1 00:00:00,225 --> 00:00:01,165 - Hey, what's good everybody? 2 00:00:01,865 --> 00:00:04,925 Hey, are you an educator struggling with time and money? 3 00:00:05,365 --> 00:00:06,565 I mean, are we all ? 4 00:00:07,235 --> 00:00:09,205 Well, I want you to meet my friend Alex Ciara, 5 00:00:09,275 --> 00:00:11,845 certified financial planner with Satera Investors, 6 00:00:11,945 --> 00:00:14,525 and he's here to help specializing in working 7 00:00:14,525 --> 00:00:18,165 with educators, Alex understands the challenges we face from 8 00:00:18,345 --> 00:00:20,645 low pay to complex retirement systems. 9 00:00:21,345 --> 00:00:24,325 His team specializes in holistic financial planning, 10 00:00:25,245 --> 00:00:27,805 focusing on your goals, and creating actionable plans 11 00:00:27,865 --> 00:00:29,725 to improve your chances of success. 12 00:00:30,255 --> 00:00:31,565 Visit his website at 13 00:00:32,345 --> 00:00:37,345 www.toandalex.sitterinvestors.com/todo, 14 00:00:38,125 --> 00:00:39,805 T-O-O-D-O-P-E 15 00:00:40,345 --> 00:00:43,925 to schedule an initial virtual consultation with Alex. 16 00:00:44,395 --> 00:00:46,485 Mention the code two dope on your meeting 17 00:00:47,385 --> 00:00:51,085 and receive 25% off their subscription based 18 00:00:51,085 --> 00:00:52,565 financial planning packages. 19 00:00:52,865 --> 00:00:53,965 You can get more info 20 00:00:54,225 --> 00:00:57,645 and a link to their website in the podcast description. 21 00:00:58,385 --> 00:01:00,205 SATERA Investors is the marketing name 22 00:01:00,205 --> 00:01:01,645 of Satera Investment Services. 23 00:01:02,135 --> 00:01:04,685 Securities and insurance products are offered 24 00:01:04,685 --> 00:01:07,325 through Satera Investment Services, LLC, 25 00:01:07,325 --> 00:01:09,405 doing insurance business in California 26 00:01:09,745 --> 00:01:13,685 as C-F-G-S-T-C Insurance Agency, LLC, 27 00:01:14,105 --> 00:01:17,965 member F IRA slash SI PC. 28 00:01:18,845 --> 00:01:20,005 Advisory services are offered 29 00:01:20,005 --> 00:01:24,245 through Satera Investment Advisors, LC California Insurance, 30 00:01:24,245 --> 00:01:27,485 license number zero L 0 5 6 5 0. 31 00:01:27,835 --> 00:01:32,005 Alexander Sierra CCF P is located at 6 0 5 East Huntington 32 00:01:32,055 --> 00:01:36,885 Drive, suite 2 0 3, Monrovia, California 9 1 0 1 6. 33 00:01:37,385 --> 00:01:39,205 And can be reached at phone number 34 00:01:39,545 --> 00:01:42,925 (626) 408-1333. 35 00:01:43,515 --> 00:01:45,965 Extension 3 0 6. 36 00:02:12,345 --> 00:02:15,845 - Hey, - What is good? Two donation 37 00:02:17,025 --> 00:02:18,025 - Now. 38 00:02:18,025 --> 00:02:19,125 Need everybody tour out there 39 00:02:19,425 --> 00:02:22,405 - In the land of two - Dity 40 00:02:23,105 --> 00:02:24,165 - To Oh, the land. 41 00:02:24,345 --> 00:02:27,405 Two Dity. That's too delicious, bro. 42 00:02:29,125 --> 00:02:32,885 I love that. two dope militias. Two dope paucity. 43 00:02:33,305 --> 00:02:36,205 Uh, we're out here. Whatever you call us. Welcome back. 44 00:02:36,505 --> 00:02:39,725 The two dope teachers and, uh, Mike. I'm Rao Munoz. 45 00:02:40,425 --> 00:02:41,725 - And I'm Kevin. 46 00:02:42,955 --> 00:02:44,885 - He's Kevin Adams. And I'm Rao Moz. 47 00:02:44,885 --> 00:02:47,845 And we are here remixing the conversation on 48 00:02:47,885 --> 00:02:49,045 race, power and education. 49 00:02:49,385 --> 00:02:52,445 Kev, do you know that we make a a fugitive space for folks? 50 00:02:52,825 --> 00:02:55,965 Do we, do you know that? What? 51 00:02:56,295 --> 00:02:57,685 Where are you talking? I can't, 52 00:02:58,245 --> 00:03:00,325 - I think that we're trying to, there we go. Engage that. 53 00:03:00,965 --> 00:03:04,605 - I heard this. - I don't know. What was that? Alright. 54 00:03:04,905 --> 00:03:05,905 - That's what - We 55 00:03:05,905 --> 00:03:06,685 - Try to do. 56 00:03:06,685 --> 00:03:07,205 We really do. We really do. 57 00:03:07,205 --> 00:03:09,965 These are the conversations that are sometimes like, 58 00:03:09,965 --> 00:03:11,725 this is, bro, I've been thinking about the 59 00:03:11,725 --> 00:03:12,965 origin of our podcast. 60 00:03:13,185 --> 00:03:15,605 And our podcast started as a fugitive space. 61 00:03:16,225 --> 00:03:19,125 It started as us escaping the nonsense 62 00:03:19,185 --> 00:03:20,565 of the general staff meeting 63 00:03:21,065 --> 00:03:23,845 and, um, having our own unofficial, um, 64 00:03:23,965 --> 00:03:26,845 unsanctioned staff meeting, uh, where we had to kind 65 00:03:26,845 --> 00:03:28,165 of like hide for a long time. 66 00:03:28,225 --> 00:03:30,365 So, welcome to this fugitive space. 67 00:03:30,905 --> 00:03:32,725 Uh, two dope teachers and a mike. 68 00:03:32,725 --> 00:03:35,165 Season eight bro. Season eight. 69 00:03:35,995 --> 00:03:38,685 - Ocho - Ocho. Ocho. Ocho. 70 00:03:39,105 --> 00:03:41,925 - Yep. Remember when ES ESP N had the Ocho ? 71 00:03:42,185 --> 00:03:45,405 - Yes. - Ocho. Why? There need to be eight ESPNs. 72 00:03:46,475 --> 00:03:47,485 Explain that. I know 73 00:03:48,025 --> 00:03:49,325 - It is. Man. Man, I, 74 00:03:49,325 --> 00:03:51,725 - I feel we do we even need two ESPNs? 75 00:03:52,025 --> 00:03:53,725 - Do we even You need one. Let's be honest. 76 00:03:54,245 --> 00:03:55,445 'cause like, it's like, 77 00:03:55,445 --> 00:03:58,285 especially like watching our guy Yoic not get the love 78 00:03:58,725 --> 00:03:59,885 repeatedly all the time. 79 00:04:00,125 --> 00:04:01,245 Although people are starting to, 80 00:04:01,305 --> 00:04:02,725 but it's like, what did he had to do? 81 00:04:03,185 --> 00:04:04,965 - Um, certain people won't figure it out. 82 00:04:04,965 --> 00:04:07,525 We're looking at you. Perk. Looking at you. Perk 83 00:04:07,525 --> 00:04:08,525 - You're looking. 84 00:04:08,525 --> 00:04:09,805 We're we're really looking at LeBron James too. 85 00:04:09,835 --> 00:04:12,445 It's like LeBron. You gotta, you know, whatever. 86 00:04:12,745 --> 00:04:16,005 And, uh, van Lathan. I like Van, but damn Van. Like, stop. 87 00:04:16,825 --> 00:04:17,925 Um, yeah. 88 00:04:18,505 --> 00:04:19,965 So we, we are here 89 00:04:20,065 --> 00:04:22,885 and just like Nicole Yoic, uh, we are inevitable. 90 00:04:23,625 --> 00:04:26,085 - That's right. - We're inevitable. We're the Thanos. 91 00:04:26,085 --> 00:04:28,645 So No, we're not that. Uh, I'm so, I'm a little punchy. 92 00:04:28,645 --> 00:04:30,685 It's been a really long day. Uh, yeah. 93 00:04:30,685 --> 00:04:31,405 We were doing a 94 00:04:31,495 --> 00:04:32,805 recruiting fair. No, keep going for wait. Going. 95 00:04:32,805 --> 00:04:34,445 - I think that's what I think. That's what, no, I think 96 00:04:34,445 --> 00:04:36,405 - People want, I think that's what people do want. 97 00:04:36,725 --> 00:04:38,805 . I don't dunno why they want, why y'all want this. 98 00:04:38,915 --> 00:04:42,285 Like, y'all . Y'all decided to be here. Uh, yeah. 99 00:04:42,385 --> 00:04:44,285 Had a had a big recruiting fair today, man. 100 00:04:44,345 --> 00:04:47,365 Uh, real brief before we hit our intro. Uh, full speed. 101 00:04:47,865 --> 00:04:51,645 Um, we still need to do a full episode 102 00:04:51,645 --> 00:04:54,685 where we talk about this, uh, pivot that the two 103 00:04:54,685 --> 00:04:56,445 of us have made in the last year. 104 00:04:57,105 --> 00:04:59,685 Um, but how was work today? 105 00:05:00,565 --> 00:05:04,045 - work today? Work. Work was work, man. 106 00:05:04,075 --> 00:05:06,885 It's every day. It's very exciting. Very fast. Every i 107 00:05:06,975 --> 00:05:08,405 - Every day work - At work. 108 00:05:09,125 --> 00:05:10,325 I, it goes very fast. 109 00:05:10,325 --> 00:05:12,765 There's a lot, there's a lot of exciting stuff that happens. 110 00:05:13,375 --> 00:05:14,965 Today was a lot of catch up 111 00:05:14,965 --> 00:05:18,205 because I had the privilege for the last, for Monday, 112 00:05:18,205 --> 00:05:20,845 Tuesday, and Wednesday of attending the 113 00:05:22,085 --> 00:05:24,205 National Courageous Conversations Summit. 114 00:05:24,625 --> 00:05:25,765 Man, love. I love it. Uh, 115 00:05:25,765 --> 00:05:29,325 courageous conversations about Race Summit in Austin, Texas. 116 00:05:30,025 --> 00:05:31,125 Uh, I was just, you 117 00:05:31,125 --> 00:05:31,885 - Tell people about the podcast, 118 00:05:32,025 --> 00:05:33,045 you better tell people about the 119 00:05:33,045 --> 00:05:34,045 - Podcast. 120 00:05:34,045 --> 00:05:34,765 I told 'em about the podcast. Good. 121 00:05:34,765 --> 00:05:36,565 But I just wanna shout out those five people. 122 00:05:36,875 --> 00:05:38,605 Like it was wonderful. 123 00:05:38,865 --> 00:05:42,765 Uh, three days of, of really rigorous learning, you know, 124 00:05:42,905 --> 00:05:44,325 but, but we partied down. 125 00:05:44,345 --> 00:05:47,425 You're gonna love this g Yes. 126 00:05:47,775 --> 00:05:49,705 That dance party was hosted 127 00:05:49,705 --> 00:05:53,385 by none other than Doug E. 128 00:05:53,475 --> 00:05:54,475 Fresh. 129 00:05:55,185 --> 00:05:57,835 - No, what - I saw a live performance of the show. 130 00:05:58,615 --> 00:06:01,875 Saw him beat, do the beatbox mastery skills at Blinky Fresh. 131 00:06:02,565 --> 00:06:04,145 He was rocking the party. Oh, 132 00:06:04,445 --> 00:06:06,065 - That's, that's, wow. 133 00:06:06,065 --> 00:06:08,785 That's now I'm, now I'm real mad that I left that school. 134 00:06:09,285 --> 00:06:10,425 Um, dang. 135 00:06:10,605 --> 00:06:12,345 - I'm telling you bro. I'm everything. 136 00:06:12,485 --> 00:06:14,265 Hey, everything is back. 137 00:06:14,685 --> 00:06:18,465 - Ah, everything is back. Everything. , everything. 138 00:06:19,085 --> 00:06:22,185 Um, yeah, I, you know, I mean, I still got to go 139 00:06:22,185 --> 00:06:23,585 to Puerto Rico over a year ago, 140 00:06:23,585 --> 00:06:25,145 but, alright, that's gonna, there we go. 141 00:06:25,145 --> 00:06:26,785 That's gonna rust after a while. But Dougie fresh. 142 00:06:27,045 --> 00:06:28,665 That's sick. No, that's cool, man. 143 00:06:28,765 --> 00:06:30,545 Um, well, we'll have to talk a little bit about that 144 00:06:30,745 --> 00:06:34,065 'cause um, 'cause I think, um, , I think 145 00:06:34,185 --> 00:06:35,345 what we're having today is a, 146 00:06:35,365 --> 00:06:37,305 is a courageous conversation. So we'll kind of get 147 00:06:37,305 --> 00:06:38,145 - In there. I think so. I 148 00:06:38,145 --> 00:06:39,345 - Definitely, or maybe for other people, 149 00:06:39,705 --> 00:06:43,345 d doesn't require a ton of courage out of us because, um, 150 00:06:43,455 --> 00:06:45,305 because we rock with the stories 151 00:06:45,325 --> 00:06:46,985 of the marginalized and minoritized. 152 00:06:46,985 --> 00:06:50,145 Like that's what we do. Um, yeah, for me, man, it was, 153 00:06:50,145 --> 00:06:52,625 it was probably a little bit less glamorous, but, um, 154 00:06:53,405 --> 00:06:55,425 but the last couple of nights it's been really dope 155 00:06:55,485 --> 00:06:58,425 to just be recruiting for our peer to teacher program. 156 00:06:59,125 --> 00:07:02,025 Um, we, man, as you know, we got so many folks 157 00:07:02,125 --> 00:07:04,145 who are working as paraprofessionals in our school 158 00:07:04,565 --> 00:07:06,745 who have forgotten more about education 159 00:07:06,745 --> 00:07:07,785 than a lot of teachers know. 160 00:07:07,785 --> 00:07:09,305 That's right. No offense to my teachers, 161 00:07:09,725 --> 00:07:12,585 but these folks are, um, they're just, they're ready 162 00:07:12,605 --> 00:07:16,945 to contribute and, um, our district gives tuition assistance 163 00:07:17,085 --> 00:07:19,025 to parents who wanna become teachers. 164 00:07:19,025 --> 00:07:21,425 So it's kind of dope. But, but I'm exhausted, man. 165 00:07:21,545 --> 00:07:23,425 I put in like 20 hours the last two 166 00:07:23,425 --> 00:07:24,665 days and it's like, okay. 167 00:07:25,085 --> 00:07:28,145 Um, but yeah, it's good. 12 Friday, 168 00:07:28,605 --> 00:07:30,385 - 12 Friday, - It is Friday, 169 00:07:30,565 --> 00:07:34,745 and I get to flex sometime tomorrow, which 170 00:07:34,745 --> 00:07:36,945 - Is flex Flex on - I get to flex. Ugh, 171 00:07:37,615 --> 00:07:38,825 - Flex on you. 172 00:07:38,825 --> 00:07:41,665 - Get to flex with my flex. Um, so we're, we're gonna, 173 00:07:41,795 --> 00:07:44,185 we're gonna cut the nonsense short today in a couple weeks. 174 00:07:44,315 --> 00:07:45,545 We'll, we'll get back together 175 00:07:45,565 --> 00:07:47,545 and talk a little bit about just 176 00:07:47,715 --> 00:07:50,145 where the podcast is at, where we are at. 177 00:07:50,145 --> 00:07:52,625 Like, we're in very different places, but, uh, 178 00:07:52,645 --> 00:07:53,665 but the pod is strong. 179 00:07:53,725 --> 00:07:57,105 The brand is strong. We still are out here for you. 180 00:07:57,495 --> 00:07:58,905 With you by you. 181 00:07:59,885 --> 00:08:01,395 - Yes. - Yeah. 182 00:08:01,505 --> 00:08:03,715 - Most definitely. - Most definitely. 183 00:08:04,175 --> 00:08:08,075 Um, man, what a guest we have on the show today. 184 00:08:09,545 --> 00:08:12,005 - So, oh, this is a good one. This is a good one. Yeah, 185 00:08:12,315 --> 00:08:13,315 - This one's great. 186 00:08:13,315 --> 00:08:16,605 So, um, you're about to hear our conversation with Ab 187 00:08:17,195 --> 00:08:18,845 Ramadan Chini, um, 188 00:08:19,065 --> 00:08:20,525 who is a Palestinian teacher 189 00:08:20,545 --> 00:08:21,765 in the United States of America. 190 00:08:22,225 --> 00:08:24,685 Um, she's from Chicago, south side. 191 00:08:25,185 --> 00:08:29,325 And, um, she wants to talk to us a little bit about how 192 00:08:29,965 --> 00:08:32,725 teaching Palestine, um, ought to be taught 193 00:08:32,785 --> 00:08:34,325 as a social justice movement. 194 00:08:34,385 --> 00:08:35,525 Kev, what are some things people can 195 00:08:35,525 --> 00:08:36,645 look forward to in this show? 196 00:08:37,665 --> 00:08:41,025 - I mean, a, the justification, uh, like one of the, the, 197 00:08:41,245 --> 00:08:43,785 the best well stated 198 00:08:45,355 --> 00:08:50,015 justifications for why it's imperative for all educators 199 00:08:50,015 --> 00:08:52,855 to be teaching about the Palestinian people in 200 00:08:52,855 --> 00:08:53,975 this moment in history. 201 00:08:53,975 --> 00:08:55,245 That's right, that's right. 202 00:08:55,245 --> 00:08:58,805 Um, I think, I think given my journey, uh, when it comes 203 00:08:58,825 --> 00:09:02,745 to learning about, uh, native and indigenous peoples 204 00:09:02,805 --> 00:09:05,745 and the impacts that, uh, settler colonialism 205 00:09:06,365 --> 00:09:08,705 has had on native and indigenous people all 206 00:09:08,705 --> 00:09:10,145 around this world, yeah. 207 00:09:10,165 --> 00:09:14,385 You know, um, I think this episode hits especially hard. 208 00:09:15,045 --> 00:09:16,345 Um, I think it's timely 209 00:09:16,345 --> 00:09:19,705 because I think it is the issue, um, 210 00:09:20,635 --> 00:09:22,325 unfortunately that, uh, 211 00:09:22,465 --> 00:09:24,485 or fortunately, you know, depending on the moment, 212 00:09:24,955 --> 00:09:27,485 just like it took the tragedy of George Floyd, 213 00:09:27,505 --> 00:09:30,405 it takes this type of tragedy for us to finally 214 00:09:31,135 --> 00:09:33,645 shine a light on something that's been going on for a while. 215 00:09:33,705 --> 00:09:35,365 So I think people are in 216 00:09:35,365 --> 00:09:39,045 for a really powerful episode from a thoughtful guest. 217 00:09:39,385 --> 00:09:40,805 Um, and, 218 00:09:40,865 --> 00:09:43,965 and then also, you know, I think always we get back 219 00:09:43,965 --> 00:09:47,285 to the pedagogy and there's some solid tips for what works. 220 00:09:47,345 --> 00:09:49,815 How do we engage students, um, 221 00:09:50,835 --> 00:09:52,765 that show up at the end, right? Yeah, 222 00:09:52,945 --> 00:09:53,945 - That's right. 223 00:09:53,945 --> 00:09:55,085 That's right. And I think, um, 224 00:09:55,865 --> 00:09:57,925 - And, and an amazing top five, 225 00:09:58,035 --> 00:09:59,845 - Yeah, that top five, it - Is fire top five, 226 00:09:59,915 --> 00:10:01,205 - That, that top five is fire. 227 00:10:01,665 --> 00:10:04,405 Um, and also one thing that, uh, 228 00:10:04,405 --> 00:10:05,805 she didn't share on the show, but the she'll 229 00:10:05,955 --> 00:10:09,325 that she will share with me, bro, whenever one 230 00:10:09,345 --> 00:10:13,085 or both of us ever go to Chicago, uh, she has a list 231 00:10:13,085 --> 00:10:15,365 of her top five Palestinian restaurants. Let's 232 00:10:15,365 --> 00:10:16,925 - Go in Chicago, let's go. 233 00:10:16,925 --> 00:10:18,045 Wait. Alright, let's just, 234 00:10:18,055 --> 00:10:19,485 let's just stop this right now and go, 235 00:10:19,935 --> 00:10:20,965 - Let's go, let's go. 236 00:10:21,265 --> 00:10:23,765 Um, yeah. And, you know, this is an individual that, 237 00:10:23,865 --> 00:10:26,845 you know, man, I've been, um, you know, just kind 238 00:10:26,845 --> 00:10:30,685 of ma I I maintain a pretty active social media presence, 239 00:10:30,705 --> 00:10:34,925 and she's one of the folks that, um, that have kind 240 00:10:34,925 --> 00:10:37,125 of come across the, the timeline 241 00:10:37,125 --> 00:10:38,845 and that I've really been able to connect with 242 00:10:38,845 --> 00:10:42,485 and learn from, um, you know, the, the stories of, of the, 243 00:10:42,505 --> 00:10:45,165 of teachers who are Palestinian 244 00:10:45,345 --> 00:10:47,165 and what they're kind of experiencing, 245 00:10:47,165 --> 00:10:48,565 what this moment is meant for them. 246 00:10:48,865 --> 00:10:50,325 We just don't hear enough of those stories. 