1 00:00:05,615 --> 00:00:10,545 Attention, please. Attention please. Dedicated educators of Two Dope Nation. 2 00:00:11,845 --> 00:00:13,665 As this school year gets underway, 3 00:00:13,725 --> 00:00:16,465 now is the perfect time to take control of your financial future. 4 00:00:17,525 --> 00:00:21,185 We understand that being an educator requires an incredible amount of time and 5 00:00:21,185 --> 00:00:22,385 effort during the school year. 6 00:00:22,605 --> 00:00:27,225 So now's the best time to prioritize your finances before the school year 7 00:00:27,375 --> 00:00:30,225 gets completely outta hand. Am I right? So, 8 00:00:30,305 --> 00:00:33,945 I want to introduce you to a trusted financial advisor who specializes in 9 00:00:33,945 --> 00:00:36,825 working with educators like us. Meet Alex. Eva, 10 00:00:37,345 --> 00:00:40,185 a certified financial planner with Satera Investors. 11 00:00:40,815 --> 00:00:45,745 Alex provides educators of planning for our most important financial milestones. 12 00:00:46,125 --> 00:00:49,865 He has a deep understanding of the important strategies related to teachers in 13 00:00:49,865 --> 00:00:52,025 our retirement, the school pension system, 14 00:00:52,165 --> 00:00:55,065 and retirement programs specifically for us. 15 00:00:56,095 --> 00:01:00,105 Imagine heading into this upcoming school year in the years to come with 16 00:01:00,115 --> 00:01:03,825 confidence knowing that your finances are in order. 17 00:01:04,725 --> 00:01:06,425 By taking time now to work with Alex, 18 00:01:06,605 --> 00:01:10,985 you can lay a solid foundation for your financial goals and secure a brighter 19 00:01:10,985 --> 00:01:11,818 future. 20 00:01:11,915 --> 00:01:15,345 Don't let the busyness of the school year hold you back from achieving your 21 00:01:15,465 --> 00:01:18,785 financial dreams. 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Remember, 33 00:01:57,935 --> 00:02:02,545 your financial success is just as important as your student's success. 34 00:02:03,355 --> 00:02:05,905 Let's start this school year on the right. Financial Foot. 35 00:02:07,405 --> 00:02:11,145 SAT Investors is the marketing name of SAT Investment Services 36 00:02:11,795 --> 00:02:15,945 Securities and insurance products are offered through investment services 37 00:02:16,265 --> 00:02:17,035 LLC, 38 00:02:17,035 --> 00:02:21,505 doing insurance business in California as C-F-G-S-T-C 39 00:02:21,775 --> 00:02:23,145 Insurance Agency, 40 00:02:23,345 --> 00:02:27,185 LLC Member F-I-N-R-A-S-I-P-C. 41 00:02:28,465 --> 00:02:32,985 Advisory services are offered through investment advisors, LLC, 42 00:02:33,315 --> 00:02:36,305 California Insurance license number zero L 43 00:02:36,495 --> 00:02:38,345 0 5 6 5 0. 44 00:02:38,815 --> 00:02:43,665 Alexander Sierra CFP is located at 6 0 5 East 45 00:02:43,665 --> 00:02:47,145 Huntington Drive, suite 2 0 3, Monrovia, 46 00:02:47,155 --> 00:02:50,065 California 9 1 0 1 6. 47 00:02:50,565 --> 00:02:52,185 And can you reach at phone number 48 00:02:52,365 --> 00:02:57,185 (626) 408-1333 extension 49 00:02:57,315 --> 00:02:59,065 3 0 6. 50 00:03:08,935 --> 00:03:11,475 Did this solve the problem? Maybe this solved the problem. 51 00:03:12,035 --> 00:03:14,195 I hope it solved the problem. Oh, I think it solved the problem. 52 00:03:41,435 --> 00:03:46,375 Hey, what is going on? Two Dope Nation. What y'all doing? 53 00:03:46,905 --> 00:03:50,335 Y'all chilling? I'm chilling 'cause it's like 25 degrees out right now. 54 00:03:50,565 --> 00:03:54,855 It's 80 earlier in the week, and now it's like snowy and it's still snowing 55 00:03:56,595 --> 00:03:59,215 and I'm just not ready for this. But that's okay. 56 00:03:59,365 --> 00:04:04,335 Welcome back to two Dope Teachers, Anna, Mike. My name is Gerardo Munoz. 57 00:04:04,875 --> 00:04:08,535 Uh, Kevin is in class, uh, which, 58 00:04:08,585 --> 00:04:10,655 which we'll talk about in a future episode. 59 00:04:10,655 --> 00:04:14,535 It's very exciting for Kevin Moving into building leadership. Um, 60 00:04:15,635 --> 00:04:18,975 if you are new to the show, make sure that you know that you can always 61 00:04:20,755 --> 00:04:25,415 Follow us on social media at two Dope Teachers on Instagram and 62 00:04:25,765 --> 00:04:30,015 Twitter. Um, we're also on facebook.com/two Dope teachers and, 63 00:04:30,195 --> 00:04:33,375 and a mic with all of the hyphens involved. 64 00:04:33,875 --> 00:04:37,535 Our email address is two dope teachers@gmail.com. 65 00:04:37,955 --> 00:04:42,615 And if you wanna support independent bipo produced media, 66 00:04:43,355 --> 00:04:47,575 you can support us. Um, patreon.com/two Dope teachers. Uh, 67 00:04:47,575 --> 00:04:52,255 shout out to our patrons who stay true, who stay with us, 68 00:04:52,555 --> 00:04:56,775 who continue to support this work even when it is inconsistent. 69 00:04:57,475 --> 00:04:59,255 Um, I'm here today, uh, 70 00:04:59,675 --> 00:05:02,775 got an episode for you that goes way back to the spring, 71 00:05:03,035 --> 00:05:06,015 and I want to talk a little bit about why it's like this. 72 00:05:06,875 --> 00:05:11,415 So without getting into too much of it, go over my sub. If you wanna, um, 73 00:05:11,565 --> 00:05:13,655 read a little bit more about this. Um, 74 00:05:14,215 --> 00:05:18,295 I will be putting a piece up to sort of talk about how these systems aren't 75 00:05:18,295 --> 00:05:21,695 built for our mental health and, um, 76 00:05:22,215 --> 00:05:26,535 particularly in, in a system like the one that I work in in education. 77 00:05:27,115 --> 00:05:29,655 Um, but what you need to know, uh, 78 00:05:29,835 --> 00:05:33,575 is that this episode is long overdue, 79 00:05:34,515 --> 00:05:35,415 so far overdue. 80 00:05:35,435 --> 00:05:39,215 You know how when you have a library book that's so overdue that they just 81 00:05:39,215 --> 00:05:41,455 charge you for, and they're like, you know what? It's just yours. 82 00:05:41,525 --> 00:05:44,975 Just keep it and give us a little bit of money for it. I kind of feel like, um, 83 00:05:45,595 --> 00:05:48,735 my guest would've been fully, um, 84 00:05:49,435 --> 00:05:53,335 it would've been fully reasonable for him to be like, bro, 85 00:05:53,335 --> 00:05:58,045 just don't even like, put it out. It's fine. It's fine. I'm not mad at you. Um, 86 00:05:59,145 --> 00:06:01,685 but those of you who know me well know that in the, in the summer, 87 00:06:01,745 --> 00:06:05,165 my mental health kind of cratered, um, had something of, 88 00:06:05,265 --> 00:06:08,805 of an identity reckoning. And I'm still working through it. Like I think, 89 00:06:09,045 --> 00:06:12,845 I think that this is not something that is ever finished. Um, 90 00:06:12,905 --> 00:06:16,125 but I think it's important to sort of recognize, uh, 91 00:06:16,305 --> 00:06:19,685 the points that require us to show up differently, uh, 92 00:06:19,685 --> 00:06:22,125 whether it's for ourselves, whether it's for our families, 93 00:06:22,125 --> 00:06:26,565 whether it's for our communities. So, got a lot of thinking to do around that. 94 00:06:26,785 --> 00:06:31,325 But, um, but it's a lot to say that, 95 00:06:32,025 --> 00:06:32,858 um, 96 00:06:34,275 --> 00:06:37,805 this episode was supposed to come out during, um, 97 00:06:38,015 --> 00:06:41,405 Asian American Pacific Islander, native Hawaiian, 98 00:06:41,495 --> 00:06:45,845 south Asian Heritage Month, um, which was in May, 99 00:06:47,215 --> 00:06:52,205 which was a long time ago. , you know, the, 100 00:06:52,205 --> 00:06:54,245 the, the first thing is that 101 00:06:55,985 --> 00:07:00,955 like many of you who have been following us on two dope teachers and 102 00:07:00,995 --> 00:07:02,275 a mic for a while, 103 00:07:03,315 --> 00:07:07,595 I have ambivalence about heritage and awareness months. Um, 104 00:07:08,195 --> 00:07:13,115 I think it's great that we have on 105 00:07:13,225 --> 00:07:16,155 some level, however, superficial in some cases, 106 00:07:16,255 --> 00:07:19,195 and it's not the same in every case, but on some level, 107 00:07:20,615 --> 00:07:25,075 we have decided that we need to acknowledge, um, difference, uh, 108 00:07:25,205 --> 00:07:30,075 folks who have traditionally been locked out of our, 109 00:07:30,615 --> 00:07:32,675 uh, national view, uh, 110 00:07:32,925 --> 00:07:37,315 folks who have been barred from entering the mainstream when it comes to 111 00:07:37,315 --> 00:07:42,155 history, culture, politics, um, just humanity. 112 00:07:42,655 --> 00:07:46,435 And so I think it's kind of cool. Um, on the other hand, 113 00:07:47,185 --> 00:07:51,915 this comes up almost every heritage month where we'll sort of do some stuff. 114 00:07:52,155 --> 00:07:56,755 I did a bunch of stuff at work for, uh, Latina Heritage Month, um, 115 00:07:57,535 --> 00:08:02,155 and it was cool. People got excited and then we just kind of moved on. And, um, 116 00:08:02,455 --> 00:08:07,115 and it's like the world around us as society around us is just not 117 00:08:07,165 --> 00:08:08,595 built to 118 00:08:10,115 --> 00:08:14,875 actually celebrate all people all year round. It's, it's wild, but it's true. 119 00:08:17,135 --> 00:08:21,195 So I always have a choice every year, which is, 120 00:08:21,855 --> 00:08:26,755 do I play into what short attention span driven capitalism wants 121 00:08:26,755 --> 00:08:31,355 me to play into? Hey, it's may talk about AAPI folks. And of course, 122 00:08:31,355 --> 00:08:34,555 over the course of this, um, of this series, 123 00:08:34,915 --> 00:08:38,275 I learned that AAPI still is not inclusive, um, 124 00:08:38,855 --> 00:08:43,635 as I learned from some guests that you will also hear interviews, um, from soon, 125 00:08:43,835 --> 00:08:45,235 I hope. Um, 126 00:08:46,655 --> 00:08:50,685 and so knowing that people's, you know, 127 00:08:50,685 --> 00:08:54,485 attention span might sort of be on this a little bit 128 00:08:55,435 --> 00:09:00,325 when we're in May or when we're in June for Pride or when we 129 00:09:00,325 --> 00:09:04,605 are in September, October, November is coming, it's right around the corner, 130 00:09:05,225 --> 00:09:09,445 um, when ostensibly will uplift indigenous communities. 131 00:09:09,465 --> 00:09:12,445 But just for that month, right? 132 00:09:12,445 --> 00:09:17,405 Because people look at you weird if you start doing this stuff outside of the 133 00:09:17,405 --> 00:09:20,245 lane that's been defined on your, um, 134 00:09:20,985 --> 00:09:23,165 on your iPhone calendar, right? 135 00:09:24,865 --> 00:09:26,245 Or do I seize an opportunity 136 00:09:28,025 --> 00:09:31,685 and shine light on folks who don't get to be in the light very often? 137 00:09:32,785 --> 00:09:35,125 And I tend to lean towards the latter. 138 00:09:35,755 --> 00:09:38,045 Like I think it's just kinda like, 139 00:09:40,035 --> 00:09:43,685 it's kinda like we don't tell these stories enough, 140 00:09:43,705 --> 00:09:47,365 and even if we tell these stories a little bit, it's more than zero, 141 00:09:47,365 --> 00:09:51,205 which is such a low bar. Um, there's also a, 142 00:09:52,225 --> 00:09:55,365 an element where it's just hard to plan ahead and, and, you know, 143 00:09:55,525 --> 00:10:00,125 I I say this with all earnest and not trying to gaslight anyone, but, you know, 144 00:10:00,125 --> 00:10:03,525 if I was able to, to just produce, um, 145 00:10:03,905 --> 00:10:08,845 the great content here at Two Dope Productions, um, if I, 146 00:10:08,845 --> 00:10:10,645 if that was my job, um, 147 00:10:10,745 --> 00:10:15,285 it would be much easier to map things out and just kind of be ready when the 148 00:10:15,285 --> 00:10:15,785 time comes. 149 00:10:15,785 --> 00:10:20,485 Too often I find myself doing this work within the 150 00:10:20,665 --> 00:10:22,045 few weeks that we may have, 151 00:10:22,105 --> 00:10:24,285 and then life happens and it makes it really difficult. 152 00:10:24,305 --> 00:10:26,445 So maybe it's just a little bit like that. But 153 00:10:28,075 --> 00:10:31,805 what I do regret is that in a time when our short Attention Span society, 154 00:10:31,855 --> 00:10:35,285 we're maybe paying closer attention to folks in the 155 00:10:35,645 --> 00:10:40,285 A-A-N-H-S-A-P-I community that I didn't platform 156 00:10:40,285 --> 00:10:43,805 stories like the one I'm about to bring you. Um, 157 00:10:44,055 --> 00:10:48,085 there are other stories that got recorded and captured. 158 00:10:48,085 --> 00:10:51,365 People shared their experiences, 159 00:10:51,555 --> 00:10:56,085 both painful and lighthearted and just real 160 00:10:56,335 --> 00:10:59,845 about identity struggles in education. Um, 161 00:11:00,745 --> 00:11:05,645 and I didn't platform those at a time when maybe the most ears were 162 00:11:05,835 --> 00:11:07,285 receptive to these stories. 163 00:11:08,335 --> 00:11:11,525 There are also three other teachers I just never interviewed. Like, 164 00:11:11,525 --> 00:11:14,885 they set time aside, they processed it, they tried to, you know, 165 00:11:14,995 --> 00:11:16,565 find the best way to tell the story, 166 00:11:16,585 --> 00:11:19,525 and then ultimately I just didn't give them a way to tell the story. 167 00:11:19,585 --> 00:11:22,845 So I do have a lot of regrets around this. Um, 168 00:11:23,505 --> 00:11:28,445 but I think what I've landed on is that a 169 00:11:28,445 --> 00:11:30,365 light story is better than no story. 170 00:11:31,225 --> 00:11:35,965 And maybe it will be beneficial for us to start actually trying to 171 00:11:36,025 --> 00:11:39,685 see folks from marginalized and minoritized communities, uh, 172 00:11:39,685 --> 00:11:43,285 especially among our teaching corps, um, 173 00:11:44,355 --> 00:11:48,965 outside of the month that we've carved out for them as a society that someone's 174 00:11:48,965 --> 00:11:52,965 carved out for them as a society. So I think, I think that's kind of where I, 175 00:11:52,990 --> 00:11:56,325 I am right now, and I welcome your feedback. Um, you know, 176 00:11:56,685 --> 00:11:59,445 I have one more interview from, um, 177 00:12:00,185 --> 00:12:04,605 may that I wanna roll out, um, because I just think it's a valuable, um, 178 00:12:04,605 --> 00:12:06,645 interview here to hear. Because here's the thing, y'all, 179 00:12:07,035 --> 00:12:11,125 just because we stop paying attention to Asian American Pacific Islander, 180 00:12:11,205 --> 00:12:15,965 native Hawaiian South Asian folks, doesn't mean that they stop existing. 