Articulating - An Independent School Podcast: Recent Episodes
Articulating - An Independent School Podcast
Welcome to Articulating --a bi-weekly podcast where indy school mom, RIISE founder -Gina Parker Collins, and indy school alum, Wharton graduate student -Samantha Osborne will center and continue to cultivate the stories of black and brown people negotiating independent school culture and where they go from there.
We'll discuss challenges, wins, and the articulate folks behind it all - scholars, alum, parents, educators, school leaders, and thought-leaders.
Thanks for listening. Find us on IG @artic.ulating
Graduation season is upon us, students--are you ready for life after independent school. Gulp. Life coach Alexa Juanita Jordan joins us to discuss potential challenges that independent school alumni may encounter in adulthood and strategies for overcoming them.
Alexa is a certified life coach and writer. Her new book, THE START OF IT ALL, is now on sale! It's a 20-something's guide to resilience, empowerment, and authenticity at the dawn of adulthood, featuring questions for self reflection paired with anecdotal stories from her 20s.
Alexa has written several full-length and one-act plays and has been published in Smith and Kraus’ Best Women’s Stage Monologues of 2022, and is also a Premiere Stages Play Festival Semi Finalist.
In addition to writing and coaching, Alexa has also explored careers in marketing, development, arts administration, education, and theater performance.
She also designed Authentic by Alexa, a downloadable guide that Alexa created to make her signature process more accessible. It’s full of journal prompts, visualization exercises, and personal anecdotes.
Join Alexa for her free weekly drop-in discussion group, “Authenticity Tuesdays” every Tuesday from 8 - 9:00 PM EST on Zoom. She created this space to chat with people about what authenticity means to them, and how we can cultivate more of it. Check out some of the past prompts here.
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While gender inclusivity has made strides in independent schools, transgender students still face challenges in achieving a "normal" school experience. Mimi Shelton joins us to discuss trans belonging.
Mimi Shelton (She/Her) is currently the National HIV Behavioral Surveillance Trans (NHBS-Trans2023-24) Project Coordinator at the NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene where she leads research projects designed to improve the health of the trans community. Mimi has an extensive background in education and community-based advocacy work. In addition to her experience teaching English at Riverdale Country School, Manhattan Country School, the TEAK Fellowship, and the William Penn Charter School. Mimi's experience also includes serving as the Director of Trans Initiatives and Services at Destination Tomorrow, the Bronx LGBT Center.
In 2022 Mimi received the Monica Roberts Torch Award for her work as an organizer of the National Trans Visibility March. She has also been a panelist and presenter for the Audre Lorde Project, GLSEN, the National Education Association, the National Council of Teachers of English, the Ethical Culture Fieldston School, and the Osborne Association. In 2020, Mimi was a featured talent in the Dove Pride 2020 Campaign, “Nothing More Beautiful,” directed by Tourmaline. She also serves on the board of directors for the New York Transgender Advocacy Group and The Okra Project.
This fall Mimi begins her first year of law school (1L) at City University of New York (CUNY) School of Law. She plans to pursue public interest law, particularly relating to labor justice, civil rights, and trans issues. When she isn't advocating for collective liberation, Mimi loves to roller skate, watch professional wrestling, and dance.
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Does it seem like every parent thinks their child is "gifted"? Well, they might be right! Even if the grades don't show it.
Gina went on location and visited the Roeper School,an institution for gifted students in the Detroit area to interview Head of School Christopher Federico.
Christopher comes to Roeper from Toronto, having previously served as Head of Academics and Upper School at Bayview Glen and as Director of Curriculum, Research, and Uni Partnerships at the University of Toronto Schools.
Fun fact. Or serious fact. Christopher has been a member of the Canadian Army Reserve since 1991 now serves as the Senior Instructor at the Canadian Army Command and Staff College in Kingston, Ontario.
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In recent years, schools have launched major initiatives and strategic plans around DEI. How do they hold themselves accountable to their commitments? Keeniun Brumskill joins us to discuss equity audits.
Keeniun is the Executive Director of Community and Social Impact for the Ethical Culture Fieldston School which has locations in Manhattan and the Bronx.Follow us at @artic.ulating on IG for more of Articulating!
When your student graduates, that doesn't mean you have to. Leilani Brown joins to discuss how parents and guardians can become partners.