247 00:10:50,705 --> 00:10:54,165 And some of you might have Palestinian colleagues, 248 00:10:54,225 --> 00:10:55,965 you may have Palestinian students, 249 00:10:56,265 --> 00:10:59,565 and they're strong, they're tough, they're resilient, 250 00:10:59,565 --> 00:11:02,085 they're wise, um, but they're not okay. 251 00:11:02,425 --> 00:11:04,645 And I think it's just important that, that, 252 00:11:04,645 --> 00:11:06,365 that we show some solidarity. 253 00:11:06,705 --> 00:11:09,405 Um, in the coming weeks, um, our friend, uh, 254 00:11:09,465 --> 00:11:10,725 am will come on the show 255 00:11:11,185 --> 00:11:15,005 and, uh, as well as I believe we have a commitment from Dr. 256 00:11:15,175 --> 00:11:18,165 Moona to come on the show as well, to kind 257 00:11:18,165 --> 00:11:19,205 of continue to tell these stories. 258 00:11:19,205 --> 00:11:23,125 But man, you know, I, I, since this, um, 259 00:11:24,095 --> 00:11:28,885 since these atrocities began a month ago, um, I, I've felt 260 00:11:29,735 --> 00:11:31,685 stuck with what to do 261 00:11:32,235 --> 00:11:34,725 because I'm not an expert on the history. 262 00:11:35,125 --> 00:11:39,965 I do. I do have a, a commitment to holding steadfast 263 00:11:39,965 --> 00:11:43,005 with people who are living colonial lives 264 00:11:43,005 --> 00:11:45,645 and ies occupied lives. 265 00:11:46,425 --> 00:11:51,285 Um, but just talking to a, to ABIs today, it, 266 00:11:51,625 --> 00:11:55,125 the big realization that, that I've had lately is like, 267 00:11:56,075 --> 00:11:57,575 you know, they may take our lives, 268 00:11:57,635 --> 00:11:59,255 but our stories make us immortal. 269 00:12:00,035 --> 00:12:02,135 You know, and they make our people immortal 270 00:12:02,135 --> 00:12:03,535 and they make our histories immortal. 271 00:12:03,535 --> 00:12:04,855 And so, I, I think 272 00:12:04,855 --> 00:12:06,535 before anything, it's listen to the stories. 273 00:12:07,835 --> 00:12:09,695 Yep. Yep. All right. 274 00:12:10,045 --> 00:12:14,055 Well, without any further ado, here's our interview with 275 00:12:14,575 --> 00:12:17,535 Palestinian educator from the East Coast by way 276 00:12:17,535 --> 00:12:19,295 of Chicago, uh, Abir. 277 00:12:19,565 --> 00:12:20,815 Ramadan Chini. 278 00:12:23,945 --> 00:12:27,325 Hey, what's good? My peoples, our peoples. 279 00:12:27,585 --> 00:12:30,205 Uh, we are here with our incredible guest, um, 280 00:12:30,305 --> 00:12:32,805 and we've been really looking forward to this conversation 281 00:12:32,985 --> 00:12:34,205 for a long time. 282 00:12:34,705 --> 00:12:37,965 Uh, friend of the podcast, friend of the Twitter account, 283 00:12:38,275 --> 00:12:41,925 welcome to two Dope Teachers and Mike Abir. 284 00:12:42,235 --> 00:12:43,805 Ramadan Chini. How are you? 285 00:12:44,465 --> 00:12:46,405 - I'm good. How are you? - I'm great. 286 00:12:46,405 --> 00:12:48,285 You're dancing and I love that. We are great. 287 00:12:48,425 --> 00:12:50,965 - I'm trying. - Glad to have you. Thank you. We are. 288 00:12:50,965 --> 00:12:54,485 Thanks for having me. We're so glad to have you. 289 00:12:54,745 --> 00:12:59,145 Um, so we, um, we, we, 290 00:12:59,455 --> 00:13:03,145 like so many other folks from marginalized minoritized 291 00:13:03,145 --> 00:13:07,745 communities have watched the situation in Gaza 292 00:13:07,815 --> 00:13:10,145 with such a sense of horror 293 00:13:10,325 --> 00:13:13,865 and a sense of, of just that kind of frustration 294 00:13:13,865 --> 00:13:17,225 that comes from, man, these are, these are histories that, 295 00:13:17,645 --> 00:13:19,785 uh, repeat themselves and they're really painful. 296 00:13:20,405 --> 00:13:22,745 Um, before we kind of get into that, 297 00:13:23,215 --> 00:13:25,105 just tell us a little bit about you 298 00:13:25,565 --> 00:13:28,225 and, you know, a little bit of, of your, uh, 299 00:13:28,745 --> 00:13:29,945 superhero origin story 300 00:13:30,245 --> 00:13:32,665 and, um, you know, how you came to be 301 00:13:32,685 --> 00:13:33,865 who you are, where you are. 302 00:13:35,025 --> 00:13:37,955 - Well, it started with my mom and dad first, but no. 303 00:13:38,095 --> 00:13:42,195 Um, so that, geez, where should I start? . 304 00:13:43,015 --> 00:13:46,875 Um, like I, you know, I always start by saying I'm a child 305 00:13:46,875 --> 00:13:49,155 of immigrants, and growing up I used to think 306 00:13:49,155 --> 00:13:51,355 that was such a, a, a deficit, 307 00:13:51,615 --> 00:13:54,155 and now I wear it like a badge of honor, you know? 308 00:13:54,155 --> 00:13:56,715 Yeah. And the fact that I'm a child of immigrants, 309 00:13:56,715 --> 00:13:59,675 because when I think about what both of my parents 310 00:14:00,935 --> 00:14:03,395 did in order to get to where they are today is 311 00:14:03,955 --> 00:14:04,995 absolutely amazing. 312 00:14:06,055 --> 00:14:08,515 Um, and thinking about all the, all the privilege 313 00:14:08,515 --> 00:14:10,755 that I come with, regardless if I grew up in, you know, 314 00:14:10,755 --> 00:14:12,555 poverty or not, there's all 315 00:14:12,555 --> 00:14:13,595 this privilege that came with it. 316 00:14:13,655 --> 00:14:16,515 So I'm a child of Palestinian immigrants. 317 00:14:16,515 --> 00:14:18,635 Both of my parents are Palestinian. 318 00:14:19,455 --> 00:14:21,395 My mom is actually the refugee, not my dad. 319 00:14:21,575 --> 00:14:25,875 So my mom is from, um, her family's from pre 48 Borders. 320 00:14:26,495 --> 00:14:29,875 Um, so that will be something that is always kind 321 00:14:29,875 --> 00:14:31,995 of interesting to tell people. 322 00:14:32,455 --> 00:14:37,235 Um, and one of six kids who were three girls and three boys. 323 00:14:37,345 --> 00:14:38,875 Yeah. I grew up on the south side of Chicago, 324 00:14:39,255 --> 00:14:42,555 and I think growing up in Chicago, in a city like Chicago, 325 00:14:42,675 --> 00:14:43,675 especially on the south side, 326 00:14:43,675 --> 00:14:44,795 if you know anything about Chicago, 327 00:14:44,795 --> 00:14:46,995 people will tell you geographically where they're located. 328 00:14:49,175 --> 00:14:52,365 - Me, love Chicago, very important. Me and love Chicago. 329 00:14:52,365 --> 00:14:54,725 Yes. It's Chicago. Keeps calling to us, keeps calling 330 00:14:54,725 --> 00:14:55,725 - To us. 331 00:14:55,725 --> 00:14:57,005 Yeah. We had that conversation right Gerardo. 332 00:14:57,005 --> 00:14:58,005 And you have to go back. 333 00:14:58,185 --> 00:15:01,645 Um, I think also saying that we're from the south side 334 00:15:01,645 --> 00:15:04,245 because we have a deep pride of the fact that it has one of, 335 00:15:04,425 --> 00:15:06,445 one of the largest Palestinian populations in the country. 336 00:15:07,505 --> 00:15:11,325 So there's something about growing up with, uh, 337 00:15:11,325 --> 00:15:12,325 being multilingual 338 00:15:12,545 --> 00:15:15,005 and being, um, having more than one culture 339 00:15:15,745 --> 00:15:16,845 and trying to navigate that. 340 00:15:16,865 --> 00:15:19,445 And I almost look at it as three cultures where you're, 341 00:15:19,745 --> 00:15:21,245 you know, you have a little bit of American, 342 00:15:21,265 --> 00:15:22,685 you have a little bit of Palestinian, 343 00:15:22,685 --> 00:15:24,845 and then you have a little bit of city in you 344 00:15:25,055 --> 00:15:27,645 where it's different than growing up in like the suburbs. 345 00:15:28,345 --> 00:15:30,405 So, you know, growing up there was really, uh, 346 00:15:30,405 --> 00:15:31,405 - Pivotal. 347 00:15:31,405 --> 00:15:32,645 Yeah. Kevin knows about growing up in the suburbs, right? 348 00:15:32,645 --> 00:15:35,245 Kevin? Oh, yeah. Oh yeah. Sorry. 349 00:15:35,865 --> 00:15:37,125 - No, that's - Okay. I'm feel sorry. 350 00:15:37,145 --> 00:15:39,045 I'm, I'm on the, I'm on the end of a, 351 00:15:39,045 --> 00:15:40,885 an 11 hour day, so I'm a little punchy. 352 00:15:41,065 --> 00:15:42,805 Um, but go ahead. So you're talking about, I I 353 00:15:42,805 --> 00:15:43,805 - Love it. 354 00:15:43,805 --> 00:15:46,165 I remember those, uh, long feature days when you start 355 00:15:46,165 --> 00:15:48,685 to be like, halluc, you know, you're hallucinating . 356 00:15:48,685 --> 00:15:50,565 It's like at the end of day you're nothing makes sense. 357 00:15:50,745 --> 00:15:52,365 You don't need to get drunk because just stay 358 00:15:52,365 --> 00:15:53,925 for 12 hours and a snow just, 359 00:15:53,925 --> 00:15:54,925 - Just work a long day. 360 00:15:54,925 --> 00:15:57,005 It feels the same. Yeah. Sorry. So, so No, that's okay. 361 00:15:57,005 --> 00:15:58,125 Talking about how, like, 362 00:15:58,125 --> 00:15:59,885 growing up in the south side of Chicago 363 00:16:00,075 --> 00:16:01,075 - Yeah. 364 00:16:01,075 --> 00:16:04,845 South side, and it, it was, um, it was very, you know, 365 00:16:04,845 --> 00:16:07,485 we know Chicago is a very segregated, racist city, 366 00:16:07,505 --> 00:16:09,685 but even growing up as an Arab in the eighties 367 00:16:09,945 --> 00:16:14,245 and early nineties, um, you tend, I, 368 00:16:14,745 --> 00:16:16,565 for myself, and I know a lot of other people tend 369 00:16:16,565 --> 00:16:19,205 to develop like this complex, are we these people 370 00:16:19,205 --> 00:16:21,165 that the B ds saying or are we not? 371 00:16:21,215 --> 00:16:23,325 Right? I was proud to be Palestinian. 372 00:16:23,405 --> 00:16:24,645 I was proud to speak Arabic, 373 00:16:25,385 --> 00:16:28,165 but, you know, so growing up there, you kind of had 374 00:16:28,165 --> 00:16:31,085 to maneuver and how to, um, live that life. 375 00:16:31,265 --> 00:16:35,645 So, you know, grew up there, um, became a teacher, uh, 376 00:16:35,815 --> 00:16:38,765 which middle school social studies, which is my first love. 377 00:16:38,885 --> 00:16:40,965 I will always be a good school social studies teacher 378 00:16:41,885 --> 00:16:42,885 - Represent. 379 00:16:42,885 --> 00:16:45,045 There's three of us here. There's three of us here. 380 00:16:45,365 --> 00:16:47,285 , there's, right, that's, those are the real 381 00:16:47,355 --> 00:16:48,355 - Ones. 382 00:16:48,355 --> 00:16:49,365 It's, it's the best kind. Right. 383 00:16:49,385 --> 00:16:50,605 And then eventually my husband 384 00:16:50,625 --> 00:16:52,245 and I end up moving to the East Coast. 385 00:16:52,265 --> 00:16:54,765 And we've been in Maryland now for like, over 20 years. 386 00:16:54,945 --> 00:16:57,285 Um, I love living on the East Coast. It's very different. 387 00:16:57,425 --> 00:16:59,125 Um, but my heart will always be in Chicago. 388 00:16:59,345 --> 00:17:01,285 And, and as I've gotten older, 389 00:17:01,485 --> 00:17:04,045 I think I've become more in tune with who I am as a person. 390 00:17:04,555 --> 00:17:06,325 Yeah. Um, upbringing wasn't that easy, 391 00:17:06,465 --> 00:17:10,245 but I think it really helped me develop into who I am today 392 00:17:10,305 --> 00:17:12,925 and, and what I bring with me into education as well. 393 00:17:13,025 --> 00:17:14,765 So kind of a broad sense of 394 00:17:14,765 --> 00:17:16,245 who I am, but, you know. Nah, that's 395 00:17:16,245 --> 00:17:17,245 - Dope. 396 00:17:17,245 --> 00:17:18,445 - We'll dabble into that as we talk. 397 00:17:18,955 --> 00:17:20,565 - Yeah. Why, why'd you wanna be a teacher? 398 00:17:20,905 --> 00:17:22,205 I'm just, this is always a question 399 00:17:22,205 --> 00:17:23,805 that we're really curious about when it, 400 00:17:23,805 --> 00:17:26,325 particularly when it comes to educators of color. 401 00:17:27,105 --> 00:17:29,605 - So at first, I want to be a lawyer and 402 00:17:29,745 --> 00:17:31,045 - Hey, I can see that. Yes. 403 00:17:31,295 --> 00:17:33,325 - Right? Yeah. , I want to be a lawyer. 404 00:17:33,465 --> 00:17:37,125 And my, my, the first semester of my senior year 405 00:17:37,125 --> 00:17:39,365 of high school, I ended up doing an internship 406 00:17:40,105 --> 00:17:43,165 in Springfield, Illinois, which I believe is the land 407 00:17:43,165 --> 00:17:45,965 of Homer Simpson, but people don't wanna admit it. . 408 00:17:46,865 --> 00:17:47,685 - So I went there, right, because 409 00:17:47,685 --> 00:17:48,885 it's Springfield. Okay. Where'd you go? 410 00:17:48,925 --> 00:17:50,605 - Springfield. But, you know, because Springfield's the most 411 00:17:50,605 --> 00:17:51,925 generic name you can have for City. 412 00:17:51,925 --> 00:17:53,685 Right? Right. You named it after Illinois. 413 00:17:54,145 --> 00:17:57,845 So I went there and it was, so this was the early nineties, 414 00:17:57,905 --> 00:18:00,325 so this is 92 to be exact. 415 00:18:00,485 --> 00:18:01,965 'cause I graduated in 93. I'm showing my age, 416 00:18:02,025 --> 00:18:06,845 but, so I go there now, this is pre any type of like, 417 00:18:07,225 --> 00:18:10,045 really digging into women owning themselves, 418 00:18:10,045 --> 00:18:11,285 especially in law. 419 00:18:11,735 --> 00:18:14,405 First of all, it was boring as heck, . Right. 420 00:18:15,025 --> 00:18:17,285 Second of all, all the work was being done 421 00:18:17,305 --> 00:18:18,965 by the paralegal who was a, a woman. 422 00:18:19,495 --> 00:18:20,645 Right. You know, and these 423 00:18:20,645 --> 00:18:21,685 dudes would see these big offices. 424 00:18:21,745 --> 00:18:23,405 And I'm like, I don't know if this is for me. 425 00:18:24,025 --> 00:18:26,125 So I go back to school after my internship 426 00:18:26,385 --> 00:18:29,125 and I, my, I'm trying to decide what I wanna do. 427 00:18:29,285 --> 00:18:30,805 'cause I have like a semester left. 428 00:18:30,845 --> 00:18:33,525 I go to cook college and my principal looks at me 429 00:18:33,525 --> 00:18:35,645 and she's like, you know, you've been socially active. 430 00:18:35,745 --> 00:18:37,965 You've, you've done all this stuff for the community. 431 00:18:38,305 --> 00:18:40,445 You love history. Why don't you be a teacher? 432 00:18:41,085 --> 00:18:43,805 I was like, oh, okay. . 433 00:18:43,945 --> 00:18:46,845 And to be honest, that's how it ended up happening. 434 00:18:47,005 --> 00:18:48,965 I really didn't ever think of becoming a teacher. 435 00:18:49,445 --> 00:18:51,405 I was set on being a lawyer for the longest time. 436 00:18:51,505 --> 00:18:53,765 And I guess, like my friend says, 437 00:18:53,765 --> 00:18:55,245 there are no coincidences in life. 438 00:18:55,345 --> 00:18:57,925 And Mm. From there, that's how I became a teacher. 439 00:18:58,625 --> 00:19:00,725 - Oh, love that. Oh, I love that. Yeah. Yeah. 440 00:19:01,605 --> 00:19:03,605 I love, I love that your principal 441 00:19:04,825 --> 00:19:07,285 had had enough understanding of you. 442 00:19:07,305 --> 00:19:09,725 And I, I, Gerardo was joking, I went 443 00:19:09,725 --> 00:19:12,005 to school in the suburbs at a large, like, 444 00:19:12,155 --> 00:19:16,085 comprehensive high school, 1200, uh, kids, 445 00:19:16,785 --> 00:19:18,845 and 11 of which were black, uh, 446 00:19:18,845 --> 00:19:21,085 1200 mostly white kids. Right. 447 00:19:21,615 --> 00:19:22,685 - Y'all had a nickname too, 448 00:19:22,685 --> 00:19:23,805 right? Didn't y'all have a nickname? 449 00:19:23,805 --> 00:19:26,245 - Black F The Black Falcon? Shout out. Shout out. 450 00:19:26,245 --> 00:19:28,165 - Which is kind of sick - Like a superhero gang. 451 00:19:28,165 --> 00:19:30,725 It's, it's kind of dope. Like now Yeah. Sounds very better. 452 00:19:31,365 --> 00:19:32,885 . But, uh, I mean, it was cool. 453 00:19:32,985 --> 00:19:37,335 It was cool that, but uh, we, you know, 454 00:19:37,885 --> 00:19:39,655 that your principal knew you that well. 455 00:19:39,655 --> 00:19:42,255 Mm-Hmm. kind of what you had done, you know, 456 00:19:42,315 --> 00:19:43,935 and, and had the ability to say, 457 00:19:43,995 --> 00:19:45,255 Hey, you should be a teacher. 458 00:19:45,835 --> 00:19:47,775 And, um, I think that's powerful. 459 00:19:47,855 --> 00:19:51,415 I tell students that I just transition outta the classroom 460 00:19:51,435 --> 00:19:52,575 and assistant principal, but 461 00:19:52,575 --> 00:19:53,775 I'm like, you should be a teacher. 