181 00:12:16,995 --> 00:12:17,828 It's not like, 182 00:12:18,395 --> 00:12:22,245 it's not like Netflix where we just pause it and then we turn off the tv and 183 00:12:22,245 --> 00:12:25,485 when we come back the following May, there they are again. And, 184 00:12:25,625 --> 00:12:30,245 and it just rolls. Like I'm at Chicano every day of my life. And, uh, 185 00:12:30,245 --> 00:12:33,525 whether it's Hispanic Heritage Month, whether it's Cin de Mayo, 186 00:12:34,225 --> 00:12:38,085 I'm a Chicano before those times, during those times, and after those times. 187 00:12:38,185 --> 00:12:42,445 And, and, and I want to extend the same realness to our people. So, 188 00:12:43,025 --> 00:12:47,885 um, will we do a big campaign, um, going forward? Maybe, 189 00:12:48,265 --> 00:12:49,965 um, it has to do with capacity, 190 00:12:50,025 --> 00:12:53,245 but one commitment I have is just to make sure that we're telling these stories 191 00:12:53,465 --> 00:12:57,165 all the time and not just when capitalism tells us to. 192 00:12:59,145 --> 00:13:03,805 So it is with incredible excitement. Um, 193 00:13:03,945 --> 00:13:07,485 I'm even smiling as I think about this that I bring you, uh, 194 00:13:07,585 --> 00:13:12,245 my guy John, um, who I call Sunshine. Um, 195 00:13:13,345 --> 00:13:17,725 so John Arthur, uh, is the 2021 Utah Teacher of the Year, 196 00:13:17,825 --> 00:13:21,205 one of the Four Corners Teachers of the Year that I'm friends with. 197 00:13:21,215 --> 00:13:25,805 Shout out Elisa, shout out Sarah. Um, and then me and John, 198 00:13:26,225 --> 00:13:29,645 uh, we have a funny picture of the four of us that maybe I'll include with this 199 00:13:29,675 --> 00:13:32,325 episode, um, at Space Camp of all things, 200 00:13:32,395 --> 00:13:36,365 there's so much about my teacher of the year year that I just haven't really 201 00:13:36,925 --> 00:13:39,725 reflected on and shared some of it's just kind of funny, 202 00:13:39,725 --> 00:13:41,285 including Space Camp. Um, 203 00:13:42,085 --> 00:13:45,085 I call John Sunshine because first of all, he, 204 00:13:45,105 --> 00:13:48,245 he brightens any room that he walks into. And second, 205 00:13:48,625 --> 00:13:52,405 he just reminds me so much of Ronnie Bass from re remember the Titans. 206 00:13:52,405 --> 00:13:57,325 He's the guy that if you're like, Hey man, um, I feel bad about X, 207 00:13:57,405 --> 00:14:02,005 Y, and Z. And he's like, it's cool man. It's cool. He's got those vibes. Uh, 208 00:14:02,475 --> 00:14:06,925 John not only was 2021 Col, uh, Colorado, that's me, uh, 209 00:14:06,925 --> 00:14:08,845 2021 Utah Teacher of the Year. 210 00:14:09,145 --> 00:14:13,325 He was a finalist for National Teacher of the Year, along with Maureen, uh, 211 00:14:13,515 --> 00:14:15,565 Alejandro and Juliana. Um, 212 00:14:15,755 --> 00:14:20,165 Juliana ultimately was selected to represent us, um, which was perfect. 213 00:14:20,665 --> 00:14:24,685 Um, but I know that John made it difficult, um, 214 00:14:24,705 --> 00:14:28,525 in the selection process because he's just such a wonderful, uh, ray of light. 215 00:14:28,985 --> 00:14:31,725 Um, John identifies as Korean American. Um, 216 00:14:31,995 --> 00:14:35,605 he's of mixed nationality and mixed ethnicity. Um, 217 00:14:35,745 --> 00:14:40,645 but he is a proud Korean American person. Uh, over the last couple years, 218 00:14:40,645 --> 00:14:43,965 especially, you may have seen him in a bunch of different social media spaces, 219 00:14:44,055 --> 00:14:45,445 especially, um, 220 00:14:45,695 --> 00:14:50,245 advocating for the dignity of teachers through his work around teacher 221 00:14:50,605 --> 00:14:53,685 salaries and teacher compensation and valuing teachers. 222 00:14:54,035 --> 00:14:58,205 He's also advocated strongly for students from 223 00:14:58,435 --> 00:15:02,485 minoritized and marginalized communities as well as their parents. Um, 224 00:15:02,485 --> 00:15:07,405 particularly standing up for kids whose stories are just 225 00:15:07,405 --> 00:15:08,765 not reflected. Kids of color, 226 00:15:09,355 --> 00:15:13,645 kids from the LGBTQIA plus community, um, 227 00:15:14,355 --> 00:15:19,245 kids who are neurodivergent, um, John advocates for all of them. Uh, 228 00:15:19,275 --> 00:15:22,725 John is also this just lovely human that whenever I need a smile, 229 00:15:22,725 --> 00:15:25,445 like I try to reach out to him. And he always makes time. Uh, 230 00:15:25,465 --> 00:15:27,605 you may remember him from back in May. Um, 231 00:15:28,065 --> 00:15:32,365 he guest hosted our episode with 2022 Hawaii Teacher of the Year, 232 00:15:32,395 --> 00:15:37,045 Whitney Aki, who is also a national finalist for 22. And, 233 00:15:37,545 --> 00:15:40,445 um, it was just a great conversation. So, um, 234 00:15:40,515 --> 00:15:43,405 there's gonna be a little bit of rust and a little bit of dust on this episode, 235 00:15:43,645 --> 00:15:48,285 a little bit rusty, dusty. Um, but I just ask you to listen to what he says, 236 00:15:48,285 --> 00:15:50,605 particularly in terms of his own life experiences, 237 00:15:51,185 --> 00:15:55,205 as well as his thoughts around, um, 238 00:15:55,745 --> 00:16:00,045 disaggregating AAPI and HSA data, 239 00:16:00,625 --> 00:16:05,405 uh, so that we have a better sense of what our Asian 240 00:16:05,805 --> 00:16:10,805 neighbors are facing in all the complexity and all the diversity. Um, 241 00:16:11,625 --> 00:16:12,765 so please sit back, 242 00:16:13,295 --> 00:16:18,285 enjoy this conversation between me and John Arthur on two Dope Teachers 243 00:16:18,705 --> 00:16:19,765 and a Mic. 244 00:17:04,705 --> 00:17:07,005 AO is going on, two Dope Nation. 245 00:17:07,005 --> 00:17:10,085 Welcome back to two Dope Teachers and a mic. 246 00:17:10,585 --> 00:17:15,405 My name is Gerardo Munoz and I'm flying solo with you today because 247 00:17:15,585 --> 00:17:16,685 as it turns out, 248 00:17:17,135 --> 00:17:21,325 Kevin has a job that he is at currently. 249 00:17:22,225 --> 00:17:24,485 Um, thanks for joining us. 250 00:17:24,545 --> 00:17:28,485 If you are listening to the show for the first time ever where you been at, 251 00:17:28,795 --> 00:17:31,205 it's been seven years, we've been out here for seven years, 252 00:17:31,745 --> 00:17:34,485 and we just dunno why you're just joining us. But if we are, if you are, 253 00:17:34,545 --> 00:17:36,605 we are so happy to have you. Um, 254 00:17:37,065 --> 00:17:41,325 you can follow us on social media at Two Dope Teachers on Instagram and Twitter. 255 00:17:41,425 --> 00:17:45,685 You can find us on Facebook, facebook.com/two Dope Teachers and a mic. 256 00:17:46,185 --> 00:17:51,085 And if you really believe in supporting Black and Brown produced digital media 257 00:17:51,305 --> 00:17:55,765 out here in these podcast streets, head over to patreon.com/two Dope Teachers, 258 00:17:56,145 --> 00:17:58,485 uh, where you can help this content. 259 00:17:58,665 --> 00:18:02,525 Get out there for as little as $5 a month at the $15 a month level, 260 00:18:02,525 --> 00:18:04,125 you get a sticker, um, 261 00:18:04,235 --> 00:18:08,645 that marks you as an official member of the two Dope Nation designed by 262 00:18:09,095 --> 00:18:14,085 Youth Street Artist Sham out here in Colorado. Well, folks, 263 00:18:14,445 --> 00:18:17,885 I am really excited. This has been a long time coming, wouldn't you say? 264 00:18:18,425 --> 00:18:19,258 Oh, yeah. 265 00:18:19,355 --> 00:18:19,845 It's been a long time. 266 00:18:19,845 --> 00:18:21,925 Coming. We've tried to make this happen a couple of times. We. 267 00:18:21,925 --> 00:18:25,845 Have, we've tried to make this happen and then other things happen. But folks, 268 00:18:26,205 --> 00:18:31,165 I just wanna take a second and just acknowledge the presence of 269 00:18:31,265 --> 00:18:34,525 my guy, my homeboy, the guy who lights up my life. 270 00:18:34,625 --> 00:18:38,405 And so that's why I call him Sunshine 2021, 271 00:18:38,635 --> 00:18:43,045 Utah Teacher of the Year and National Teacher of the Year finalist John Arthur. 272 00:18:43,235 --> 00:18:44,365 John, what's good. 273 00:18:45,385 --> 00:18:47,385 Gerardo? I'm living my dream man. 274 00:18:47,465 --> 00:18:51,785 I can't believe I'm finally a guest on this illustrious program. It's amazing. 275 00:18:52,215 --> 00:18:56,225 Illustrious is is a good name. So someone called us a Notorious the other day. 276 00:18:56,285 --> 00:18:58,585 I'm like, wait, what? Notorious, what do we do? Like, 277 00:18:58,925 --> 00:19:00,025 how are we known like that? You know. 278 00:19:00,085 --> 00:19:00,918 Man. 279 00:19:01,065 --> 00:19:04,585 I have to tell you that, you know, so we've done in-person, uh, 280 00:19:04,585 --> 00:19:06,665 interviews and we've done virtual interviews. 281 00:19:07,245 --> 00:19:11,225 You might be the first virtual interview that is in our actual time zone, 282 00:19:11,625 --> 00:19:11,955 . 283 00:19:11,955 --> 00:19:15,585 Let's go, right? Yeah. We're , Utah, Colorado. 284 00:19:15,935 --> 00:19:19,545 Yeah. And do you ever feel, do you ever feel erased or ignored by the, 285 00:19:19,885 --> 00:19:24,105 so this is happening at seven o'clock eastern central and Pacific time. 286 00:19:25,245 --> 00:19:27,585 Mm-Hmm. . Where is, where's the mountain time zone, y'all? Mm-Hmm. 287 00:19:27,625 --> 00:19:28,345 . Where's the mountain time? 288 00:19:28,345 --> 00:19:32,145 Yeah. No, we're, we're that middle child. We are, you know, they'll, 289 00:19:32,145 --> 00:19:35,905 they'll just adapt to whatever the east coast of the West coast needs. 290 00:19:36,575 --> 00:19:40,945 Yeah, yeah, yeah. That's a hundred percent. And I think, um, definitely. And it, 291 00:19:40,945 --> 00:19:44,545 and it really works poorly with my Gen X identity, 292 00:19:44,555 --> 00:19:48,545 where I already feel neglected and invisible . And so now I'm here, 293 00:19:48,545 --> 00:19:52,225 and now you won't even acknowledge the timeline that I live on. Um, 294 00:19:52,465 --> 00:19:56,225 I wanna name that I am working in, um, the, 295 00:19:56,225 --> 00:19:59,705 on the top floor of the district admin building where I work. 296 00:20:00,125 --> 00:20:02,945 You can kind of see the buildings out there. Oh, wow. View, ah, ooh, 297 00:20:02,945 --> 00:20:05,825 look at that. Uh, it's a pretty cool view. This is the fourteener. 298 00:20:05,825 --> 00:20:07,665 This is a famous fourteener. Um, 299 00:20:08,045 --> 00:20:12,225 and so every now and then there's like some drama down there and, uh, 300 00:20:12,815 --> 00:20:14,505 it's pretty wild. See, I on. 301 00:20:14,505 --> 00:20:18,625 The top floor of Meadow Ark Elementary, and, uh, and from here, I, 302 00:20:18,745 --> 00:20:22,225 I can watch the playground and I'll see something going down and it's on the 303 00:20:22,225 --> 00:20:24,145 other side of the playground. It's like, oh my gosh, 304 00:20:24,285 --> 00:20:29,265 do I run down there and then book it across the playground to Trent? 305 00:20:29,265 --> 00:20:31,665 And is it, are there any adults out? Oh. 306 00:20:31,665 --> 00:20:34,945 Man, this is why you were a national, this is why you were a national finalist. 307 00:20:35,085 --> 00:20:38,825 And I wasn't like, I'd be like, uh, I can't get there. That's too far. . 308 00:20:38,825 --> 00:20:40,905 Oh, well, hopefully somebody's on duty. . 309 00:20:41,185 --> 00:20:44,345 I didn't say I make it every time, but I, I, I'll I'll think about it. 310 00:20:44,415 --> 00:20:47,025 Yeah. But it said, you think about it. Oh, okay. All right. Mm-Hmm. 311 00:20:47,125 --> 00:20:47,545 all. 312 00:20:47,545 --> 00:20:51,205 No, I don't, I go, I go more often than I don't, honestly, . Okay. 313 00:20:51,205 --> 00:20:53,645 Because it's, it's kind of the most exciting part of my day, you. 314 00:20:53,645 --> 00:20:56,365 Know? Is your principal listening? Is that what's going on right now? No. 315 00:20:56,525 --> 00:21:00,005 I mean, no, but being with the kids is super cool. Like, yeah. I've, 316 00:21:00,205 --> 00:21:01,038 I never understood, 317 00:21:01,155 --> 00:21:05,005 even at the middle and high school level where sometimes you honestly really 318 00:21:05,005 --> 00:21:09,165 just need a break from sarcasm, , like, um, but I never understood, 319 00:21:09,345 --> 00:21:14,245 not like just being so resistant to like doing lunch studio once a week. Like, 320 00:21:14,245 --> 00:21:18,605 yeah, I, I know my union buddies are gonna cancel me right now, but it's like, 321 00:21:19,245 --> 00:21:21,685 I do like to kick it with the kids in the cafeteria. 322 00:21:22,105 --> 00:21:25,645 We used to have domino tournaments, like we were having soccer tournaments. 323 00:21:25,645 --> 00:21:29,325 It was, it was fun. And I imagine with the young ones that you work with, um, 324 00:21:29,395 --> 00:21:30,228 even more fun. 325 00:21:30,595 --> 00:21:33,445 Yeah. I play, I play at recess every single day. 326 00:21:33,865 --> 00:21:38,725 My wife told me about this study once with, um, women who were working in, uh, 327 00:21:39,515 --> 00:21:43,165 they were like, room service or not room service, I apologize. They were, 328 00:21:43,195 --> 00:21:45,565 they were cleaning up the rooms and hotels. It's, 329 00:21:45,595 --> 00:21:48,565 it's the end of the day on Thursday. I cannot remember the name for that. What, 330 00:21:48,565 --> 00:21:50,845 what's that job called? Where the, the. 331 00:21:51,385 --> 00:21:52,218 Um, uh. 332 00:21:52,275 --> 00:21:53,108 Anyways. 333 00:21:53,465 --> 00:21:54,298 Housekeeping. 334 00:21:54,425 --> 00:21:57,105 Housekeeping. Thank you so much. Housekeeping. There are these two groups, 335 00:21:57,155 --> 00:22:00,825 house scary. They're who are working in housekeeping. And one group in this, 336 00:22:01,045 --> 00:22:04,945 in this study, they, they were just doing their job. Yeah. And this other group, 337 00:22:05,095 --> 00:22:07,185 they were told that by doing their job, 338 00:22:07,215 --> 00:22:10,785 they were exercising that this was like physical fitness for them. 339 00:22:11,285 --> 00:22:13,825 And then they looked at the health outcomes for these two different groups. 