Leilani M. Brown is an advisor to a diverse portfolio of clients including private and independent schools. Her boutique consulting firm has supported strategic plans, cultural audits, and equity-related crises. For over 15 years, Leilani has served as a board member and trustee for various non-profit, education, and art and culture organizations. Leilani is also a published author! Her book From Campus to Career: 25 Tips for Your First Professional Year, is in it's second edition is a widely celebrated guide for interns, new graduates and young professionals.
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Dwight Vidale joins to discuss the current state of young men of color in indy schools and his upcoming annual symposium. Register for March 2nd here!
Dwight is the Assistant Head of School for Institutional Equity and Belonging for the Collegiate School. Prior to Collegiate, he spent over ten years at Riverdale Country School, facilitating equity programming and teaching middle and upper school English. In 2010, Dwight developed The Young Men of Color Symposium and in 2018, Dwight created Beyond Fear LLC, a consulting firm that collaborates with organizations and institutions to shift equity practices and policies.
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Gina and Sam continues its conversation with Dr. Hope Rias and dig deep into what schools and educators can do to reduce faculty of color turnover.
Hope Rias, Ph.D. is an anti-racist educator and author who teaches History at Siena College. In 2019, she published, St. Louis School Desegregation: Patterns of Progress and Peril and continues to research this subject today. She holds degrees from Spelman College, Brown University, and Indiana University and is a St. Louis Missouri native.
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Today we chat with Dr. Hope Rias, about Black faculty turnover and unpack Claudine Gay’s resignation through the lens of indy schools.
Hope Rias, Ph.D. is an anti-racist educator and author who teaches History at Siena College. In 2019, she published, St. Louis School Desegregation: Patterns of Progress and Peril and continues to research this subject today. She holds degrees from Spelman College, Brown University, and Indiana University and is a St. Louis Missouri native.
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As we struggle to address America's youth mental health crisis, it's become clear that traditional paths can fall short for students of diverse backgrounds. High schoolers Krish Mulholtra and Aaron Harrison are exploring an alternative route through Identifyou, an organization that promotes mental wellness and connects students through their digital app.
Krish and Aaron are high school seniors at the Dwight Englewood School and co-founders of the organization Identifyou. Krish is an active student leader with a passion for community outreach and development, and Aaron serves as Student Body President and a peer mentor.
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Is your student exhibiting signs of burnout or worse? Dr. Rashidah Bowen White, shares what families and schools can and should be doing to address this very serious issue.
Rashidah Bowen White, Ph.D. is committed to advancing the mental health of BIPOC students and families and supporting independent schools in creating equitable, affirming, learning environments. As a psychologist, educator, and advocate, Dr. Bowen White defended her dissertation at Columbia University centering Black parents and how they racially socialize their children to thrive.
Please note: we initially focused on young girls and women in the episode, but decided to zoom out to include all genders so pardon the deviation!
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Mr. Randall Dunn, Head of the Rye County Day School in New York, joins the podcast to discuss his new role, and leadership experiences as a person of color in education.
During the span of his 35-year career in education, Mr. Dunn has been a teacher, coach, and senior administrator, and has worked in independent, public, day, and boarding schools. Mr. Dunn is also the recently elected Chair of the Board of Trustees of the National Association of Independent Schools or NAIS.
Mr. Dunn attended Milton Academy in Milton, MA under the sponsorship of A Better Chance, then received his Bachelor of Arts in psychology from Brown University and Master of Education in human development and psychology from Harvard University.
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Episode
In this current age of gentrification, urban change and the displacement of low income communities, what obligation does an independent school have to engage the neighborhood where its housed?
Morgan A. Jones joined Avenues New York in 2019 as Director of Community Engagement and partnerships, and in addition to this role, he recently joined the admissions team. Morgan holds an MBA from Cornell University’s Johnson Graduate School of Management, a BA in Chinese Language & Culture Studies at Middlebury College, and a graduate certificate from the Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies and Nanjing University. Morgan was born and raised in New York City and also lived in China for six years.
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How often do we discuss representation in the Parents Association? Riverdale's PA president Tiffany Ellis Butts joins Gina and Sam to share various ways BIPOC parents can get involved and share her own leadership experiences.