462 00:19:53,995 --> 00:19:55,495 So hopefully they're listening 463 00:19:55,595 --> 00:19:57,015 and saying that, you know, 464 00:19:57,085 --> 00:19:59,815 sometimes it's a, it's a good thought. It's a good idea. 465 00:20:00,405 --> 00:20:02,855 - Yeah. It's, it's, it's kind of wild too, 466 00:20:02,855 --> 00:20:04,735 because it is funny 'cause we're too dope teachers 467 00:20:04,735 --> 00:20:07,455 and a mic, but, but this reason it's not the number two 468 00:20:07,845 --> 00:20:10,575 because we just highlight Yes. 469 00:20:10,575 --> 00:20:13,375 Two dope teachers, like teachers who are just too dope. 470 00:20:13,715 --> 00:20:15,855 And, uh, and I think that's something Kevin 471 00:20:15,915 --> 00:20:19,455 and I have talked about a lot over the last few months since 472 00:20:19,835 --> 00:20:22,895 he left the classroom, is kind of like, you know, 473 00:20:23,375 --> 00:20:25,015 teaching is our mother tongue, right? 474 00:20:25,015 --> 00:20:26,615 Professionally speaking. Mm-Hmm. . 475 00:20:26,915 --> 00:20:31,845 And so we won't, we won't ever look at education through 476 00:20:32,995 --> 00:20:37,445 like, another lens before we see it as a teacher. 477 00:20:37,625 --> 00:20:40,165 So be for me before, I'm a, uh, 478 00:20:40,865 --> 00:20:42,645 middle management moid. 479 00:20:43,025 --> 00:20:44,485 Um, I'm a teacher , right? 480 00:20:45,185 --> 00:20:48,165 And, um, like, like my teacher hat is on 481 00:20:48,165 --> 00:20:49,645 before, my manager hat is on, 482 00:20:49,645 --> 00:20:51,525 before my administrator hat is on, 483 00:20:51,525 --> 00:20:53,405 before my district leader hat is on. 484 00:20:53,465 --> 00:20:56,925 And I think it's the same thing, um, for Kev. 485 00:20:56,925 --> 00:20:58,205 No, that, that's cool. Um, 486 00:20:58,795 --> 00:20:59,795 - Yeah. 487 00:20:59,795 --> 00:21:03,445 But for context, I did another piece of my upbringing 488 00:21:03,595 --> 00:21:07,405 that I think was very pivotal and, um, who I am today. 489 00:21:07,585 --> 00:21:12,445 So I went to a very small, it was the first at the time, 490 00:21:13,025 --> 00:21:15,085 uh, private school for Muslim girls. 491 00:21:15,785 --> 00:21:16,925 - All right. - Yeah. 492 00:21:16,945 --> 00:21:18,405 So it's similar to the Catholic school. 493 00:21:18,505 --> 00:21:20,325 It was for Muslim girls. It was like six through 12. 494 00:21:21,105 --> 00:21:24,205 So we literally, my graduating class was I think 495 00:21:24,205 --> 00:21:25,285 like 13 people. 496 00:21:26,145 --> 00:21:28,765 So for the principal to know who we were, of course, 497 00:21:28,765 --> 00:21:32,205 because if you have a school of like 200 students, not even, 498 00:21:32,785 --> 00:21:35,685 it was so small, but it was such a close knit community 499 00:21:35,685 --> 00:21:38,085 because everybody knew everybody from the community. 500 00:21:38,265 --> 00:21:39,525 It was part of the community. 501 00:21:40,185 --> 00:21:44,165 Um, and so it was an, a really cool way of 502 00:21:44,905 --> 00:21:46,325 not feeling like an outsider, 503 00:21:46,965 --> 00:21:50,485 although all of our teachers, 99% of 'em speaking of white, 504 00:21:50,675 --> 00:21:54,285 were white women who chose to teach at the school with all 505 00:21:54,285 --> 00:21:56,325 of these, like, they were all, um, brown. 506 00:21:56,325 --> 00:21:58,645 We had maybe one or two, um, black Muslim students, 507 00:21:59,145 --> 00:22:01,845 but they were all children of immigrants 508 00:22:02,185 --> 00:22:03,885 who were Palestinian from that community. 509 00:22:03,885 --> 00:22:05,965 And you had these white women who are phenomenal teachers. 510 00:22:06,505 --> 00:22:09,645 And it was really an interesting way to develop a sense 511 00:22:09,645 --> 00:22:12,365 of self by looking on the outside in, by, 512 00:22:12,365 --> 00:22:14,085 through our teachers, but at the same time, 513 00:22:14,145 --> 00:22:15,365 not losing a sense of ourself 514 00:22:15,365 --> 00:22:16,765 because we were in this like, 515 00:22:16,795 --> 00:22:18,485 insulated bubble with the school. 516 00:22:18,665 --> 00:22:20,965 So that's how my principal got to know me, 517 00:22:20,965 --> 00:22:23,245 because we were such a close-knit community 518 00:22:23,475 --> 00:22:24,725 that she was able to do that. 519 00:22:24,745 --> 00:22:29,445 But she was also, herself was such a, a, a person that was 520 00:22:29,445 --> 00:22:31,485 so, um, introspective. 521 00:22:31,665 --> 00:22:34,925 She was Malaysian and just this amazing, 522 00:22:35,075 --> 00:22:36,965 like, cerebral person. 523 00:22:37,305 --> 00:22:40,925 So I was happy she saw that in me because I wasn't a lawyer 524 00:22:40,925 --> 00:22:41,965 and I didn't know I was gonna be a teacher. 525 00:22:42,125 --> 00:22:44,045 I have no idea what I would've been So 526 00:22:44,965 --> 00:22:45,965 - . 527 00:22:45,965 --> 00:22:47,965 Yes, yes, yes. No, I love that. Yeah. That's real. 528 00:22:48,185 --> 00:22:52,845 Um, you know, I think this idea of like all 529 00:22:54,245 --> 00:22:58,125 anything school ex, you know, the, the, you know, us people 530 00:22:58,125 --> 00:23:01,165 that have been left out, so all black boys school, right? 531 00:23:01,385 --> 00:23:04,285 Oh. Or, you know, a Muslim girl school. Mm-Hmm. 532 00:23:04,325 --> 00:23:06,005 I think is an amazing thing. 533 00:23:06,465 --> 00:23:09,245 But I often wonder, was it, what, how did your, uh, 534 00:23:09,245 --> 00:23:11,205 do you know anything about how your school was started? 535 00:23:11,465 --> 00:23:13,845 Or was it a charter school? No, 536 00:23:14,515 --> 00:23:18,365 - They, it was basically a bunch of people in the community. 537 00:23:18,385 --> 00:23:21,125 So if you know anything about like, especially Arab culture, 538 00:23:21,235 --> 00:23:22,325 like they're very protective 539 00:23:22,325 --> 00:23:23,525 of their daughters, right? Yes. 540 00:23:23,745 --> 00:23:26,325 - Yes. - And again, all of them were immigrants. 541 00:23:26,345 --> 00:23:28,405 So not only were they protective of their daughters, 542 00:23:28,405 --> 00:23:30,085 but they wanted to be very protective of the culture. 543 00:23:30,625 --> 00:23:33,445 Yes. Mm-Hmm. . So these, these, you know, these 544 00:23:34,135 --> 00:23:35,925 dudes basically came together 545 00:23:35,925 --> 00:23:37,285 and said, Hey, I have a daughter. 546 00:23:37,385 --> 00:23:39,045 You have a daughter, let's get together. 547 00:23:39,095 --> 00:23:41,205 Let's start a school. Yeah. Nothing with education. 548 00:23:41,425 --> 00:23:43,045 The man, um, God rest the soul 549 00:23:43,045 --> 00:23:45,245 who started the school was actually an engineer, 550 00:23:45,275 --> 00:23:46,325 like a civil engineer. 551 00:23:46,325 --> 00:23:47,245 Mm-Hmm. . Yeah. His 552 00:23:47,365 --> 00:23:48,405 daughter was in my graduating class. 553 00:23:48,465 --> 00:23:50,485 And that's basically with a, with a, 554 00:23:50,485 --> 00:23:52,525 which I think if you think of even historically, 555 00:23:52,525 --> 00:23:53,965 like in black communities, yes. 556 00:23:53,965 --> 00:23:56,365 People come together and say, each one teach one, 557 00:23:56,365 --> 00:23:57,525 we're gonna start this little school 558 00:23:58,265 --> 00:24:00,765 and then let's, it grows from there and there. 559 00:24:00,825 --> 00:24:03,405 And that's basically how it started. So, yeah. 560 00:24:04,065 --> 00:24:05,645 - Oh, wow. Wow. Yeah. That's dope. 561 00:24:05,825 --> 00:24:07,525 You, you know, I always, you know, 562 00:24:07,595 --> 00:24:10,685 I've always often pondered, I was like, yeah, these people 563 00:24:10,705 --> 00:24:12,245 who are all for religious schools. 564 00:24:12,545 --> 00:24:15,405 Mm. Would they accept a religious, uh, 565 00:24:15,545 --> 00:24:17,045 Muslim or Islamic school? 566 00:24:17,225 --> 00:24:20,125 You know, would Kevin ever, do you mean Kevin? 567 00:24:20,835 --> 00:24:23,085 What do you mean know? It's just the way my brain works. 568 00:24:23,245 --> 00:24:24,485 I dunno if I brain 569 00:24:24,635 --> 00:24:26,005 - Work that - Way. Well, 570 00:24:26,185 --> 00:24:28,525 - And I think, and I think that's, it's ironically, sorry, 571 00:24:28,545 --> 00:24:29,685 the school, ironically though, 572 00:24:29,925 --> 00:24:32,165 although it was predominantly for Muslim girls, 573 00:24:32,225 --> 00:24:35,005 it was very progressive and and liberal in it sense. 574 00:24:35,005 --> 00:24:37,405 Yeah. Interesting. Hijab wasn't, wasn't mandatory. 575 00:24:37,405 --> 00:24:40,925 Like I said, of our teachers were these white non-Muslim 576 00:24:40,925 --> 00:24:43,045 women, , even our principal, Ms. 577 00:24:43,095 --> 00:24:46,725 Maher, who was like, the foundation was an ex Nunn, right? 578 00:24:46,725 --> 00:24:48,005 Yeah. Oh, wow. Oh, wow. 579 00:24:48,005 --> 00:24:50,405 So it was such a cool experience that Yeah, that's cool. 580 00:24:50,405 --> 00:24:52,485 It's really more just to preserve culture 581 00:24:52,705 --> 00:24:54,485 and have a place for self identity, 582 00:24:54,485 --> 00:24:55,885 which i, I owe a lot too. 583 00:24:56,025 --> 00:24:57,405 So I think it was a great experience. 584 00:24:57,965 --> 00:25:01,445 - I think that's so important. So important too. Yeah. 585 00:25:01,535 --> 00:25:03,045 Thank you for sharing that. Of course. 586 00:25:03,045 --> 00:25:07,435 So tell us about, tell us about, uh, your experience. 587 00:25:07,655 --> 00:25:09,475 Uh, because me and Gerardo, you know, 588 00:25:09,995 --> 00:25:11,915 I think when we entered the classroom, we, 589 00:25:12,015 --> 00:25:13,395 we realized we were different. 590 00:25:13,615 --> 00:25:16,155 Mm-Hmm. , we were gonna be different than most 591 00:25:16,155 --> 00:25:19,875 of our colleagues, uh, you know, different, uh, 592 00:25:19,875 --> 00:25:21,595 sometimes depending on the community 593 00:25:21,595 --> 00:25:23,755 that you're in from our students, you know? 594 00:25:24,015 --> 00:25:25,155 Mm-Hmm. . Um, but, 595 00:25:25,535 --> 00:25:29,595 but tell us about your experience being a, 596 00:25:30,605 --> 00:25:34,885 uh, first generation immigrant, uh, uh, 597 00:25:35,125 --> 00:25:36,645 a Palestinian educator. 598 00:25:37,355 --> 00:25:38,645 Tell us about that. Mm-Hmm. . 599 00:25:40,185 --> 00:25:42,045 - Um, it has its moments. 600 00:25:42,945 --> 00:25:47,495 Um, I think because, you know, when people meet me 601 00:25:47,495 --> 00:25:49,295 for the first time, they don't automatically think 602 00:25:49,395 --> 00:25:50,695 I'm Palestinian or Arab. 603 00:25:50,695 --> 00:25:52,815 Other things come to mind like, are you Persian? 604 00:25:52,815 --> 00:25:54,775 Are you from Iran? Are you from Pakistan? 605 00:25:54,835 --> 00:25:56,935 And that's interesting. And then trying 606 00:25:56,935 --> 00:25:58,335 to go into the spiral of explaining 607 00:25:58,335 --> 00:25:59,975 to 'em Palestinian, oh, forget that. 608 00:26:00,045 --> 00:26:03,575 Like, you're . Like, where's Palestine? 609 00:26:03,575 --> 00:26:08,135 Like, all of that. Um, so I, when I would teach, 610 00:26:08,655 --> 00:26:10,455 I was always intentional of where I would teach. 611 00:26:10,835 --> 00:26:13,815 And I say that because when I first started teaching, 612 00:26:13,975 --> 00:26:15,215 I taught in Waukegan, Illinois, 613 00:26:15,265 --> 00:26:17,255 which is a suburb north of Chicago. 614 00:26:17,805 --> 00:26:19,655 Okay. Uh, at the time when I was there, 615 00:26:19,715 --> 00:26:24,175 it was either predominantly all Mexican, um, 616 00:26:24,265 --> 00:26:26,375 immigrants, children of, uh, migrant workers, 617 00:26:27,105 --> 00:26:28,255 large black population, 618 00:26:28,255 --> 00:26:31,655 and a few of, uh, some white students who didn't leave 619 00:26:31,655 --> 00:26:33,975 with a white flight just yet. Right? 620 00:26:33,995 --> 00:26:36,495 - Yep. Yep, yep. - And I love teaching there. 621 00:26:36,555 --> 00:26:37,655 And ever since that, 622 00:26:38,215 --> 00:26:40,455 whenever I went to another school, I was very intentional 623 00:26:40,975 --> 00:26:43,405 teaching a school with students who are, you know, 624 00:26:43,405 --> 00:26:46,685 what they, what they would call, you know, um, uh, 625 00:26:47,125 --> 00:26:48,165 minority majority schools. 626 00:26:48,585 --> 00:26:50,765 Yep. Uh, or what I would say, sometimes schools 627 00:26:50,765 --> 00:26:51,765 with a little bit more flavor. 628 00:26:52,185 --> 00:26:53,365 Yep. only 629 00:26:53,365 --> 00:26:57,725 because I also believed that my role as who I am 630 00:26:57,725 --> 00:27:01,685 as a person, I believed it was important for those students 631 00:27:01,745 --> 00:27:03,365 to understand where I came from 632 00:27:03,365 --> 00:27:04,645 and have that experience as well 633 00:27:04,825 --> 00:27:07,325 as a Arab first generation student. 634 00:27:07,985 --> 00:27:10,805 Um, you know, they do see a lot of other ethnicities 635 00:27:10,825 --> 00:27:13,325 or other groups of people, but I felt our students 636 00:27:13,465 --> 00:27:16,765 of color also needed to see somebody who is a teacher 637 00:27:16,765 --> 00:27:19,205 of color, but in a totally different realm 638 00:27:19,205 --> 00:27:20,285 that they're not used to. 639 00:27:21,305 --> 00:27:24,765 And so I was able to connect with them 640 00:27:24,765 --> 00:27:26,245 and then vice versa, even though 641 00:27:27,015 --> 00:27:28,245 there was nothing in common, 642 00:27:28,275 --> 00:27:30,765 like nothing from the background, nothing of the religion. 643 00:27:30,785 --> 00:27:33,405 But there was that piece of, especially if I had children 644 00:27:33,585 --> 00:27:35,285 who were children of immigrants, right? 645 00:27:35,465 --> 00:27:37,045 Yep. Yeah. They would understand that. 646 00:27:37,065 --> 00:27:40,085 Or even students who come from, like we said, 647 00:27:40,085 --> 00:27:41,165 marginalized communities. 648 00:27:41,185 --> 00:27:43,725 We had that connection. So I was always intentional 649 00:27:43,725 --> 00:27:46,645 where I taught, and I never shied away of who I was. 650 00:27:47,305 --> 00:27:48,845 Um, and you all know middle school, 651 00:27:48,875 --> 00:27:51,405 they will be nosy as anyhow, . Oh, 652 00:27:51,405 --> 00:27:52,845 - Yes, yes, yes. 653 00:27:53,385 --> 00:27:55,565 You can't hide yourself even if you try. 654 00:27:56,345 --> 00:27:58,165 - But what I do, like, what I did always like, 655 00:27:58,165 --> 00:28:00,165 because it was almost like a shock factor, 656 00:28:00,165 --> 00:28:01,685 is I would walk into a classroom 657 00:28:01,865 --> 00:28:04,125 and kids automatically, when they see me in the hijab, 658 00:28:04,125 --> 00:28:05,325 think I talk like this. 659 00:28:05,405 --> 00:28:06,605 I have an accent. I don't, 660 00:28:06,605 --> 00:28:07,805 you know, I'm not from the country. 661 00:28:08,315 --> 00:28:09,645 Yeah. The first things that come out 662 00:28:09,645 --> 00:28:11,005 of my mouth is like, my name is Ms. 663 00:28:11,585 --> 00:28:13,405 Aui, I will be your teacher. 664 00:28:14,565 --> 00:28:16,845 I am, you know, one of six kids. 665 00:28:17,385 --> 00:28:20,045 I'm a mother and I grew up on the south side of Chicago. 666 00:28:20,305 --> 00:28:22,445 And that ends up, right? Yeah. Everyone's like, oh, okay. 667 00:28:22,505 --> 00:28:25,725 No, can't do it. So once you do that with them 668 00:28:25,785 --> 00:28:29,005 and they realize that, okay, you know, she is who she is, 669 00:28:29,515 --> 00:28:30,765 kids were a lot more accepting. 670 00:28:30,825 --> 00:28:34,525 So it never really, with students, I don't think I ever, 671 00:28:34,725 --> 00:28:36,725 I had maybe one issue, but that was 672 00:28:37,045 --> 00:28:38,365 'cause the kid was just a kid. 673 00:28:38,465 --> 00:28:40,325 But other than that, I never had issues. 674 00:28:40,405 --> 00:28:42,965 I loved being around my students. Yeah. Yeah. 675 00:28:42,985 --> 00:28:46,005 And they let me be who I was all the time, 676 00:28:46,055 --> 00:28:47,485 which I really, really liked. 677 00:28:48,005 --> 00:28:49,085 - I mean, that tends to be the case, 678 00:28:49,205 --> 00:28:51,445 particularly in communities of color, right? 679 00:28:51,515 --> 00:28:54,805 Yeah. Where this, it's not that the students don't care 680 00:28:54,805 --> 00:28:59,165 who you are, it's that the students are, are ready to, 681 00:28:59,165 --> 00:29:01,005 they're, they're curious about difference. 682 00:29:01,005 --> 00:29:03,325 They're curious about people and, 683 00:29:03,825 --> 00:29:06,165 but they also value you just coming in authentic. 684 00:29:06,465 --> 00:29:08,685 And then they're saying, oh, you said south side. Yeah. 685 00:29:08,685 --> 00:29:10,885 I'm from there too. Cool. Right. , we're good. 686 00:29:10,905 --> 00:29:12,005 And we move on. Yeah. 687 00:29:12,085 --> 00:29:15,725 I mean, my, my experience moving into education, I, 688 00:29:15,805 --> 00:29:18,325 I taught in, um, in alternative ed. 689 00:29:18,545 --> 00:29:20,085 And so, um, 690 00:29:20,665 --> 00:29:23,845 my students were almost divided right down the 691 00:29:23,845 --> 00:29:24,965 middle, uh, black and brown. 692 00:29:25,025 --> 00:29:27,805 That's who I taught. And I always knew that I wanted 693 00:29:27,905 --> 00:29:31,885 to connect with, um, Latina students. 