As Educators, we know that cultivating a sense of belonging and a supportive environment contribute significantly to student success. As you'll hear, Women of Color have high graduation rates in STEM fields, but lower retention in employment - mentorship is one way to ensure support for women of color STEM students as they enter into STEM careers.

In today's episode, three women of color in STEM share their experiences, challenges, successes, and advice with the Mt SAC community. We will hear from Dr. Reegan F. Patterson, Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental engineering at UCLA and Principal investigator at the Engineering Environmental Justice Lab, Milan Foston, Civil Litigation and Environmental Lawyer at Skane Mills, LLP; Janielle Cuala, Ph.D. Candidate in Medical Biophysics at USC Keck School of Medicine.

Listen in for ways these stem leaders bring their diverse perspectives, authentic selves, courage, and tremendous expertise to their research and work to solve broad problems, and how mentorship has impacted their achievements. Enjoy.

Resources:

Engineering Environmental Justice Lab: https://engineerejlab.com/

*Advancing research on (de)infrastructuring to reduce air pollution exposure and enhance community resilience.

Almost Half of Americans Breathe Unhealthy Air, Report Finds | NY Times, April 2025

• Mega-warehouses Heap More Pollution on Hard-Hit Illinois Neighborhoods | The Guardian, April 2024

• Science Leads in Addressing Climate Crisis | US Black Engineer, April 2024

• EPA Tightens Rules on Some Air Pollution for the First Time in Over a Decade | National Public Radio, February 2024

• Reckoning 375: How New Orleans Prioritized People Over Pavement | WDET 101.9, October 2023

• Biden's Big Plan for Environmental Justice May Actually Increase the Racial Pollution Gap | Capital B News, July 2023

• Four Professors Receive 2023 Chancellor's Award for Community-Engaged Scholars | UCLA Newsroom, July 2023

• Driving Toward Justice: Transportation and Equity, with Regan Patterson | Resources Magazine, June 2022

Mt. SAC MESA (Math, Engineering, Science Achievement) Program The MESA Program is a state-funded program that enhances the educational experiences of under-resourced students majoring in math, science, and engineering. This program supports first-generation college students by offering academic assistance, career development activities, and opportunities for community building. MESA is a collaborative STEM community dedicated to fostering scientific curiosity and growth—personally, professionally, and academically.

MESA's fall 2025 newsletter includes pictures from the Women of Color in STEM event (p7).

The aim of the Mt. SAC Equity Center is to create an inclusive space where all students can thrive and succeed. We are the home to four programs: Arise, Dream, First Peoples Native Center, and NextUp/REACH.

More on the Engineering Environmental Justice Lab https://engineerejlab.com/ UCLA Dr. Patterson's lab: The Engineering Environmental Justice Lab at the University of California, Los Angeles Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering (UCLA CEE) explores (De)Infrastructuring, Equitable Energy Transitions, and Sensor Technology & Community-Engaged Research to understand the air quality and equity implications of transportation and infrastructure policies.

Through community-engaged, research-to-action projects, we aim to support health-promoting communities that prioritize transportation equity, reduce automobile dependency, and are climate resilient. EEJL is led by Dr. Regan F. Patterson, an Assistant Professor at UCLA CEE.

More about our Panelists:

Dr. Regan Patterson, Professor of Civil & Environmental Engineering at UCLA:

Dr. Regan F. Patterson is an Assistant Professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at the University of California, Los Angeles and the Principal Investigator of the Engineering Environmental Justice Lab. She was previously the Transportation Equity Research Fellow for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation and a postdoctoral research fellow at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research. Dr. Patterson earned her Ph.D. in Environmental Engineering from UC Berkeley. Her research focuses on air quality, sustainable transportation, community engagement, and environmental justice. More specifically, she examines and models the impacts of transportation and infrastructure policies, alongside place-based, community-driven interventions, on air pollution exposure disparities and environmental justice outcomes. Fun Fact: I love line dancing (where them fans at?👢)

https://samueli.ucla.edu/people/regan-patterson/

Milan Foston, Civil Litigation & Environmental Lawyer at Skane Mills LLP

Milan Foster is a Civil Litigation and Environmental Law Attorney and board member of Aquatic Futures Foundation. Milan is a PADI certified Rescue Diver and PADI Divemaster Candidate. Milan grows coral in her home reef aquarium and regularly scuba dives in the Pacific Ocean. In addition to her law degree, Milan has certificates in: Aquarium Maintenance, Global Warming, Marine Biology and Harvard Business School's Business and Climate Change course. Milan is trained in the ways businesses are adapting their customs and standards in response to the current climate environmental impacts on land and oceans. Milan uses her legal and scientific education to generate sustainability methods for private businesses while supporting marine conservation programs and providing insight into Ocean and Coastal Law and Policy. Fun fact: I am a PADI certified Mermaid!