Tiffany Ellis Buttsis a Riverdale Country School parent who has held a variety of leadership positions at the NYC institution, but is currently serving as the first Black president of the Parents Association. Tiffany is an arts management consultant, primarily working with various cultural institutions and Broadway productions on outreach efforts to communities of color. Tiffany resides in Harlem with her husband Calvin IV and is the proud mother of their two extraordinary sons, Calvin V and Reed.
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A young woman of color became the first Black American legacy at her independent boarding school. Her experience was not as smooth sailing as one might assume and, thanks to her love of journaling, she documented it all in her debut book.
Joining us today to chat is Kendra James, author of Admissions: A Memoir of Surviving Boarding School!Admissions was just named one of the ten best memoirs of 2022 by Vulture. Kendra is a founding editor of Shondaland.com and her writing has been published in Elle, Marie Claire, Women's Health Magazine, Harpers, The Verge, Catapult, and The Toast, among other outlets.
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While most schools across the country are strategizing how best to engage BIPOC alumni, St. Andrew's Episcopal School in Maryland has already partnered with several of its graduates to launch the Black Alumni Collective. Delonte Egwuatu is a cofounder and joins Gina and Sam to chat about HackBAC--a social justice hackathon for youth.
When not volunteering, Delonte Egwuatu serves as the Assistant Director of DEI, an Upper School Spanish teacher, and an Admissions Liaison at The Pennington School in nj. Prior to Pennington, he taught in the Lower and Middle School as a Spanish and Humanities teacher at his alma mater, St. Andrew’s Episcopal School. Delonte is also a VERY PROUD alum of Morehouse College.
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Why does faculty diversity matter? And how can schools attract and retain diverse talent?
Curtis March - Director of Upper School for the Birch Wathen Lenox School - joins Gina and Sam to share BWL's efforts and progress.
Curtis March, a graduate of the University of Pennsylvania with an MFA from Sarah Lawrence College, has worked in education for over thirty years. He and his wife, who is also an educator, live in Brooklyn. Their son lives in Colorado.
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The jock, the prepster, the delinquent. Black male students are often regarded by their peers and educators through a unique lens. How can they successfully navigate this social landscape and also be a student and—most importantly—be happy?
Naledi Semela—an Antiracist Educator and the Browning School's Director of Equitable Practices and Social Impact—joins us to understand the social elements families should consider when sending their Black boy scholars to independent school.
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How does an Episcopal day school like St. Hilda's and St. Hughes in NYC foster inclusivity for its mixed-faith student population? Headmaster Virginia Connor joins us to discuss the school's current efforts, which includes a strategic plan and new role for family engagement.
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"Grit" and "exceptionalism" are frequently used in education to praise BIPOC students who face adversity, but what does grit actually mean? And is resilience an appropriate measure of competitiveness in school admissions?
Testing prep expert Akil Bello joins us for a part two!
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Despite the widespread adoption of test optionality, families continue to spend jaw-dropping sums on test prep to improve their students' chances. But are the tutors, classes, books and software actually worth the investment?
Akil Bello—a test prep expert best known for his appearance Netflix's "Operation Varsity Blues: The College Admissions Scandal"—joins us to explore standardized testing's costs, benefits and hidden inequities.
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Educator Ruth Jurgensen joined Prep for Prep in July 2020 as CEO--the first person of color in that position. Jurgensen was tasked to reimagine the organization's vision and mission through the lens of equity, wellness, and innovation.
Ruth joins Gina and Sam to share insights from the org's recently completed strategic plan, several key initiatives the plan has spawned, and the power of Prep's extensive alumni network.
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For many BIPOC children, attending PWI schools without proper support can be psychologically harmful.
Families today are using Greyboy: Finding Blackness in a White World as a reference tool for how to raise their token students. Author Cole Brown joins the pod to share his thoughts on this phenomenon and detail his journey from indy school, to management consultant, to published author.
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If you have a BIPOC indy school family, mainstream admissions resources might not speak directly to your needs. "The Black Families Guide to College Admissions" answers your burning questions about HBCU v. PWI, defining success for your student and beginning to lay the foundation towards generational wealth.
Admissions experts Timothy Fields and Shereem Herndon-Brown join the show to discuss this book, which will be released in September 2022.
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André Robert Lee’s documentary “Prep School Negro” made waves throughout the independent school circuit a decade ago.
