Outrageous Love the Podcast: Our Journeys to Responsiveness

We end the "make up series" by going back to the random audience participant series in May and June. Our very special random audience participant is Jessica Waters from Providence, Rhode Island. Jessica has an incredible and very engaging journey to responsiveness. Her story is so fascinating that we don't want to give anything away. We promise that you will be moved and inspired by the story.  Listen right now. Don't forget, as always, Dr. Hollie's two cents. This time he riffs on what does it mean to fit the cultural "normative" and how do we find ourselves unknowingly and unintentionally comparing ourselves to that normative, whether we like it or not? What's your answer to those questions? Find out Dr. Hollie's non-answer. Listen right now.

Learn more about CLR and Dr. Hollie at www.culturallyresponsive.org and Twitter @validateaffirm

We are going back to go forward. Back to the Sizzling Hot CLR Educators series from earlier this year. What a better way to start the year than with a model example of the CLR mindset and skillset. Kaila Dickey from Taos, New Mexico via Texas is our featured guest.  We missed Kaila in January and February so we decided to try again.  Join Kaila on her journey to responsiveness, which mixes rock climbing and the preciseness of data analysis. Both of those seemingly two different things are linked to her passion for validating and affirming her students.  This episode, Dr. Hollie's two cents ask this question: Why is Florida so anti-black? Of course, he does not have an answer but you might be interested to know why he is asking the question in the first place.

Learn more about CLR and Dr. Hollie at www.culturallyresponsive.org and Twitter @validateaffirm

You asked for it. You got it. This episode was your chance to call-in and ask those burning questions about CLR, VABB, race, or whatever was on your mind. Dr. Hollie takes 5 calls from educators from across the country and gives what he considers to be patented responses to commonly asked questions. The answers to these questions bear repeating again and again because many folks are thinking the same but do not have the opportunity to ask.  Also included in this episode is Dr. Hollie's two cents on the Supreme Court's dismantling of affirmative action and what are the important questions he thinks that we should now be asking. 

Learn more about CLR and Dr. Hollie at www.culturallyresponsive.org and Twitter @validateaffirm

OTLP is kicking off the official start of summer with a hot episode. We are continuing the "Random" CLR Participant series. This time, we hear the journey of Dana Perez, Connecticut's Assistant Principal of the Year.  Dana was brave enough to step up and volunteer to be our guest and we are honored to have her join us. She shares two compelling stories in her walk that will not only surprise you but will inspire you to validate and affirm your students. And, as always, you can look forward to Dr. Hollie's two cents.

Learn more about CLR and Dr. Hollie at www.culturallyresponsive.org and Twitter @validateaffirm

This episode takes OTLP to a place it has not gone before. Dr. Hollie, your host, asked for volunteers to be guests on the podcast during a recent presentation New York with the Transfer Schools. Two random folks in the audience took him up on the offer. These are first timers to the VABB approach and they only had 2 days of learning with Dr. Hollie. The first brave person is Jazmin Rivera-Polanco, principal at Bronx Haven High School. Her incredible journey is a true and authentic New York story that starts in the South Bronx back and, not so ironically, ends in the South Bronx. The second brave soul is Catherine Owens, World Languages teacher at Harlem Renaissance High School. Here incredible journey starts in Minneapolis-St. Paul, namely Woodbury High School (one of our favorite CLR schools) then takes us to the world of Google and lands in Harlem. Listening to these two journeys will inspire and enlighten you. Also, don't miss Dr. Hollie's two cents on the joy of ending your school year CLR strong and vabbulous.

Learn more about CLR and Dr. Hollie at www.culturallyresponsive.org and Twitter @validateaffirm

Welcome to our 4th year of honoring and sharing outrageous love to CLR educators and their journeys to responsiveness. We begin season four with Dr. Hollie's annual personal episode, where you get a quick look into the personal life of your host. This time, Dr. Hollie is celebrating 45 years of friendship with Gerald Luke. They have been friends since 4th grade! What a blessing! Part of the celebration is hearing Gerald's journey to responsiveness. Currently, he is Director of Federal Program and African American Student Achievement in Palmdale, California. Hear his fascinating journey. which starts with the 1984 Olympics in Los Angeles with a pit stop in the "DMV" and lands in Palmdale. Listen carefully because Dr. Hollie and Gerald have another interesting connection that you do not want to miss. 

Learn more about CLR and Dr. Hollie at www.culturallyresponsive.org and Twitter @validateaffirm

This episode culminates the "Sizzling Hot" series with an educator from Minnesota. Ashley Acosta, newly appointed Supervisor of DEI in the South Washington County Schools, tells us her journey to responsiveness from the perspective of a Mexican American who grew up in area where there were very few people who looked like her. Ashley also provides insight on the importance of being student-centered in all that we do in our cultural and linguistic responsiveness. Her journey entails multiple situations that remind us of who this work should be about - students first. As always, don't miss Dr. Hollie two cents. This time, a rant on a systemic hypocrisy.

Learn more about CLR and Dr. Hollie at www.culturallyresponsive.org and Twitter @validateaffirm

Our Outrageous Love "balloon" lands in the "Show Me" state, Missouri.  Parkway Schools in St. Louis to be exact. And what we see are two sizzling hot CLR educators. Elize Meyers and Toni Dwiggins, who share a lot in common - both teachers in Parkway, both Missourians, both had similar light bulbs moments in relation to the murder of Michael Brown, and both passionate about their equity/CLR work. They also have a lot of differences, which you will have to listen in to find out. Their positive energy and keen perspectives are insightful and inspiring. As always, don't forget about Dr. Hollie's two cents, where he poses a philosophical question: Is there a nexus between the numerous tragic police killings of blacks caught on video over the years, the latest Tyre Nichols, and our journeys to responsiveness?

Learn more about CLR and Dr. Hollie at www.culturallyresponsive.org and Twitter @validateaffirm

We are taking the journey to responsiveness to the Pacific Northwest in Everett, Washington specifically. There, we meet two "sizzling hot" CLR cadre members (educators). What is a CLR cadre member? Listen in and find out. The first cadre member is Jennifer Caione who serves as an instructional coach and is bringing her passion for students and equity work together in her CLRness.  The second cadre member is 5th grade teacher Stevie Peretti, who, like Jennifer, has unconditional love for her students and equity work.  Together, they are a dynamic duo for CLR with two very different but similar journeys. What unfolded was an interesting discussion about intersectionality. As always, Dr. Hollie will challenge us with his two cents and a question of commitment to CLR in the new year. 

Learn more about CLR and Dr. Hollie at www.culturallyresponsive.org and Twitter @validateaffirm

This episode will bring a little joy, cheer, wisdom, and inspiration to the end of your year. Renowned expert and author, Dr. Cruz takes us to Ecuador, Pico Union, Lucky Grocery store, and the work of Shel Silverstein. All of that on top of a keen, wise perspective as it applies to what makes for fearless leadership. Luis offers us insight from his best selling text,  Time For Change: Four Essential Skills for Transformational Leadership, as a way of culminating our four part series on Fearless CLR leadership. There is much to learn from Dr. Cruz. Per usual, Dr. Hollie offers his two cents. This time, he poses one of his so-called rhetorical questions: Is there every a "right time" to do equity, CLR work? Don't answer that! Listen to the episode.

Learn more about CLR and Dr. Hollie at www.culturallyresponsive.org and Twitter @validateaffirm