694 00:29:32,145 --> 00:29:34,685 Mm-Hmm. . Um, but the, 695 00:29:34,865 --> 00:29:39,245 the experience I had gr growing up in one of Denver's, um, 696 00:29:39,245 --> 00:29:41,725 oldest, uh, historically black neighborhoods, 697 00:29:41,865 --> 00:29:45,325 was also something that really, um, formed a connection 698 00:29:45,325 --> 00:29:47,245 because I was like, oh, wow, we can connect too. 699 00:29:47,305 --> 00:29:48,365 And it was kind of beautiful. 700 00:29:48,905 --> 00:29:51,205 Um, and so I love, I love what you've said, and you, 701 00:29:51,225 --> 00:29:53,565 and you've said this to me in other conversations about 702 00:29:54,225 --> 00:29:55,605 how being able to 703 00:29:56,275 --> 00:30:00,045 connect across difference when you come from marginal, 704 00:30:00,045 --> 00:30:01,525 marginalized communities Mm-Hmm. 705 00:30:01,865 --> 00:30:02,925 Is really powerful. Like, 706 00:30:02,925 --> 00:30:06,285 no wonder they wanna keep us from reading stories 707 00:30:06,745 --> 00:30:07,885 of other groups. 708 00:30:07,885 --> 00:30:10,325 Mm-Hmm. No wonder they wanna keep our histories from us. 709 00:30:10,585 --> 00:30:14,565 And no wonder they want to, um, take that away from us 710 00:30:14,585 --> 00:30:16,485 and from anybody else because, uh, 711 00:30:16,755 --> 00:30:18,685 kids are, kids are curious. 712 00:30:18,785 --> 00:30:22,245 And Kev, this makes me think of, um, a, 713 00:30:22,325 --> 00:30:24,605 a teacher I know from the school district you went 714 00:30:24,605 --> 00:30:28,165 to high school in who said once, he's like, oh yeah, 715 00:30:28,675 --> 00:30:32,405 he's like this vocal minority that, that wants to attack, 716 00:30:32,785 --> 00:30:36,325 um, diverse books and materials. 717 00:30:36,445 --> 00:30:39,045 And subject matter is like, they don't speak for any 718 00:30:39,045 --> 00:30:40,125 of the kids in my classroom. 719 00:30:40,225 --> 00:30:42,245 The kids in my classroom, who a lot 720 00:30:42,245 --> 00:30:45,085 of them are actually like, white kids are kind of like, 721 00:30:45,825 --> 00:30:48,125 why would we wanna only know about our own people? 722 00:30:48,125 --> 00:30:49,885 Right? Like, we wanna learn about other folks. 723 00:30:50,025 --> 00:30:52,005 We, we know that when we go out into the world, 724 00:30:52,095 --> 00:30:54,245 other people are out there . 725 00:30:54,825 --> 00:30:56,445 You know? Right, right. And right. 726 00:30:56,585 --> 00:30:59,685 And so, um, and so engaging with the global majority, 727 00:30:59,845 --> 00:31:01,365 I think is a really powerful thing. 728 00:31:02,025 --> 00:31:03,245 Um, people 729 00:31:03,245 --> 00:31:04,965 - Don't realize also like setting 730 00:31:04,965 --> 00:31:06,125 those students up for failure. 731 00:31:06,985 --> 00:31:09,925 You know, when you're not exposing them to what the reality 732 00:31:09,925 --> 00:31:13,085 of the world is, you're really setting them up for failure. 733 00:31:13,145 --> 00:31:16,285 And I think as a country, we are so isolated, you know, 734 00:31:16,645 --> 00:31:19,205 geographically where, as opposed to you go to the rest 735 00:31:19,205 --> 00:31:21,245 of the world and people speak more than one language. 736 00:31:21,475 --> 00:31:23,365 Yeah. We hear it's looked down upon. 737 00:31:23,425 --> 00:31:26,085 So I think people don't understand 738 00:31:26,115 --> 00:31:29,965 that when you are talking about diversity in anyway, 739 00:31:29,965 --> 00:31:33,685 whether it's gender, whether it's religion or culture 740 00:31:33,985 --> 00:31:37,285 or what have you, you're setting your students up to be 741 00:31:38,075 --> 00:31:41,765 more open to becoming adults that are more empathetic 742 00:31:42,425 --> 00:31:43,805 and understanding of each other. 743 00:31:43,905 --> 00:31:46,725 And communities that are always rapidly changing. 744 00:31:46,905 --> 00:31:48,645 So it's really detrimental to their students. 745 00:31:49,645 --> 00:31:50,765 - Absolutely. Absolutely. 746 00:31:50,945 --> 00:31:54,285 So when we, uh, come back from a really, uh, quick break, 747 00:31:54,705 --> 00:31:57,885 um, we're gonna talk a little bit about the elephant in the 748 00:31:57,885 --> 00:32:01,765 room, um, and the, the, uh, the, the horrors 749 00:32:01,765 --> 00:32:04,485 that are happening, um, so far away from us that a lot 750 00:32:04,485 --> 00:32:06,765 of Americans aren't thinking about it, um, very much. 751 00:32:06,765 --> 00:32:08,845 We're gonna talk a little bit about the violence 752 00:32:09,465 --> 00:32:11,405 and, um, the destruction in Gaza. 753 00:32:11,745 --> 00:32:12,765 Um, so we'll do that, 754 00:32:12,865 --> 00:32:15,405 and we'll also talk a little bit about the social justice 755 00:32:15,405 --> 00:32:18,445 imperative, um, in our classrooms when it comes to that. 756 00:32:18,465 --> 00:32:19,645 So stick with us. Um, 757 00:32:19,985 --> 00:32:22,935 before we do that, Kev, have you planned for the future, 758 00:32:24,645 --> 00:32:26,665 - Uh, future ? 759 00:32:26,815 --> 00:32:31,345 Like, Sierra's ex better, better dad? The worst dad. 760 00:32:31,645 --> 00:32:35,665 - He is. Like, tomorrow's Friday. . Um, I, you like, 761 00:32:35,665 --> 00:32:36,665 - I'm doing this weekend. 762 00:32:37,105 --> 00:32:38,425 - I don't know, like, I just wanna know what you think 763 00:32:38,425 --> 00:32:41,325 of a behead you, what kind of planning have you 764 00:32:41,325 --> 00:32:42,645 - Done, you think about future? 765 00:32:42,645 --> 00:32:44,685 I've made a little, uh, planning for the future. 766 00:32:44,945 --> 00:32:47,245 Not, not a significant amount, but good. 767 00:32:47,405 --> 00:32:49,325 - I mean, live in the moment, right? 768 00:32:49,675 --> 00:32:52,245 - Live in the moment. But I, I can always plan more. Why? 769 00:32:52,705 --> 00:32:54,765 - No. Well, I got some ideas. I, I want to hear Albi, what, 770 00:32:54,765 --> 00:32:55,965 what, what do you, uh, 771 00:32:55,965 --> 00:32:57,005 what do you think about when you 772 00:32:57,005 --> 00:32:58,205 think about planning for the future? 773 00:32:58,235 --> 00:33:00,445 What comes to your head? You look traumatized 774 00:33:00,445 --> 00:33:01,565 right now. I'm so sorry. . 775 00:33:01,665 --> 00:33:04,405 - I'm, because I'm like, is the future like this weekend? 776 00:33:04,505 --> 00:33:06,325 Or is the future like 10 years? Because 777 00:33:06,645 --> 00:33:07,805 - , I mean, it's kind of like whatever, 778 00:33:08,325 --> 00:33:12,205 whatever you feel the urge to speak to. Like, 779 00:33:12,265 --> 00:33:15,045 - So to be honest, I say when I plan for the future, 780 00:33:15,625 --> 00:33:17,605 I'm gonna take over this world dope. 781 00:33:17,605 --> 00:33:19,845 Like, I dope like to take my stuff 782 00:33:20,145 --> 00:33:22,725 and like just boom, like the gates have opened 783 00:33:22,745 --> 00:33:24,045 for me and I'm ready to go. 784 00:33:24,265 --> 00:33:27,245 So that's dope for the future, as we say in, in Arabic 785 00:33:27,345 --> 00:33:30,005 and Islamic culture and Shaah like to the top Shaah, 786 00:33:30,455 --> 00:33:31,405 we're talking about the future this 787 00:33:31,405 --> 00:33:32,405 weekend, I'm gonna sleep. 788 00:33:33,245 --> 00:33:36,685 - I love it. Um, so we go Kev, Kev, most 789 00:33:36,685 --> 00:33:38,565 of us are not gonna take over the world 790 00:33:38,565 --> 00:33:39,725 like Avi will, right? 791 00:33:39,785 --> 00:33:42,045 Am I right about that? And if some of us are lucky, 792 00:33:42,285 --> 00:33:44,525 Avi might give us a job in her administration 793 00:33:44,665 --> 00:33:46,045 as ruling in the world. 794 00:33:46,545 --> 00:33:48,445 Um, but for the rest of us, we might have to plan 795 00:33:48,445 --> 00:33:50,285 for our financial future, right? 796 00:33:50,905 --> 00:33:53,445 So like, so that's kind of what I'm talking about, 797 00:33:53,465 --> 00:33:54,605 Kiv. So you wanna know what I got? 798 00:33:55,205 --> 00:33:56,575 - What - Do you got? That's kinda what you got too. 799 00:33:56,875 --> 00:34:00,735 So our friends, Alex, and what we got, um, our friends, Alex 800 00:34:00,795 --> 00:34:04,055 and Tous sat investors, uh, who sponsor the show 801 00:34:04,635 --> 00:34:05,895 for shut out, um, 802 00:34:06,475 --> 00:34:07,535 for talking about some of the stuff they do. 803 00:34:07,725 --> 00:34:10,335 Alex is a really dope kid, 804 00:34:10,355 --> 00:34:12,935 and he, like super young, dude is young. 805 00:34:12,935 --> 00:34:14,015 He could be like my son. 806 00:34:14,475 --> 00:34:19,255 Um, he has this like passion for helping educators 807 00:34:19,475 --> 00:34:24,055 to, um, plan for having generational wealth to pass on. 808 00:34:24,055 --> 00:34:26,375 And that's not something we think about with educators, 809 00:34:26,655 --> 00:34:28,255 like generational wealth. 810 00:34:28,395 --> 00:34:33,175 But, um, but he's got a subscription based, uh, plan that, 811 00:34:33,275 --> 00:34:35,335 um, that is informed by his knowledge 812 00:34:35,335 --> 00:34:37,735 of retirement systems all over the country. 813 00:34:37,995 --> 00:34:40,695 And that's really cool. And Tory, his, um, 814 00:34:40,955 --> 00:34:44,375 his amazing spouse is, um, also doing a lot of this work. 815 00:34:44,485 --> 00:34:46,295 Tory also does dope work in supporting women 816 00:34:46,295 --> 00:34:47,415 of color entrepreneurs. 817 00:34:47,435 --> 00:34:49,775 That's cool. That's super cool. Yeah. 818 00:34:49,835 --> 00:34:51,815 So Satera investors, they're very cool. 819 00:34:52,235 --> 00:34:55,375 Um, it's, you know, especially if you're a new teacher, 820 00:34:55,715 --> 00:34:57,895 but even if you're not a new teacher, um, 821 00:34:58,245 --> 00:35:00,495 even if you're a teacher in the loosest sense of the world, 822 00:35:00,605 --> 00:35:03,375 like, you know what a school is, reach out to Alex. 823 00:35:03,515 --> 00:35:05,455 You went to a school, you went to a school 824 00:35:05,635 --> 00:35:06,635 - School this morning. 825 00:35:06,635 --> 00:35:09,495 - Um, you used to work in a school maybe. Yeah, exactly. 826 00:35:10,035 --> 00:35:12,655 Uh, nah. But you know, I think Alex is really earnest dude 827 00:35:12,915 --> 00:35:15,335 who wants to help teachers plan for the future. 828 00:35:15,515 --> 00:35:16,575 So hit 'em up. 829 00:35:16,795 --> 00:35:17,855 Uh, it's Tory 830 00:35:17,855 --> 00:35:21,375 and Alex, um, slash satter investors.com/two dope. 831 00:35:21,795 --> 00:35:25,015 And, uh, they will give you 25% off of a consultation. 832 00:35:25,395 --> 00:35:27,055 Um, hit 'em up. They're good people. 833 00:35:27,125 --> 00:35:29,935 They got the two dope seal of, of approval stare investors. 834 00:35:31,905 --> 00:35:33,675 Alright. And we're back. 835 00:35:34,085 --> 00:35:36,235 We're gonna have them on the show actually, uh, 836 00:35:36,455 --> 00:35:39,005 at some point, Kevin December, uh, to sort 837 00:35:39,005 --> 00:35:40,965 of talk about like, their journey and stuff. 838 00:35:41,075 --> 00:35:42,165 Like, you see these kids 839 00:35:42,165 --> 00:35:44,205 who are like entrepreneurs at like 25. 840 00:35:44,345 --> 00:35:47,045 I'm like, bro, like, why was I not That's impressive 841 00:35:47,085 --> 00:35:48,085 - Thinking. 842 00:35:48,085 --> 00:35:50,645 Why, why, why, what? You can do that. Wait. 843 00:35:50,845 --> 00:35:52,885 I was like, you could. That's how the young folks are. 844 00:35:53,745 --> 00:35:56,165 That's how they are. They're like, wait, uh, 845 00:35:56,555 --> 00:35:58,605 yeah, I skipped levels. Why? Yeah. 846 00:35:58,605 --> 00:35:59,845 - They're like, - You thought you had 847 00:35:59,845 --> 00:36:01,565 to play every level. Come 848 00:36:01,565 --> 00:36:02,605 - On. Well, and here's, here's what I'll 849 00:36:02,605 --> 00:36:03,605 - Point out where you pay attention, 850 00:36:03,885 --> 00:36:04,885 - . 851 00:36:04,885 --> 00:36:05,565 So, uh, I'll point this out, 852 00:36:05,625 --> 00:36:08,405 and this is often a sensitive subject when you have a 853 00:36:08,405 --> 00:36:09,405 multi-generational group. 854 00:36:09,585 --> 00:36:11,845 But we're all Gen X, right? Yes. 855 00:36:12,015 --> 00:36:15,445 These Gen Z like, 856 00:36:16,875 --> 00:36:20,005 they, they are just, they're kind of fearless when it comes 857 00:36:20,005 --> 00:36:22,365 to just going after what they want and doing what they want 858 00:36:22,365 --> 00:36:24,565 and saying what they want and believing what they want. 859 00:36:24,945 --> 00:36:27,765 Um, shout out to my kid who, who's taken part 860 00:36:27,765 --> 00:36:30,445 of every pro-Palestine protest in Chicago 861 00:36:30,835 --> 00:36:32,485 that has happened in the last month. 862 00:36:32,555 --> 00:36:33,685 - Very good. Very good. - Um, 863 00:36:34,085 --> 00:36:35,645 I just wanna point something out about Gen 864 00:36:35,765 --> 00:36:36,925 Z who raised them? 865 00:36:38,025 --> 00:36:40,405 - We did. - Yes. That's our kids. That's true. 866 00:36:40,625 --> 00:36:41,765 We don't have to, but we don't brag. 867 00:36:41,945 --> 00:36:44,005 We don't flex on that. We don't on, we 868 00:36:44,625 --> 00:36:45,625 - We need to. 869 00:36:45,625 --> 00:36:48,125 We're humble. Gen X we're, see, I, 870 00:36:48,145 --> 00:36:50,205 - We, I mean, we don't have to say anything. 871 00:36:50,305 --> 00:36:52,005 We just sit back and we're like, mm. 872 00:36:52,565 --> 00:36:53,805 - I think we do have to say something. 873 00:36:53,805 --> 00:36:55,485 And maybe it's because I employ millennials, 874 00:36:55,545 --> 00:36:57,965 but like, I think we do have to say something. 875 00:36:57,965 --> 00:37:00,365 Shout out to my team. I love my team if you're listening. 876 00:37:00,785 --> 00:37:05,205 Um, but like, like, like, like I, I have t-shirts in mind. 877 00:37:05,205 --> 00:37:07,805 Like, I think we need to rock t-shirts that says 878 00:37:08,405 --> 00:37:09,485 X gonna give it to you 879 00:37:10,325 --> 00:37:11,685 - . Okay. 880 00:37:11,995 --> 00:37:14,165 - Because we did, we're giving 'em, 881 00:37:14,405 --> 00:37:16,285 I think this is the greatest generation in my opinion. 882 00:37:16,365 --> 00:37:17,365 Thoughts. That's 883 00:37:17,365 --> 00:37:18,365 - True. 884 00:37:18,365 --> 00:37:19,405 And you know, the key 885 00:37:19,405 --> 00:37:21,805 to knowing if you did raise good children is if 886 00:37:21,805 --> 00:37:22,845 they like eighties music. 887 00:37:23,515 --> 00:37:24,725 - They do. Yeah. And if 888 00:37:24,725 --> 00:37:26,805 - They wear those T-shirts and they know one song 889 00:37:26,805 --> 00:37:27,845 from the band that they're wearing, 890 00:37:27,905 --> 00:37:28,905 - That's key. 891 00:37:28,905 --> 00:37:30,205 That's the test. Yeah's, 892 00:37:30,265 --> 00:37:31,285 - My, my kid is jealous 893 00:37:31,475 --> 00:37:33,565 that I share a birthday with David Bowie. 894 00:37:33,785 --> 00:37:35,205 Um, that weddings are so 895 00:37:35,205 --> 00:37:36,205 - Jealous. 896 00:37:36,205 --> 00:37:37,765 That's a pretty big one. That's, that's 897 00:37:37,765 --> 00:37:38,765 - Nice. 898 00:37:38,765 --> 00:37:40,205 She even looks at my pictures from like middle school 899 00:37:40,205 --> 00:37:41,205 and high school, and she's like, 900 00:37:41,385 --> 00:37:42,965 why didn't you keep any of that stuff? 901 00:37:43,255 --> 00:37:44,255 Right? 902 00:37:44,765 --> 00:37:46,325 - I like that. We - Could've. I like that. So 903 00:37:46,325 --> 00:37:49,165 - We're, we're back and, sorry, not to , not 904 00:37:49,165 --> 00:37:50,485 to shift too dramatically here. 905 00:37:50,485 --> 00:37:55,205 Mm-Hmm. Um, but we, the, the biggest reason that, uh, 906 00:37:55,545 --> 00:37:58,325 we reached out to you, I, it is that we have this moment 907 00:37:58,395 --> 00:38:02,925 that we're living in, um, atrocities left and right in Gaza. 908 00:38:03,025 --> 00:38:06,645 And there are so many conversations that need to be had. 909 00:38:06,775 --> 00:38:11,085 We're a podcast that looks to amplify the voices of teachers 910 00:38:11,085 --> 00:38:13,805 who come from marginalized, uh, communities. 911 00:38:14,305 --> 00:38:18,125 Um, we look to create a fugitive space for folks like us 912 00:38:18,345 --> 00:38:20,885 who don't always have, we don't always feel the safety 913 00:38:20,985 --> 00:38:25,125 to discuss kind of, um, what it is that we're experiencing. 914 00:38:25,745 --> 00:38:28,845 But I guess, I guess the, the, the question I wanna kind 915 00:38:28,845 --> 00:38:33,765 of launch us off with is talking a little bit about you. 916 00:38:33,825 --> 00:38:38,445 You've referred to this moment as a watershed event. Mm-Hmm. 917 00:38:38,485 --> 00:38:41,245 , um, that is profoundly powerful 918 00:38:41,245 --> 00:38:42,845 and it should be named right now that, that, 919 00:38:43,155 --> 00:38:45,365 that you do not reside in Gaza. 920 00:38:45,365 --> 00:38:46,885 You don't reside in those areas. 921 00:38:47,545 --> 00:38:49,445 And we wanna make sure that we name that, 922 00:38:49,585 --> 00:38:53,565 but talk a little bit about the watershed moment 923 00:38:53,635 --> 00:38:57,165 that is in front of not just you and your communities, 924 00:38:57,625 --> 00:38:58,725 but for all of us. 925 00:38:59,495 --> 00:39:02,165 - Right. Um, I do wanna preface by saying, 926 00:39:02,165 --> 00:39:04,885 when we talk about Reza, we wanna make sure 927 00:39:04,915 --> 00:39:07,605 that they are not separate from the Palestinian people. 