Lee joins Gina and Sam to talk about the film’s reception, his evolution since its release, and how PSN continues to impact budding filmmakers, authors, and indy school families today.
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Today, we have a great guest joining us. Dare we say the best guest ever?
Gina Parker Collins is chatting with Sam to dish about her recent appearance on CBSN’s “The Trials of Critical Race Theory.” In this special, a dozen parents, students and experts like Gina discuss the facts, figures, and philosophies around this hot button topic.
Have you watched it yet? Well spoiler alert, there were a lot of opposing views and we have a lot of thoughts.
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Imagine being voiceless and then one day an Instagram account amplifies your story. Then your story and others like you become the catalyst for the biggest DEIB evolution in the history of independent schools.
Black at Private School was created to support Black Students, Faculty/Staff members, Parents, and Alumni of Private Schools. Its aim is to make all of our educational institutions equitable and inclusive.
While only in operation for a little over a year, the organization has already made a lasting impact in the education space and have no plans of slowing down. Co-founder Aja Moore-Ramos revisits her team's rapid growth over the last year, the partnerships they've formed, and their vision for the future.
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Episode Two, Season Two is here!
How do schools articulate "Belonging" in their print and digital media? And at what point does featuring underrepresented students become exploitive? In recent years, independent school marketing and communications teams have had to reckon with how their images and language potentially mis-portray the student experience. Jan Abernathy, Chief Communications Officer of the Browning School, chatted with Gina and Sam about her leadership and impact in this space.
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Welcome to season two of Articulating!
Do your appearance, actions, and background impact the odds of your child gaining admission? What do you do if you're running late? How should you dress? Sharrie Varroux Renaud of the Avenues: The World School joins Gina and Sam to explore the do's and don'ts of "Admissions Etiquette".
Sharrie joined Avenues in 2020 and has been particularly passionate about working on diversity, equity and inclusion initiatives on campus. She is originally from New Jersey, where she received a B.A. in political science and anthropology from William Paterson University (NJ) and an M.P.A. in public administration from Rutgers University (NJ). Before joining Avenues in fall 2020, Sharrie worked in advancement at The Spence School and most recently worked on the admissions team at BASIS Independent Manhattan.
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The podcast is super excited to introduce you to some brilliant folx this summer you’ll be glad you heard from, like Ellie!
Today marks our final episode of the Summer Scholar takeover for @artic.ulating and we couldn't end with a better scholar.
Ellie is a recent indy school graduate who's accomplished so much already as a student leader. As she embarks on the next chapter of her academic career, Ellie reflects on the contributions she's made to improve diversity and inclusion for her PWI.
Thanks for listening!
Gina + Sam
The podcast is super excited to introduce you to some brilliant folx this summer you’ll be glad you heard from, like Jada!
Starting today they’re TAKING OVER @artic.ulating telling their own short-form stories about navigating, negotiating & WINNING!!!
Jada is a rising Senior and as a Black girl at a PWI, she is leaning more into her Blackness and the opportunity to learn new perspectives. She's also a Drake fan and a documentary geek and has developed a unique interest in fondness for cows...?
Jada shares her experience as a high school intern in the public sector. Thank you for your beautifully bold independent school story, Jada.
Gina + Sam
The podcast is super excited to introduce you to some brilliant folx this summer you’ll be glad you heard from, like brothers James and John!
Starting today they’re TAKING OVER @artic.ulating telling their own short-form stories about navigating, negotiating & WINNING!!!
6th grader John, 11, likes all sports especially American football and basketball. He stayed up beyond his bed time to watch both NBA/NFL drafts. His favorite cereal - when he is allowed to have a treat - is “Frosted Flakes”.
8th grader, James, 13, likes gaming and BMX park riding. His favorite color is “Anything Black” and favorite cereal is “Raisin Bran Crunch”.
Thank you for joining us James and John. Good luck this fall!
Gina + Sam
The podcast is super excited to introduce you to some brilliant folx this summer you’ll be glad you heard from, like the one and only rising senior, Dariana!
Starting today they’re TAKING OVER @artic.ulating telling their own short-form stories about navigating, negotiating & WINNING!!!
Get ready to hear from rising indy school senior, D.A.R.I.A.N.A, as she Takes Over and ARTICULATES her bold story, in beautiful short-form.