340 00:22:14,245 --> 00:22:16,425 And the ones who were told that this was good for their health, 341 00:22:16,425 --> 00:22:20,985 that they were exercising by doing their job as housekeepers actually had better 342 00:22:20,985 --> 00:22:23,945 health outcomes there. Their, uh, blood pressure went down, their, 343 00:22:23,945 --> 00:22:28,425 their cardiovascular, uh, rates went up. They, they, they lost weight. 344 00:22:28,655 --> 00:22:29,985 They were in better shape. 345 00:22:30,485 --> 00:22:34,385 And so that's what I try to look at recess as not a time where I have to go out 346 00:22:34,385 --> 00:22:39,265 and be on duty. It's a time where I, as an adult get to go out and play. 347 00:22:39,665 --> 00:22:43,385 I get a little bit of cardio. I play basketball or soccer most days. 348 00:22:43,665 --> 00:22:47,425 I love playing tag. I love, uh, Flo's lava tag, uh, 349 00:22:47,625 --> 00:22:50,825 where you can't touch the ground because a lot of these kids don't have 350 00:22:50,825 --> 00:22:52,625 a ton of upper body strength. And so, no, that's right. 351 00:22:52,625 --> 00:22:55,185 They can't catch you if you're like in the middle of the, the, the monkey bars. 352 00:22:55,645 --> 00:22:59,825 So they, they try to swing out you like, I can't make it exactly. 353 00:22:59,965 --> 00:23:01,825 Too much time on the phone. Let's go. That's. 354 00:23:01,825 --> 00:23:04,985 Right. Exactly. You gotta work on that upper body strength. Yeah. No, I, 355 00:23:05,105 --> 00:23:06,625 I really like that, that like, and there, 356 00:23:06,625 --> 00:23:09,825 there were actually times where I was like, okay, 357 00:23:10,305 --> 00:23:13,025 I can either just sit here during my lunch, 358 00:23:13,285 --> 00:23:18,105 or I can take a quick walk and close my rings and like that kind of thing. 359 00:23:18,205 --> 00:23:20,345 So, I mean, I think in a very real way, that's, and I, 360 00:23:20,345 --> 00:23:22,145 and I love the thought of like, 361 00:23:22,145 --> 00:23:26,305 what if more teachers just thought of recess as being recess for all of us? 362 00:23:26,645 --> 00:23:30,945 And so I'm not just out here watching the kids and making sure they don't, 363 00:23:31,125 --> 00:23:34,705 you know, doing anything mean or unsafe or dangerous. 364 00:23:35,165 --> 00:23:39,465 I'm also out here like getting the benefits that they're getting. I. 365 00:23:39,465 --> 00:23:42,305 Love that. Yeah. Exactly, man. I'm getting paid to play. 366 00:23:42,845 --> 00:23:44,665 And when you play with the kids that you know, 367 00:23:45,105 --> 00:23:47,685 are typically gonna make your life harder, uh, 368 00:23:47,715 --> 00:23:50,485 because they come in and they've got too much energy, 369 00:23:50,505 --> 00:23:53,365 you get the chance to run 'em around, wear 'em out a little bit. 370 00:23:53,905 --> 00:23:56,885 And if kids get into trouble while they're out at recess, 371 00:23:57,355 --> 00:24:00,045 it's hard to get in trouble when you're playing with teacher. You know? This is. 372 00:24:00,045 --> 00:24:00,755 True. 373 00:24:00,755 --> 00:24:04,325 Relationships. I'm all about it. It's a beautiful place. 374 00:24:05,585 --> 00:24:07,965 I'm, um, that's, yeah. Absolutely. I feel, 375 00:24:08,005 --> 00:24:10,725 I feel like this is a really good segue into the first question. . 376 00:24:10,725 --> 00:24:14,005 Mm-Hmm. . Um, so one of the things, and so John, 377 00:24:14,005 --> 00:24:16,485 you and I have known each other almost two years now. Mm-Hmm. , um, 378 00:24:16,625 --> 00:24:20,125 in person. I think we met in person for the first time at Space Camp. Yeah. 379 00:24:20,635 --> 00:24:24,565 Yeah. In, uh, Huntsville, Alabama, which is lovely. At the end of July, 380 00:24:24,625 --> 00:24:28,925 let me tell you, , it's, uh, not humid or uncomfortable at all. Mm-Hmm. 381 00:24:28,965 --> 00:24:31,965 . Yeah. It was, I I was a little juicy those days. Mm-Hmm. 382 00:24:32,005 --> 00:24:33,565 . Mm-Hmm. . It was a little crazy. Um, 383 00:24:34,185 --> 00:24:37,285 but one of the things that I think really came clear to me, 384 00:24:37,445 --> 00:24:41,365 'cause you just don't get a good sense of people on Zoom sometimes, right? Sure. 385 00:24:41,365 --> 00:24:44,085 And that we did all of our induction on Zoom. Um, 386 00:24:44,715 --> 00:24:49,685 that inner child is alive and kicking in you. Yes, sir. 387 00:24:49,685 --> 00:24:51,765 And so this question may, I don't know, 388 00:24:51,765 --> 00:24:54,445 maybe you don't have to think that deeply about it, but, you know, tell, 389 00:24:54,445 --> 00:24:58,325 tell me about like Little John, not the rapper. Mm-Hmm. . Um, but, 390 00:24:58,465 --> 00:25:01,085 but you Little sunshine. And by the way, okay, 391 00:25:01,085 --> 00:25:04,245 so I've called you Sunshine a couple of times on this show. Um, 392 00:25:04,545 --> 00:25:08,245 so those of you who listen to the podcast, but don't know John, um, 393 00:25:08,265 --> 00:25:11,925 and if you don't know John, go back and listen to our episode. He, uh, 394 00:25:11,925 --> 00:25:15,645 subbed for Kevin when we interviewed, uh, 2022 Hawaii Teacher of the Year, 395 00:25:15,645 --> 00:25:19,405 Whitney Aki, uh, national finalist that year. And you get a, 396 00:25:19,405 --> 00:25:21,805 get a perspective on John there. But John, John, 397 00:25:21,805 --> 00:25:25,765 your energy is just like Ronnie Bass from the, 398 00:25:26,045 --> 00:25:29,685 remember the Titans movie. Like, he's just, he's wired a little bit differently. 399 00:25:29,915 --> 00:25:34,405 He's super chill, super loving, super pleasant. Like dude doesn't get mad. 400 00:25:35,065 --> 00:25:38,605 Um, but knows his stuff. And talented is all get out. 401 00:25:38,745 --> 00:25:41,285 So I started calling John Sunshine. Uh, 402 00:25:41,365 --> 00:25:44,565 I was laughing with you the other day about how sometimes I can't find your name 403 00:25:44,565 --> 00:25:46,245 in my phone 'cause I'm looking for John. 404 00:25:46,345 --> 00:25:50,965 And it's literally in there at Sunshine. Um, so, so tell me, tell me about the, 405 00:25:51,225 --> 00:25:56,125 the, uh, gimme a portrait of the artist educator as a young man. 406 00:25:57,105 --> 00:26:01,805 You got it. And, uh, I'll tell you, you are way too kind of me brother . 407 00:26:01,805 --> 00:26:04,605 Like, I, I have, I have rough days. I was. 408 00:26:04,605 --> 00:26:06,845 Telling you, I'm not that kind of a person. You should ask people. I, 409 00:26:06,945 --> 00:26:09,645 I'm not like a super nice person. So , you know, 410 00:26:09,765 --> 00:26:12,245 I just wanna put that in perspective. Go ahead. No, I. 411 00:26:12,245 --> 00:26:17,205 Appreciate that. No, I, uh, I am John Arthur, and when I was a child, 412 00:26:17,925 --> 00:26:21,965 I was very shy. My, my father was in the military. 413 00:26:22,065 --> 00:26:23,525 My mother was a, 414 00:26:23,845 --> 00:26:27,525 a Korean shopkeeper in a small village called Toko Ri by the, 415 00:26:27,705 --> 00:26:29,525 the Militarized Zone in, in South Korea. 416 00:26:30,185 --> 00:26:32,645 My father was a soldier stationed there. They, they met, 417 00:26:32,645 --> 00:26:37,225 they fell in love and came here. And my childhood, 418 00:26:38,145 --> 00:26:41,545 I, I spent bouncing around from one army base to the next. Yeah. 419 00:26:41,545 --> 00:26:46,045 And as I did that, I had a hard time opening up, making friends. 420 00:26:46,745 --> 00:26:51,565 And so for a long time, I just, I just kind of kept to myself. I, 421 00:26:51,645 --> 00:26:55,485 I had friends. I was, you know, I was, I wasn't like antisocial, 422 00:26:55,745 --> 00:26:59,525 but as I, as I grew up, I started to open up a little bit more. 423 00:26:59,545 --> 00:27:03,805 We stayed here in Utah, moved when I was eight. Okay. This became home. 424 00:27:03,825 --> 00:27:07,965 And once it became home, I was able to start opening up to people. Okay. 425 00:27:07,965 --> 00:27:10,885 And I was always a pretty good student in school. But yeah. 426 00:27:10,995 --> 00:27:13,085 When I got to my junior year of high school, 427 00:27:14,265 --> 00:27:17,645 my grandmother who had lived with us and was suffering from Alzheimer's, 428 00:27:17,645 --> 00:27:18,478 passed away. 429 00:27:18,705 --> 00:27:23,685 And while my family took her back home to Virginia to, to bury her, 430 00:27:24,325 --> 00:27:29,245 I, I told them I can't go. I can't go to my grandmother's funeral. I was, 431 00:27:29,365 --> 00:27:31,405 I was too messed up over it, honestly. Yeah. 432 00:27:31,405 --> 00:27:34,645 But I just told 'em I have to stay here and go to school. Yeah. And so I, 433 00:27:34,925 --> 00:27:36,205 I continued to go to class, 434 00:27:37,105 --> 00:27:40,725 and while my parents and my sister were gone burying my grandmother, 435 00:27:40,825 --> 00:27:45,445 my house got broken into two nights in a row by the same guy. And we tussled, 436 00:27:45,795 --> 00:27:48,765 there's a, there's a real police support about, for real. Oh yeah. Absolutely. 437 00:27:49,385 --> 00:27:51,005 Wow. You know, I, uh, 438 00:27:51,405 --> 00:27:55,525 I I was already emotionally upset 'cause my grandmother Yeah. Had passed. 439 00:27:55,825 --> 00:27:58,005 Now there's this person trying to come into my home, 440 00:27:58,465 --> 00:28:00,405 and I should have left after the first night. But I, 441 00:28:00,485 --> 00:28:02,605 I thought there's no way he would ever come back. 442 00:28:02,605 --> 00:28:06,365 And he came back the next night. And that's amazing. And so we, you know, 443 00:28:06,605 --> 00:28:07,115 I had this, 444 00:28:07,115 --> 00:28:11,855 this horrible experience and it made me question the purpose of 445 00:28:11,855 --> 00:28:16,695 life. I had this existential crisis when I was 16 years old. Okay. 446 00:28:16,795 --> 00:28:20,255 And I, I, I looked at myself. I said, I, 447 00:28:20,475 --> 00:28:23,335 I'm not bearing my grandmother because I had to go to class. 448 00:28:23,955 --> 00:28:26,935 What's wrong with me? And so, like most teenagers, I, 449 00:28:27,095 --> 00:28:30,015 I overreacted and went the other way. I, I stopped going to class entirely. 450 00:28:30,295 --> 00:28:33,215 I I got straight Fs my third trimester of, 451 00:28:33,315 --> 00:28:35,775 of high school or junior year. I, 452 00:28:35,855 --> 00:28:39,435 I barely graduated high school and Wow. For years. 453 00:28:39,815 --> 00:28:42,235 And you had always been a pretty good student, right? 454 00:28:42,235 --> 00:28:44,395 I've always been a pretty good student. Yeah. Absolutely. I was, 455 00:28:44,515 --> 00:28:48,475 I was in AP courses. I was, I had great report cards, but I, 456 00:28:48,635 --> 00:28:50,515 I lost my sense of purpose and motivation. 457 00:28:50,775 --> 00:28:55,275 And I stayed that way until my mid twenties. I, I had fun. I, I, 458 00:28:55,555 --> 00:28:58,795 I was, I, I was never at risk of, 459 00:28:58,975 --> 00:29:01,315 of really hurting myself or anything like that. But I, 460 00:29:01,435 --> 00:29:05,985 I just didn't have any purpose in my life. And when I was about 25, 26, 461 00:29:06,665 --> 00:29:10,945 I was reading. I loved to read. I'm an avid reader. Yeah. And I, 462 00:29:11,025 --> 00:29:14,025 I read this quote by Frederick Douglass who said, 463 00:29:14,205 --> 00:29:18,705 it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. 464 00:29:19,965 --> 00:29:24,505 And I realized in that moment, I, I had to read it a couple of times to myself, 465 00:29:24,525 --> 00:29:29,345 it is easier to build strong children than to repair broken men. Yeah. 466 00:29:29,585 --> 00:29:31,065 I realized I was a broken man, 467 00:29:31,645 --> 00:29:35,425 and for some reason it just clicked that I wanted to dedicate the rest of my 468 00:29:35,425 --> 00:29:39,705 life to building strong children. So I went back to college. I finished my, 469 00:29:39,885 --> 00:29:43,605 my bachelor's degree in English and a minor in history. And then, yeah, 470 00:29:43,765 --> 00:29:47,085 I went to grad school to get my Master of arts in teaching. While I was there. 471 00:29:47,165 --> 00:29:49,605 I also got a Master's of Education in special education. 472 00:29:49,805 --> 00:29:53,645 'cause I wanted to be effective for all kids. And from the moment I, 473 00:29:53,965 --> 00:29:56,845 I found my purpose, I, I became this, 474 00:29:56,845 --> 00:29:59,845 this guy that you lovingly refer to as sunshine. I, 475 00:29:59,965 --> 00:30:04,005 I became a guy who knew exactly what I was all about in life. Yeah. I, I, 476 00:30:04,205 --> 00:30:07,165 I was dedicated. I was mission-driven. Yeah. And, 477 00:30:07,345 --> 00:30:09,605 and now every day I live the dream. 478 00:30:09,785 --> 00:30:14,445 I'm building strong children in a joyful place with the most beautiful 479 00:30:14,445 --> 00:30:17,605 community. And I, I couldn't ask for anymore. 480 00:30:17,665 --> 00:30:20,525 And now I'm also blessed with a wonderful wife, 481 00:30:20,705 --> 00:30:25,005 two little girls who now are coming to my school as well. And it's like, yeah. 482 00:30:25,275 --> 00:30:26,965 Well, I'm too blessed to be stressed. 483 00:30:27,515 --> 00:30:31,405 Yeah. , you're not the first person who said that to me about, I, 484 00:30:31,605 --> 00:30:34,005 I need to think about that a little bit. Mm-Hmm. . But I think, um, 485 00:30:34,715 --> 00:30:36,765 well, thank, thank you for, um, 486 00:30:37,585 --> 00:30:39,805 for just the vulnerability and the transparency. 