Janielle Cuala, Ph.D. Candidate in Medical Biophysics at USC Keck School of Medicine

My name is Janielle Cuala. I started at LA Community College before transferring to Cal State LA, where I earned my BS in Biochemistry. Now, I am a PhD Candidate in Medical Biophysics at USC's Keck School of Medicine. At the Children's Hospital, I conduct research to find a cure for diabetes. I'm also the President of the Graduate Student Government, representing nearly 30,000 students and trying to enhance graduate life. I'm passionate about bridging science and leadership through biotech startups, nonprofits, science communication, and mentoring. Fun Fact: I was born and raised on Guam and am a certified scuba diver.

Run Time: 1hr, 10min

To Find the full transcript for this episode click HERE

Today's episode comes from a campus film screening and panel focused on Nurses Unseen, a documentary about the courageous efforts of Filipino American nurses who played a key role during the Covid 19 pandemic as they faced a resurgence of Asian hate and cultural invisibility.

Following the screening, Mt SAC's Equity Center hosted a panel discussion with the film's director, Michele Josue, alongside Mt SAC's nursing faculty Sophie Boquiren, Victoria Abatay Motoyer, as well as sociologist Dr. Anthony Ocampo from Cal Poly Pomona, who also appears in the film.

The film is a testament to cultural resiliency and highlights the historical and social forces shaping Filipino migration and nursing experiences. You'll hear panelists share the moments that resonated with them most and reflect on the spiritual and physical toll of being on the frontlines of a pandemic. Other themes touch on the embeddedness of care work within Filipino communities, and how the film itself represents a grassroot act of resistance in support of acknowledging Filipino contributions and encouraging the growth of Filipino media more broadly.

We hope this offers you a concrete example of how films, and film screenings can facilitate impactful dialogues that support learning. And we hope this encourages you to attend future screenings and use film to invite your students into these learning spaces.

Resources:

Nurse Unseen: https://www.nurseunseen.com/

Watch the live stream replay of this event of Nurse Unseen presented by Mt. SAC Arise - Equity Center - Technology Health Division & Library: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tyXWtWEVAeI

Mt. SAC Arise, https://www.mtsac.edu/arise/ Mt. SAC's Asian American Native Hawaiian Pacific Islander Student Achievement Program (AANHPI SAP), provides a dedicated success team to support and empower Arise students to achieve their goals both inside and outside of the classroom.

Mt. SAC Nursing Program https://www.mtsac.edu/nursing/ Mt. SAC has a two-year program designed to prepare individuals at the Associate Degree level for entry into the practice of registered nursing.

Learn more about Director, Michele Josue, and her other award-winning films https://www.michelejosue.com/

Run Time: 43 min, 55 sec

To Find the full transcript for this episode click HERE

Today we are taking on a topic that sits at the intersection of high school and college education: Dual Enrollment. With the increase of dual enrollment courses at Mt SAC and across the state, we wanted to explore the lived realities of the instructors who are teaching these courses and leading the way for high school student success at the college level.

I had the privilege of sitting down with two seasoned instructors, Felix Jollevet and Sonya Masl as well as Mt SAC's new Dual Enrollment Faculty Liaison, Candace Leuthold. We had a chance to explore what dual enrollment actually is, and what it means to teach college level material to high school students including the unique joys and challenges. Join me as we get into this important conversation together.