928 00:39:07,715 --> 00:39:08,765 They are Palestinian. 929 00:39:09,305 --> 00:39:11,445 Um, I think words are very important 930 00:39:11,445 --> 00:39:13,645 because that tends to create a divide 931 00:39:13,705 --> 00:39:14,925 as if like the West Bank 932 00:39:15,265 --> 00:39:19,205 and are two, they are separated geographically, 933 00:39:19,545 --> 00:39:21,085 but they're all still Palestinians 934 00:39:21,085 --> 00:39:24,645 because also the people who live in haze, uh, 935 00:39:24,725 --> 00:39:26,965 I believe it's 80% of them are also refugees. 936 00:39:27,535 --> 00:39:29,325 Right. So I think it's important for us 937 00:39:29,325 --> 00:39:30,565 to keep that context. 938 00:39:30,935 --> 00:39:32,445 Thank you. The reason you're welcome. 939 00:39:32,665 --> 00:39:34,605 The reason why i, I say this, 940 00:39:34,625 --> 00:39:36,685 and I know a lot of other people are saying it's a watershed 941 00:39:36,685 --> 00:39:38,885 moment, is so I'm almost 50 years old. 942 00:39:38,945 --> 00:39:40,245 I'm not ashamed to say my age. 943 00:39:40,425 --> 00:39:43,885 And I have been going to protests about the freedom 944 00:39:43,905 --> 00:39:45,805 for Palestine since I could walk, right. 945 00:39:46,505 --> 00:39:48,045 Um, protests after protest. 946 00:39:48,225 --> 00:39:52,205 But what I've noticed is as the years have gone by, 947 00:39:52,945 --> 00:39:55,285 the protests have gotten larger and larger 948 00:39:55,425 --> 00:39:58,205 and different groups of people have been entering themselves 949 00:39:58,465 --> 00:40:00,085 in the actual fight for freedom. 950 00:40:00,745 --> 00:40:02,205 And the reason why this is more 951 00:40:02,205 --> 00:40:03,845 of a watershed moment since we're talking 952 00:40:03,845 --> 00:40:05,205 about millennials, right? 953 00:40:05,275 --> 00:40:08,965 Yeah. And we're talking about, um, uh, gen, gen Z 954 00:40:08,965 --> 00:40:10,925 and all those, um, generations 955 00:40:12,015 --> 00:40:14,565 after the murder of George Floyd Uhhuh 956 00:40:14,665 --> 00:40:16,285 and all of that social unrest. 957 00:40:16,915 --> 00:40:19,645 What we don't give enough credit to the young students 958 00:40:20,345 --> 00:40:22,885 is the fact that they no longer just identify 959 00:40:22,955 --> 00:40:25,445 with themselves as who they are as a person. 960 00:40:26,395 --> 00:40:28,925 Sure. I know kids who will identify, you know, I'm a, 961 00:40:29,025 --> 00:40:32,045 you know, I am, I'm a, a proud black male, you know, 962 00:40:32,115 --> 00:40:33,365 cisgender, all that. 963 00:40:34,065 --> 00:40:37,685 But that doesn't stop that student from thinking of fighting 964 00:40:37,705 --> 00:40:39,245 for the freedom of Palestinians 965 00:40:39,355 --> 00:40:41,085 because it's all interconnected. 966 00:40:41,105 --> 00:40:42,885 And what I call a social justice movement 967 00:40:43,185 --> 00:40:45,165 and why it's a watershed moment is 968 00:40:45,165 --> 00:40:48,445 because now the world is looking at what's happening in, 969 00:40:48,545 --> 00:40:51,325 in Palestine and in because, 970 00:40:52,225 --> 00:40:54,805 and this blew me back when I heard it, 971 00:40:54,905 --> 00:40:58,685 but it's the last imperialistic, colonic bastion 972 00:40:58,685 --> 00:41:00,125 of the 21st century, right? 973 00:41:00,465 --> 00:41:04,205 So we are living in a time that a lot of students 974 00:41:05,235 --> 00:41:07,365 read about or learned about in a history class, 975 00:41:07,655 --> 00:41:09,565 where now they're seeing it unfold live, 976 00:41:10,065 --> 00:41:13,285 but they're connected to something that, like I say, 977 00:41:13,285 --> 00:41:14,405 they have no dog in the fight. 978 00:41:14,745 --> 00:41:17,365 But they understand that the concept of when I fight 979 00:41:17,385 --> 00:41:21,045 for freedom for one group of people, that means I'm fighting 980 00:41:21,065 --> 00:41:23,045 for freedom for all groups of people. 981 00:41:23,145 --> 00:41:25,725 That's right. So the watershed moment comes in the fact 982 00:41:25,725 --> 00:41:29,045 that it's no longer just about Palestinians. 983 00:41:29,115 --> 00:41:32,325 It's no longer just about, you know, Israelis versus Arabs 984 00:41:32,345 --> 00:41:34,525 or Muslim or this, it's about everybody. 985 00:41:35,425 --> 00:41:37,845 And that's why I believe it's 986 00:41:37,845 --> 00:41:40,205 so important when I talk about teaching Palestine, 987 00:41:40,205 --> 00:41:41,485 which also is controversial, 988 00:41:42,225 --> 00:41:44,085 why it's considered a social justice movement. 989 00:41:44,185 --> 00:41:45,725 So that was, that's a moment, 990 00:41:45,825 --> 00:41:47,045 is the fact that it's changed. 991 00:41:47,465 --> 00:41:50,925 The shift has changed so fast at the fact 992 00:41:50,925 --> 00:41:52,485 that this has happened. 993 00:41:52,485 --> 00:41:54,205 And I'm just looking back and thinking, wow. 994 00:41:54,275 --> 00:41:55,525 Like I've never thought 995 00:41:55,985 --> 00:41:57,605 or imagined that this would've happened. 996 00:41:59,855 --> 00:42:01,785 - Yeah. So let's, let's expand on 997 00:42:02,375 --> 00:42:04,225 that piece just a little bit. 998 00:42:04,525 --> 00:42:07,625 Um, you, you've said this and, 999 00:42:07,685 --> 00:42:11,825 and the, the more I come back to this, um, 1000 00:42:12,005 --> 00:42:14,665 to this statement that, that you've made about 1001 00:42:15,535 --> 00:42:19,825 that there's an imperative for teachers right now 1002 00:42:20,215 --> 00:42:24,385 regarding not just teaching Palestine to your point, 1003 00:42:24,385 --> 00:42:26,145 but also teaching this moment. 1004 00:42:26,415 --> 00:42:28,145 What do you think the, the social injustice, 1005 00:42:28,145 --> 00:42:31,505 this social injustice like, I mean, hey, 40 and slate. It's 1006 00:42:31,505 --> 00:42:32,505 - Technically - . 1007 00:42:32,815 --> 00:42:36,625 Yeah. Um, what do you think the social justice imperative is 1008 00:42:37,045 --> 00:42:39,625 of teaching Palestine? 1009 00:42:42,645 --> 00:42:44,505 - So the social justice imperative, 1010 00:42:44,805 --> 00:42:47,185 it is not any different than talking about 1011 00:42:47,535 --> 00:42:48,985 apartheid in South Africa. 1012 00:42:49,455 --> 00:42:52,585 It's not any different than talking about Northern Ireland 1013 00:42:52,965 --> 00:42:56,345 or the IRA or let's not even go to other countries. 1014 00:42:56,895 --> 00:43:00,025 It's not any different than talking about what happened, 1015 00:43:00,025 --> 00:43:01,585 the displacement of the indigenous 1016 00:43:01,585 --> 00:43:02,865 populations in this country. 1017 00:43:03,405 --> 00:43:06,705 So when we talk about land confiscation in Palestine, 1018 00:43:07,085 --> 00:43:09,545 the reason why people here can't connect with it is 1019 00:43:09,665 --> 00:43:11,505 because this is part of the history that's been taught. 1020 00:43:11,505 --> 00:43:13,625 Yep. Right? Yep. Yep. When you're taught about indigenous 1021 00:43:13,815 --> 00:43:17,105 populations, you know, it's just like, oh yeah, they came 1022 00:43:17,365 --> 00:43:20,105 and all of a sudden, you know, you have these populations 1023 00:43:20,125 --> 00:43:22,745 and then out of nowhere they just either don't exist 1024 00:43:22,745 --> 00:43:24,185 or there are these little plots of land 1025 00:43:24,185 --> 00:43:25,345 that are called reservations. 1026 00:43:25,965 --> 00:43:28,345 And then you have, you know, the biggest, one 1027 00:43:28,425 --> 00:43:30,985 of the biggest tragedies, which is the Indian Removal Act. 1028 00:43:31,365 --> 00:43:35,145 But that concept of land confiscation is, 1029 00:43:35,245 --> 00:43:37,305 has become the norm in the psyche of people. 1030 00:43:37,645 --> 00:43:40,545 So that's one area. But then if you talk about the 1031 00:43:40,635 --> 00:43:45,585 continuous, um, history of violence towards 1032 00:43:47,065 --> 00:43:49,115 community of color in this country, 1033 00:43:49,705 --> 00:43:51,275 it's no different than what has happened. 1034 00:43:51,275 --> 00:43:52,475 It's almost like the same playbook 1035 00:43:53,145 --> 00:43:54,755 that you find in Palestine. 1036 00:43:54,935 --> 00:43:56,795 If you're talking about segregation in Palestine. 1037 00:43:56,795 --> 00:43:57,915 If you go through the checkpoints, 1038 00:43:58,655 --> 00:44:01,395 we can look no further than 50 years ago with Jim Crow 1039 00:44:01,415 --> 00:44:02,595 and segregation in America. 1040 00:44:02,685 --> 00:44:06,475 Right. If you wanna talk about having dual citizenship, 1041 00:44:06,505 --> 00:44:08,915 it's the same thing when you had signs that said, you know, 1042 00:44:09,215 --> 00:44:12,475 um, no dogs, no whatever, no Mexicans. 1043 00:44:12,945 --> 00:44:15,395 It's no different than when you put people in 1044 00:44:15,665 --> 00:44:17,995 what we call as a concentration camp 1045 00:44:17,995 --> 00:44:19,475 that happened to Japanese Americans, 1046 00:44:19,605 --> 00:44:21,955 where now they're calling them concentration camps. 1047 00:44:21,955 --> 00:44:23,315 They're not calling them in German camps. 1048 00:44:23,475 --> 00:44:26,115 'cause words matter. Right? It is a concentration camp. 1049 00:44:26,455 --> 00:44:28,795 And also the use of concentration camp is important 1050 00:44:28,795 --> 00:44:30,955 because that was also a word developed by the British 1051 00:44:31,105 --> 00:44:33,165 and Africa, where they held a group 1052 00:44:33,165 --> 00:44:34,325 of people in a concentration. 1053 00:44:34,785 --> 00:44:37,085 So the reason why this is imperative is 1054 00:44:37,085 --> 00:44:38,245 because none 1055 00:44:38,245 --> 00:44:40,965 of it may be a different location in a different time. 1056 00:44:41,665 --> 00:44:44,885 The acts and what's happening are no different than they 1057 00:44:44,885 --> 00:44:46,445 were a hundred years ago than they are today. 1058 00:44:46,785 --> 00:44:48,645 And making those connections are so important. 1059 00:44:49,105 --> 00:44:52,325 And as a history nerd, why it's important for kids 1060 00:44:52,325 --> 00:44:55,365 to understand, what I used to always tell my students is, 1061 00:44:55,365 --> 00:44:56,845 the reason why you learned about something 1062 00:44:56,845 --> 00:44:58,645 that happened 200 years ago is 1063 00:44:58,645 --> 00:45:00,285 because it's still impacting you today. 1064 00:45:00,825 --> 00:45:02,205 So that's the imperative piece 1065 00:45:02,205 --> 00:45:04,885 of why teaching Palestine is no different than any other 1066 00:45:04,885 --> 00:45:07,085 social justice movement that's happened all over the world. 1067 00:45:07,425 --> 00:45:09,445 And like I said, forget about the rest of the world. 1068 00:45:09,455 --> 00:45:10,565 Let's just talk about our country. 1069 00:45:11,265 --> 00:45:12,925 - That's right. - Yeah. That's 1070 00:45:12,925 --> 00:45:13,925 - Right. 1071 00:45:13,925 --> 00:45:15,355 That's right. Yeah. 1072 00:45:15,585 --> 00:45:17,715 It's, um, it, it is in, 1073 00:45:17,715 --> 00:45:20,835 because I, you know, what we need 1074 00:45:20,835 --> 00:45:23,555 to be doing is connecting the dots, right? 1075 00:45:24,145 --> 00:45:26,315 That when we talk about settler colonialism, 1076 00:45:26,315 --> 00:45:29,915 that doesn't just mean in one place, you know, 1077 00:45:29,915 --> 00:45:32,115 involving two groups of people, right. 1078 00:45:32,145 --> 00:45:36,235 That the, these are things that, that we see, um, that, 1079 00:45:36,235 --> 00:45:38,635 that we see globally as, as all a part 1080 00:45:38,635 --> 00:45:40,355 of kind of the same thing. 1081 00:45:40,355 --> 00:45:41,355 Just a quick follow up, 1082 00:45:41,355 --> 00:45:42,635 and this may seem like a really obvious 1083 00:45:42,955 --> 00:45:44,315 question, uh, to answer. 1084 00:45:45,055 --> 00:45:49,595 Um, why is it that historically, um, 1085 00:45:50,655 --> 00:45:52,235 the, the situation 1086 00:45:52,235 --> 00:45:56,315 of Palestine has not been taught in the same manner 1087 00:45:56,985 --> 00:46:00,115 that some of the other social justice movements have been, 1088 00:46:00,115 --> 00:46:02,035 that we've looked at, and I'm thinking in particular, 1089 00:46:02,895 --> 00:46:04,195 the way that the, 1090 00:46:04,505 --> 00:46:07,355 that the civil rights movement has been appropriated, um, 1091 00:46:07,455 --> 00:46:10,275 to mean whatever, whoever's teaching about it 1092 00:46:10,375 --> 00:46:13,675 or making television commercials off of it, 1093 00:46:14,175 --> 00:46:15,555 uh, cease to gain. 1094 00:46:15,655 --> 00:46:18,555 Why, why has it not been treated 1095 00:46:18,555 --> 00:46:21,275 that way in, in the white stream? 1096 00:46:21,515 --> 00:46:22,515 I mean, the mainstream, 1097 00:46:23,005 --> 00:46:24,005 - Right. 1098 00:46:24,555 --> 00:46:27,635 I think we have to look farther than just talking about 1099 00:46:28,075 --> 00:46:30,235 Palestine in, in 48 and pre 48, 1100 00:46:30,235 --> 00:46:33,555 because the history of Palestine doesn't start with the nbe, 1101 00:46:33,555 --> 00:46:38,395 or 1948, the, the entire region has been 1102 00:46:39,075 --> 00:46:42,395 a place where European powers have always wanted 1103 00:46:42,455 --> 00:46:43,835 to have a foothold in it. 1104 00:46:44,475 --> 00:46:48,755 Columbus got lost, right? Trying to find a route to India. 1105 00:46:48,775 --> 00:46:50,275 But he wanted to avoid that region 1106 00:46:50,585 --> 00:46:53,595 because, you know, Europeans didn't have a foothold in it. 1107 00:46:54,175 --> 00:46:56,755 Um, we're talking about the time of Napoleon who tried 1108 00:46:56,755 --> 00:46:58,355 to take over in that country. 1109 00:46:58,375 --> 00:46:59,995 We talk about the crusades, all of it. 1110 00:47:00,135 --> 00:47:05,115 So that entire region has always been like this fantasy, um, 1111 00:47:05,545 --> 00:47:08,635 bastion of control for, for Western Europe. 1112 00:47:09,175 --> 00:47:10,955 And the reason why it's not taught 1113 00:47:10,955 --> 00:47:12,195 that way is for a number of reasons. 1114 00:47:12,195 --> 00:47:13,995 Number one, of course, we know, um, 1115 00:47:14,235 --> 00:47:15,595 racially we're not white. 1116 00:47:16,335 --> 00:47:19,995 And anytime you wanna talk about a, uh, a particular group 1117 00:47:19,995 --> 00:47:24,755 of people, how else are you going to be able to, um, uh, 1118 00:47:24,975 --> 00:47:27,755 ignore them or make them invisible without dehumanizing them 1119 00:47:27,775 --> 00:47:29,845 or marginalizing them and making them seem other, 1120 00:47:29,845 --> 00:47:31,245 which is already happening right now. 1121 00:47:31,665 --> 00:47:33,645 Number two, it's very geopolitical. 1122 00:47:33,875 --> 00:47:37,765 It's not in the best interest to have students understand 1123 00:47:38,315 --> 00:47:40,165 that there are people there 1124 00:47:40,305 --> 00:47:42,365 who are indigenous and that they've been there. 1125 00:47:42,785 --> 00:47:45,125 It doesn't help with the geopolitical side either. 1126 00:47:46,465 --> 00:47:48,645 You know, we can talk about the religious aspect as well 1127 00:47:48,645 --> 00:47:49,725 with the evangelicals 1128 00:47:49,745 --> 00:47:51,525 and people who think that it's their right 1129 00:47:51,585 --> 00:47:54,005 as well when there are Christian Palestinians 1130 00:47:54,005 --> 00:47:55,325 who are being persecuted, but they're 1131 00:47:55,325 --> 00:47:56,405 looked at as others as well. 1132 00:47:57,185 --> 00:47:58,525 We also have to talk about, 1133 00:47:58,715 --> 00:48:01,085 it's not even just why not Palestine? 1134 00:48:01,465 --> 00:48:03,525 How many of us have learned about the Chicano movement? 1135 00:48:03,775 --> 00:48:07,045 Right? Right. Or how many of us have learned about, um, 1136 00:48:07,095 --> 00:48:08,725 Asian Americans and their movement? 1137 00:48:08,725 --> 00:48:11,445 How many of us know that Yemeni Americans fought 1138 00:48:11,675 --> 00:48:12,885 with Cesar Chavez? 1139 00:48:12,885 --> 00:48:15,245 Like, there are little pieces of history that we don't, 1140 00:48:15,265 --> 00:48:17,845 why is Martin Luther King taught and Malcolm X not taught? 1141 00:48:18,385 --> 00:48:21,245 Why is Marcus Garvey looked at is this way, as opposed 1142 00:48:21,245 --> 00:48:24,805 to he had this really strong BA of what he wanted to teach. 1143 00:48:25,025 --> 00:48:28,525 So teaching Palestine is no different than any 1144 00:48:28,525 --> 00:48:29,605 other type of history. 1145 00:48:30,065 --> 00:48:32,245 And the fact that it has to be othered, 1146 00:48:32,305 --> 00:48:33,565 it has to be ignored. 1147 00:48:33,565 --> 00:48:38,325 Because a big companies who write the curriculum, put in 1148 00:48:38,325 --> 00:48:40,645 what they wanna put in it is very biased. 