487 00:30:40,205 --> 00:30:44,975 I think that there's a bunch of layers to it, right? Like, 488 00:30:45,415 --> 00:30:49,855 I mean, the first just being, just being csat men of color, 489 00:30:50,105 --> 00:30:51,455 right? Mm-Hmm. . Absolutely. Like, 490 00:30:51,455 --> 00:30:55,895 these aren't typically qualities that are celebrated or uplifted in our 491 00:30:55,895 --> 00:30:59,855 communities to recognize one's own brokenness and 492 00:31:00,995 --> 00:31:05,535 do something about it. Mm-Hmm. . Um, and on another level, it, 493 00:31:05,765 --> 00:31:10,535 it's just, so this is why I love doing podcasting just in general and, 494 00:31:10,635 --> 00:31:11,855 and hearing people's stories, 495 00:31:11,855 --> 00:31:16,255 because I think it's easy to pigeonhole people into, 496 00:31:17,115 --> 00:31:20,735 you know, oh, that's John. He's always happy, always in a good mood, 497 00:31:20,755 --> 00:31:23,655 and always kind, and always patient and always spiritually level, 498 00:31:23,655 --> 00:31:28,385 which is probably true. Um, but it, but it's like, 499 00:31:29,175 --> 00:31:33,105 there's a story there. Mm-Hmm. . And there's, 500 00:31:33,425 --> 00:31:36,945 there's things that you've experienced there. Yeah. Um, and, 501 00:31:36,965 --> 00:31:40,865 and I love the idea that, that, you know, 502 00:31:41,945 --> 00:31:45,505 I think it's hard to find answers to the, 503 00:31:45,925 --> 00:31:50,425 why did you go into teaching question that we haven't heard a thousand times 504 00:31:50,685 --> 00:31:52,385 before, right? Mm-Hmm. . Um, 505 00:31:52,965 --> 00:31:56,945 but you saying that it was really like, well, if it's, 506 00:31:57,485 --> 00:32:00,905 if it's harder to fix broken men, 507 00:32:00,935 --> 00:32:04,825 then why don't we Mm-Hmm. , why don't we help build children up, 508 00:32:05,285 --> 00:32:08,425 um, into the strongest versions of themselves. Um, you know, 509 00:32:08,425 --> 00:32:13,265 you talked a little bit about the joy that you experience with your students. 510 00:32:13,685 --> 00:32:18,185 What's one way that in Mr. Arthur's a captain's classroom, right? That's right. 511 00:32:18,525 --> 00:32:19,358 Um, . 512 00:32:20,005 --> 00:32:24,545 What's one way that you intentionally work to 513 00:32:25,595 --> 00:32:27,425 build strong people? 514 00:32:28,375 --> 00:32:32,865 Well, you just referenced my, my nickname here, captain. Um, 515 00:32:33,295 --> 00:32:36,225 I'll tell you, it has nothing to do with Dead poet Society. 516 00:32:36,655 --> 00:32:38,265 Dang it. I was hoping it would Captain. 517 00:32:38,265 --> 00:32:40,645 Captain like everybody, our generation, because, you know. 518 00:32:40,645 --> 00:32:43,605 That was, that was the first that that movie actually Mm-Hmm. 519 00:32:43,645 --> 00:32:46,645 was the first thing that made me think that maybe teaching was a 520 00:32:46,645 --> 00:32:48,205 thing I could do. You know. 521 00:32:48,235 --> 00:32:51,285 It's, you know what? That's why I I was, I was studying English in, 522 00:32:51,345 --> 00:32:53,725 in my undergrad program at the University of Utah. 523 00:32:54,085 --> 00:32:58,565 A lot of it 'cause of that movie. 'cause I, I loved, I loved the written word. 524 00:32:58,685 --> 00:33:02,765 I love poetry. And when I decided I wanted to be a teacher, I thought, man, 525 00:33:02,965 --> 00:33:04,885 I wanna be like, you know, Robin Williams? 526 00:33:05,075 --> 00:33:06,285 Like Mr. Keating. Be. 527 00:33:06,285 --> 00:33:09,885 Like, Mr. Keating. Exactly. I want, I want kids standing on my, on their desks, 528 00:33:10,025 --> 00:33:10,858 you know, . 529 00:33:11,025 --> 00:33:12,325 As you get fired from your job. So. 530 00:33:12,325 --> 00:33:14,565 Angry as I was getting fired and kicked outta the building. Right. 531 00:33:14,565 --> 00:33:16,365 That's the dream right there. That's. 532 00:33:16,365 --> 00:33:17,198 A dream right there. 533 00:33:17,825 --> 00:33:20,645 So I, I thought that that was the direction I was gonna go. But then I, 534 00:33:20,765 --> 00:33:25,485 I subbed before I began my grad program, uh, and I did not, 535 00:33:25,595 --> 00:33:28,845 like, I don't know how you secondary teachers do it, but like, middle school, 536 00:33:28,845 --> 00:33:30,685 high school, when I was seven, that was not my spot. 537 00:33:30,905 --> 00:33:34,885 My sweet spot was sixth grade, fifth grade, upper elementary, because Okay, 538 00:33:34,985 --> 00:33:37,805 you can spend all day with them. It's like the big littles. 539 00:33:37,805 --> 00:33:39,965 It's the big littles, the big littles. And they're, 540 00:33:39,965 --> 00:33:41,085 they're at the fork in the road. 541 00:33:41,085 --> 00:33:45,125 They're at that moment in life where they're not deciding who they're gonna be 542 00:33:45,125 --> 00:33:46,885 because that's, that's too big. They're just, 543 00:33:46,885 --> 00:33:49,965 they're just trying to figure out who they are. And Yeah. I, 544 00:33:50,125 --> 00:33:54,975 I was drawn to that immediately. And during my second year of teaching, I, 545 00:33:55,295 --> 00:33:59,055 I had this group of girls who came up and they said, Mr. Arthur, 546 00:33:59,795 --> 00:34:03,175 we want nicknames. Can we have nicknames in this class? ? 547 00:34:03,255 --> 00:34:06,735 I I had never considered it before. I said, well, what are you thinking? 548 00:34:06,735 --> 00:34:10,295 They're like, well, we, we, we love this show called Attack on Titan, 549 00:34:11,035 --> 00:34:11,895 and it's this. 550 00:34:11,965 --> 00:34:13,135 Jeff mga. 551 00:34:13,645 --> 00:34:16,415 Yeah. And I've never seen that. I had no idea what they were talking about. 552 00:34:16,415 --> 00:34:17,248 And they said, it's classic. 553 00:34:17,365 --> 00:34:17,745 Yeah. 554 00:34:17,745 --> 00:34:21,535 We're gonna call her Annie, and we're gonna call her Ackerman and her Sasha, 555 00:34:21,795 --> 00:34:25,615 and we wanna call you captain. I said, why? And they said, well, 556 00:34:25,615 --> 00:34:28,815 there's this character named Captain Levi on the show, and, uh, 557 00:34:29,155 --> 00:34:33,855 and we wanna name you after him. And I, I took a leap of faith that I, I, 558 00:34:33,875 --> 00:34:36,975 in hindsight, probably shouldn't. 'cause for all I knew, this guy was like a, 559 00:34:37,105 --> 00:34:39,775 could have been a psychopath. He could have been a murderer. 560 00:34:39,975 --> 00:34:43,855 could have been insane. But I said, okay, yeah, call me Captain. 561 00:34:43,955 --> 00:34:46,735 And once they had nicknames and started calling me captain, 562 00:34:47,235 --> 00:34:51,695 the other kids were like, why are we calling you captain? The girls explained, 563 00:34:51,695 --> 00:34:54,655 they said, well, we want nicknames too. And course, in that second class, 564 00:34:54,855 --> 00:34:59,535 I ended up with a kid named Beef Shadow Boss. 565 00:35:00,475 --> 00:35:04,055 Crispy a lot of Food Ones Jerky. Yeah. . And, uh, and. 566 00:35:05,265 --> 00:35:07,815 These were outside of Attack on Titan Nicknames was. 567 00:35:07,905 --> 00:35:10,655 These were outside attack on, on Titan nicknames. Exactly. . 568 00:35:10,655 --> 00:35:13,895 It was only like, it was only last year that I finally watched Attack on Titan. 569 00:35:14,295 --> 00:35:18,615 'cause season one's on Netflix now, and it's the most violent, gory. 570 00:35:18,915 --> 00:35:20,655 No, it's wild. Attack on Titan is wild. 571 00:35:20,765 --> 00:35:24,095 It's so wild. But the, the captain character is cool. I like him. He's dope. 572 00:35:24,205 --> 00:35:25,615 He's super cool. Uh, but. 573 00:35:25,835 --> 00:35:28,255 I'm really happy that I know that because, you know, my, 574 00:35:28,395 --> 00:35:32,975 my daughter has indoctrinated me into, um, into anime and into, 575 00:35:33,115 --> 00:35:35,415 oh my gosh. You know, those things. And it is so good. 576 00:35:36,165 --> 00:35:37,665 Anime's. Yeah, it's good. Phenomenal. 577 00:35:37,965 --> 00:35:42,345 And it's this cross-cutting cultural piece. Yeah. All my students, 578 00:35:42,345 --> 00:35:46,905 whether they're African, Southeast Asian, la Latino, 579 00:35:47,125 --> 00:35:50,865 Latinx, uh, Caucasian, Pacific Islander. Mm-Hmm. . They all, 580 00:35:51,735 --> 00:35:56,305 they all love anime. They're all into it. And my, 581 00:35:56,365 --> 00:35:59,425 my third class, when they, when they showed up at the start of the year, 582 00:36:00,105 --> 00:36:03,465 I thought I was done with these nicknames, you know, , I, I, 583 00:36:03,945 --> 00:36:07,545 I thought that was it. And I had a, a young man walk into my classroom. 584 00:36:07,605 --> 00:36:09,945 He was the first student to show up on the first day of school. 585 00:36:10,285 --> 00:36:13,945 And he walked in and said, Hey, Mr. Arthur, 586 00:36:14,545 --> 00:36:17,185 I already know what my nickname's gonna be. . I said, what, 587 00:36:17,185 --> 00:36:20,745 what's it gonna be? He said, I want everyone to call me Sprinkles. 588 00:36:22,045 --> 00:36:25,465 And I was like, all right. Okay. Sprinkles. And, 589 00:36:26,085 --> 00:36:28,385 and here in Utah, at that time, 590 00:36:28,385 --> 00:36:32,305 we had this law in place that the nickname was the No promo Homo Law. 591 00:36:32,685 --> 00:36:36,505 You couldn't talk about anything L-G-B-T-Q related. 592 00:36:36,565 --> 00:36:39,505 You couldn't use the words gay or queer in your classroom. Wow. 593 00:36:39,645 --> 00:36:42,345 And then they came up. If students asked you, you had to say, I, 594 00:36:42,465 --> 00:36:44,585 I don't talk about that. I ain't got nothing to do with that. 595 00:36:45,405 --> 00:36:50,105 And this kid walks in and says, I wanna be called Sprinkles. And he, 596 00:36:50,285 --> 00:36:54,545 he was signaling to me very clearly that he was, um, 597 00:36:55,005 --> 00:36:56,985 he was identifying in that community, 598 00:36:57,125 --> 00:37:01,745 and he wanted to choose a name to represent himself in our classroom community 599 00:37:02,295 --> 00:37:06,985 that would be reflective of that. Yeah. And I, I immediately in that moment, 600 00:37:07,045 --> 00:37:08,385 had this epiphany. I said, this, 601 00:37:08,815 --> 00:37:13,675 this nickname thing that just happened organically 602 00:37:13,675 --> 00:37:16,915 on its own is now like, the best thing about my class. 603 00:37:16,975 --> 00:37:18,835 And now it's now kids are coming in and. 604 00:37:18,835 --> 00:37:20,035 They're, it's an institution. 605 00:37:20,035 --> 00:37:21,715 Now. Their own identity in there. Yeah. 606 00:37:21,935 --> 00:37:26,135 That's, that's so deep, man. Because Mm-Hmm. . Um, as, 607 00:37:26,155 --> 00:37:29,335 as you kind of describe this, it reminds me of, um, 608 00:37:30,255 --> 00:37:32,775 a piece that I read in my grad program. Mm-Hmm. . Um, 609 00:37:32,995 --> 00:37:36,855 so I took a class on qualitative research, um, methodologies. 610 00:37:37,435 --> 00:37:41,535 And this book that we read cover to cover, y'all need to pick it up. 611 00:37:41,535 --> 00:37:44,135 It's expensive, but pick it up. Anyway. It's called Humanizing Research. 612 00:37:44,605 --> 00:37:48,335 It's edited, edited by the Great Django Paris and Maisha Wynn. 613 00:37:48,675 --> 00:37:53,295 And there's a chapter written by David, uh, Kirkland, who explores, 614 00:37:53,635 --> 00:37:57,935 um, literacies among eighth grade black boys. Mm-Hmm. . 615 00:37:57,955 --> 00:38:02,375 And he's a black male scholar himself. And, and he's looking at, 616 00:38:02,795 --> 00:38:06,495 at hip hop as a cultural, so like, as, as you're talking, 617 00:38:06,815 --> 00:38:09,415 I feel this hiphop undercurrent Mm-Hmm. Because we look at, um, 618 00:38:09,435 --> 00:38:13,775 and you'll see audience where this segue lives in my brain. Um, 619 00:38:14,635 --> 00:38:17,295 so when I think about hiphop, right? Mm-Hmm. , 620 00:38:17,575 --> 00:38:19,255 I think about Wu-Tang. Mm-Hmm. , 621 00:38:19,255 --> 00:38:22,815 I think about Grandmaster Flash and the Furious five mm-Hmm. . 622 00:38:22,815 --> 00:38:25,335 Mm-Hmm. , I think about verbal fists of fury, 623 00:38:25,445 --> 00:38:26,535 like these kinds of things. 624 00:38:27,075 --> 00:38:31,935 And one thing that black and brown communities have always resonated with is, 625 00:38:32,195 --> 00:38:36,045 um, martial arts culture. Mm-Hmm. . And this kind of, you know, 626 00:38:37,095 --> 00:38:41,925 again, cuts across cultural difference. And, um, you know, Bruce Lee, 627 00:38:41,925 --> 00:38:43,965 everybody knew who knew who Bruce Lee was. And so, 628 00:38:44,465 --> 00:38:48,285 so what this kind of comes circular back to, 629 00:38:48,585 --> 00:38:52,405 so he's doing this research study with these four black boys, 630 00:38:52,405 --> 00:38:57,285 and he just calls the guys and they're sort of talking about how their 631 00:38:57,555 --> 00:39:02,445 raps are not just expressions of their lives as 632 00:39:02,445 --> 00:39:06,885 they are, but are their lives as if lived in a parallel way. 633 00:39:07,035 --> 00:39:09,885 They're multiverse of lives. And you know, 634 00:39:09,885 --> 00:39:12,765 at one point the boys are going back and forth about some, 635 00:39:12,915 --> 00:39:16,965 some verses that one of them wrote, and one of them said, man, 636 00:39:16,965 --> 00:39:20,725 you can't see what you wrote. That's not even the truth. And another boy says, 637 00:39:20,755 --> 00:39:22,005 yeah, but I'm bigger than the truth. 638 00:39:23,045 --> 00:39:23,878 . 639 00:39:25,245 --> 00:39:28,565 I was like, that's incredible. But, you know, writing identities, 640 00:39:29,045 --> 00:39:32,205 creating identities, and creating a way, 641 00:39:32,985 --> 00:39:34,365 and it sounds like what this, 642 00:39:34,425 --> 00:39:38,845 in the reason this is an institution in your classroom is that 643 00:39:39,475 --> 00:39:43,845 kids get to write their identities every day. Exactly. Every day. 644 00:39:44,145 --> 00:39:44,978 That's beautiful. 645 00:39:45,075 --> 00:39:49,125 They get to write their identities, and they are part of, uh, a, 646 00:39:49,445 --> 00:39:51,045 a broader identity. 647 00:39:51,865 --> 00:39:55,685 My classroom has a big old sign on the wall that says ninth evermore. 648 00:39:56,345 --> 00:40:00,005 And people love to ask me, are, are you gonna ask me? No. 649 00:40:00,005 --> 00:40:02,125 Go ahead. I I was gonna, I was gonna ask you about that. Yeah. Well, I. 650 00:40:02,125 --> 00:40:06,845 Was gonna say, people love to ask, what, what is ninth evermore? And I, 651 00:40:07,145 --> 00:40:11,605 my answer is, I, I can't tell you. My answer is, 652 00:40:12,745 --> 00:40:17,285 in our classrooms, we teachers in our students, we get to co-create the worlds. 