The podcast is super excited to introduce you to some brilliant folx this summer you’ll be glad you heard from, like the one and only rising senior, Dariana Almonte!
Dariana Almonte is a rising senior at the Riverdale Country School. When she’s not dancing or reading a book, she’s exploring her interests in both computer science and criminal justice reform. She’s excited and ready to take on her last year of high school!
Thank you for your beautifully bold independent school story, Dariana.
Gina + Sam
We did it! Join Gina & Sam for a recap of the last six months. We could not have had the same impact without our wonderful guests, and you the listeners!
Thank you for being on the independent school journey articulating the joy, challenges, outcomes, and wins as Black & Brown stakeholders! We're excited about the Summer Takeover of Articulating with our Black and Brown Scholars! StayTuned!!!
In today’s episode, we welcome Avenues School’s Global Director of Diversity Equity and Inclusion and parent, Kym Ward Gaffney. Kym joins us to discuss how Avenues' data-driven approach to diversity translates across their multinational campuses. And how a school's becoming and Black & Brown family's belonging requires work.
Kym Ward Gaffney has been the Global Head for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Avenues for 1.5 years but a member of the Avenues community as a parent since its inception. Kym has articulated a global framework for a multi-year strategy for DEI and continues to develop specific programming aligned to Avenues’ mission. Prior to joining Avenues, KWG served PricewaterhouseCoopers in consulting and executive coaching capacities for 21 years. Kym earned her BS from Howard University and MBA from NYU Stern School of Business in Marketing and International Business.
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In today’s episode of Articulating, we are thrilled to welcome our first head of school, Dr. Tom Kelly, from Horace Mann in the Boogie Down Bronx!
Listen in as Tom ardently articulates his perspective and leadership style prioritizing the relevance of Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging at a time when there is intense pushback to the evolution of long-overdue racial reckoning and progress in our independent schools.
Personally, this is exactly what I needed to hear from leadership!
Courageous leadership is what we need right now. As a parent advocate and founder of RIISE, I am heartened by Dr. Kelly’s willingness to lean into what his students need to transform the world in good and just ways, even if it means rescinding offers of recognition or losing donations. Thanks for your time and energy, Dr. Kelly!
Horace Mann is a Nursery-grade 12 co-ed independent day school located in the Bronx, NY.
The resource referenced by Dr. Kelly:
Hollaback - Bystander Intervention Training - www.ihollaback.org/bystander-resources/
Independent schools can open up a world of opportunity and careers for students of color-but what about creative careers? On today’s episode, we chat with designer and indy school alum Mapate Diop about his path from attending Riverdale Country School to launching the streetwear brand DIOP.
Mapate Diop is a Detroit-based fashion designer who has raised more than $100,000 for social-justice causes and COVID-19 relief efforts through the sale of his company’s batik-printed masks. He articulated with us about his independent school experience, West African-inspired clothing line, and the importance of community.
For all things DIOP, go to www.wearDIOP.com to see Diop and other interesting people who stand for something and love the brand. Plus check out the new merch!
We’re thrilled to share that Articulating is officially on iTunes and Spotify! Simply search “articulating an independent school podcast”, hit subscribe, and enjoy. Thanks for listening!
And, don't forget to engage with us @artic.ulating on Instagram!
On today’s episode, we chat with Dr. Cristina Melendez, the Parent Whisperer, about how hard-working parents can practice self-care and empower their children to self-advocate in the classroom.
Dr. Cristina interrupts a parents’ need to raise their kids how society wants and teaches them to raise their kids how they choose to so they can succeed in school & life. In short, she helps families raise confident, academically successful, happy children. It's about creating safe spaces for children to be free to be themselves.
Dr. Cristina is an independent school parent and bilingual educational leader who delivers innovative transformational solutions for families.
You can find her and a ton of resources on Instagram at @beyondlimits_family and at www.beyondlimits.family/
In this episode, we had the awesome privilege of articulating with Dr. Eddie Moore Jr.
We really needed his voice in response to the recent backlash to the anti-racist curriculum many of our independent schools are instituting in alignment with their mission statements and DEIB commitments.
What we value about Dr. Moore's voice is that he gives the facts straight and no chaser. However, his passion for Black students and their excellence is palpable.
You will hear us discuss curriculum, teaching, and our student's wellbeing through an anti-racist lens. We also discuss what anti-racism is and is not.
