Outrageous Love the Podcast: Our Journeys to Responsiveness

Outrageous Love the Podcast opens up 2022 with a bang. New year, new series. For the next 3 episodes, we will go to the bureaucracy of state education departments, namely New Mexico's Public Education Department (or the PED), to have an internal peek on how advocating for cultural and linguistic responsiveness looks and feels. Mayra Valtierrez is  the  Director of Language and Culture and Hispanic Education Liaison for NMPED, but she is no educrat, as Dr. Hollie's call them, by any measure. Mayra is a true "soulja" in this work as you will hear as her journey takes us from the Borderlands of New Mexico to Santa Fe to the hallways of PED, where key education policies are initiated. Mayra is a proud, authentic Mexican American, which centers her culturally and linguistically, making for a fascinating listen. She also introduces VABB Nation to her CLR playlist on Spotify, linked here, which inspired Dr. Hollie to create his VABBLift playlist on Spotify. We want you do the same via social media @Clrplaylist. Lastly, check out Dr. Hollie's two cents around loving who you are just as you are and that goes for your students too in '22.

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

Welcome to the last episode of 2021 or the winter episode.  This episode spotlights a former educator who is now in an exciting career outside of education. If you remember last year, we had Claudia Salinas, former ELL educator, now a senior executive with Curriculum Associates.  This year, we meet Crescent Imani Novell, former performing arts educator, now television writer and playwright. Crescent is a long time little sister, colleague, former employee, and mentee of Dr. Hollie. Her journey is truly unique and incredible! She is going to take us from Seattle to Hollywood, where she is making waves. All the while, Crescent has maintained her cultural and linguistic responsiveness (CLR) as she validates and affirms Black culture in deep ways throughout her art and her work. She is a true embodiment that CLR is fo' life because it is who you are, not what you do. See a sample of Crescent's work at the Culture Language Academy of Success. As usual, Dr. Hollie will offer his two cents, a year end reflection on 2021.

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

The final segment of the 3-part series, It's the White Man's Fault?, culminates with the journey of Tim Leistikow, a high school educator from Minneapolis-St. Paul. Tim provides his answer to the question as a "white man" in a unique way as he brings a personal and a professional perspective to the topic.  Currently working in curriculum as a coordinator and instructional coach, Tim takes us to Dallas, Santa Fe, and the Twin Cities for his journey to responsiveness, and somehow, connects (or at least tries to) A Tribe Called Quest and Taylor Swift. Seriously. We also learn about his two resonating rings of culture - gender and age. Dr. Hollie's two cents gives a final word on the provocative series, ending where he began - the answer to one generalization is not to provide another generalization.

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

This episode, Dr. Greg Mathison, explores the thought-provoking and somewhat rhetorical statement/question, It's The White Man's Fault and shares his journey to responsiveness. Dr. Mathison is assistant superintendent with the Parkway Schools located in St. Louis. Like many of our journeys, Greg's journey is windy road of twists and turns that are a combination of the predictable and the unexpected. His journey begins in Minnesota and makes it way through Japan and other places around the world. Dr. Mathison is willingly takes on the very sensitive topic of how white men are generally viewed when it comes to race and culture in our society. and does so with eloquence and wisdom. Listen closely for how the Red Hot Chili Peppers become part of the conversation.  Dr. Hollie will continue to share his train of thoughts that led to the special series and the ongoing paradox of how we make generalizations while at the same time see each person as an individual - including white men. 

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

Is institutional racism the white man's fault? This rhetorical question will be tackled over the next 3 episodes. In part one, Andrew Haaheim, high school science teacher from Minneapolis-St. Paul, answers the question from his perspective as a "white man" and CLR educator. More than that, though, Andrew tells his fascinating journey to responsiveness that began during a compelling moment with an individual student 13 years ago. We also learn about the rings of culture that resonate for Haaheim (pronounced HAW-HIME), with a particular take on age culture. Andrew brings multiple vantage points and keen insights about culture and race, proving once again that we should never judge a book by its cover. Dr. Hollie's two cents introduces the series theme and provides his rationale for the focus on the "white man."