653 00:40:17,285 --> 00:40:21,205 We wanna live in better worlds where the way that people talk to each other, 654 00:40:21,305 --> 00:40:24,685 the way that we embrace each other, the way that we lift each other up is, 655 00:40:24,865 --> 00:40:28,165 is more where it should be, 656 00:40:28,215 --> 00:40:32,045 especially when compared to the real world, quote unquote out there. Wow. 657 00:40:32,265 --> 00:40:35,005 We get to, we get to make these magic, it's like a refuge places together. 658 00:40:35,035 --> 00:40:36,365 It's like a refuge. Exactly. It's a refuge. 659 00:40:36,985 --> 00:40:41,365 And I can't tell you exactly why ours is called the Ninth Evermore. There's, 660 00:40:41,395 --> 00:40:45,365 there's a story there that belongs to every student that comes through my class, 661 00:40:45,465 --> 00:40:50,205 but my students in here know that they are the 10th class of the ninth evermore. 662 00:40:50,505 --> 00:40:53,965 And in here, they don't have just names. They've got handles. They, you know, 663 00:40:53,985 --> 00:40:58,405 as I look out, I see the desks, the empty desks of Jazzy and, 664 00:40:58,465 --> 00:41:02,685 and Alistair and Smiles and Monarch and monochrome, and like, 665 00:41:02,685 --> 00:41:07,205 just these, these amazing, not just, you know, students, but, 666 00:41:07,265 --> 00:41:09,405 but content creators of these, 667 00:41:09,415 --> 00:41:13,605 these young people who are not just trying to see how much they can consume in a 668 00:41:13,605 --> 00:41:15,925 year, but how much they can create. Yeah. And they're, 669 00:41:16,075 --> 00:41:20,765 they're connected to every student that I've had in my classroom back to my 670 00:41:20,765 --> 00:41:25,645 first year. And the beautiful thing is they, you know, they're, I've, 671 00:41:25,715 --> 00:41:30,445 I've taught all 10 years of my career, uh, here at Meadow Ark Elementary. 672 00:41:30,605 --> 00:41:32,245 I started on fifth grade for three years. 673 00:41:32,645 --> 00:41:37,205 I looped up to sixth grade with one class. And now I've had everybody's brother, 674 00:41:37,255 --> 00:41:41,325 their sister, their cousin, this is, this is my community. I've, 675 00:41:41,355 --> 00:41:46,085 I've put these deep roots in and my kids come back and they'll say, Hey, what's, 676 00:41:46,085 --> 00:41:48,965 what's the ninth evermore up to now? Like, what are they creating? Well, oh, 677 00:41:48,965 --> 00:41:52,965 you guys are making another music. Oh, you're making podcasts. That's dope. And, 678 00:41:53,065 --> 00:41:56,845 and they, they come back to support. They come back to mentor. 679 00:41:57,035 --> 00:42:00,525 They'll just come back and like tutor kids every once in a while, just randomly. 680 00:42:00,725 --> 00:42:03,685 I have a couple of kids who would come in after school just to clean the room. 681 00:42:04,185 --> 00:42:07,765 So it was nicer for the students this year, um, when you, 682 00:42:07,765 --> 00:42:11,245 when you let kids be their best selves in a space, 683 00:42:11,355 --> 00:42:15,485 they become so connected to it that it comes to represent something so much more 684 00:42:15,755 --> 00:42:18,805 than just their classroom. Yeah. And we all have the opportunity to do that. 685 00:42:19,615 --> 00:42:24,025 Yeah. That, that's really profound. I'm, I'm so glad you shared that, 686 00:42:24,025 --> 00:42:28,185 because I think like every classroom is its own universe. Mm-Hmm. , 687 00:42:28,185 --> 00:42:31,105 right? Mm-Hmm. . Um, and, uh, what you're, 688 00:42:31,655 --> 00:42:35,065 what you're explaining is really beautiful. I, I think that them, 689 00:42:35,135 --> 00:42:39,625 this might be a, a good segue into kind of the next thing. So we talk, you know, 690 00:42:40,445 --> 00:42:43,265 and just transparency for all of, um, my guests. 691 00:42:43,425 --> 00:42:47,825 I think one of the things that we are trying to do here at Two Dope Productions 692 00:42:48,125 --> 00:42:52,825 is to really be in tune with the moment and to really 693 00:42:53,205 --> 00:42:57,305 try to uplift voices at the time that they're most likely to be heard. 694 00:42:57,405 --> 00:43:01,705 And so we are attempting to amplify diverse 695 00:43:02,195 --> 00:43:03,985 Asian Americans, native Hawaiian, 696 00:43:04,235 --> 00:43:08,545 south Asian Pacific Islander voices of teachers who are, um, 697 00:43:08,965 --> 00:43:12,985 who are out here doing this work, showing up as, as their, um, authentic selves. 698 00:43:12,985 --> 00:43:16,545 Because, you know, you, you referenced Utah's version of the, uh, 699 00:43:16,545 --> 00:43:19,025 the No promo homo the Don't Say Gay Mm-Hmm. , uh, 700 00:43:19,025 --> 00:43:22,785 policy and legislation, which we're seeing in other states as well, 701 00:43:23,315 --> 00:43:28,185 where we are actively discouraging teachers and children from 702 00:43:28,435 --> 00:43:32,665 being themselves publicly. Mm-Hmm. . And so we, 703 00:43:33,125 --> 00:43:37,625 we really wanna shine a spotlight on the fact that John Arthur is not 704 00:43:38,135 --> 00:43:42,745 just a teacher, and he's not just a teacher of the year. 705 00:43:43,175 --> 00:43:46,625 That he is a human being of Asian American descent. Mm-Hmm. . 706 00:43:46,765 --> 00:43:50,185 And I think we wanna, you know, we wanna really highlight that. So, 707 00:43:50,195 --> 00:43:55,145 thing I wanna have you share a little bit of is racialized experiences. 708 00:43:55,575 --> 00:43:56,825 This is something that we hear 709 00:43:58,405 --> 00:44:02,485 a lot from people from marginalized and minoritized communities, 710 00:44:02,485 --> 00:44:07,165 people of color. Um, what kind of racialized experiences have, 711 00:44:07,715 --> 00:44:11,645 have you had, um, whether it's in your childhood, 712 00:44:11,645 --> 00:44:13,725 whether it's as a professional, as an adult, 713 00:44:14,185 --> 00:44:18,165 and how do those impact the way you do this work? 714 00:44:19,245 --> 00:44:22,245 Hmm. Well, in my childhood, 715 00:44:23,285 --> 00:44:26,005 I was very proud to be Korean. 716 00:44:26,725 --> 00:44:30,245 I was proud that my mother was Korean. I, I, I, 717 00:44:30,485 --> 00:44:35,085 I took on that identity in a very strong way until I went to Korea 718 00:44:35,465 --> 00:44:39,445 for an extended amount of time. Now, I went to school there in the summer. 719 00:44:39,545 --> 00:44:41,365 We went on this vacation in July, 720 00:44:41,825 --> 00:44:45,085 and we landed and we're hanging out with my cousins. And my mom said, 721 00:44:45,085 --> 00:44:48,805 you're going to school? I said, it's July. No one goes to school. She said, 722 00:44:48,825 --> 00:44:49,885 we do here in Korea. 723 00:44:50,225 --> 00:44:52,725 You're like, this is terrible. You're like, I hate Korean. 724 00:44:52,725 --> 00:44:56,605 Yeah, yeah. , it was like, what on Earth? But I was like, okay, cool. 725 00:44:56,635 --> 00:44:59,005 I'll get to go hang out with kids. And I went, 726 00:44:59,505 --> 00:45:04,285 and I had this very strange experience where I didn't 727 00:45:04,285 --> 00:45:09,125 realize going into it, that anybody would have an issue with, with, uh, 728 00:45:09,285 --> 00:45:12,965 a biracial child going into a Korean school as a half white, 729 00:45:12,965 --> 00:45:15,045 half Korean young man. I, 730 00:45:15,325 --> 00:45:17,845 I had no idea that anybody would have a problem with me. 731 00:45:18,365 --> 00:45:20,765 I didn't understand this history of, 732 00:45:21,145 --> 00:45:25,965 of animosity in Korea towards children who were born of American 733 00:45:26,625 --> 00:45:29,285 gis, who had either, uh, 734 00:45:29,865 --> 00:45:34,525 fallen in love or without consent, fathered children with, with local women. Oh, 735 00:45:34,805 --> 00:45:35,638 interesting. And so when I went there, 736 00:45:36,085 --> 00:45:40,725 I started learning these words that I didn't know. And I'd go back home and, 737 00:45:40,745 --> 00:45:44,285 and tell my mom, and she's like, oh, don't, don't, don't listen. That. And I, 738 00:45:44,385 --> 00:45:48,285 I'd ask a friend or a cousin, they'd say, oh, that means like mud blood. Like, 739 00:45:48,285 --> 00:45:52,565 like, like, oh, wow. Like in the dirty, dirty blood. That's right. I'm like, oh, 740 00:45:52,865 --> 00:45:54,005 no. And. 741 00:45:54,315 --> 00:45:57,085 Half Breeded was always my, one of my favorites that I got. 742 00:45:57,315 --> 00:45:59,805 Yeah. Half breeded. Exactly, man. And I know that, you know, 743 00:46:00,635 --> 00:46:05,125 this is something that connects us. No matter what biracial identity you have, 744 00:46:05,125 --> 00:46:07,325 there's always this like split between two worlds. And, 745 00:46:07,325 --> 00:46:12,165 and that experience made me ashamed a bit of my Korean side. Never. Like, 746 00:46:12,165 --> 00:46:14,885 yeah. I never completely rid it off, wrote it off. But I, 747 00:46:15,005 --> 00:46:18,645 I definitely didn't identify myself as Korean American to people. I just say, 748 00:46:18,645 --> 00:46:21,605 yeah, I'm John. Until, uh, 749 00:46:22,235 --> 00:46:25,525 that that continued on into middle school. 750 00:46:26,425 --> 00:46:29,685 And when I was in middle school, I got, I, I had an experience that, 751 00:46:29,685 --> 00:46:33,565 that sent hate the other way where I was coming outta gym class. And these boys, 752 00:46:33,565 --> 00:46:36,805 they were just looking for a, not, I'm sorry, not gym class, geography class. 753 00:46:37,385 --> 00:46:40,845 Oh. And these boys were looking for a reason to just, just mess with me. 754 00:46:41,045 --> 00:46:44,565 They were just trying to make me angry. Uh, 'cause they wanted to start a fight. 755 00:46:44,705 --> 00:46:48,205 And I think I may have told you the story before they started calling me Chinky. 756 00:46:48,205 --> 00:46:51,685 They're like, Hey, chink, man, let's, let's see, let's see what you got. Chin. 757 00:46:52,225 --> 00:46:55,805 And I was like, man, what? I'm Korean like, first of all, we're, 758 00:46:55,805 --> 00:46:58,565 you're not even geography class. Like, you don't even know. First. 759 00:46:58,565 --> 00:47:00,885 Of all, we're literally talking about countries and where they are. 760 00:47:00,905 --> 00:47:02,565 Second of all wrong. 761 00:47:03,455 --> 00:47:07,125 Wrong. Like, come on, just bring the right hate if you're gonna do this. Like, 762 00:47:07,125 --> 00:47:11,045 like, let's just do a wrong accurate with Yeah. Let's just be accurate with it. 763 00:47:11,225 --> 00:47:15,525 So I, you know, I tried to walk away. They just kept pushing. They kept pushing. 764 00:47:15,525 --> 00:47:18,405 They said, come on, man, let's see. I, I know you know karate. 765 00:47:18,485 --> 00:47:22,125 I know you know karate. See that kung fu, let's go. I know you do. Wow. 766 00:47:22,465 --> 00:47:26,365 And I was like, man, we don't all know karate. This is ridiculous. Yeah. Yeah. 767 00:47:26,825 --> 00:47:29,605 The problem is I do know karate. I know TaeKwonDo. I've been trained since, 768 00:47:29,685 --> 00:47:29,925 I was gonna. 769 00:47:29,925 --> 00:47:32,645 Say since I was three years old. I was gonna say, I was like, my, my father, uh, 770 00:47:32,905 --> 00:47:33,355 my father. 771 00:47:33,355 --> 00:47:35,885 Started teaching me when I was, when I was like young. 772 00:47:36,065 --> 00:47:39,415 But in that fight, I, 773 00:47:39,775 --> 00:47:43,735 I did not do anything that I could have done. I, 774 00:47:43,895 --> 00:47:48,375 I had this conversation later on with, with a friend and like, 775 00:47:48,435 --> 00:47:50,255 how come you didn't like throw any kicks? 776 00:47:50,255 --> 00:47:53,695 How come you didn't fight back in like the way that you, you could. 777 00:47:54,555 --> 00:47:58,175 And I got, I got busted up. My, my nose was bleeding. I was, 778 00:47:58,295 --> 00:48:00,495 I was in kind of bad shape. And, uh, 779 00:48:00,795 --> 00:48:05,495 and I said that I would rather take a beating than prove 780 00:48:05,695 --> 00:48:09,855 them. Right. I, I just boxed with them because I didn't want to, 781 00:48:10,075 --> 00:48:14,495 didn't want to, uh, confirm their, their stereotyping of me. Yeah. 782 00:48:14,495 --> 00:48:18,255 Even though it was true, even though in Korea, TaeKwonDo is like the, 783 00:48:18,275 --> 00:48:22,155 the national pastime. It's like baseball. Yeah. When I went to school there, 784 00:48:22,155 --> 00:48:25,715 we did it in gym class. Like it was just part of the deal. Yeah. 785 00:48:25,915 --> 00:48:30,595 I still didn't want these guys to think that they had me and 786 00:48:30,595 --> 00:48:32,595 anybody from my community pegged. 787 00:48:32,675 --> 00:48:35,795 I didn't want them to think that their ignorance was, 788 00:48:35,935 --> 00:48:40,315 was gonna be verified or confirmed Yeah. By our, by our fight. So I, I, 789 00:48:40,435 --> 00:48:43,675 I held back, I held back this beautiful part of my culture. I Yeah. 790 00:48:43,675 --> 00:48:46,875 This beautiful part of my own personal history. And, and I, 791 00:48:46,955 --> 00:48:51,875 I took a bloody nose, uh, just, just for the sake of, of proving them wrong. 792 00:48:52,305 --> 00:48:52,735 Yeah. 793 00:48:52,735 --> 00:48:56,395 And that's wild. Yeah. That's wild. Yeah. I think, um, it's, 794 00:48:56,395 --> 00:48:59,075 it's so interesting because I think Yeah. 795 00:48:59,075 --> 00:49:01,555 You were a much stronger person than I would've been at that time. . 796 00:49:02,415 --> 00:49:03,315 It was, it was. 797 00:49:03,475 --> 00:49:07,035 I, I was proud of myself. Yeah. I, I don't know if I was right. I don't know if, 798 00:49:07,055 --> 00:49:11,435 if I did the right thing, but IWII left that feeling just fine about it. So I, 799 00:49:11,495 --> 00:49:12,915 I'd taken it. I'm as a kid. 800 00:49:13,415 --> 00:49:15,795 One way or the other, I'm not your stereotype. Right. Yeah, exactly. 801 00:49:15,795 --> 00:49:17,435 One way or the other. I'm not your stereotype. 