by Marsha Rakestraw Where did the concept of whiteness come from (and when)? How does our current US culture affect Indigenous standards of beauty? Was that thing that white politician/celebrity/person in the news just said/did racist? As the impacts of white supremacy and racial injustice gain more exposure in the mainstream, podcasts provide an important…
Read more »
by Marsha Rakestraw News headlines remind us daily that racial injustice and violence and discrimination against Black people (and other people of color) continue to thrive, and the impact on people of color, especially children and families, is significant and long-lasting. With school systems in the US made up largely of white teachers, many schools…
Read more »
by Marsha Rakestraw “Every day, we’re teaching kids that food is trash.” ~ Jonathan Bloom Our school food systems in the US are not set up to minimize waste or encourage healthy habits. Students are often rushed at lunchtime, may have unappetizing food options, may be given (or take) much more food than they’ll eat,…
Read more »
by Marsha Rakestraw To create a just, compassionate, sustainable world for all – and to help our students become solutionaries — it’s vital that we help them (and ourselves) build empathy and compassion for people, animals, and the earth. We humans are wired to care about those with whom we have close relationships (our family,…
Read more »
by Marsha Rakestraw As war, climate change, persecution, and hunger challenges escalate, the number of refugees worldwide, and the challenges facing them and their host countries, continue to grow. And while we adults struggle with what to do and how (or whether) to help, many children may also be seeking understanding and wanting some answers….
Read more »
by Marsha Rakestraw Updated: 3/2/2021 The #MeToo and #TimesUp movements expanded the conversation about how common sexual harassment and assault of women is and the roles of power and patriarchy in perpetuating the objectification and oppression of women and girls. In early 2018, an offshoot campaign, the #MeTooK12 arose to help spotlight the prevalence of sexual…
Read more »
by Marsha Rakestraw In mid-January, two boys, ages 12 and 13, killed more than 500,000 bees and destroyed tens of thousands of dollars of property. Allegedly just for kicks. In December 2017, a young Muslim woman was attacked on a transit train in Vancouver, Canada. Most people watched; only one young man intervened. Incidences of…
Read more »
by Marsha Rakestraw It’s true that the world is facing numerous grave challenges. And we’re exposed to many of them during our 24/7 omnipresent news cycles. Occasionally we’ll also find some positive stories about people doing good. But usually these stories are focused on small acts of kindness or Band-Aid solutions. And while every compassionate…
Read more »
by Marsha Rakestraw Technology is not neutral. And while we’re increasingly learning about the pervasive influence of fake news and misinformation, we rarely consider that the algorithms and filters our tech uses contain bias. Those algorithms limit and shape what we see, how we spend our time, and what we think about. Those algorithms can…
Read more »
by Marsha Rakestraw From the time we arise in the morning until we fall asleep, we participate in a continuous cycle of using stuff that affects ourselves, other people, animals, and the planet. And during holidays our consumption of stuff tends to jump. We do what we can to buy products that do more good…
Read more »
