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The Future of Education Advocacy and Being Pushy – Podcast Episode 217 | Classnotes Podcast 217

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Classnotes podcast 217 graphicClassnotes Podcast (December 30, 2021).

It started with a dream – a dream to not be the only one in the room. On multiple occasions, Morgan Craven, J.D., and Celina Moreno, J.D., were the only advocates of color in the Texas Capitol representing communities of color on issues of education equity. So, they set out to change that too.

As IDRA’s groundbreaking Education Policy Fellows Program closed its inaugural year, we sat down with our four fellows to reflect on their experience. With this program, IDRA set out to change the landscape of state education advocacy by training advocates with a commitment to and experience with communities of color to influence state laws and lead a powerful network of impacted communities.

Morgan Craven, J.D., IDRA National Director of Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement, led the conversation with fellows: Dr. Altheria Caldera, Araceli García, Thomas Marshall III and Christina Quintanilla-Muñoz, M.Ed. In this fourth of four episodes, they share their thoughts on the future of advocacy, their advice from what they’ve learned and their personal plans post fellowship.

The IDRA Education Policy Fellows Program that operated from November 2020 through July 2021 was generously supported by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation, the Trellis Foundation, the Kresge Foundation, and in partnership with the John Gardner Public Service Fellowship, facilitated by Stanford University’s Haas Center for Public Service.

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Show length: 34:57 min.

Resources

IDRA Education Policy Fellows 2020-21 Profiles

IDRA Launches Education Policy Fellows Program – Fellows Will Engage a Network of Impacted Communities to Transform Education Policymaking, August 28, 2020

A Case for Changing How We Label “English Learners,” Highest Aspirations Podcast, Ellevation Education, featuring Araceli García, September 28, 2021

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Show Notes

  • The fellows share their advice for people who are interested in doing policy and advocacy work. Thomas explains why “everyone is a policy maker,” and Altheria talks about striving to be the most knowledgeable person in the room. Araceli and Christina share the importance of leaning into their lived experiences as scholars of color and embracing and owning their true expertise in education advocacy.

  • Araceli recounts a story from the fellows’ fight against HB 3979 that gives her hope for the future of policy making.

  • Altheria talks about expanding the circle of education advocacy to become more inclusive and equitable.

  • Christina urges policy makers not to overlook the creative solutions that students themselves propose, just because they’re young.

  • Thomas envisions a future where students and educators will feel comfortable bringing their “whole selves” into the schools.

  • Christina, Araceli, Thomas and Altheria close by sharing what’s coming next in their post-fellowship lives.