1149 00:48:41,065 --> 00:48:44,405 And at the same token, the less you tell people about the 1150 00:48:44,405 --> 00:48:46,005 facts, the less they know. 1151 00:48:46,585 --> 00:48:48,045 And then that way they can't really 1152 00:48:48,325 --> 00:48:49,845 question what's going on. 1153 00:48:50,265 --> 00:48:53,005 And so that's why it's been that way for, for decades. 1154 00:48:53,665 --> 00:48:55,965 Um, and even now, when you talk about the civil rights 1155 00:48:56,165 --> 00:48:57,245 movement, is it really taught with fidelity? 1156 00:48:57,275 --> 00:48:59,245 Like we talked about Rosa Parks, 1157 00:48:59,245 --> 00:49:04,085 and we still look at figures as being these poor, 1158 00:49:04,385 --> 00:49:07,485 you know, helpless people when in fact they were badass. 1159 00:49:08,025 --> 00:49:10,045 Oh, yeah. They were very intentional. 1160 00:49:10,185 --> 00:49:12,245 So I know that's a long-winded answer, 1161 00:49:12,345 --> 00:49:14,365 but there's so many not at all nuance to go with it. 1162 00:49:14,425 --> 00:49:17,005 But it's, again, not any different than any other history 1163 00:49:17,225 --> 00:49:18,885 that's being taught right now. 1164 00:49:19,105 --> 00:49:23,725 So a lot of that, you also have very strong lobbies who 1165 00:49:24,385 --> 00:49:27,085 create the sense of fear of when you teach it, 1166 00:49:27,105 --> 00:49:30,325 or you talk about, or even saying Palestine has become 1167 00:49:30,915 --> 00:49:33,205 like this, people freak out. 1168 00:49:33,265 --> 00:49:34,605 And it's like, well, what do you wanna call me? 1169 00:49:34,635 --> 00:49:36,605 Like, should I just walk around, call myself, me? 1170 00:49:36,605 --> 00:49:38,965 I don't get it . Right. You know, 1171 00:49:40,325 --> 00:49:42,885 - I mean, we, we know in some people's 1172 00:49:42,885 --> 00:49:44,005 minds that's what they'd want. 1173 00:49:44,215 --> 00:49:46,605 Right? Like they, ideally they, 1174 00:49:46,605 --> 00:49:47,765 they'd be like, yeah, that's great. 1175 00:49:48,225 --> 00:49:53,035 You know? But I think I just wanna thank you, uh, Avi, 1176 00:49:53,135 --> 00:49:56,875 for, for what you said about the importance of why, 1177 00:49:57,975 --> 00:50:00,915 uh, it's important for us to teach this moment. 1178 00:50:01,095 --> 00:50:02,515 Mm-Hmm. right this moment. 1179 00:50:02,705 --> 00:50:04,635 What is happening to the Palestinian people, 1180 00:50:04,665 --> 00:50:07,035 what their history, what has been happening. 1181 00:50:07,615 --> 00:50:11,835 Um, and, um, I I just see it 1182 00:50:11,835 --> 00:50:13,795 as very powerful for all of us. 1183 00:50:14,045 --> 00:50:16,955 Right, right. And insightful, because we are seeing, 1184 00:50:17,175 --> 00:50:18,875 and I love the way you said it, we're seeing 1185 00:50:18,875 --> 00:50:22,635 that settler colonialism play out in real time 1186 00:50:23,135 --> 00:50:25,155 and in this country, we don't wanna talk about it 1187 00:50:25,155 --> 00:50:26,395 because it is our history. 1188 00:50:26,605 --> 00:50:28,045 Right. It is our history. 1189 00:50:28,155 --> 00:50:31,565 It's a history that, uh, people have tried to erase. 1190 00:50:31,955 --> 00:50:35,125 They don't want it taught, you know, in Texas, they're, 1191 00:50:35,125 --> 00:50:37,125 they're gonna remove Native Americans 1192 00:50:37,325 --> 00:50:38,565 altogether from textbooks. 1193 00:50:39,215 --> 00:50:43,205 Right. So, um, I think it's so important that we look at it 1194 00:50:43,225 --> 00:50:45,045 and realize, and I think, um, 1195 00:50:45,065 --> 00:50:46,885 the kids are, are demanding it. 1196 00:50:47,385 --> 00:50:49,925 And so I I, I would 1197 00:50:50,975 --> 00:50:53,155 be remiss if I didn't ask you this question. 1198 00:50:53,355 --> 00:50:56,675 I have a student, um, at my school, she is an a, 1199 00:50:57,095 --> 00:50:58,235 an Iraqi refugee. 1200 00:50:58,575 --> 00:51:00,555 Mm-Hmm. . Um, she has been working 1201 00:51:00,555 --> 00:51:04,795 with other students at our school to organize a walkout 1202 00:51:05,455 --> 00:51:10,155 for tomorrow for, uh, Palestine, for the Palestinian people, 1203 00:51:10,855 --> 00:51:14,955 uh, demanding a ceasefire, you know, expressing her voice, 1204 00:51:15,575 --> 00:51:16,755 um, her perspective. 1205 00:51:17,305 --> 00:51:20,755 This is something she, you know, is one of these Gen Zers, 1206 00:51:20,855 --> 00:51:21,955 who is 1207 00:51:22,135 --> 00:51:23,135 - It? 1208 00:51:23,135 --> 00:51:23,395 Who I think it is, is it 1209 00:51:23,395 --> 00:51:24,395 - Who I think it is? 1210 00:51:24,395 --> 00:51:26,715 I, I think you could probably guess who it is, who was told, 1211 00:51:26,855 --> 00:51:29,915 you know, Hey, uh, wait, maybe it's too soon. 1212 00:51:29,925 --> 00:51:30,955 Maybe you gotta wait. 1213 00:51:31,245 --> 00:51:33,835 Maybe you shouldn't do this, you gotta do this. You know? 1214 00:51:33,855 --> 00:51:36,075 But she has pushed and worked to organize. 1215 00:51:36,695 --> 00:51:40,385 Uh, what would you say to that young student 1216 00:51:41,045 --> 00:51:43,745 and all the other young students, uh, 1217 00:51:44,015 --> 00:51:46,065 whether they be Arab or not? 1218 00:51:46,285 --> 00:51:48,425 Mm-Hmm. , whether they be Palestinian or not. 1219 00:51:49,045 --> 00:51:51,105 All of the students, like you noted, you know, 1220 00:51:51,245 --> 00:51:54,145 the same students who engaged in, uh, 1221 00:51:54,855 --> 00:51:58,865 dedicated Black Lives Matter protest, right? 1222 00:51:58,935 --> 00:52:00,665 What, what, what, what would you say 1223 00:52:00,665 --> 00:52:01,745 to those kids right now? 1224 00:52:02,815 --> 00:52:05,315 - So the first thing I would say to your Occu student, 1225 00:52:05,965 --> 00:52:10,595 she's a occu refugee, so you can't tell her nothing . 1226 00:52:12,775 --> 00:52:13,995 - And, and we know their family. 1227 00:52:14,135 --> 00:52:15,555 You can't tell their family nothing 1228 00:52:15,555 --> 00:52:16,555 - There. 1229 00:52:16,555 --> 00:52:16,715 You don't, you can't, I mean, 1230 00:52:17,715 --> 00:52:19,795 I just wanna focus on them really quick, 1231 00:52:19,795 --> 00:52:24,355 because again, um, unfortunately, had Iraq used to be 1232 00:52:25,455 --> 00:52:29,555 one of the, um, most well 1233 00:52:30,235 --> 00:52:32,675 educated places on earth, men and women, right? 1234 00:52:32,975 --> 00:52:35,955 So when the war happened in had Iraq, it was a 1235 00:52:36,515 --> 00:52:39,115 devastating blow to the Arab world, okay? 1236 00:52:39,215 --> 00:52:41,715 So Araki people are very proud people. 1237 00:52:41,715 --> 00:52:44,315 They're very, very well educated people. 1238 00:52:44,855 --> 00:52:46,675 But what they went through, um, 1239 00:52:46,735 --> 00:52:48,715 and why I say you can't tell her nothing is 1240 00:52:48,715 --> 00:52:50,795 because there's nothing that she can fear. 1241 00:52:51,045 --> 00:52:53,075 She's been through a war, she's been the refugee. 1242 00:52:53,375 --> 00:52:54,795 She had to adapt to a new culture. 1243 00:52:55,055 --> 00:52:56,275 You have to adapt new language. 1244 00:52:56,615 --> 00:52:58,115 So she's coming in thinking, 1245 00:52:58,375 --> 00:52:59,795 what's the worst that's gonna happen to me? 1246 00:52:59,795 --> 00:53:01,115 What you're gonna tell me? I can't say 1247 00:53:01,115 --> 00:53:02,915 something, you know, bring it on. 1248 00:53:03,015 --> 00:53:04,595 So I would say to her like, 1249 00:53:04,825 --> 00:53:06,515 there's nothing stopping her, number one. 1250 00:53:06,515 --> 00:53:07,515 Right? Okay. Yeah. 1251 00:53:07,535 --> 00:53:09,995 But then number two, and thank you for asking that, Kevin, 1252 00:53:09,995 --> 00:53:11,955 because I was actually in a meeting today. 1253 00:53:12,695 --> 00:53:13,715 Um, there was an incident 1254 00:53:13,715 --> 00:53:15,635 that happened at a school, local school here. 1255 00:53:15,635 --> 00:53:18,075 And one of the jobs that I have is student advocacy. 1256 00:53:18,495 --> 00:53:20,435 And of course I do Arab and Muslim students. 1257 00:53:20,695 --> 00:53:22,595 It did start off with a Muslim student, 1258 00:53:23,455 --> 00:53:25,645 all about Palestine and everything like that. 1259 00:53:26,305 --> 00:53:30,325 But his friends wanted their voice to be heard 1260 00:53:30,635 --> 00:53:32,245 because the school was ignoring them. 1261 00:53:32,345 --> 00:53:33,965 And I was like, no, bring it on. Right? 1262 00:53:34,145 --> 00:53:38,645 So I was in a room with seven juniors from a high school. 1263 00:53:39,145 --> 00:53:41,525 Now, the one student who was Muslim, the rest 1264 00:53:41,525 --> 00:53:44,725 of the students were either identified from like El Salvador 1265 00:53:44,825 --> 00:53:47,005 or Honduras, and the rest were students 1266 00:53:47,005 --> 00:53:48,205 who identified who were black. 1267 00:53:48,895 --> 00:53:51,205 Every single one of them, they have no, 1268 00:53:51,235 --> 00:53:52,765 like I said, keep saying no dog. 1269 00:53:52,765 --> 00:53:54,885 In the fight about Palestine, the words 1270 00:53:54,885 --> 00:53:56,445 that they kept saying was, number one, 1271 00:53:56,445 --> 00:53:57,565 we're here to support our friend. 1272 00:53:57,785 --> 00:54:00,645 Number two, what the teacher was saying was wrong. 1273 00:54:01,025 --> 00:54:02,525 And number three, we're gonna speak 1274 00:54:02,525 --> 00:54:03,685 up because we know it's right. 1275 00:54:04,225 --> 00:54:06,685 And the fact that what I would tell these kids is like, 1276 00:54:06,685 --> 00:54:09,365 we keep saying, you keep saying it until what? 1277 00:54:09,375 --> 00:54:11,125 Until your voice shakes, right? 1278 00:54:11,505 --> 00:54:14,245 And these kids are not our generation either. 1279 00:54:14,615 --> 00:54:16,645 These kids know, and they've learned, 1280 00:54:17,105 --> 00:54:19,485 and again, I believe like the murder of George Floyd 1281 00:54:19,505 --> 00:54:22,565 and all of, all of the brutality that kids have seen, 1282 00:54:22,795 --> 00:54:24,045 they're not gonna take it anymore. 1283 00:54:24,305 --> 00:54:26,365 So what I would say to them is, if you know 1284 00:54:26,365 --> 00:54:27,565 what you're doing is right 1285 00:54:28,105 --> 00:54:32,045 and it benefits everybody, you have nothing to worry about, 1286 00:54:32,305 --> 00:54:33,605 you're gonna get opposition. 1287 00:54:34,105 --> 00:54:35,885 But my favorite quote by Dr. 1288 00:54:35,915 --> 00:54:38,245 Bettina Love, who's one of my heroes, is she says, 1289 00:54:38,665 --> 00:54:40,645 if you don't have enemies in what you're doing, 1290 00:54:40,645 --> 00:54:41,645 then you're not doing it right. 1291 00:54:42,105 --> 00:54:43,365 You know? And it's true. 1292 00:54:43,745 --> 00:54:45,765 If you're not gonna get opposition, you're not gonna grow. 1293 00:54:45,765 --> 00:54:47,005 You're not gonna know how to maneuver. 1294 00:54:47,425 --> 00:54:50,125 But what I would tell these students is you're fighting the 1295 00:54:50,125 --> 00:54:52,965 good fight because you know the future for you is better. 1296 00:54:53,385 --> 00:54:55,485 And just keep going. And again, like going back to 1297 00:54:55,485 --> 00:54:57,965 that Raki student, we can learn so much from her 1298 00:54:58,225 --> 00:54:59,365 and you're not gonna stop her. 1299 00:54:59,425 --> 00:55:00,445 So no matter what you say, 1300 00:55:00,825 --> 00:55:05,325 and these kids aren't, they really are, they're so dedicated 1301 00:55:05,625 --> 00:55:07,685 to the concept of equality and social justice. 1302 00:55:07,795 --> 00:55:10,085 Like, I left the meeting today with these seven students. 1303 00:55:11,005 --> 00:55:12,325 I don't think I've ever, like, 1304 00:55:12,325 --> 00:55:13,565 I've been going through so much. 1305 00:55:13,745 --> 00:55:17,565 All of us have. And I left, I, I look at my, my colleague 1306 00:55:17,565 --> 00:55:18,685 and I'm like, damn. 1307 00:55:18,715 --> 00:55:19,885 Yeah, the kids are all right. 1308 00:55:20,395 --> 00:55:21,805 Like, just the way they were speaking 1309 00:55:21,905 --> 00:55:24,085 and then the way they were emoting their 1310 00:55:24,105 --> 00:55:25,245 energy and their emotion. 1311 00:55:25,675 --> 00:55:27,045 Like, listen to them. 1312 00:55:27,555 --> 00:55:29,365 Just take time to listen to these kids. 1313 00:55:29,865 --> 00:55:30,765 So that's what I would tell them. 1314 00:55:30,805 --> 00:55:31,525 I would tell them, keep going. 1315 00:55:31,765 --> 00:55:34,125 'cause I'm get it. That's what I always do. 1316 00:55:34,865 --> 00:55:36,125 - You tell him, uh, get it girl, 1317 00:55:36,425 --> 00:55:37,925 you got this. Go ahead. Sorry, Kev. 1318 00:55:38,585 --> 00:55:42,855 - No, I mean, I, I think that's, that's, that's 1319 00:55:42,875 --> 00:55:45,415 so important I think for the kids to understand. 1320 00:55:45,555 --> 00:55:47,815 And, and, and I see, I see something special 1321 00:55:47,835 --> 00:55:48,855 and I get that same feeling. 1322 00:55:48,915 --> 00:55:50,295 Mm-Hmm. whenever I see the kids 1323 00:55:50,295 --> 00:55:51,575 that I'm like, whoa. 1324 00:55:52,395 --> 00:55:54,695 Wow. Right. All right, y'all, y'all, 1325 00:55:54,875 --> 00:55:56,215 hey, y'all paying attention. 1326 00:55:56,705 --> 00:55:58,735 Y'all are paying attention. Y'all are engaged. 1327 00:55:59,145 --> 00:56:00,175 Y'all are ready to go. 1328 00:56:00,635 --> 00:56:02,055 If it, if it, I'm just, 1329 00:56:02,075 --> 00:56:04,695 and I always say this to teachers in my building, I'm like, 1330 00:56:04,695 --> 00:56:07,095 if we hit 'em right, you can't stop 'em. 1331 00:56:07,095 --> 00:56:08,815 Nope. You know, it's just, are we comfortable with 1332 00:56:08,815 --> 00:56:11,855 where they wanna go and what they are about? 1333 00:56:12,235 --> 00:56:15,535 And if you let them drive, I will tell you they will drive. 1334 00:56:16,075 --> 00:56:17,855 Oh yes. They, they know exactly where they're going. 1335 00:56:18,085 --> 00:56:21,015 They know ways to get there better than we do. Mm-Hmm. 1336 00:56:21,015 --> 00:56:22,415 They, they, they, they skip 1337 00:56:22,415 --> 00:56:23,415 - Levels. 1338 00:56:23,415 --> 00:56:25,105 Skip skip levels was something, there was something 1339 00:56:25,105 --> 00:56:26,585 that was said by one of the students today. 1340 00:56:26,585 --> 00:56:28,905 So the whole concept was this teacher made all the students 1341 00:56:28,905 --> 00:56:30,945 feel uncomfortable about something that was going on. 1342 00:56:31,735 --> 00:56:36,025 What I valued was the fact that not once did the students, 1343 00:56:36,725 --> 00:56:38,625 uh, disrespect the teacher at all. 1344 00:56:38,635 --> 00:56:39,665 Right. Not once. 1345 00:56:39,665 --> 00:56:42,025 Like, they were critiquing just the whole method 1346 00:56:42,445 --> 00:56:44,945 to the point where one student even said he is like, 1347 00:56:45,125 --> 00:56:46,945 you know, if the teacher gave us time 1348 00:56:47,555 --> 00:56:50,105 where she just didn't make it personal in the classroom, 1349 00:56:50,625 --> 00:56:52,545 I would've loved to talk to her outside of class 1350 00:56:52,565 --> 00:56:53,825 and get to know what her thoughts were. 1351 00:56:54,095 --> 00:56:55,785 Like, this is a junior in high school. 1352 00:56:56,255 --> 00:56:58,145 Like, adults don't know how to do that. No. 1353 00:56:58,205 --> 00:57:00,665 And when he said that, I was like, yo, like, 1354 00:57:00,885 --> 00:57:02,305 and this teacher doesn't wanna take time 1355 00:57:02,305 --> 00:57:03,345 to get to know her students. 1356 00:57:03,735 --> 00:57:05,825 Like what a missed opportunity. 1357 00:57:07,145 --> 00:57:08,145 - Absolutely. Missed opportunity. 1358 00:57:08,145 --> 00:57:09,865 - Right? Absolutely. Yeah. Yeah. 1359 00:57:10,325 --> 00:57:11,905 So that's, I think one 1360 00:57:11,905 --> 00:57:14,905 of the things I would love is just I wish teachers would 1361 00:57:14,905 --> 00:57:17,745 take more time to listen to their students, hear 1362 00:57:17,745 --> 00:57:19,705 what they have to say, and support them. 1363 00:57:20,415 --> 00:57:21,865 It's not us against them. 1364 00:57:22,405 --> 00:57:24,425 It should be us, with us, us with them. 1365 00:57:24,575 --> 00:57:26,945 Like, yeah, okay, we're the teachers and all, 1366 00:57:26,965 --> 00:57:28,665 but we can learn so much from 'em. 1367 00:57:28,805 --> 00:57:30,505 And there's so many missed opportunities. 1368 00:57:31,385 --> 00:57:34,775 - Yeah. Ah, makes me miss the classroom too. Mm-Hmm. 1369 00:57:34,815 --> 00:57:36,455 . Because I think like the, you know, 1370 00:57:36,505 --> 00:57:39,015 young people, um, in particular, 1371 00:57:39,235 --> 00:57:42,575 and you know, this is a student that, that Kevin 1372 00:57:42,635 --> 00:57:43,975 and I both have. 1373 00:57:44,335 --> 00:57:45,335 I was gonna say we've taught, 1374 00:57:45,335 --> 00:57:47,615 but I also feel like we've been her student. 1375 00:57:47,955 --> 00:57:49,055 Um, yes, definitely. Yes, definitely. 1376 00:57:49,055 --> 00:57:50,655 And, um, definitely there's a legacy. 