We tried to keep in under 45 minutes, ya'll, but we needed the next ten or so minutes to find joy!
This episode was recorded before the mass shooting in Los Angeles. We dedicate this episode and stand in solidarity with our AAPI brothers and sisters too!
Dr. Eddie Moore, Jr. has pursued and achieved success in academia, business, diversity, leadership, and community service. In 1996, he started America & MOORE, LLC to provide comprehensive diversity, privilege, and leadership training/workshops. Dr. Moore is recognized as one of the nation’s top speakers and educators. His interview with Wisconsin Public Radio won the 2015 Wisconsin Broadcasters Association's Best Interview in Medium Market Radio, 1st Place, and he is featured in the film “I’m not Racist….Am I?” Dr. Moore is the Founder/Program Director for the White Privilege Conference (WPC). In 2014 Dr. Moore founded The Privilege Institute (TPI) which engages people in research, education, action and leadership through workshops, conferences, publications and strategic partnerships and relationships. He is co-founder of the on-line journal Understanding and Dismantling Privilege, co-editor of Everyday White People Confront Racial and Social Injustice: 15 Stories, The Guide for White Women who Teach Black Boys,The Diversity Consultant Cookbook: Preparing for the Challenge (2019), Teaching Beautiful Brilliant Black Girls (forthcoming, 2021) and Lil’ e - The Big Misunderstanding (2020). For 10-years, he served as Dir of Diversity at Brooklyn Friends School (Brooklyn, NY) and The Bush School (Seattle, WA). Dr. Moore received his Ph.D. from the University of Iowa in Education Leadership. His Ph.D. research is on Black Football Players at Division III Schools in the Midwest. Twitter: @eddieknowsmoore | Instagram: @eddiemoorejr | In: www.linkedin.com/in/eddiemoorejr *IDI Qualified Administrator idiinventory.com/
Black Families, Brown Families, Black Students, Brown Students, Black Educators, Brown Educators, Independent Schools, Equity, Inclusion, Diversity, Belonging, Cultural Capital, Anti-Racist Education, Recruitment, Enrollment, Experiences
As promised, here's the second half of ep. 5 and equally as good!
Thank you, Marta!
In part one we discussed educator accountability. This hits home with parents having agency in supporting culturally responsive and anti-racist curriculum for our young scholars, and their peers.
Highlights
*what wakes Marta up,
*choosing indy school education,
*the personal power narratives as armor,
*LITTLE SALLIE WALKER,
and,
*[4.10 RIISE workshop] Cause No Harm: Curricular Concerns & How to Cure Them - A Parent & Educator Independent School Workshop
Register on 4RIISE.org!
Thank you for following us on IG @artic.ulating
Dr. Marta Effinger Crichlow is an interdisciplinary artist and educator whose projects in the mediums of theater, film, and literature highlight her mission to fuse social issues, culture, and history. She is the descendant of Black southern migrants who continue to inform her sensibilities and her path. Marta is a past recipient of a National Endowment for the Humanities grant. She also received a Pittsburgh Multicultural Arts Initiative grant for her multi-media collage “The Kitchen is Closed Startin' Sunday”. For her produced play “Whispers Want to Holler,” Marta collaborated with noted jazz saxophonist Billy Harper. She has also worked as a freelance dramaturg for theater productions in New York City, Chicago, Pittsburgh, Memphis, and Louisville. She is the author of Staging Migrations toward an American West: From Ida B. Wells to Rhodessa Jones published by University Press of Colorado. She appeared on TEDx at the Tribeca Performing
Arts Center in 2015 and has lectured in Xiamen University in China, the National Parks Services African Burial Ground in NY and at the Rosie the Riveter Museum in Richmond, CA. In 2014, The Network Journal, which recognizes "Black women leaders and influencers in every field," selected Marta as one of their "25 Influential Black Women in Business." This storyteller and Washington, DC native, is a graduate of the Duke Ellington School of the Arts (DESA), where she studied Literary & Media Arts. DESA changed her life. She studied African American Studies at the University of Pittsburgh (BA) and Yale University (MA). Marta received her PhD from Northwestern University and is a full professor in African American Studies at New York City College of Technology-CUNY. She helped curate 400 Years of Inequality: Contributions from the Diaspora at Carnegie Hall's Weill Music Institute. Her feature length documentary film LITTLE SALLIE WALKER, about Black women and girls, is currently in post-production and has received recognition from Women Make Movies, NY State Council on the Arts, Working Films Impact Kickstart. She is a member of Brown Girls Doc Mafia and the Black Theatre Network. Marta is the mother of a daughter (at an independent school).