802 00:49:17,695 --> 00:49:21,835 And even if playing into it may 803 00:49:22,635 --> 00:49:25,235 convince you that I'm tougher than you think I am. Yeah. 804 00:49:25,425 --> 00:49:29,795 It's still playing into, you're still dictating the terms of my existence. Yeah. 805 00:49:30,185 --> 00:49:31,035 Yeah. I feel that. 806 00:49:31,345 --> 00:49:33,675 Yeah. I feel that there's, I mean, there's so many examples of, 807 00:49:34,255 --> 00:49:36,675 of powerful ancestors who, 808 00:49:37,095 --> 00:49:39,995 who took physical punishment as an act defiance, 809 00:49:40,135 --> 00:49:44,155 and that was as close I've come to, to even, you know, 810 00:49:44,835 --> 00:49:48,955 touching on Yeah. On that in any way in my life. But yeah. So I, 811 00:49:49,075 --> 00:49:52,395 I had a complicated, uh, relationship with my own racial identity. 812 00:49:52,615 --> 00:49:56,875 I'd felt hate from the Korean side. I felt hate from the white side. And, uh, 813 00:49:56,975 --> 00:50:01,115 it wasn't until I was in my twenties that I started to embrace my, 814 00:50:01,175 --> 00:50:05,915 my Korean identity. Yeah. And, um, really just, just, I, 815 00:50:06,075 --> 00:50:10,995 I had so many amazing Asian friends here in Utah. Mm-Hmm. . And we, 816 00:50:11,015 --> 00:50:14,075 we just hung out all the time. And, and, um, they, they helped, 817 00:50:14,865 --> 00:50:18,315 they helped me find pride in, 818 00:50:18,495 --> 00:50:23,435 in who I was and where I came from, and the people who informed, 819 00:50:23,935 --> 00:50:28,885 uh, my background. And I, I, I'm forever grateful to the friends who, 820 00:50:28,945 --> 00:50:33,095 who helped me find Asian pride in my life. 821 00:50:33,125 --> 00:50:35,615 Yeah. Mm-Hmm. . That's awesome. As an adult, 822 00:50:35,615 --> 00:50:38,815 have you experienced any of the kind of discrimination, 823 00:50:38,875 --> 00:50:43,255 we know that looking at data from southern poverty to law center and some of the 824 00:50:43,255 --> 00:50:47,695 other, uh, human and civil rights organizations, that over the last, 825 00:50:48,235 --> 00:50:49,655 you know, three, four years, 826 00:50:49,885 --> 00:50:54,535 there's been an uptick in anti-Asian hate crimes and hate violence. Right. 827 00:50:54,575 --> 00:50:58,935 I see you got the, the sticker up, um, behind you. Um, Mm-Hmm. . 828 00:50:59,155 --> 00:50:59,988 How, 829 00:51:00,075 --> 00:51:05,055 how impacted have you felt by some of the anti-Asian 830 00:51:05,055 --> 00:51:05,888 hate that's out there? 831 00:51:07,715 --> 00:51:08,515 So, 832 00:51:08,515 --> 00:51:12,975 one of the privileges of being biracial is that oftentimes when it comes 833 00:51:13,635 --> 00:51:18,165 to, to hate Asian hate in particular, I'm not the ideal target, 834 00:51:18,465 --> 00:51:21,885 you know? Mm-Hmm. I, I, uh, I have watched, 835 00:51:23,345 --> 00:51:26,365 it's, it's kind of like, I don't know if you ever , 836 00:51:26,845 --> 00:51:31,325 I don't know if you ever saw the movie Highlander. This is like a super, like, 837 00:51:31,465 --> 00:51:33,085 off the, off the cuff reference. 838 00:51:33,085 --> 00:51:34,845 But Yeah. The, the one with Christopher Lambert. 839 00:51:34,995 --> 00:51:36,085 Yeah, exactly. Yeah, yeah, yeah. 840 00:51:36,085 --> 00:51:37,885 There's this part early in the movie where there, 841 00:51:37,915 --> 00:51:41,165 he's in this battle and he's there with his clan, 842 00:51:41,165 --> 00:51:43,605 and he doesn't realize why people are avoiding him, 843 00:51:43,905 --> 00:51:47,485 but he just keeps like swinging and screaming at people, come fight me, 844 00:51:48,075 --> 00:51:51,485 come fight me. But they're all just avoiding him. Hmm. 845 00:51:51,585 --> 00:51:56,535 And that's how I've often felt in situations where I've wanted to say, Hey, 846 00:51:56,535 --> 00:51:59,335 man, if you got a problem, come talk to me about it. Don't, don't, yeah. 847 00:51:59,345 --> 00:52:04,055 Don't attack older women, don't attack our children. Children come talk to me. 848 00:52:04,055 --> 00:52:08,055 But, but then people don't, and then I get frustrated about the fact that, uh, 849 00:52:08,485 --> 00:52:11,535 they don't engage in the way that I want to. Not that I'm looking for conflict, 850 00:52:11,715 --> 00:52:13,375 I'm looking for Right. Conversation, 851 00:52:13,715 --> 00:52:18,335 and ideally in some beautiful world resolution. But as an, 852 00:52:18,395 --> 00:52:22,375 as an educator, I've seen this in a couple ways. And also as a son of a, 853 00:52:22,395 --> 00:52:24,255 of a Korean mother, you know, 854 00:52:24,255 --> 00:52:28,455 the first time that we actually recorded anything together, it was, 855 00:52:28,475 --> 00:52:32,695 it was here on the podcast and it was around that Asian hate. Yeah. And, and it, 856 00:52:32,695 --> 00:52:36,565 it would not be, uh, it, like, 857 00:52:36,685 --> 00:52:41,525 I can't help but note the fact that now we're talking on the show 858 00:52:41,785 --> 00:52:43,325 and we just had the, 859 00:52:43,545 --> 00:52:48,325 the shooting in Texas where half of the victims were Asians. Yep. And, 860 00:52:49,185 --> 00:52:51,925 and it just, I, I hate the, the idea, 861 00:52:52,105 --> 00:52:56,845 I'm gonna have to come back again sometime when there is not some tragic 862 00:52:57,845 --> 00:53:02,405 violence against the Asian community on the news. Yeah. Because they, 863 00:53:02,745 --> 00:53:03,725 the problem is, it's just, 864 00:53:03,915 --> 00:53:07,005 it's happening frequently enough where that might be difficult. And that's a, 865 00:53:07,005 --> 00:53:10,285 yeah. That's one of the tragic things about the situation we're living in. Yeah. 866 00:53:10,305 --> 00:53:15,045 But as a teacher, absolutely. And as just a, as a man, when my mother, 867 00:53:16,345 --> 00:53:21,125 my mother got sick with, with cancer, and I traveled out there, I, 868 00:53:21,205 --> 00:53:25,725 I avoided going out there during covid as much as I could because I didn't want 869 00:53:25,725 --> 00:53:28,925 to take the chance of catching it and giving it to her, uh, 870 00:53:29,065 --> 00:53:32,845 in Washington DC where she lived. Yeah. But finally, I made the trip out there, 871 00:53:33,345 --> 00:53:37,685 and I, I was with my mother walking around the, the, 872 00:53:37,825 --> 00:53:42,765 the pool there at the National monument during the, the cherry blossoms. And, 873 00:53:43,545 --> 00:53:46,135 and in the news, 874 00:53:46,505 --> 00:53:51,255 older Asian women had been attacked violently. And in that moment, 875 00:53:51,445 --> 00:53:52,615 walking with my mother, 876 00:53:52,855 --> 00:53:57,455 I should have been focused on just loving her and the fact that she was ill and 877 00:53:57,475 --> 00:54:01,095 who knew how many more opportunities we would have to be together. But instead, 878 00:54:01,255 --> 00:54:04,495 I was scanning the crowd, looking for any threats, 879 00:54:04,565 --> 00:54:08,455 anybody looking at my mom the wrong way. And, and 880 00:54:10,135 --> 00:54:11,435 my dad , 881 00:54:11,935 --> 00:54:16,635 he and I had been having a conversation about what we needed to see more of 882 00:54:16,735 --> 00:54:20,035 in, in our schools to combat Asian hate. And I said, 883 00:54:20,035 --> 00:54:23,755 we need to see more of the accomplishments and contributions of Asian Americans 884 00:54:23,755 --> 00:54:24,875 celebrated in our schools, 885 00:54:25,025 --> 00:54:28,475 because it's hard to hate something when you understand it and you appreciate 886 00:54:28,475 --> 00:54:32,435 it. And he said, well, what are you talking about? Like, what contributions? I, 887 00:54:32,635 --> 00:54:35,035 I said, well, dad, look around. 888 00:54:35,495 --> 00:54:39,275 We are literally walking amongst these cherry blossoms. 889 00:54:39,275 --> 00:54:43,675 And I'd actually done a little report on this, this man named, uh, I'm, 890 00:54:43,795 --> 00:54:46,875 I might brutalize his name, but Tini Jo Chichi, 891 00:54:47,255 --> 00:54:51,315 who was this Japanese American, um, long time ago. 892 00:54:51,535 --> 00:54:54,475 And he had worked out a deal with the mayor of Tokyo to bring these cherry 893 00:54:54,475 --> 00:54:55,755 blossoms to Washington, dc. 894 00:54:56,255 --> 00:55:01,075 So we were literally walking around this beautiful place in the legacy 895 00:55:02,195 --> 00:55:04,395 contribution of this Japanese American. 896 00:55:04,975 --> 00:55:09,915 And that same Japanese American was the scientist who first isolated 897 00:55:10,135 --> 00:55:13,755 the, the hormone, uh, adrenaline. And, and, 898 00:55:13,975 --> 00:55:18,315 and was able to use it as a medicine that we now call epinephrine. 899 00:55:18,455 --> 00:55:20,555 And my daughter has a severe tree nut allergy. 900 00:55:20,655 --> 00:55:25,595 And so I keep an EpiPen in my backpack at all times. And, and I, 901 00:55:25,795 --> 00:55:27,155 I had to look at my dad and say, dad, 902 00:55:27,175 --> 00:55:31,355 not only were we in this beautiful monument created by this, by this man, 903 00:55:31,355 --> 00:55:33,835 but if your granddaughter ever got horribly ill, 904 00:55:34,135 --> 00:55:38,995 she will be saved by the contribution of this incredible Asian American. 905 00:55:39,575 --> 00:55:43,795 So the fact that we don't learn about that in our schools is exactly the 906 00:55:43,795 --> 00:55:44,755 problem. We need to That's. 907 00:55:44,755 --> 00:55:44,955 Amazing. We. 908 00:55:44,955 --> 00:55:47,315 Need more about that because those contributions are there. 909 00:55:47,855 --> 00:55:49,755 We just don't see them and acknowledge them enough. 910 00:55:50,185 --> 00:55:52,635 Yeah. That, that's, that's so incredible. 911 00:55:52,875 --> 00:55:57,035 'cause like what a way to just bring it home with an answer to the question. 912 00:55:57,135 --> 00:56:00,955 And I think like, it, it turns into a circular conversation with some folks, 913 00:56:00,955 --> 00:56:03,075 right? Mm-Hmm. , it turns into Mm-Hmm, , well, 914 00:56:03,075 --> 00:56:04,755 what have they contributed? Well, I don't know, 915 00:56:04,755 --> 00:56:07,675 because it was outlawed to learn about them. 916 00:56:08,255 --> 00:56:13,195 And so it turns into this vicious cycle of where contributions 917 00:56:13,195 --> 00:56:16,355 aren't seen because they're not taught and they're not shared. Mm-Hmm. 918 00:56:16,395 --> 00:56:20,755 . Um, so yeah, so I mean that, and that's interesting. You know, 919 00:56:20,795 --> 00:56:25,005 I think that's one way that, um, it's, it's a complexity, right. 920 00:56:25,185 --> 00:56:27,485 Of being multiethnic and, um, 921 00:56:27,545 --> 00:56:32,485 coming from different nationalities as a lot of, you know, um, 922 00:56:32,885 --> 00:56:35,965 I have a white mother, hi, mom. My mom listens to the podcast . Um, 923 00:56:36,145 --> 00:56:39,405 and although maybe she doesn't listen this far in, you know, she's like, 924 00:56:39,425 --> 00:56:44,325 you're soul are long , um, you know, and, and a Mexican father. 925 00:56:44,705 --> 00:56:49,525 And, you know, for so many years it was kind of like, well, 926 00:56:49,565 --> 00:56:52,565 I I don't really belong in either world fully. Yeah. 927 00:56:52,625 --> 00:56:55,525 And I don't feel more at home in one than the other. I mean, when, 928 00:56:55,525 --> 00:56:58,125 when I'm in Mexico, more people can say my name and, 929 00:56:58,305 --> 00:57:02,685 and that makes me pretty happy. But I think, you know, other than that, 930 00:57:02,745 --> 00:57:05,725 but Gloria Alua who wrote, um, 931 00:57:05,915 --> 00:57:08,565 borderlands the Lara, um, 932 00:57:09,505 --> 00:57:12,525 argues that particularly with Chicanos, a lot of us, 933 00:57:13,165 --> 00:57:18,005 a lot of us live in, um, in a borderlands. Like, so we, 934 00:57:18,065 --> 00:57:22,245 we actually have this third nation in between the two nations that made us, 935 00:57:22,785 --> 00:57:25,885 and that it's at Borderlands that a lot of us really do inhabit. 936 00:57:25,885 --> 00:57:29,445 And so that's kind of what I think of. Um, so I feel. 937 00:57:29,445 --> 00:57:30,845 Like, if you don't mind, yeah. I just, 938 00:57:31,045 --> 00:57:34,565 I feel like one thing that I appreciate about you and that I, I've, 939 00:57:34,565 --> 00:57:39,005 I've thought about this just in terms of us and our identities as 940 00:57:39,325 --> 00:57:44,085 educators, but, but those of us who live in these borderlands, I, I don't know. 941 00:57:44,165 --> 00:57:48,245 I don't know if it gives us an advantage when working with children who are 942 00:57:48,245 --> 00:57:51,085 themselves in a borderland between, you know, 943 00:57:51,175 --> 00:57:55,925 birth and adulthood kids who are trying to figure out who they are. But that, 944 00:57:56,045 --> 00:57:59,765 that, that state of fluxx that we often find ourselves in, even as adults, 945 00:58:00,325 --> 00:58:04,485 I feel like gives us some extra insight into 946 00:58:05,285 --> 00:58:07,125 children, especially those who struggle. Man, I, 947 00:58:07,165 --> 00:58:08,805 I don't know if I'd call it a superpower, 948 00:58:08,865 --> 00:58:11,525 but I feel like it definitely contributes to, um. 949 00:58:12,595 --> 00:58:15,245 It's like what we make it, right? Yeah. Like it's what we make it, 950 00:58:15,245 --> 00:58:20,245 like I've seen people who have the insights to really 951 00:58:20,245 --> 00:58:25,205 connect with kids Mm-Hmm. . And, and they don't use it in that way. 952 00:58:25,465 --> 00:58:27,925 And that, that could be a consequence of socialization. 953 00:58:27,945 --> 00:58:31,405 It could be the environment that you're working in or that you learned in. Like, 954 00:58:31,565 --> 00:58:33,925 I think that it can be, um, 955 00:58:34,685 --> 00:58:39,325 I think it's also that liminal space where if you look into this liminal space, 956 00:58:39,325 --> 00:58:42,925 you're, you're either gonna see emptiness or possibility Mm-Hmm. , 957 00:58:42,925 --> 00:58:47,205 right? Mm-Hmm. , they look the same . Right. Um, 958 00:58:47,435 --> 00:58:51,485 that uncertainty, that ambiguity. But, and I, 959 00:58:51,485 --> 00:58:53,765 and I think often they, they feel the same. I think, 960 00:58:53,845 --> 00:58:58,245 I think the disconnect that you describe towards your Korean 961 00:58:58,275 --> 00:58:59,765 community Mm-Hmm. , you know, 962 00:58:59,765 --> 00:59:02,685 is kind of something that I've struggled with a lot with my Mexican community. 