Resources:

Mt SAC Dual Enrollment Website

https://www.mtsac.edu/dualenrollment/

Dual Enrollment Slides from Board of Trustee Study (Great info)

https://tinyurl.com/dualenpresen

Great articles about teaching Dual Enrollment courses - discussing the growth of and the nature of achievement/access gaps within Dual Enrollment programs:

https://nortonlearningblog.com/2020/12/creating-positive-dual-enrollment-experiences-six-tips-for-college-and-high-school-teachers/

https://calmatters.org/education/higher-education/2025/04/california-dual-enrollment-community-college-growth/

https://www.ccdaily.com/2024/02/deep-dive-into-californias-dual-enrollment-data/

Login to Canvas and Enroll:

https://mtsac.instructure.com/enroll/D8RPY8

Run Time: 37 min, 42 sec

To Find the full transcript for this episode click HERE

How do political ideologies like fascism take shape, spread, and gain power over the way we think and act? Justin Freebourn, Ph.D. tackles this big question in this episode. He holds his ph.D. in Political Science from UC Riverside and has published work in the journals of Party Politics, Political Research Quarterly, and Legislative Studies Quarterly.

As Freebourn shares in his talk from Fall Flex Day 2025 called "Teaching Under Fascism: Ideological Framing for Learning and Science", he examinates how social sciences can shed light on how political shifts can lead to erosion of democratic competition making us fall into a system of exclusion and control. In this episode Freebourn explores how political ideology, persuasion, and knowledge itself is organized. Let's listen in.

References/Resources:

• Baer, J. A. (1983). Equality under the Constitution: Reclaiming the Fourteenth Amendment. Cornell University Press.

• Bishin, B. (2009). Tyranny of the Minority: The subconstituency politics theory of representation. Temple University Press.

• Borg, M. J. (2009). The Heart of Christianity: Rediscovering a life of faith. Zondervan.

• Freebourn, J. P. (2023). Fiscal Policy Preferences in the US Context: Theory, Measurement, and Practice. University of California, Riverside.

• Freebourn, J.P. (Forthcoming). Imagining Tomorrow: Americans' attitudes towards basic income. The Social Science Journal.

• French, J. R., & Raven, B. (1959). The Bases of Social Power. Studies in Social Power.

• Golash-Boza, T. M. (2016). Race and Racisms: A critical approach. Oxford University Press.

• Mlodinow, L. (2013). Subliminal: How Your Unconscious Mind Rules Your Behavior. Vintage.

• Oatley, T. (2018). International Political Economy. Routledge.

• Stewart, A. J., McCarty, N., & Bryson, J. J. (2020). Polarization under rising inequality and economic decline. Science advances, 6(50), eabd4201.

Run Time: 1 hour, 7 min

To Find the full transcript for this episode click HERE

We appreciate your support and hope you've enjoyed and learned from this season's episodes so far! We will be taking a short break from releasing episodes over the coming holiday season. You can expect new episode releases when we return in the New Year, in January 2026.

The best way to not miss our return is to make sure you're subscribed to the podcast on your favorite listening app - if you're not already subscribed.

From everyone here at the Mt. SAC podcast - we are wishing you a safe and happy holiday season!

Run Time: 2:00 min

To Find the full transcript for this episode click HERE

Grounded in the work and priorities of the Academic Senate, Dr. Tania Anders, an Oceanography professor and part of the Earth Sciences program and current President of the Academic Senate shares her insight on the value of a great team with diverse experiences and strengths in the senate to support thoughtful work in the Senate, as well as in the classroom and lab.

Listen in for Tania's concise explanation of the Senate role, commonly called "the 10+1," into three areas of focus. You'll learn how DEISA + principles are at the core and how healing-centered practices can help us better support our newly hired faculty.

Join us as we follow the threads of our local Senate priorities, learn what is driven by state-level legislation, and how this impacts faculty and students. Enjoy!