1377 00:57:50,685 --> 00:57:53,455 There's only one sister that I don't know, um, 1378 00:57:53,615 --> 00:57:54,775 I think there's five of them. 1379 00:57:55,855 --> 00:57:57,095 I believe so. And the family. And, 1380 00:57:57,095 --> 00:58:00,055 and they've all just been such a powerful presence. 1381 00:58:00,115 --> 00:58:04,935 And you know, the thing is that when we, when we refuse 1382 00:58:05,315 --> 00:58:08,655 to hear how, how young people are making sense 1383 00:58:08,955 --> 00:58:13,215 of this terrible moment that, um, that we're living through 1384 00:58:13,835 --> 00:58:15,895 as a world, like, and that's the thing that kills me, is 1385 00:58:15,895 --> 00:58:18,855 that so many of us don't even realize that we're also living 1386 00:58:18,855 --> 00:58:21,215 through this moment like that, that this, 1387 00:58:21,325 --> 00:58:24,775 this has implications for all of us, uh, marginalized 1388 00:58:24,795 --> 00:58:29,655 or not, um, living in, um, living in the region or not. 1389 00:58:29,805 --> 00:58:31,975 This has implications for all of us. 1390 00:58:32,245 --> 00:58:36,665 Like, we just don't, like, we don't credit young people 1391 00:58:36,765 --> 00:58:38,665 for processing these things for us. 1392 00:58:38,885 --> 00:58:42,785 And I, I personally, you know, I always used 1393 00:58:42,785 --> 00:58:45,905 to always tell my students that feels like a little bit 1394 00:58:45,905 --> 00:58:47,305 of an unfair situation 1395 00:58:47,305 --> 00:58:50,385 because they all just get to learn from me. 1396 00:58:51,325 --> 00:58:52,825 Um, but I get to learn from all of them. 1397 00:58:52,965 --> 00:58:55,585 And so they need to also be able to learn from each other 1398 00:58:55,685 --> 00:58:58,345 and, and, uh, and, and be successful 1399 00:58:58,405 --> 00:59:01,825 and in, in healing the role that we have around us 1400 00:59:02,245 --> 00:59:03,825 and letting 'em do their thing. 1401 00:59:04,225 --> 00:59:06,105 'cause it's, um, it's really powerful. 1402 00:59:06,725 --> 00:59:10,705 Um, I mean, this has been an amazing conversation 1403 00:59:10,965 --> 00:59:15,185 and, um, we really just look forward to all of you, um, 1404 00:59:15,445 --> 00:59:17,425 really listening to what young people are saying. 1405 00:59:17,585 --> 00:59:20,905 'cause here's the thing, is that we are seeing youth 1406 00:59:21,445 --> 00:59:25,925 movements across the world right now, um, that 1407 00:59:26,965 --> 00:59:30,785 as, as has said, they're looking at, no, 1408 00:59:30,785 --> 00:59:32,505 we're not talking about who we're fighting against. 1409 00:59:32,555 --> 00:59:36,865 We're looking at how we can be united together, um, to 1410 00:59:37,615 --> 00:59:40,465 face and address a problem. 1411 00:59:40,885 --> 00:59:43,585 Mm-Hmm. , that is a global problem 1412 00:59:43,775 --> 00:59:47,785 that just happens to be, um, on our radar right now. 1413 00:59:47,785 --> 00:59:49,625 We have an opportunity to stand together. 1414 00:59:49,885 --> 00:59:51,145 And so, um, 1415 00:59:51,575 --> 00:59:53,985 it's just such a beautiful thing to kind of think about. 1416 00:59:53,985 --> 00:59:55,465 Is there anything else you wanna share with us 1417 00:59:55,465 --> 01:00:00,145 before we get into the most important part of the show? 1418 01:00:01,065 --> 01:00:03,705 - ? Um, no, I think, you know, we've, 1419 01:00:03,915 --> 01:00:04,985 we've covered a lot. 1420 01:00:05,285 --> 01:00:08,225 And I, I think one last thing I would like to say, only just 1421 01:00:08,225 --> 01:00:12,585 because of everything that's going on is, is I want people 1422 01:00:12,585 --> 01:00:17,025 to just get to know, like the Palestinian people have been 1423 01:00:17,085 --> 01:00:21,105 so dehumanized since this entire war has started. 1424 01:00:21,825 --> 01:00:23,545 I want people to just take the time 1425 01:00:24,365 --> 01:00:26,705 and just get to know who the Palestinian people are. 1426 01:00:26,965 --> 01:00:30,305 It almost seems like we're just this foreign entity, right? 1427 01:00:30,305 --> 01:00:31,305 Yeah. And people are like, 1428 01:00:31,305 --> 01:00:32,265 well, I don't know where to start. 1429 01:00:32,485 --> 01:00:34,225 And, and well reach out. 1430 01:00:34,325 --> 01:00:38,265 You know, I'm, I'm sure you can put my information on, um, 1431 01:00:38,265 --> 01:00:39,665 your website and everything here, 1432 01:00:39,665 --> 01:00:41,305 and I'm more than happy to give you a thought partner. 1433 01:00:41,445 --> 01:00:43,345 But I want people to learn more 1434 01:00:43,405 --> 01:00:46,465 and take the time to understand who the people are 1435 01:00:46,485 --> 01:00:48,145 and what we do and what we stand for. 1436 01:00:48,145 --> 01:00:49,425 Because we do love life. 1437 01:00:49,485 --> 01:00:51,105 And we've got some amazing food 1438 01:00:51,125 --> 01:00:53,025 and some amazing music and everything. 1439 01:00:53,085 --> 01:00:55,305 And, you know, so just, just, I want people 1440 01:00:55,305 --> 01:00:57,145 to really take some time to honor that. 1441 01:00:57,695 --> 01:00:59,945 - Yeah. Um, I wanna, two things I wanna share 1442 01:00:59,965 --> 01:01:01,265 before we go into Mm-Hmm. 1443 01:01:01,265 --> 01:01:05,945 Our top five. Um, my daughter, uh, posted this on, 1444 01:01:06,045 --> 01:01:07,345 on her Instagram story. 1445 01:01:07,425 --> 01:01:08,825 I had to pull it up. Um, 1446 01:01:08,825 --> 01:01:12,225 because we talk about the dehumanizing impact 1447 01:01:12,325 --> 01:01:14,145 of what's happened, um, 1448 01:01:14,245 --> 01:01:15,385 and where she's, 1449 01:01:15,475 --> 01:01:18,745 where she posts Israel has now murdered more Palestinians in 1450 01:01:18,745 --> 01:01:23,305 24 days than nine 11 Pearl Harbor, 30 year war with the 1451 01:01:23,305 --> 01:01:25,145 nor in the north of Ireland combined. 1452 01:01:25,445 --> 01:01:29,185 Yep. And those, I don't understand how those numbers 1453 01:01:29,955 --> 01:01:31,665 don't have life. 1454 01:01:31,845 --> 01:01:35,225 Um, on a lighter note, uh, Kev, a student that you 1455 01:01:35,225 --> 01:01:39,785 and I both had at one point, um, went on that, um, on 1456 01:01:39,855 --> 01:01:43,345 that trip that we did, what was, what was the organization 1457 01:01:43,495 --> 01:01:45,705 that, um, ah, now I can't remember. 1458 01:01:45,725 --> 01:01:47,785 Anyway, a trip that took them to Jerusalem 1459 01:01:47,785 --> 01:01:51,305 and took them into all these different, um, communities, 1460 01:01:51,585 --> 01:01:52,945 Palestinian communities, uh, 1461 01:01:52,945 --> 01:01:55,025 Jewish communities, owing communities. 1462 01:01:55,025 --> 01:01:57,545 Like it's super Yes, yes. Meet the Middle East. 1463 01:01:57,815 --> 01:01:59,665 It's called Middle East. Meet the Middle East. Okay. 1464 01:01:59,845 --> 01:02:00,905 And, uh, and now the founder 1465 01:02:00,905 --> 01:02:04,025 of Meet the Middle East is a congresswoman, um, here, yes. 1466 01:02:04,505 --> 01:02:07,825 Colorado. And she's incredible. Um, Iman, Judah, Iman Juah. 1467 01:02:07,965 --> 01:02:11,825 Wow. I'm remembering. I'm like, so anyway, 1468 01:02:11,825 --> 01:02:14,665 so the student went, and of course, I love soccer. 1469 01:02:15,225 --> 01:02:16,265 I love underdogs. 1470 01:02:16,505 --> 01:02:20,085 I love the, um, the notion of people 1471 01:02:20,905 --> 01:02:22,965 who have been de denied the right 1472 01:02:22,965 --> 01:02:24,885 to basic humanity, finding a voice. 1473 01:02:25,845 --> 01:02:26,965 I ha Oh, I have to turn off my, 1474 01:02:27,145 --> 01:02:28,145 - Oh yeah. 1475 01:02:28,145 --> 01:02:29,205 The Palestinian flag as a shirt. 1476 01:02:29,505 --> 01:02:32,525 - No, no, it is, hold on. 1477 01:02:33,265 --> 01:02:34,485 Um, I keep forgetting 1478 01:02:34,485 --> 01:02:36,485 that when I've got a virtual background. 1479 01:02:36,485 --> 01:02:39,765 Yeah. So it's actually the, um, the 1480 01:02:40,285 --> 01:02:42,565 Palestinian National Team, national Soccer Team. 1481 01:02:42,565 --> 01:02:44,445 Oh, very cool. Nice. Um, which, 1482 01:02:44,445 --> 01:02:48,165 which has not been recognized by the FIFA, obviously, 1483 01:02:48,265 --> 01:02:50,445 of course, but of course it's allowed to. 1484 01:02:50,505 --> 01:02:54,085 But they do compete in, um, in the Asian Confederation, um, 1485 01:02:54,505 --> 01:02:55,885 in these World Cup qualifiers. 1486 01:02:56,025 --> 01:02:59,245 And, and what's really interesting is that it wasn't 1487 01:02:59,245 --> 01:03:01,045 until the last few years of my career 1488 01:03:01,115 --> 01:03:03,685 that I actually had the courage to teach about things like 1489 01:03:04,565 --> 01:03:05,685 Palestine and that the, you know, 1490 01:03:05,705 --> 01:03:07,525 to really dive into human rights 1491 01:03:07,625 --> 01:03:11,085 as a centering force in my history classrooms, this student 1492 01:03:12,075 --> 01:03:13,925 knew that I would appreciate this. 1493 01:03:14,865 --> 01:03:16,645 - Oh, I love it. - And grabbed it in a 1494 01:03:16,645 --> 01:03:18,485 market and brought it back. So, um, 1495 01:03:18,915 --> 01:03:19,915 - They were thinking of you. 1496 01:03:19,915 --> 01:03:21,605 Can I just make one last comment really 1497 01:03:21,605 --> 01:03:22,685 quick before we get Absolutely. 1498 01:03:22,835 --> 01:03:25,805 Here. So another reason why, um, 1499 01:03:26,395 --> 01:03:29,485 talking about Palestine teaching it is very similar and, 1500 01:03:29,505 --> 01:03:31,765 and connected to all the other social justice movements. 1501 01:03:32,225 --> 01:03:34,245 Um, I said this, when this also first started, 1502 01:03:34,505 --> 01:03:36,805 the language is also very, very similar. 1503 01:03:37,385 --> 01:03:40,165 So when everything happened, people were going around 1504 01:03:40,165 --> 01:03:43,725 and saying, oh, you know, Palestinian men, they're going in 1505 01:03:43,745 --> 01:03:44,925 and they're raping women 1506 01:03:45,025 --> 01:03:46,925 and they're doing all of these horrific things. 1507 01:03:47,155 --> 01:03:49,005 Came out to be false. Completely 1508 01:03:49,095 --> 01:03:50,805 - False, completely fabricated. 1509 01:03:50,875 --> 01:03:53,445 - Exactly. These are the same narratives they used against 1510 01:03:53,455 --> 01:03:55,325 black men in America forever. 1511 01:03:55,325 --> 01:03:57,205 That got them lynched, that got them killed, 1512 01:03:57,355 --> 01:03:59,685 that got their Tulsa, Oklahoma bombed. 1513 01:03:59,745 --> 01:04:01,125 Yep. So I want students, 1514 01:04:01,125 --> 01:04:02,965 and this is very important for students to understand 1515 01:04:02,965 --> 01:04:05,245 that language has evolved, 1516 01:04:05,265 --> 01:04:06,485 but they're using just different people 1517 01:04:06,485 --> 01:04:08,925 and different tactics, and it's very important how 1518 01:04:09,605 --> 01:04:10,965 dangerous that can be. 1519 01:04:11,625 --> 01:04:13,605 And the fact that I have brothers 1520 01:04:13,605 --> 01:04:15,005 and I'm married to a Palestinian man 1521 01:04:15,005 --> 01:04:17,085 and all that, that that's not who we are. 1522 01:04:17,185 --> 01:04:20,045 But again, seeing the similarities between black 1523 01:04:20,045 --> 01:04:22,045 and brown men just doesn't change. 1524 01:04:22,155 --> 01:04:23,165 It's in a different location. 1525 01:04:23,425 --> 01:04:25,765 So it's important for kids to understand that 1526 01:04:25,785 --> 01:04:28,365 and understand the language that's being used. So yeah. 1527 01:04:28,865 --> 01:04:30,485 - And I'm even with that, and even 1528 01:04:30,575 --> 01:04:34,965 after that bogus report was, was debunked, 1529 01:04:35,985 --> 01:04:39,085 the, the best, the best response 1530 01:04:39,085 --> 01:04:42,565 that mainstream media could come up with was, well, 1531 01:04:42,585 --> 01:04:44,645 we don't know that it didn't happen. 1532 01:04:45,315 --> 01:04:48,685 Like, like we, we things may have. 1533 01:04:48,785 --> 01:04:51,285 And, and that was the part that just blew my mind. 1534 01:04:51,465 --> 01:04:54,365 I'm like, we would not say this about another group. Yeah. 1535 01:04:54,585 --> 01:04:56,325 We would not say this about another group. 1536 01:04:56,345 --> 01:04:57,885 We don't even say this about the Russians. 1537 01:04:58,025 --> 01:05:00,405 And that's who like, has been kind 1538 01:05:00,405 --> 01:05:02,165 of public enemy number one ever since 1539 01:05:02,185 --> 01:05:03,325 the invasion of Ukraine. 1540 01:05:03,425 --> 01:05:05,245 So, I mean, I think, and that's the thing, 1541 01:05:05,345 --> 01:05:08,885 we just gotta be a lot smarter , um, about like, 1542 01:05:08,985 --> 01:05:10,485 not just like naming it, 1543 01:05:10,545 --> 01:05:12,205 but also saying, no, we actually have 1544 01:05:12,205 --> 01:05:13,445 to say this was fabricated 1545 01:05:13,705 --> 01:05:17,275 and analyze why, why was it okay 1546 01:05:17,295 --> 01:05:19,115 to fabricate a story about this group 1547 01:05:19,115 --> 01:05:21,155 of people when it wouldn't be okay 1548 01:05:21,855 --> 01:05:23,115 to do so about other people? 1549 01:05:23,595 --> 01:05:27,935 Absolutely not. Yeah. Yep. Kev, should we do this? 1550 01:05:28,905 --> 01:05:32,405 - Yes. Let's end on a, on a much lighter note. A 1551 01:05:33,105 --> 01:05:34,765 - Ah, I don't know if this is a light note. 1552 01:05:35,205 --> 01:05:36,365 - I mean, no, this is, if - You don't know 1553 01:05:36,365 --> 01:05:38,325 how our si you don't know how our sister prepared for this, 1554 01:05:38,665 --> 01:05:39,665 - But, okay. 1555 01:05:39,665 --> 01:05:41,205 Oh, this is, this is big. This is big. 1556 01:05:41,225 --> 01:05:43,165 - You don't know how our sister thinks about hiphop. 1557 01:05:43,165 --> 01:05:46,645 Like, you know, this is our, we have people who gave us a, 1558 01:05:46,725 --> 01:05:47,725 a false top five 1559 01:05:47,785 --> 01:05:49,525 and saying, listen, uh, I'm gonna, 1560 01:05:49,705 --> 01:05:51,085 I'm gonna catch hell if people hear this. 1561 01:05:51,345 --> 01:05:53,445 I'm not real give you this, this is not real. 1562 01:05:53,705 --> 01:05:55,285 I'm just gonna, this is, I'm gonna say some names. 1563 01:05:55,625 --> 01:05:58,085 Kev Te I'm gonna stop interrupting you. . I 1564 01:05:58,085 --> 01:05:59,805 - Mean, I mean, you're just, 1565 01:05:59,805 --> 01:06:01,165 you're just building the anxiety. 1566 01:06:01,485 --> 01:06:03,125 I am. I'm like, for my own 1567 01:06:03,125 --> 01:06:04,125 - Anxiety. 1568 01:06:04,125 --> 01:06:05,765 - Alright, so this is, there is no pressure. 1569 01:06:06,075 --> 01:06:08,525 This is like none all for fun at all. 1570 01:06:08,725 --> 01:06:12,645 love, like, wherever we go, that's where we go. 1571 01:06:13,255 --> 01:06:15,965 Uhhuh, , uh, this, this is your word for now, 1572 01:06:16,395 --> 01:06:18,725 doesn't have to be tied to you forever. 1573 01:06:19,195 --> 01:06:22,045 Nope. You know, as, as we said, people have falsified 1574 01:06:22,395 --> 01:06:25,125 what they shared with us versus what they really think. 1575 01:06:25,465 --> 01:06:27,125 That's all right. Some people might 1576 01:06:27,125 --> 01:06:28,205 say that's faking the funk. 1577 01:06:28,965 --> 01:06:31,205 Gerardo does. I don't , but Yeah. 1578 01:06:31,595 --> 01:06:32,725 Well, I will say this. 1579 01:06:33,105 --> 01:06:35,765 We, we, our tradition is we love to ask our guests 1580 01:06:35,835 --> 01:06:38,805 what their top five favorite rappers 1581 01:06:39,865 --> 01:06:44,125 or rap groups or artists could be an r and b artist. 1582 01:06:44,435 --> 01:06:46,845 Okay. It could be, uh, rock artists. 1583 01:06:46,935 --> 01:06:50,045 We've had appear on the list, we've had a variety. 1584 01:06:50,705 --> 01:06:55,475 Uh, we've had Top Five Seeds, which was a great episode. 1585 01:06:55,535 --> 01:06:56,955 If you have it. Do you remember that, 1586 01:06:57,235 --> 01:06:57,835 - Gerardo? No. 1587 01:06:58,255 --> 01:07:00,955 - Top Five Seeds. You have to go back. Oh, 1588 01:07:00,955 --> 01:07:01,955 - I do remember that. 1589 01:07:01,955 --> 01:07:04,435 Yes. Do you remember that? Oh my gosh, yes. Top five Seeds. 1590 01:07:04,595 --> 01:07:05,875 , what are we doing on this 1591 01:07:05,875 --> 01:07:06,915 podcast? What are we doing? 1592 01:07:07,285 --> 01:07:09,675 - We've had all sorts of great stuff, you know, 1593 01:07:09,765 --> 01:07:11,915 stuff from authors to, to whatever. 1594 01:07:12,135 --> 01:07:14,195 So do not feel tied down 1595 01:07:14,385 --> 01:07:17,155 because we say, uh, rappers 1596 01:07:17,575 --> 01:07:20,195 or hip hop artists, take it wherever you want. 1597 01:07:20,195 --> 01:07:22,435 We're just lovers of hip hop and rap. 1598 01:07:22,975 --> 01:07:24,195 But, uh, I, and, 1599 01:07:24,195 --> 01:07:26,635 and then I'll just put this out there too. Yeah. Come on, 1600 01:07:26,635 --> 01:07:27,555 - Man. Get to the rules 1601 01:07:28,005 --> 01:07:29,275 - While, while it's a top 1602 01:07:29,385 --> 01:07:30,595 five. Yeah. What are the rules? Yeah, 1603 01:07:30,905 --> 01:07:31,905 - What are the rules? 