963 00:59:02,685 --> 00:59:04,525 Mm-Hmm. And I, I've had to sort of say that, well, 964 00:59:05,165 --> 00:59:08,965 I am a part of the community because I'm literally a Mexican Mm-Hmm. 965 00:59:09,005 --> 00:59:12,845 and yeah. I'm not a pure Mexican, but given Mm-Hmm. 966 00:59:12,885 --> 00:59:15,245 the legacies of imperialism and colonialism. 967 00:59:15,265 --> 00:59:18,845 Is there such a thing even? Yeah. Mm-Hmm. . Um, yeah, no, I, 968 00:59:18,965 --> 00:59:19,705 I think that's right. 969 00:59:19,705 --> 00:59:23,605 And I think that's such an interesting thing to think about, 970 00:59:23,815 --> 00:59:28,805 about how we develop and, you know, folks, you remember our episode with Dr. 971 00:59:28,805 --> 00:59:29,565 Erica Glover, 972 00:59:29,565 --> 00:59:33,765 and she talks about really amplifying and uplifting student voice and creating 973 00:59:33,835 --> 00:59:38,645 safe spaces for students really is about your own social 974 00:59:38,645 --> 00:59:41,285 intelligence and your own emotional intelligence. 975 00:59:41,505 --> 00:59:44,045 So if you have the emotional intelligence to be like, yo, 976 00:59:44,625 --> 00:59:46,605 I'm a little bit of a shapeshifter, right? 977 00:59:47,025 --> 00:59:51,525 I'm a little bit of an invisible man that can travel between these worlds, um, 978 00:59:52,675 --> 00:59:55,925 that takes a certain level of emotional intelligence to make it a gift. 979 00:59:55,945 --> 00:59:59,245 But it's not easy. Like, that's the thing. It's not an easy thing. Mm-Hmm. 980 00:59:59,285 --> 01:00:03,445 honesty. Definitely. Um, we've got just a few minutes, 981 01:00:03,545 --> 01:00:07,245 but I wanna run through a couple of quick things. Um, yeah. 982 01:00:07,825 --> 01:00:12,765 So obviously we can't talk about John Arthur Sunshine without talking about 983 01:00:13,275 --> 01:00:17,005 your trajectory over the last couple of years. Like, so it's a, 984 01:00:17,065 --> 01:00:18,885 so you've been doing great work for a long time, 985 01:00:18,955 --> 01:00:21,005 like so many people in our cohort Mm-Hmm. 986 01:00:21,045 --> 01:00:23,125 of state teachers of the year. I mean, it's, it's, 987 01:00:23,155 --> 01:00:27,725 it's years of impactful, profound work that, 988 01:00:27,865 --> 01:00:31,565 that's been happening. Um, but, you know, 989 01:00:31,625 --> 01:00:36,485 you had that a moment. You became Utah Teacher of the Year then. Mm-Hmm. 990 01:00:36,525 --> 01:00:38,445 , you were announced as a national finalist, 991 01:00:38,465 --> 01:00:42,405 and you got to hang out with this cool crew of, uh, 992 01:00:42,785 --> 01:00:47,525 of finalists. Uh, shout out Maureen. Shout out Alejandro, my guy. 993 01:00:47,615 --> 01:00:51,405 Shout out Juliana. Our, uh, national Teacher of the Year. 994 01:00:51,535 --> 01:00:54,125 Y'all were just such a vibe. 995 01:00:54,265 --> 01:00:57,205 And then following that, you know, 996 01:00:57,705 --> 01:01:01,285 you definitely became more visible, um, 997 01:01:01,745 --> 01:01:04,765 to those of us outside of your community. Mm-Hmm. 998 01:01:04,805 --> 01:01:09,445 for your advocacy and your activism and your engagement 999 01:01:10,075 --> 01:01:15,045 with, um, issues both in education as well as 1000 01:01:15,795 --> 01:01:18,805 with, um, just civil rights issues in general. 1001 01:01:19,025 --> 01:01:20,965 What's that last couple of years been like for you? 1002 01:01:22,365 --> 01:01:25,335 It's been such a gift. You know, we as, 1003 01:01:25,995 --> 01:01:30,735 as educators who are informed and who are 1004 01:01:30,815 --> 01:01:33,535 now also connected in this cohort nationally, 1005 01:01:34,515 --> 01:01:39,175 we have the opportunity to see behind the curtain a lot of times. 1006 01:01:39,675 --> 01:01:44,255 We, we recognize the problems and we also recognize ways that we can, we, 1007 01:01:44,355 --> 01:01:49,335 we know what it should look like and we know how we can impact that. And, 1008 01:01:49,795 --> 01:01:54,695 and so I've really tried to take this opportunity to make 1009 01:01:54,695 --> 01:01:59,095 things better for the students in Utah, my fellow educators. 1010 01:01:59,395 --> 01:02:03,735 And I've really latched onto to any cause 1011 01:02:04,205 --> 01:02:08,975 that empowers students and teachers, and whether that's students who have been, 1012 01:02:09,555 --> 01:02:12,495 uh, marginalized for their, their, uh, 1013 01:02:12,835 --> 01:02:17,415 racial identity for being in the L-G-B-T-Q community for, 1014 01:02:17,635 --> 01:02:22,605 for educators who have been bullied because of the work that they do to 1015 01:02:22,605 --> 01:02:25,965 support and uplift these children. Um, 1016 01:02:26,315 --> 01:02:28,525 I've tried to show up because how, 1017 01:02:28,705 --> 01:02:32,365 how rare is it that a teacher gets a spotlight shined upon them? 1018 01:02:32,705 --> 01:02:34,805 And that spotlight only lasts for so long, 1019 01:02:35,025 --> 01:02:39,845 so you have to use it to, to spread light as, 1020 01:02:40,065 --> 01:02:43,005 as far as you can to as many people as you can. And I've, 1021 01:02:43,005 --> 01:02:44,885 I've really taken that responsibility to heart. 1022 01:02:45,515 --> 01:02:48,525 I've watched so many of my friends use it so effectively, 1023 01:02:48,545 --> 01:02:51,765 and I'm just trying to do my best to do the same. There are, there are, 1024 01:02:52,145 --> 01:02:56,085 you know, for example, you, 1025 01:02:56,145 --> 01:03:00,165 you can't see it right now, but I, I have these pens in my pocket. And, 1026 01:03:00,185 --> 01:03:03,485 and going back to the, the no promo homo days, I, 1027 01:03:03,805 --> 01:03:05,245 I was told my first year of teaching, 1028 01:03:05,285 --> 01:03:08,125 I couldn't have a rainbow flag up in my classroom. And I am, 1029 01:03:08,525 --> 01:03:13,045 I am a just male, cisgender, straight guy. But I, 1030 01:03:13,165 --> 01:03:15,885 I very much view myself as an ally, 1031 01:03:16,065 --> 01:03:19,765 and I take that responsibility very seriously. And my first year of teaching, 1032 01:03:20,045 --> 01:03:21,645 I had a student who was queer, 1033 01:03:22,025 --> 01:03:26,125 and I wanted to show him in my classroom that he was safe and that I, 1034 01:03:26,205 --> 01:03:30,125 I loved and supported him. And my, my principal told me, don't, don't do it. 1035 01:03:30,425 --> 01:03:34,045 You're first year teacher, you'll be fired. You know, don't say the words, 1036 01:03:34,095 --> 01:03:37,045 don't put up any symbols. I said, well, what, what can I do? 1037 01:03:37,465 --> 01:03:42,445 And so I started one day just wearing pens in my pocket and I just, 1038 01:03:42,605 --> 01:03:44,245 I just switched it up. I have, 1039 01:03:44,485 --> 01:03:48,445 I have all these different colors and it's a little rainbow flag that I wear in 1040 01:03:48,445 --> 01:03:50,965 my pocket, and nobody can tell me what pens. That's amazing. 1041 01:03:52,315 --> 01:03:53,525 Pens not, why are you tripping ? 1042 01:03:53,525 --> 01:03:56,405 Yeah, exactly. I just got pens. I got a lot of grading to do. Yeah. 1043 01:03:56,435 --> 01:03:59,285 Like just chill . And, but my students saw it. 1044 01:03:59,485 --> 01:04:00,765 I read my papers 12 times. 1045 01:04:01,435 --> 01:04:06,285 Exactly. Everybody knew what it was, but, but no one could say a thing about it. 1046 01:04:06,825 --> 01:04:11,125 Now I have a spotlight in a platform that I don't have to like, 1047 01:04:11,185 --> 01:04:15,845 be as subversive. I can just come out and say exactly what is right and just, 1048 01:04:16,225 --> 01:04:18,645 and you know, I have two things I'm all about, 1049 01:04:18,745 --> 01:04:21,925 I'm about like humanizing and empowerment. Yeah. 1050 01:04:21,945 --> 01:04:25,605 And we talked a lot about humanizing. Yeah. We did in our cohort. You we did, 1051 01:04:25,605 --> 01:04:28,765 you taught me a lot about it. And, and that's all I want to do. 1052 01:04:29,305 --> 01:04:31,725 All I wanna do is humanize the, 1053 01:04:31,725 --> 01:04:34,485 the incredible people who make up a school community. 1054 01:04:34,905 --> 01:04:39,085 And I want to empower student and teacher voices. That's it. And, 1055 01:04:39,145 --> 01:04:41,445 and I'm gonna ride the spotlight as long as I can, man. 1056 01:04:41,675 --> 01:04:45,085 Yeah, no, it's beautiful. And I think that's, and and the fact that, you know, 1057 01:04:45,125 --> 01:04:47,765 I think I'm not gonna judge anybody's like, 1058 01:04:47,925 --> 01:04:51,405 path through this teacher the year experience, but I know that, um, 1059 01:04:51,535 --> 01:04:54,765 there are some who view being named a state teacher of the year as a, 1060 01:04:54,825 --> 01:04:58,845 as a finish line. Mm-Hmm. . And the year, um, that follows is, 1061 01:04:59,025 --> 01:05:01,765 is your tick ticker tape parades, and that's fine. Mm-Hmm. Like, I get it. 1062 01:05:01,835 --> 01:05:05,165 Like Yeah. And I know that different states frame it differently. Yeah. Um, 1063 01:05:05,165 --> 01:05:06,885 but one thing I admire about you, 1064 01:05:06,905 --> 01:05:09,765 and one thing I've tried to emulate with you is the, 1065 01:05:10,265 --> 01:05:13,125 is the idea that this is a starting line. Mm-Hmm. like, okay, 1066 01:05:13,385 --> 01:05:17,445 now Mm-Hmm. , now I have visibility. 1067 01:05:17,735 --> 01:05:21,885 There are people who know my work and who look to me to represent Mm-Hmm. 1068 01:05:21,925 --> 01:05:22,425 , in my case, 1069 01:05:22,425 --> 01:05:25,565 the 66,000 teachers in the state of Colorado for Mm-Hmm. 1070 01:05:25,605 --> 01:05:26,685 for that year of service. 1071 01:05:27,435 --> 01:05:31,725 What am I gonna do for our communities as the first Chicano identifying Colorado 1072 01:05:31,725 --> 01:05:32,525 state teacher of the year? 1073 01:05:32,525 --> 01:05:37,525 What am I gonna do to ensure that the people that I serve, um, 1074 01:05:38,465 --> 01:05:41,205 are, are seen and celebrated? And, 1075 01:05:41,225 --> 01:05:43,325 and I think that's something that those of you, 1076 01:05:43,385 --> 01:05:46,325 if you don't follow John on social media, you need to, 1077 01:05:46,635 --> 01:05:48,645 because this is, 1078 01:05:49,115 --> 01:05:53,885 I've never seen somebody be able to show this impact in such an 1079 01:05:53,915 --> 01:05:57,445 earnest way. Like I'm just out here doing the work. But look at, 1080 01:05:57,445 --> 01:06:02,165 look at what's happening in community and it's so cool. Thank you. To see. Yeah. 1081 01:06:02,545 --> 01:06:05,165 So, um, gonna get you outta here. Um, because, 1082 01:06:05,565 --> 01:06:10,565 'cause you've got things you need to do for your partner. Um, but before you go, 1083 01:06:12,305 --> 01:06:13,165 you know what's coming. 1084 01:06:13,785 --> 01:06:14,618 Yes, sir. It's. 1085 01:06:14,675 --> 01:06:18,565 Most important part of this. Like, all the other questions. Yeah. Stereotypes, 1086 01:06:18,565 --> 01:06:21,845 racism, trauma, whatever, like that, that's Mm-Hmm. . That's okay. 1087 01:06:21,845 --> 01:06:25,085 That's, that's a thing. That's the easy but the big thing. Yeah. 1088 01:06:25,085 --> 01:06:28,805 That's the easy stuff. The hard stuff. Oh my gosh. My friend is, 1089 01:06:28,945 --> 01:06:30,365 I'm looking for a pen. . 1090 01:06:31,305 --> 01:06:35,165 The hard stuff is top 1091 01:06:36,275 --> 01:06:40,885 five rappers or other performing artists that you listen to. 1092 01:06:40,885 --> 01:06:43,645 We love hip hop over here. Mm-Hmm. . We love the Hip Hop Nation. 1093 01:06:43,985 --> 01:06:44,745 Mm-Hmm. . Um, 1094 01:06:44,745 --> 01:06:48,125 we also know that when we're looking at globalizing this work, 1095 01:06:48,125 --> 01:06:53,125 that there's other music that resonates with people. John Sunshine. Arthur, 1096 01:06:53,265 --> 01:06:55,005 do you have your top five ready? 1097 01:06:55,765 --> 01:06:59,965 I do. Man, I, I had to think long and hard about this, and, uh, I bet you did. 1098 01:07:00,465 --> 01:07:03,925 And I, I didn't, I I had to frame it somewhere in my own mind. 1099 01:07:04,045 --> 01:07:08,005 I don't wanna overhype, but I Yep. I'm like you. We both write, 1100 01:07:08,215 --> 01:07:13,085 we're both writers. We like to, we'd like to work out our own thoughts on, 1101 01:07:13,145 --> 01:07:17,125 on paper with a pencil. And I, I, I, as a writer, 1102 01:07:17,195 --> 01:07:19,045 have been informed by, 1103 01:07:19,425 --> 01:07:22,605 by hip hop artists over time at different chapters of my life. 1104 01:07:22,665 --> 01:07:27,045 So my top five is not right. The top five, not my top favorites. 1105 01:07:27,355 --> 01:07:31,645 It's the ones that informed me. And, and when I write, 1106 01:07:31,645 --> 01:07:34,845 when I go on social media or anything else, these are the, 1107 01:07:34,845 --> 01:07:36,165 the artists who flavor that up. 1108 01:07:36,605 --> 01:07:39,125 I love it. Alright, so. 1109 01:07:39,665 --> 01:07:39,905 The. 1110 01:07:39,905 --> 01:07:43,845 The first, and is it a ranking? Is it a hierarchy? Or is it just the five? It's. 1111 01:07:43,905 --> 01:07:47,845 It might be chronological actually. Ooh, chronological. 1112 01:07:47,885 --> 01:07:49,485 I think it's chronological based on like, 1113 01:07:50,375 --> 01:07:55,205 where I was in my development as a, as a writer or as a voice. Okay. 1114 01:07:55,345 --> 01:07:59,885 And, and when they came in to, to, to influence that. So early on. Yeah. 1115 01:08:00,385 --> 01:08:02,045 My, my earliest like 1116 01:08:03,705 --> 01:08:08,645 hip hop influence that I could, that I can really pinpoint would be Lupe Fiasco. 1117 01:08:09,985 --> 01:08:14,085 Oh man. You know, Lupe doesn't show up enough on our list. Yeah. 1118 01:08:14,185 --> 01:08:15,018 Say speak on that. 1119 01:08:15,275 --> 01:08:15,765 Well, just, 1120 01:08:15,765 --> 01:08:20,645 just as a lyricist and as a storyteller and somebody who would drop just 1121 01:08:21,285 --> 01:08:25,885 insanely deep insights into the catchiest beats. Yeah. 1122 01:08:26,125 --> 01:08:28,685 I I I, he was the first musical artist where I, 1123 01:08:28,765 --> 01:08:30,485 I was reading the lyrics on paper. 