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

The Unsung Heroes Series culminates with Dr. Amy Swick, English Learning/Bilingual Coordinator in the Appleton (Wisconsin) Schools. Amy's journey begins in Wisconsin, where her roots are, then goes to Reno, and finally returns to Wisconsin. All along, Dr. Swick has been an advocate for cultural responsiveness regardless of her location, with a particular focus and expertise on second language learning. There is a certain charm that comes with Amy's journey, as you will see when she discusses the two rings of culture that resonate for her. Most importantly, Dr. Swick shows us all that you can get your equity fight on, regardless of your positionality, if you have the courage and the savviness to do so. Dr. Hollie's "two cents" is an emphatic push to put the focus on the students as the new school year begins. Despite all the distractions, including the Delta variant surge and new mask mandates, we have to show up for them and Dr. Hollie reminds us of that. Be inspired.

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

Hear Suzanne Nguyen's fascinating  journey to responsiveness. Suzanne is  Executive Director of Federal, Bilingual, and Native American Programs for the Rio Rancho Public School District in Albuquerque, New Mexico. From her position in "mid level management," she has positively influenced cultural and linguistic responsiveness (CLR) in Rio Rancho slowly but surely.  Her advocacy is not only professional but personal because of her upbringing in New Mexico as an Asian American with Vietnamese heritage. More interestingly is her education experience, and the matriculation through school as the "only one" or "one of very few, "  which drives her passion for equity and CLR and at the same time has been the root of her bi-culturalism. Be moved by a life-changing homecoming she experienced as an adult. As always, anticipate Dr. Hollie's two cents with his take on "who is at the top" of your district could be the glass ceiling for your equity and CLR success. 

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

The focus on the unsung heroes - assistant superintendents, chief academic officers, and directors - continues with Dr. Meg Schnoor, Assistant Superintendent of Teaching and Learning in Palatine Schools (Chicago area). Meg's insights and sharp perspective about how to lead from behind is worthwhile. Rarely do we hear from the mortar of the brick so to speak. More interestingly is Dr. Schnoor's journey to responsiveness which takes us from her experience as a teacher in alternative education to a rise up the ranks to assistant superintendent.  In between is a delve into Meg's consciousness about her cultural intersections of class, ethnicity, and gender (with a splash of religion). As always, Dr. Hollie provides his two cents in this episode. This time he goes a bit off topic (or maybe not) with his spin on how to disconnect from work, which is a concession on his part, and why it is a challenge for him to disconnect. 

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

Episode 2 of season 2 debuts the Unsung Heroes Series, focusing specifically on assistant superintendents of instruction/professional development, chief of academic officers, and directors of equity/instruction/professional development. Dr. Ian Buchanan, Assistant Superintendent of Instruction in University City Schools (St. Louis), kicks off the series with fire. Hear Ian's incredible journey to responsiveness from East St. Louis to now founder and CEO of the Nia Education Group (niaeducationgroup.org). Dr. Buchanan demonstrates his in-depth knowledge about cultural and linguistic responsiveness (CLR), as we define it, with references from Billie Holiday to Tupac Shakur to Bayard Rustin and a very interesting story related to situational appropriateness. As always, hear Dr. Hollie's riff , this time on anti-black culture stances and the importance of recognizing the nuance of culture. 

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

Welcome to season two of Outrageous Love the Podcast! The first episode, dubbed the personal episode, features Dr. Hollie's daughter,  Attorney Imani Hollie's journey to responsiveness. Imani shares her journey from the lenses of a daughter, a former student of the Culture and Language Academy of Success (CLAS) and as an attorney working in criminal law. The highlights of CLAS, a laboratory school for cultural responsiveness founded by Dr. Hollie, Anthony Jackson, and Janis Bucknor in 2003 are themed as well. For a fuller description of CLAS, check out the documentary, OASIS: The Story of CLAS. While the success of CLAS is celebrated, the tragic death of Daunte Wright is acknowledged and lamented. Will it ever end and what are we going to do different this time are the questions to be answered. Hear Dr. Hollie's "two cents" about the never-ending killings of BIPOC men and women at the hands of law enforcement.  Season two, episode 1 is a celebration, an appreciation, and a call to action (again).

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