Voices In Between

Anfernee Murray opens up space at Tulane University as he reflects on the "Community Engagement Advocates (CEA)" program. What began as a grassroots student initiative has evolved into a vital university-wide program that reshapes how institutions approach community engagement. The core framework relies on a peer-to-peer model: students teaching students how to critically reflect on power, privilege, and sensitive approaches toward the diverse communities of New Orleans. He discusses how this student-led advocacy prepares future educators and leaders to enter local spaces not with an attitude of intervention, but with an awareness of relational responsibility and systemic context.

https://cps.tulane.edu/programs/community-engagement-advocates

Carol Bebelle, a Native New Orleans cultural thought leader and co-founder of the Ashé Cultural Arts Center (https://www.ashenola.org/carol-bebelle), shares her vast experiences and approaches toward connecting people through education and art. Based in the heart of Central City New Orleans, her work demonstrates how cultural institutions can act as vital catalysts for human, economic, and community development. She discusses how facilitators can bridge the gap between grassroots communities and formal institutions, thereby unlocking new potential for people in the city of New Orleans and beyond. By centering the African diaspora and local traditions, she highlights how intentional creative engagement can heal societal fractures and cultivate true civic agency.

Trina Fullard (President and CEO of the Charlotte Rescue Mission) discusses systemic and hands-on approaches to community engagement. With the "Community Matters Cafe" (https://communitymatterscafe.com/), we learn about a social enterprise that serves as an extension of the Mission’s 120-day life-skills and recovery program. Located in Uptown Charlotte, the café serves as a practical training ground where people in recovery work in a fast-paced environment to rebuild key life skills. It connects the city and its people by including individuals in need through a sustainable program that not only serves exceptional food but also fosters human connection and restores social bonds fractured by addiction.

Dr. Mirona Stanescu from Babeș-Bolyai-University (Cluj) introduces the topic of Global Citizenship Education by drawing on firsthand experiences and examples from her teaching, bringing the subject to life. Through stories and drama, she demonstrates how powerful and meaningful Global Citizenship Education can be for learners of all ages.

Prof. Dr. Erik Byker from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte (UNCC) discusses ‘hands-on’ research as a means of developing key competencies for future educators. Students from different countries research and compare how the SDGs (Sustainable Development Goals) are being implemented in their home nations. Tune in for unique perspectives on global education, sustainability efforts, and more.

The Global-ready Research and Equitable Education in Teaching (GREET) Center opens space for these developments — and its doors are open!

https://greetcenter.charlotte.edu/https://greetcenter.charlotte.edu/

Global Competency Resources | Asia Society

Prof. Dr. Adriana L. Medina takes us into learning communities both locally and abroad — uncovering constructive approaches that connect across contexts, while also highlighting the unique differences that shape them. Along the way, she shares exciting examples that bring these practices to life.

Dr. Cynthia Kwakyewah, Sonia Lewis (PhD Candidate), and Prof. Dr. Nombuso Dlamini from York University (Toronto) share their perspectives and experiences in higher education. Featuring both expert perspectives and personal insights, this is an eye-opening episode. By reflecting on their career paths and life worlds, they open up new spaces and contribute to dismantling ‘the master’s castle.’

Dr. Dorthe Juliane Høvids literally takes us to "thin" places: neighborhoods where diverse lifeworlds meet and converge. Using the Copenhagen neighborhood of Vesterbroe as a key example, she discusses the potential and the challenges encountered in these places—and, most importantly, by the people meeting there.

Tune in to explore how social work and education come into play at these crucial intersections. This episode offers a journey into how shared physical space can bridge different life experiences and what that means for contemporary society.

Saraha Awuah from the Ghana Union of Canada takes us into the contexts of the Ghana community in Canada, discussion issues connected to immigration, settlement, integration and above all education.

Prof. Vidya Shah from York University in Toronto discusses matters of DEI (Diversity, Equity, Inclusion) from various perspectives. Thereby reflecting problematic power asymmetries and addressing institutional challenges.