1124 01:08:31,235 --> 01:08:31,585 Yeah. 1125 01:08:31,585 --> 01:08:34,325 To make sure that I was fully picking up everything. 'cause it was just, 1126 01:08:34,345 --> 01:08:35,205 it was just so. 1127 01:08:36,155 --> 01:08:39,165 Lupe Will Lu Lupe will tear your heart out with things. Mm-Hmm. 1128 01:08:39,205 --> 01:08:41,085 like you think about, put you on game. Mm-Hmm. 1129 01:08:41,125 --> 01:08:43,605 you think about Little Weapon. Mm-Hmm. You think about kick push, 1130 01:08:43,995 --> 01:08:48,765 like it's all got these other layers. And he, and he's also so sly. Like, 1131 01:08:48,765 --> 01:08:51,125 there's things that he's putting out there that you're kind of like, 1132 01:08:51,125 --> 01:08:53,725 is this you or is this kind of satire? All right. Mm-Hmm. 1133 01:08:53,765 --> 01:08:54,598 . Exactly. 1134 01:08:54,705 --> 01:08:55,605 So you got Lupe as your. 1135 01:08:55,965 --> 01:08:59,725 Earliest. You don't have to like, think too deeply. It's just so clear. Yeah. 1136 01:08:59,755 --> 01:09:03,925 It's just a, just a, just a shot to the heart. Um, yeah. At the same time, I, 1137 01:09:03,985 --> 01:09:07,205 and I'm, I'm gonna invoke the Eric Hale rule a little bit because. 1138 01:09:07,595 --> 01:09:08,385 Nice. Like. 1139 01:09:08,385 --> 01:09:10,125 I'm gonna have more than five artists. 'cause they, 1140 01:09:10,125 --> 01:09:13,525 they can't kind of came in tandem at that same time. That's right. I, 1141 01:09:13,685 --> 01:09:16,645 I got into the, the Flow bots and they're from Colorado. 1142 01:09:16,885 --> 01:09:18,085 I don't know if you know Flow bots. 1143 01:09:18,565 --> 01:09:22,125 I don't know them personally, but one of them, at least one of them, 1144 01:09:22,125 --> 01:09:25,405 maybe more than one actually graduated from the high school that my daughter 1145 01:09:25,435 --> 01:09:26,645 attends. Oh, yeah. 1146 01:09:26,645 --> 01:09:28,285 So there you go. Yeah. Yeah. Well, they're, 1147 01:09:28,285 --> 01:09:32,965 they're socially conscious rappers and or just musicians in this band. 1148 01:09:33,105 --> 01:09:36,045 And they had the, the hit song handlebars. Yep. 1149 01:09:36,345 --> 01:09:41,325 And just the way that they didn't just hit it on the nose, they said like, 1150 01:09:41,845 --> 01:09:45,045 I can do anything. I'm strong. I'm powerful. That's right. I'm human being. 1151 01:09:45,425 --> 01:09:48,325 I'm uns Right. Unstoppable, because we all are. Yeah. 1152 01:09:48,405 --> 01:09:51,005 I can't ride my bike with no handlebars like that. Yeah. 1153 01:09:51,155 --> 01:09:54,005 That line rocked my world. So we've, that. 1154 01:09:54,005 --> 01:09:54,465 Song is. 1155 01:09:54,465 --> 01:09:58,285 And Flo Box came, is deep at the same time into my, into my riding life, 1156 01:09:58,315 --> 01:10:01,005 into my thinking life. Yeah. What were you saying there? 1157 01:10:01,225 --> 01:10:02,845 All right. Nothing. It's beautiful. Nothing. 1158 01:10:03,425 --> 01:10:06,685 So after that, after that, I, 1159 01:10:06,885 --> 01:10:09,845 I eventually found most deaf and Tali Kuali. 1160 01:10:10,035 --> 01:10:11,405 Yeah. Black Star Movement. 1161 01:10:11,735 --> 01:10:15,925 Black Star. I found them separately. And then I, then like a couple years later, 1162 01:10:16,045 --> 01:10:19,485 I found out that they did this collab and it just, ah, made me so happy. 1163 01:10:20,125 --> 01:10:23,085 . And that elevated my consciousness as well as my writing. 1164 01:10:23,625 --> 01:10:28,325 And then I was, because I was in the most deaf, I started watching, uh, old, 1165 01:10:28,625 --> 01:10:30,685 uh, deaf poetry jam videos that he. 1166 01:10:31,305 --> 01:10:31,705 Yes. Oh. 1167 01:10:31,705 --> 01:10:36,405 Man. And, and I came across the, the one where KRS one, 1168 01:10:36,825 --> 01:10:40,845 the, the Renegade poet teacher and Scholar got on there with Dougie Fresh. Yeah. 1169 01:10:41,305 --> 01:10:42,085 Oh, that was. 1170 01:10:42,085 --> 01:10:45,925 Great. And that opened me up to old school hip hop and just, you know, the, 1171 01:10:46,305 --> 01:10:49,805 all the classics. Yeah. So that, that, that was, that, that part of my journey. 1172 01:10:49,865 --> 01:10:50,085 Yep. 1173 01:10:50,085 --> 01:10:50,925 So, yep. Yep. 1174 01:10:51,185 --> 01:10:55,605 Yep. And then that part of my journey actually led me to, to, uh, 1175 01:10:56,225 --> 01:11:00,765 biggie and Okay. And I actually, I came into this one part of my life where I, 1176 01:11:01,065 --> 01:11:04,995 I'd found my purpose. I was feeling good, so on and so forth. 1177 01:11:04,995 --> 01:11:09,715 And I was constantly encouraging kids to, to be their best selves. And there, 1178 01:11:10,055 --> 01:11:13,565 you know, I cannot remember the name of the song, and I could, I could, 1179 01:11:13,805 --> 01:11:18,325 I can recite the lines, but they're, they're super inappropriate. 1180 01:11:18,465 --> 01:11:22,965 You would know the track, but, you know, it starts out with, when I die, 1181 01:11:24,085 --> 01:11:28,845 I wanna go to hell. 'cause I'm a, it ain't hard to tell, 1182 01:11:28,845 --> 01:11:30,925 like every other word is a cuss word. It ain't hard. 1183 01:11:30,925 --> 01:11:31,445 To tell. 1184 01:11:31,445 --> 01:11:35,645 I wouldn't share it with my students so bad because it's just so. 1185 01:11:36,215 --> 01:11:36,995 Right. 1186 01:11:36,995 --> 01:11:41,605 Just like I am the worst and I'm gonna say it over and over and over again. 1187 01:11:41,665 --> 01:11:46,165 And for some reason, that made me feel really good. Yeah. I just, and I would, 1188 01:11:46,325 --> 01:11:49,365 I would scream that in my car, and like you said, man, I am, 1189 01:11:50,065 --> 01:11:54,005 I'm a positive productive, like That's right. Excited about life kind of person. 1190 01:11:54,825 --> 01:11:59,525 But I am also flawed and I make all kinds of mistakes every day. And I just, 1191 01:11:59,685 --> 01:12:03,765 I just love the idea of just laying it down on the tracks and like, 1192 01:12:03,875 --> 01:12:08,805 this is why I am the worst and why my mom regrets, 1193 01:12:08,995 --> 01:12:12,085 like, not having abortion and everything. I was like, holy cow, 1194 01:12:12,155 --> 01:12:14,965 I've never heard anyone talk like that. Yeah. I've never heard anybody. 1195 01:12:15,385 --> 01:12:17,605 Say anything like, that's so interesting about like, 1196 01:12:17,605 --> 01:12:20,765 biggie's ability to write identity and to write pain was really powerful. 1197 01:12:20,765 --> 01:12:21,845 Mm-Hmm. , it makes me think of, actually, 1198 01:12:21,915 --> 01:12:25,485 this is where I think Jake Cole is such a, such an inheritor of that tradition. 1199 01:12:25,555 --> 01:12:30,165 Like absolutely. One of the things he says is, um, you know, 1200 01:12:31,095 --> 01:12:34,165 we've been, you know, blank's been playing against the odds, 1201 01:12:34,165 --> 01:12:37,325 but who am I to criticize how you played your cards? Doggy, like Mm-Hmm. 1202 01:12:37,365 --> 01:12:40,085 . We, you know, and it, so it just kind of gets into those things. 1203 01:12:40,345 --> 01:12:43,085 My, my favorite line from any Biggie song is from mm-Hmm. , um, 1204 01:12:43,345 --> 01:12:46,325 mo Money, mo Problems, Uhhuh when he says, man, 1205 01:12:46,685 --> 01:12:49,565 I know they'd rather see me die than to see me fly. You know? Right. 1206 01:12:49,565 --> 01:12:53,485 There's so many ways to interpret that. So creative. Right. Yeah. Well, listen, 1207 01:12:54,035 --> 01:12:54,868 this is great. 1208 01:12:54,875 --> 01:12:57,245 Yeah. No, thank you, man. No, go ahead. He, well, 1209 01:12:57,265 --> 01:13:01,045 he helped me understand what it does mean to actually humanize a person. Yeah. 1210 01:13:01,045 --> 01:13:05,405 To, to see them all the way through and to still appreciate and just 1211 01:13:05,795 --> 01:13:09,245 celebrate them. So that's something I appreciate about him, 1212 01:13:09,305 --> 01:13:11,605 and that's also something I, I appreciate about you. 1213 01:13:11,865 --> 01:13:15,125 Mm-Hmm. . You, you, oh, I let it out. I let it be out there. . 1214 01:13:15,185 --> 01:13:18,805 You're, you are both a, a renegade teacher, poet, and scholar, 1215 01:13:18,825 --> 01:13:20,925 but you're also a, a great, um, 1216 01:13:21,905 --> 01:13:26,485 you're great at helping others see themselves in new and more 1217 01:13:26,725 --> 01:13:27,558 interesting ways. 1218 01:13:27,905 --> 01:13:31,005 Oh, thank you, man. You know, um, you know, 1219 01:13:31,095 --> 01:13:34,365 folks like you have so many incredible, like layers to you. 1220 01:13:34,505 --> 01:13:36,805 I'm sitting here like, I've known you damn near, near two years, 1221 01:13:36,825 --> 01:13:39,205 and we have never talked about hip hop. What is up with that? 1222 01:13:39,345 --> 01:13:41,525 We need to get into that. The writing. I. 1223 01:13:41,525 --> 01:13:42,965 Got into the space camp a little bit. 1224 01:13:43,225 --> 01:13:47,085 No, we did. We did. We had a party. We didn't have a battle though. Like, 1225 01:13:47,085 --> 01:13:50,525 that's the thing. No, that would've been cool, but Yeah. Well, you know, 1226 01:13:50,555 --> 01:13:54,845 John Arthur Sunshine, thank you for bringing this light into my life right now. 1227 01:13:55,425 --> 01:13:58,445 Um, we're gonna go ahead and wrap things up. There's a, 1228 01:13:58,445 --> 01:14:02,005 there's a meeting about to happen and I know I need to clear out, but, um, 1229 01:14:02,665 --> 01:14:07,285 but listen, man, uh, we, we absolutely have to do this again and absolutely, 1230 01:14:07,385 --> 01:14:11,205 as you said, not attached to Mm-Hmm. , you know, some catastrophe. 1231 01:14:11,245 --> 01:14:14,245 That wasn't the intention. But as it turns out, of course not. This is, 1232 01:14:14,355 --> 01:14:18,445 this is like the world that we sometimes live in. Um, we need like a, 1233 01:14:18,445 --> 01:14:22,565 we need a round table of radical joy, bro. That's what we need to do is, 1234 01:14:22,625 --> 01:14:26,485 is like, just have one because the thing that they really wanna take from us, 1235 01:14:26,595 --> 01:14:30,445 it's not our books, it's not our classrooms, 1236 01:14:30,595 --> 01:14:32,885 it's not our education. They want to take our smiles. 1237 01:14:33,185 --> 01:14:37,165 And like my friend Kame said to me a year ago when I was really struggling with 1238 01:14:37,265 --> 01:14:41,525 my departure from the classroom, don't let, don't ever let them take a smile. 1239 01:14:41,865 --> 01:14:43,125 And that's, that's what they want to do. 1240 01:14:43,125 --> 01:14:44,845 They want to take our smiles and they end. 1241 01:14:45,065 --> 01:14:49,925 The most radical thing you can do is have audacious joy 1242 01:14:50,425 --> 01:14:55,005 in these moments. So for, uh Oh yeah. Also, how do people follow you? 1243 01:14:55,005 --> 01:14:56,125 Where do people find your work? 1244 01:14:57,005 --> 01:14:59,365 Absolutely. Ninth Evermore, as I said, 1245 01:14:59,385 --> 01:15:02,125 is the name of my classroom with the students. 1246 01:15:02,745 --> 01:15:06,085 So if you go on YouTube and can search up the Channel nine every, 1247 01:15:06,225 --> 01:15:10,925 you can see my student being brilliant. Look for me on Instagram, 1248 01:15:10,995 --> 01:15:14,365 Twitter, all the others at ninth February. That's where my, 1249 01:15:14,505 --> 01:15:18,365 my teacher voice gets used. Um, so come check. 1250 01:15:18,365 --> 01:15:22,005 It out please. Yeah. Got some fire videos out there on Instagram too. 1251 01:15:22,035 --> 01:15:24,765 Some good stuff you would advocating a lot for. Thank you. 1252 01:15:24,785 --> 01:15:28,005 The Teacher salary project and just overall teaching for teachers. 1253 01:15:34,185 --> 01:15:36,045 Hey, what's good everybody? Hey, 1254 01:15:36,045 --> 01:15:40,365 are you an educator struggling with time and money? I mean, are we all ? 1255 01:15:41,075 --> 01:15:43,125 Well, I want you to meet my friend Alex Ciara, 1256 01:15:43,155 --> 01:15:45,845 certified financial planner with Satera Investors, 1257 01:15:45,945 --> 01:15:49,485 and he's here to help specializing in working with educators. 1258 01:15:49,485 --> 01:15:54,365 Alex understands the challenges we face from low pay to complex retirement 1259 01:15:54,365 --> 01:15:58,245 systems. His team specializes in holistic financial planning, 1260 01:15:59,085 --> 01:16:03,245 focusing on your goals and creating actionable plans to improve your chances of 1261 01:16:03,245 --> 01:16:05,605 success. Visit his website at 1262 01:16:06,385 --> 01:16:11,385 www.toandalex.soterinvestors.com/todo, 1263 01:16:12,125 --> 01:16:17,005 T-O-O-D-O-P-E to schedule an initial virtual consultation 1264 01:16:17,005 --> 01:16:17,838 with Alex. 1265 01:16:18,235 --> 01:16:23,045 Mention the code two dope on your meeting and receive 25% 1266 01:16:23,185 --> 01:16:26,685 off their subscription based financial planning packages. 1267 01:16:27,025 --> 01:16:31,645 You can get more info and a link to their website in the podcast description. 1268 01:16:32,475 --> 01:16:35,485 CITA Investors is the marketing name of CITA Investment Services. 1269 01:16:35,895 --> 01:16:40,285 Securities and insurance products are offered through Cera Investment Services 1270 01:16:40,765 --> 01:16:45,565 LLC, doing insurance business in California as C-F-G-S-T-C, 1271 01:16:45,635 --> 01:16:47,725 insurance Agency, LLC, 1272 01:16:48,145 --> 01:16:52,885 member FI NRA slash SI PC Advisory 1273 01:16:53,245 --> 01:16:56,485 services are offered through Cera Investment Advisors, llc, 1274 01:16:57,055 --> 01:17:01,485 California Insurance license number zero L 0 5 6 5 0. 1275 01:17:01,875 --> 01:17:06,565 Alexander Hira, CFP is located at 6 0 5 East Huntington Drive, 1276 01:17:06,935 --> 01:17:10,885 suite 2 0 3, Monrovia, California 9 1 0 1 6. 1277 01:17:11,305 --> 01:17:13,005 And can be reached at phone number 1278 01:17:13,305 --> 01:17:16,925 (626) 408-1333, 1279 01:17:17,515 --> 01:17:19,965 extension 3 0 6.