simplecast.com/episodes/in-conversation-with-steffan-griffiths
A transcript for this shorter episode can be found at https://being-luminary.simplecast.com/episodes/in-focus-dei-in-practice-with-steffan-griffiths

This podcast was written and presented by Angie Browne. Original music was by Martin Austwick. The series is edited and produced by Big Tent Media and Emily Crosby Media.

"If you do nothing, that is a political act. If you sit on the sidelines, and you are not engaged in using the talents that you have, ultimately for the well being of others, then you're actually contributing to maintaining the status quo, you're not seeking change."

In this distillled episode Angie talks to Robin Bevan, Headteacher at Southend High School for Boys. They talk about Robin’s background in trade unionism and non-Conformist religion, about using his privilege to speak up for others, and how his school is focusing on diversity, equity and inclusion.

Robin served as National President (2020/21) of the National Education Union: Europe’s largest education trade union. He has been an influential national campaigner on funding, workload and pay. He is also a Patron of the Institute of School Business Leadership.

A regular presenter in workshops and conferences: he has developed approaches on organisational leadership that have been transformational in school culture. He has a strong commitment to evidence-based practice: applying educational research into the classroom to enhance learning. He completed his doctorate at the University of Cambridge in conjunction with the ESRC’s Teaching & Learning Research Programme; and is a founding fellow of the Chartered College of Teaching.

You can contact Robin at [email protected]

Connect with Angie on her website - www.angelabrowne.co.uk

The full episode can be found at https://being-luminary.simplecast.com/episodes/in-conversation-with-robin-bevan

A transcript of this episode can be found at https://being-luminary.simplecast.com/episodes/in-focus-doing-something-with-robin-bevan

This podcast was written and presented by Angie Browne. Original music was by Martin Austwick. The series is edited and produced by Big Tent Media and Emily Crosby Media.

“This is exciting, energising stuff. And while it's difficult, we shouldn't be cowed by that. Because it's through the difficulty that we will make real progress and start to chip away at some very embedded and deep issues that just need to have a light shone on them and that's why we should approach it in a very positive way” 

In this distilled episode Angie talks to Cheryl Giovannoni about growing up in South Africa, the DEI work that the Girls’ Day School Trust is engaged in and the work that is still to be done.

Cheryl Giovannoni joined the Girls’ Day School Trust as CEO in 2016. Born and brought up in South Africa, Cheryl’s first career saw her leading some of the world’s largest companies in the advertising and creative industries in the WPP Group. She was CEO of boutique design agency Coley Porter Bell, European President of global brand consulting firm Landor Associates, and UK CEO of advertising agency Ogilvy & Mather London.

Cheryl has spent much of her career supporting women in the workplace, helping them thrive and push the boundaries, often in male dominated industries. Over many years, she has dedicated time to mentoring people from all walks of life, in the GDST family and through the WACL mentoring  programme.

She is passionate about the power of education to solve the world’s most intractable problems, and the role women play in creating an equal and better world for all.

Find out more about Cheryl - https://www.gdst.net/about-us/our-chief-executive/

Connect with Angie on her website - www.angelabrowne.co.uk

The full episode with Cheryl can be found at  https://being-luminary.simplecast.com/episodes/in-conversation-with-cheryl-giovannoni

The transcript for this episode is available at https://being-luminary.simplecast.com/episodes/in-focus-making-progress-with-cheryl-giovannoni

This podcast was written and presented by Angie Browne. Original music was by Martin Austwick. The series is edited and produced by Big Tent Media and Emily Crosby Media.

Trigger warning - this podcast contains depictions of both physical and emotional torture and pain. Listener discretion is advised.

Somebody asked me recently, what I thought might be different about my life, had I been born in a different skin in less brown skin? And my immediate response was, how could I possibly know? We none of us really know, do we, what the other person experiences. But the thought of not experiencing this life, as someone with brown skin has never really occurred to me, has never really been something that I have tried to inhabit. It would never be something that I could ever walk through, you know, what would a day be like? What would a week be like? I have no idea. What I did think, though, was that there have been some peak experiences. And by peak, I mean bad peak, not good peak. There have been some peak experiences that have really, as the kids say, grind my gears. And one of those is the felt sense that somehow I could cope with things more easily than my peers. And perhaps that I could withstand more emotional pain than my peers, or at least that there was somehow societally an expectation that I could… 

Read Linda Villarosa’s article  - https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2019/08/14/magazine/racial-differences-doctors.html

Connect with Angie on her website - www.angelabrowne.co.uk

A full transcript of this episode is available at https://being-luminary.simplecast.com/episodes/the-myth-of-thick-skin

This podcast was written and presented by Angie Browne. Original music was by Martin Austwick. The series is edited and produced by Big Tent Media and Emily Crosby Media.

"I think as a white woman in this field, there's just so much that one has to try to be mindful of. And I think holding on to this notion that I will be good is just, it's not helpful. Right? Of course, I try to do no harm. I try to be self aware. But there are layers and layers. So I do need people to reflect back. But I also need to be self reliant and responsible and not just expect other people to carry me along and explain and educate me. So I think there's a responsibility and an awareness and an alertness and a need to also just go away and reflect and regroup and sort of just try to understand. But I think, yes, the social construction of everything is the thing that that most speaks to me in this work."