Resources:

• "Governance Committees" Mt. SAC, https://www.mtsac.edu/governance/committees/
• Healing Centered Engagement (HCE) at Mt. SAC." Mt. SAC, https://www.mtsac.edu/pod/hce/healing_centered_engagement_info.html
• "Mt. SAC 2035." & Mt. SAC www.mtsac.edu/2035/ - "The college-wide plan to serve as the foundation of integrated planning. "Gives direction to accomplish the Mission and means to assess progress toward that goal."
• Mt. SAC Academic Senate. Mt. SAC, https://www.mtsac.edu/governance/academicsenate/

• Informational and resource page for the Academic Senate, Mt. SAC's faculty governance body makes recommendations to the Board of Trustees academic and professional matters. This is the best resource to learn about the 10+1, serving on committees, being a faculty coordinator or liaison, accessing Senate resolutions, agendas, and minutes, as well who is currently serving on the Senate - Professional & Organizational Development Mt. SAC.
• https://www.mtsac.edu/pod/
• Vision 2030 - The July 2025 edition
• California Community Colleges Chancellor's Office, https://www.cccco.edu/-/media/CCCCO-Website/docs/vision2030/vision-2030-report.pdfThe Chancelor's Office system-wide plan for "building the most inclusive, future-focused, student-centered and worker-centered systems of higher education in the nation."

Run Time: 34:14

To Find the full transcript for this episode click HERE

While many of us celebrate Thanksgiving, we must also acknowledge that it is a holiday often observed in a way that erases the lived experiences of Indigenous people and ignores the ongoing impact of colonial oppression. In this episode taken from Fall Flex Day 2025, we hand the microphone over to Dr. Primavera Reza-Nakonechny. In this workshop, she breaks down the collaborative effort and complexity behind drafting a meaningful land acknowledgement, sheds light on the attempt to censor specific words in education, and the persistent attempts at historical erasure.

You'll also hear from some of the participants and myself as we reflect on how small but significant changes to our lessons can help center Native perspectives in our courses. We hope that this invites you to pause and reflect on your own teaching practices. Enjoy.

Resources:

Mt. SAC First Peoples Native Center (includes text of the Mt. SAC Land Acknowledgement)

Mt. SAC Native American & Indigenous Heritage Month

Mt. SAC Native American Student Support and Success Program (NASSSP) Grant

"Creating Student Impact: The First People's Native Center." Mt. San Antonio College Podcast, Episode 205, 12 Nov., 2024. Joining Podcast co-host Chisa Uyeki in conversation with Primavera Reza-Nakonechny & student Alisa Ciulla and learn about the founding of the center and its key role in empowering Native students, fostering identity development, and a strong sense of belonging.

"Crafting An Intentional Land Acknowledgement at Mt. SAC." Mt. San Antonio College Podcast, Episode 206, 26 Nov., 2024. Podcast co-host Chisa Uyeki interviews Mt. SAC First Peoples Native Center's Primavera Reza-Nakonechny & student Alisa Ciulla about the importance of language, the practices and meaning behind land acknowledgments, how Mt. SAC is working to craft a Land Acknowledgement with tribal input, and how we can go beyond statements into meaningful actions.

Bledsoe, R. "First Peoples Native Center Opens" Newsroom, 15, Nov., 2022, Mt. San Antonio College. Photos and news story on the Center's grand opening in 2022.

On censored words at the federal level: Connelly, A. "Federal government's growing banned words list is chilling act of censorship." Pen America, 1 Oct, 2025, www.pen.org/banned-words-list/.

Yourish, K., Daniel, A., Datar, S., White, I., & Gamio, L. (2025, Mar 10). These Words Are Disappearing in the New Trump Administration. New York Times https://mtsac.idm.oclc.org/login?url=https://www.proquest.com/newspapers/these-words-are-disappearing-new-trump/docview/3175748596/se-2 [link requires Mt. SAC sign-in]

California Community College Chancellor's Office

• American Indian and Alaska Native Student Success

• Land Acknowledgement and Tribal Consultation Toolkit

Land Acknowledgement Statements

Native Land Digital honors the sovereignty of all Indigenous nations, their lands, and their waters. We recognize that these boundaries and territories are representations of the sacred. This is an honouring of Indigenous resilience past, present and future.

Native Governance Center's Tips for Creating an Indigenous Land Acknowledgment Statement

LAist What to know about land acknowledgment, and why it's deeper than just a statement

National Museum of the American Indian, Honoring Original Indigenous Inhabitants: Land Acknowledgment

Run Time: 25:44

To Find the full transcript for this episode click HERE

Professor Keiko Tsurumi was so inspired by the growth and resilience of the students who participated in the Mt. SAC Osaka Program that she wanted to share their experiences with all of us. As you'll hear, the program is the result of years of planning and coordination, a testament to Tsurumi-Sensei's dedication to supporting student learning.