The bottom line is, August Wilson’s Fences and other literary or interdisciplinary works where race is central, or undeniable, requires utmost care, respect, historical context, responsive research, and educators humble enough to dig deep and tell the full truth -before it is taught in our classrooms.
This episode is so good it has to be a two-parter! Our guest is the phenomenal Dr. Marta Effinger Crichlow - interdisciplinary artist, educator, and indy school mom!
In part one we focus on the institution and educator accountability, Fences in the classroom, the N word, the value of personal and untold stories in shaping critical thinkers, and a passion for learning.
Come on in for some indy school joy, transparency, power, and sage advice for the newly admitted enrolled, and those families of color thinking independent schools.
👏🏾NATHANIEL X. GARCIA👏🏾is an indy school alum and a scientist with Pfizer researching and developing the COVID Vaccine!
He is BUSY.
Nat is also gracious and passionate about articulating his story as the son of a Jamaican mom and a Puerto Rican dad, enrolled in an all-boys school in NYC, and why he’s back at Browning as a Panther Mentor!
We had a good time! And, it will inspire our listeners!
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On today’s episode, Greenwich Academy’s Nina Hanlon is chatting with us about Kindergarten admissions and how families of color should interpret the decisions they receive.
Thousands of prospective families are about to find out whether or not their Kindergarten-aged children have been admitted to their desired independent schools. For many February 4th is a very emotional day and parents may feel excited, scared, confused, maybe even dissatisfied by the whole admissions process. And, then the older grades will follow with their notices of acceptance.
Nina Hanlon is the Director of Enrollment and Financial Aid at Greenwich Academy--a position she has held since 2016. Ms. Hanlon is a graduate of Brown University where she majored in Africana Studies and rowed competitively for the varsity crew team. Prior to GA, Nina taught at her alma mater Noble and Greenough School and spent several years working as a professional actress in commercials, on television, and on the stage! Nina lives in Greenwich with her husband, also an educator, and their seven-year old twins Simone and Dylan.
Episode 2 is here!
We are so delighted to introduce our first guest, Akim St. Omer, independent school alum, advocate, educator, and Brunch Gawd (yep, he resides in Brooklyn!)
This episode is about applying and enrolling in independent schools as an act of resistance for black and brown people. We were not originally part of the design.
Yet, we are here and transforming and shifting paradigms and schools that are creating institutional plans to create communities that are just and value the presence and the contributions of black and brown people.
In this episode, Gina and Sam talk with Akim about two Americas (we recorded the day after the insurrection at the Capitol), independent schools as a community, their role as a moral compass in educating our next leaders, the labor and expectations of our scholars|activists, and how applying families can gauge a school's culture and it operates. All of this in just over 30 minutes!
Thank you, Akim, for articulating with us! And thank you, listeners, for your ear and for sharing Articulating - An Independent School Podcast with others! We value your feedback too!
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Akim St.Omer is a graduate of Little Red and Boston College. During his 19 year career, he has worked in a variety of schools and non-profit organizations. Currently, he is the New Market Outreach Lead Specialist at the Girl Scouts of Greater New York. Before his time at Girl Scouts, he was an Associate Teacher at Ethical Culture Fieldston School and before that was a Communications Fellow at The Dalton School. While in these roles, he has served as a Conversations About Race facilitator, served on hiring committees and other committees. His work has been at the intersection of diversity, equity, and inclusion and its impacts on educational organizations.
Welcome to the very first episode of Articulating - An Independent School Podcast.
The anticipation for this podcast has been terrific! Thank you. The first 100 to subscribe will be entered to win a Vibrant Gift Basket from Launch Sponsor: Vibrant Health | Nutrition You Can Trust www.vibranthealth.com
In this episode, Gina & Sam introduce themselves, share how they met, and their intentions for this unique podcast focused on Black & Brown people navigating and negotiating independent schools.
So, thank you for listening, subscribing, and sharing! Be sure to come back for the second episode to hear from their special guest!