In this episode Angie talks to Penny Rabiger about her traumatic childhood, her rediscovery of her Jewishness and life in Israel, and her ongoing research and work in anti-racist activism.

Penny Rabiger is an independent consultant. She was a primary and secondary school teacher for 10 years and has been working with schools, MATs, social enterprises, charities and start ups in the education sector since 2007. She was one of the founding directors of The Key for School Leaders, Head of Membership at Challenge Partners, and Director of Engagement with the Finnish edtech organisation, Lyfta. Penny is a school governor at a north London primary school, Trustee on a south London multi-academy trust board, member of the Haringey BAME achievement group and a co-founder of the BAMEed Network. Penny is a PhD candidate with the Centre for Race, Education and Decoloniality, a coach on the Anti-Racist School Award and develops content for our professional learning programmes.

Follow Penny on Twitter - @Penny_Ten

Connect with Angie on her website - www.angelabrowne.co.uk

A full transcript of this episode can be found at https://being-luminary.simplecast.com/episodes/in-conversation-with-penny-rabiger

This podcast was written and presented by Angie Browne. Original music was by Martin Austwick. The series is edited and produced by Big Tent Media and Emily Crosby Media.

“There are thousands of school leaders and teachers doing those sorts of things every day. And if they weren't, this country would be a lot worse place for this and we don't see it, reward it. I think government takes it for granted that this sort of glue is there. In many ways it sort of uses it, I think, but if we funded it properly, and resourced it and respected it that way, this could be a very powerful force for our country.”

In this distilled episode, Angie talks to Russell Hobby about the social impact of good school leadership and how Teach First approaches DEI.

Russell joined Teach First as CEO in September 2017, building on more than 15 years developing and promoting leadership in schools. Prior to joining Teach First, Russell was General Secretary of the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) and before that worked as a management consultant, helping found Hay Group’s education practice.

Russell serves as a trustee of Fair Education Alliance and Teach for All UK Charity Board, as well as participating as a Community Board Member for Digital Poverty Alliance. Russell recently joined the Education Committee at the Royal Society. Russell was awarded a CBE in the New Year Honours List 2022

Connect with Angie on her website - www.angelabrowne.co.uk

A full transcript of this episode can be found at https://being-luminary.simplecast.com/episodes/in-focus-leading-change-with-russell-hobby

The full interview can be found at  https://being-luminary.simplecast.com/episodes/in-conversation-with-russell-hobby

This podcast was written and presented by Angie Browne. Original music was by Martin Austwick. The series is edited and produced by Big Tent Media and Emily Crosby Media.

In this solo episode, Angie shares an intimate portrait  of a day in her life. 

Connect with Angie on her website - www.angelabrowne.co.uk

A full transcript of this episode can be found at  https://being-luminary.simplecast.com/episodes/a-day-in-the-life-of-angie-browne

This podcast was written and presented by Angie Browne. Original music was by Martin Austwick. 
The series is edited and produced by Big Tent Media and Emily Crosby Media.

“Every adult in school is getting paid to be there, including me, the kids are not. They don't get anything out of it. And if they're disengaged from their education, from the learning in that school, they're getting less than nothing. Imagine if somebody said to you as an adult, now, here's the thing, you go to this place, it's not very good for you. You just don't want to be there all day. And maybe it's giving you some kind of anxiety as well on top, and you don't get anything out of it. Why would you go? You know, I see adults, talking about schools,as professionals who say the school is toxic, and they cannot wait to get out of it. If you're a child in a toxic school, you can't get out of it. You've got no power. An adult you can walk. As a child, you can't. And that's what always concerns me. I've been that child in a school thinking, what am I doing here? What is the point of this?”

In this episode Angie talks to Richard O’Neill about his nomadic childhood as a member of the Romani community. They explore the prejudices he has experienced in life and work, and the stories he chooses to tell.

Richard O’Neill is an internationally acclaimed performance Storyteller, Author and Playwright. He was born and brought up in large traditional, fully nomadic Romani Gypsy family, travelling throughout the North of England and Scotland. His roots are also to be found in the coal mining communities of the North East having family members who worked down the pits. This co-cultural upbringing is reflected in his creative work. As Richard says,’Gypsy in my heart and coal dust in my veins’.

Richard grew up working alongside his father and extended family, a keen learner he picked up many of the old skills including peg and spoon making just as they were dying out. Skills he now passes on to others through educational projects in schools and colleges.

Find out more about Richard on his website - www.richardthestoryteller.weebly.com

Connect with Angie on her website - www.angelabrowne.co.uk

A full transcript of this episode can be found at https://being-luminary.simplecast.com/episodes/in-conversation-with-richard-oneill

This podcast was written and presented by Angie Browne. Original music was by Martin Austwick. The series is edited and produced by Big Tent Media and Emily Crosby Media.