As you listen to Professor Tsurumi, and students Gio and Diego, you'll hear the impact of combining high expectations with resolute compassion for students. This study abroad program set a high bar, and yet, the students continued with intention, to put themselves in positions to learn and grow, like asking strangers for directions in a new language, even when Google Maps is a click away.

They had difficult moments that tested them, but you'll hear the way they worked through it and found ways to engage in immersive learning with growing confidence.

We're excited to share this conversation on experiential learning beyond borders- it offers an opportunity to reflect on the power of immersive education and consider ways we can apply similar approaches to learning locally. Enjoy!

Resources:

Mt. San Antonio College Japanese Program and Osaka Program

Osaka Study Abroad Program January 2025

World Languages Department. "Osaka Japan Study Abroad!" Mt. SAC.

World Languages Department. Mt. SAC "Cultural Immersion with Students from Japan." Mt. SAC.

Olson, Cassidy and Robbie Doctor. "Folded artistry – Mt. SAC hosts origami workshop:

How to fold like a pro from a pro." 26 March, 2024, SAC Media.

Young, Adam, "Abroad and ambitious: Meet Yui Nakamura." 13 April 2023, SAC Media.

The Japanese program hosts five students from our partner university, J.F. Oberlin University in Tokyo, for two weeks. Mt. San Antonio College Study Abroad

Background on episode topics

"Lolita fashion." Wikipedia.

Omura, Yuto. "Homemade Takoyaki Recipe (Japanese Fried Octopus Balls)" @SudachiRecipes, YouTube, 8 Jul, 2025.

Run Time: 22:54

To Find the full transcript for this episode click HERE

What does skating and environmental advocacy have in common? As it turns out, a lot. This episode of the Mt. San Antonio College Podcast introduces award-winning skateboarder and environmentalist Peggy Oki, who visited campus to talk about her legacy skating, but also how it opened her eyes to the natural world.

Hosts Chisa Uyeki and Ivan Sanchez meet students creating their own skateboard art and art letters, shedding light on the intersections between skate culture, creativity, and environmental activism, and proving the value of creative approaches to advocacy.

Resources:

THE ART OF SKATE: Activism, Art and Design show continues through November 13, 2025 at the Diana Berger Art Gallery Instagram @mtsac_dianabergergallery

To learn more about skater, artist, and activist Peggy Oki, check out https://www.peggyoki.com/ including her activism for Whales and Dolphins through the Origami Whale Project

Peggy encouraged action to protect wildlife.

- To learn more about marine mammals currently protected by the Marine Mammal Protection Act check out Cetacean.org, including actions you can take to protect these animals.

- ECOS (Environmental Conservation Online System) US endangered animals list provides information about each animal protected by the Endangered Species Act.

Mt. SAC Fine Art and Commercial Art Programs that participated in the Art of Skate Festival included: Mt. SAC Graphic Design & Illustration: Shaping the next generation of creative professionals and Mt. SAC Printmaking.

Run Time: 14:53

To Find the full transcript for this episode click HERE

Welcome back to the Mt. San Antonio College Podcast! Hosts Chisa Uyeki and Ivan Sanchez introduce us to the work of Dr. Lisbet Sanchez, who reflects on the power of language and describes encouraging her students to write poetry in Spanish or in any way that feels natural. When she did, she witnessed a transformation: as students were given freedom and agency, their use of Spanish blossomed—from a mix to writing full poems.

Tune in on Spotify, Apple, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Resources:

Link: https://www.mtsac.edu/languages/

Link: https://www.mtsac.edu/languages/_blog/08-21-2025-lizbet-sanchez-spanish-heritage-students.html

Link: https://poets.org/poem/neighborhood-los-angeles

Anzaldúa, Gloria. Borderlands = La Frontera. Second edition. San Francisco: Aunt Lute Books, 1999. Print. Available at Mt. SAC Library General Collection 811.54 An98b 1999

Garcia, Gina Ann. Becoming Hispanic-Serving Institutions : Opportunities for Colleges and Universities. Baltimore, Maryland: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2019. Print. Available at Mt. SAC Library General Collection 378.1 G1659b

Run Time: 8:24

To Find the full transcript for this episode click HERE