1604 01:07:31,975 --> 01:07:34,515 - Why are there rules? - I'm like, I'm like, 1605 01:07:34,515 --> 01:07:35,515 you're building this up 1606 01:07:35,575 --> 01:07:37,915 and then like, sis just wants to know 1607 01:07:37,915 --> 01:07:39,115 what the rules are. . Mm-Hmm. 1608 01:07:39,155 --> 01:07:42,195 - . The, the top five are, it's, 1609 01:07:42,195 --> 01:07:43,755 it's a top five list of course, 1610 01:07:44,495 --> 01:07:49,275 but, uh, you know, you can have ties two, two number threes, 1611 01:07:49,275 --> 01:07:51,395 three number threes if you want. Say we call 1612 01:07:51,395 --> 01:07:53,435 - That the air, say we call that the Eric Hale rule. 1613 01:07:53,575 --> 01:07:57,875 Uh, Eric Hale 2021 Texas Teacher of the Year somehow managed 1614 01:07:57,935 --> 01:08:01,155 to weasel in 25 rappers into his top five. 1615 01:08:01,255 --> 01:08:04,435 Oh. Um, and so, and then he was like, 1616 01:08:04,435 --> 01:08:06,315 but if it was the top 10, it would be. 1617 01:08:06,315 --> 01:08:09,075 And then he, like, Eric, shout out Eric, never change. 1618 01:08:09,075 --> 01:08:11,475 Who love you. Never change. Also, is it hierarchical? 1619 01:08:11,535 --> 01:08:12,795 Kev, I'm just trying to get, get 1620 01:08:12,795 --> 01:08:13,795 - You there quicker. 1621 01:08:13,795 --> 01:08:15,725 I could get there if you stop interrupting me. 1622 01:08:16,245 --> 01:08:18,885 , you always gotta tell the Eric Hale story 1623 01:08:19,715 --> 01:08:21,205 - Because that's my, - That's my, it was an important 1624 01:08:21,205 --> 01:08:23,205 moment, but still funny. 1625 01:08:23,785 --> 01:08:25,805 Be, be top five seed. 1626 01:08:26,075 --> 01:08:29,325 Alright, I, whenever somebody says that, 1627 01:08:30,365 --> 01:08:32,045 - I don't think I have any particular order. 1628 01:08:33,825 --> 01:08:36,565 - That's, - That's fine. That's fine. Like 1629 01:08:36,875 --> 01:08:38,685 - Hierarchy is white supremacy. So 1630 01:08:38,685 --> 01:08:40,285 - I always, yeah, hierarchy is white supremacy. 1631 01:08:40,445 --> 01:08:42,365 I always have to say like, I think 1632 01:08:43,065 --> 01:08:44,285 she doesn't get enough credit, 1633 01:08:45,065 --> 01:08:46,765 but I always put her in a different category. 1634 01:08:46,845 --> 01:08:49,565 I have to say Lauren Hill instead, my list 1635 01:08:49,945 --> 01:08:50,945 - People get so mad. 1636 01:08:50,945 --> 01:08:52,085 Lauren Hill is just here 1637 01:08:52,505 --> 01:08:56,205 and people get so mad that she decolonize time. 1638 01:08:56,745 --> 01:08:59,925 Um, and that's, um, I, I feel 1639 01:09:00,315 --> 01:09:04,605 - Colonizes time people ard go to work 1640 01:09:05,815 --> 01:09:07,965 - Value seeing Lauren Hill more than we value going to work. 1641 01:09:08,035 --> 01:09:09,965 Like I've been waiting for, I've been waiting 1642 01:09:09,985 --> 01:09:11,565 for Lauren for 30 years. All right. 1643 01:09:11,945 --> 01:09:13,245 - Um, I've always loved Eric 1644 01:09:13,245 --> 01:09:14,605 being Rakim. I always thought they were. 1645 01:09:15,585 --> 01:09:17,685 - Yes. Yes. So - Smooth. 1646 01:09:18,025 --> 01:09:20,045 - Ah, yes. You're speaking to me. You're speaking to me. 1647 01:09:20,395 --> 01:09:22,405 - That is true. - Um, gee, you know, 1648 01:09:22,405 --> 01:09:24,405 I'm not good when I'm like on my feet for this. 1649 01:09:25,145 --> 01:09:26,205 Um, let's see. 1650 01:09:26,505 --> 01:09:29,005 So I have definitely, if I'm gonna say Lauren, 1651 01:09:29,065 --> 01:09:30,925 how Helm definitely gonna say, I mean, I, I've always, 1652 01:09:31,145 --> 01:09:33,085 the Fujis was my college album. 1653 01:09:33,305 --> 01:09:35,765 Mm-Hmm. So that's Yes. Eric being Rakim. 1654 01:09:36,225 --> 01:09:39,845 - Yes. - I think my brothers would disown me if, 1655 01:09:39,845 --> 01:09:41,845 of course I didn't say Tupac, but all, 1656 01:09:42,115 --> 01:09:44,485 - Alright, - with 1657 01:09:45,245 --> 01:09:46,965 - PAC and PA Pac, international 1658 01:09:46,965 --> 01:09:49,445 International, uh, relevance. Intercultural 1659 01:09:49,685 --> 01:09:50,685 - Relevance. 1660 01:09:50,685 --> 01:09:52,205 - Absolutely. Spock Spot. I 1661 01:09:52,315 --> 01:09:57,205 - Have to, to really, if I wanna say a tie for me, 1662 01:09:57,985 --> 01:09:59,445 I'm a huge fan of the Roots. 1663 01:09:59,965 --> 01:10:02,445 I think Black is one of the best, like, 1664 01:10:02,975 --> 01:10:04,445 - Thank you - Anything. 1665 01:10:04,465 --> 01:10:05,765 But also KR RSS one. 1666 01:10:05,795 --> 01:10:07,325 Like you can't talk about hiphop 1667 01:10:07,325 --> 01:10:08,565 or anything without KRS one. Oh, 1668 01:10:08,665 --> 01:10:09,665 - That's right. 1669 01:10:09,665 --> 01:10:10,805 - No particular order, 1670 01:10:11,105 --> 01:10:13,645 but those are the ones that I think are like my top five. 1671 01:10:14,075 --> 01:10:16,765 - That, that, that's a hot list. That's a, i that's 1672 01:10:16,765 --> 01:10:17,765 - A real hot list. 1673 01:10:17,765 --> 01:10:20,525 - I put that list on repeat. I put that list on. I 1674 01:10:20,525 --> 01:10:22,365 - Mean, you could put on them like, I have track called 1675 01:10:22,685 --> 01:10:24,925 Quest, my friend got those and De La Soul. 1676 01:10:25,065 --> 01:10:27,365 But you know, list can go on and on. 1677 01:10:27,365 --> 01:10:30,285 But I think those would be my top. Definitely my top. Ooh, 1678 01:10:31,015 --> 01:10:32,015 - Shoot. 1679 01:10:32,015 --> 01:10:33,085 You should have been nervous. What you, 1680 01:10:33,465 --> 01:10:34,645 you, what you nervous about? 1681 01:10:34,825 --> 01:10:35,925 You from, oh, I forgot. 1682 01:10:35,925 --> 01:10:37,525 We forgot you from the south side of Chicago. 1683 01:10:37,635 --> 01:10:39,285 - Wait, there's no Chicago rappers on there. 1684 01:10:39,505 --> 01:10:41,925 You, I mean Chicago rappers on there. Well, you 1685 01:10:41,925 --> 01:10:43,285 - Know, I mean we're All right, 1686 01:10:43,445 --> 01:10:44,765 we'll, we'll get by. We'll do that another 1687 01:10:44,765 --> 01:10:45,205 - Time. That's true. 1688 01:10:45,345 --> 01:10:46,345 - That's - All's true. Oh yeah. 1689 01:10:46,425 --> 01:10:48,125 - That's a whole other, that's a whole other thing. 1690 01:10:48,425 --> 01:10:49,605 - But I'm a huge fan of Common 1691 01:10:49,625 --> 01:10:50,965 and a lot of people in Chicago are like, 1692 01:10:51,965 --> 01:10:53,925 - can't comment, been around too long. 1693 01:10:53,985 --> 01:10:55,925 He, he's been too successful. 1694 01:10:56,425 --> 01:10:58,445 - And I dunno if we wanna claim Yeezy anymore, but We'll, 1695 01:10:59,315 --> 01:11:00,405 - That he's problematic. 1696 01:11:01,955 --> 01:11:02,955 - Hold, - Hold on. 1697 01:11:04,505 --> 01:11:06,805 - No, no, no, no, no. Kev, you open the can of worms, bro. 1698 01:11:06,875 --> 01:11:09,685 Like, okay. I'm always the one coming for Yeezy 1699 01:11:09,685 --> 01:11:11,365 and you're always the one defending him, sir. 1700 01:11:12,735 --> 01:11:14,735 - But come on. The graduation I think was one 1701 01:11:14,735 --> 01:11:16,495 of the best albums, 1702 01:11:16,655 --> 01:11:17,655 - I feel like. 1703 01:11:17,655 --> 01:11:18,295 And I feel like the tables have turned 1704 01:11:18,295 --> 01:11:20,495 because like eight, like eight Oh eight's in heartbreak. 1705 01:11:20,635 --> 01:11:24,175 Oh, man. And when, when our, when our daughter decided to go 1706 01:11:24,175 --> 01:11:25,295 to college in Chicago, I, 1707 01:11:25,335 --> 01:11:27,055 I played homecoming like every day. Oh yeah. 1708 01:11:27,515 --> 01:11:29,735 - That's a great one. That's a good, that's good. All. 1709 01:11:29,955 --> 01:11:31,535 - So I had Keal appreciate this. 1710 01:11:31,545 --> 01:11:33,975 Aaron Thompson, shout out Aaron, uh, 1711 01:11:34,445 --> 01:11:36,895 he's the chief legal counsel of Denver Public Schools. 1712 01:11:37,405 --> 01:11:38,615 Came up to me at one point 1713 01:11:38,675 --> 01:11:40,575 before I really fully knew who he was. 1714 01:11:40,835 --> 01:11:42,375 And he says, all right, question for you, 1715 01:11:42,675 --> 01:11:44,095 what's your top five rappers 1716 01:11:44,095 --> 01:11:45,655 and why are they all Lupe Fiasco? 1717 01:11:46,275 --> 01:11:48,375 - Oh, . That, that was, that was his question. 1718 01:11:48,835 --> 01:11:51,655 You're like, dang. Okay. Like 1719 01:11:51,655 --> 01:11:52,655 - That. 1720 01:11:52,655 --> 01:11:53,655 I mean, you know, Lupe Fiasco. 1721 01:11:54,005 --> 01:11:56,495 Yeah, you can definitely say he's on that list. 1722 01:11:56,595 --> 01:12:00,095 But I mean, I love Lupe and I love his, his music, 1723 01:12:00,235 --> 01:12:02,575 but if you're talking about top five, thoses gotta be. 1724 01:12:03,045 --> 01:12:04,935 - Yeah. I don't know if I can put it, I don't know if I can 1725 01:12:04,935 --> 01:12:08,135 put him top five, but he, I think, I think eventually 1726 01:12:08,755 --> 01:12:11,495 his catalog we'll put in there, like the stuff 1727 01:12:11,495 --> 01:12:13,495 that he's putting together. Um, he's 1728 01:12:13,495 --> 01:12:14,895 - Prolific ke he's - Very, I watched 1729 01:12:14,895 --> 01:12:15,975 our, I watched our action Rapper 1730 01:12:15,975 --> 01:12:16,975 - With a Conflict. 1731 01:12:16,975 --> 01:12:17,805 He's another. 1732 01:12:18,315 --> 01:12:19,375 - Yep, yep. - Oh yeah. 1733 01:12:19,835 --> 01:12:22,855 The, but Kev, I, I watched our guy Manuel Rustin of the, 1734 01:12:22,875 --> 01:12:24,175 um, all of the above podcast. 1735 01:12:24,375 --> 01:12:29,175 I watched him do a lesson on Go Allen, um, which is just, 1736 01:12:29,195 --> 01:12:31,135 and have y'all heard this song by Lupe? 1737 01:12:31,325 --> 01:12:34,575 Yeah. So it's so intense and, 1738 01:12:34,875 --> 01:12:39,535 and Lupe did it so beautifully that like, it allowed me 1739 01:12:39,555 --> 01:12:43,695 to see a world in which, um, Alan lives and yeah. 1740 01:12:43,695 --> 01:12:45,415 Like is is a hero. 1741 01:12:45,515 --> 01:12:47,215 And it just like, for hip hop to have 1742 01:12:47,215 --> 01:12:49,015 that kind of power is amazing. Um, yeah, 1743 01:12:49,375 --> 01:12:52,695 - I think my equivalent author to hip hop who I have, 1744 01:12:52,795 --> 01:12:54,775 I'm a huge fan of is Jason Reynolds. 1745 01:12:55,955 --> 01:12:57,095 Um, I think he's 1746 01:12:57,095 --> 01:12:58,095 - Just amazing. 1747 01:12:58,095 --> 01:12:59,295 I dunno any of his stuff. I have to check it out. 1748 01:12:59,405 --> 01:13:00,615 - Yeah, you had, he's a young, you know, 1749 01:13:00,615 --> 01:13:02,575 he's a young author, young adult author. 1750 01:13:02,875 --> 01:13:06,535 And um, he's in the DC area, but I'm a huge fan. 1751 01:13:06,535 --> 01:13:11,295 And his, his, he did stamp remix, the one Indian, that one, 1752 01:13:11,355 --> 01:13:13,735 but just his, his his Aura 1753 01:13:13,835 --> 01:13:16,695 and how he writes, he, he, he writes with 1754 01:13:16,695 --> 01:13:18,215 that thought in mind 1755 01:13:18,435 --> 01:13:21,615 and yeah, he's an equivalent of hip hop or r and b. 1756 01:13:21,615 --> 01:13:23,055 That's definitely Jason Reynolds. So 1757 01:13:23,245 --> 01:13:24,245 - Yeah. 1758 01:13:24,245 --> 01:13:26,495 Long, long way down ghost. Like this is all good stuff. 1759 01:13:26,495 --> 01:13:28,535 Mm-Hmm. And he's the one, Kev, he's the one that did the, 1760 01:13:28,535 --> 01:13:30,775 um, the stamp from the beginning. 1761 01:13:30,865 --> 01:13:33,015 Adaptation. Yeah. With, uh, Dr. Ken. 1762 01:13:33,315 --> 01:13:35,535 Uh, no, that's, ooh, that's a good call out right there. 1763 01:13:35,535 --> 01:13:40,175 Yeah. That's dope. Ramadan. 1764 01:13:41,405 --> 01:13:43,535 This was a blast. When are you coming back? 1765 01:13:44,205 --> 01:13:46,055 - When you invite me back. It - Took us 1766 01:13:46,555 --> 01:13:48,655 - Get here, - It took us a long time to get here, 1767 01:13:48,655 --> 01:13:51,015 but now, now we need you back. Um, this is 1768 01:13:51,015 --> 01:13:52,015 - Beautiful. 1769 01:13:52,015 --> 01:13:53,015 I'll be back whenever you want me. 1770 01:13:53,055 --> 01:13:54,335 I had a blast and it was nice 1771 01:13:54,395 --> 01:13:56,055 to finally meet Kevin 'cause I thought he didn't 1772 01:13:56,055 --> 01:13:57,095 exist. That's 1773 01:13:57,095 --> 01:13:58,095 - Right. 1774 01:13:58,095 --> 01:13:58,575 A lot of people don't think Kevin exists. 1775 01:13:58,635 --> 01:14:00,455 He, he comes out of the woodwork at 1776 01:14:00,455 --> 01:14:01,455 - Times. 1777 01:14:01,455 --> 01:14:02,775 Actually, I'm not gonna come back until I get one of those, 1778 01:14:02,995 --> 01:14:04,735 uh, those that graffiti 1779 01:14:04,735 --> 01:14:05,495 - Background. Yeah. 1780 01:14:05,645 --> 01:14:07,095 - Yeah. We're, we're gonna make, uh, 1781 01:14:07,095 --> 01:14:08,655 coloring sheets available too. Hopefully 1782 01:14:08,655 --> 01:14:10,055 - We can hook you up. 1783 01:14:10,795 --> 01:14:12,325 - Get a shirt, get it on. Dang. I 1784 01:14:12,325 --> 01:14:13,965 - Think all the, all the merchs the kids 1785 01:14:13,985 --> 01:14:16,125 - Say we got a couple yo, we got a couple of shirts. 1786 01:14:16,125 --> 01:14:17,445 We gotta get out there. We gotta get out 1787 01:14:17,445 --> 01:14:19,925 that spirit healer shirt, man. Like, so. Well you have 1788 01:14:19,925 --> 01:14:21,885 - To get it because if I'm gonna be going on the road 1789 01:14:21,885 --> 01:14:23,685 with all the conferences and so I'm gonna go to, 1790 01:14:23,685 --> 01:14:24,845 I gotta wrap and let people know. 1791 01:14:25,065 --> 01:14:26,725 That's it. Fucking billboard. 1792 01:14:27,395 --> 01:14:30,725 - Love it. Well, thank you so much 1793 01:14:30,725 --> 01:14:31,925 for joining us on the show. 1794 01:14:32,305 --> 01:14:33,485 Thanks for This is amazing. 1795 01:14:33,945 --> 01:14:35,725 Um, really excited for people to hear this. 1796 01:14:35,945 --> 01:14:37,285 And um, so 1797 01:14:37,355 --> 01:14:40,165 what we'll do is I'll ramble just a little bit like I always 1798 01:14:40,165 --> 01:14:42,565 do, uh, but it'll be more of a concluding ramble. 1799 01:14:42,825 --> 01:14:46,805 And when I cue you, we will all say state open together. 1800 01:14:47,345 --> 01:14:49,005 All right. 'cause that's what we're trying to do is 1801 01:14:49,005 --> 01:14:50,885 through it all, we're just gonna stay, stay dope 1802 01:14:50,915 --> 01:14:52,485 through violence, through pain, 1803 01:14:52,715 --> 01:14:54,085 through sunshine, through rain. 1804 01:14:54,105 --> 01:14:59,045 My bad. Um, , um, through it all, we invite you 1805 01:14:59,265 --> 01:15:03,405 to stay connected, stay fighting for justice, stay unified, 1806 01:15:03,475 --> 01:15:07,845 stay in solidarity, stay paying attention to 1807 01:15:07,945 --> 01:15:10,885 how stories are told, not just what stories are told, 1808 01:15:11,265 --> 01:15:15,445 but I'll tell you above, beyond everything, make sure 1809 01:15:15,445 --> 01:15:18,085 that you always stay 1810 01:16:03,605 --> 01:16:04,215 Attention. 1811 01:16:04,315 --> 01:16:05,895 Please attention please. 1812 01:16:06,085 --> 01:16:08,535 Dedicated educators of Two Dope Nation. 1813 01:16:09,875 --> 01:16:12,735 As this school year gets underway, now is the perfect time 1814 01:16:12,735 --> 01:16:14,655 to take control of your financial future. 1815 01:16:15,635 --> 01:16:18,055 We understand that being an educator requires an incredible 1816 01:16:18,055 --> 01:16:20,335 amount of time and effort during the school year. 1817 01:16:20,595 --> 01:16:23,255 So now's the best time to prioritize your finances 1818 01:16:23,675 --> 01:16:26,735 before the school year gets completely outta hand. 1819 01:16:26,875 --> 01:16:28,135 Am I right that? 1820 01:16:28,135 --> 01:16:30,775 So I want to introduce you to a trusted financial advisor 1821 01:16:30,875 --> 01:16:33,455 who specializes in working with educators like us. 1822 01:16:33,925 --> 01:16:36,575 Meet Alex Seva, a certified financial planner 1823 01:16:36,575 --> 01:16:38,095 with Satter Investors. 1824 01:16:38,685 --> 01:16:40,815 Alex provides educators of planning 1825 01:16:40,955 --> 01:16:43,735 for our most important financial milestones. 1826 01:16:44,115 --> 01:16:45,295 He has a deep understanding 1827 01:16:45,315 --> 01:16:47,055 of the important strategies related 1828 01:16:47,115 --> 01:16:50,095 to teachers in our retirement, the school pension system, 1829 01:16:50,235 --> 01:16:53,175 and retirement programs specifically for us. 1830 01:16:54,085 --> 01:16:57,375 Imagine heading into this upcoming school year in the years 1831 01:16:57,395 --> 01:16:59,455 to come with confidence knowing 1832 01:16:59,455 --> 01:17:01,815 that your finances are in order. 1833 01:17:02,715 --> 01:17:05,255 By taking time now to work with Alex, you can lay 1834 01:17:05,775 --> 01:17:08,095 a solid foundation for your financial goals 1835 01:17:08,115 --> 01:17:10,205 and secure a brighter future future. 1836 01:17:10,205 --> 01:17:12,645 Don't let the busyness of the school year hold you back from 1837 01:17:12,645 --> 01:17:14,405 achieving your financial dreams. 1838 01:17:15,015 --> 01:17:16,765 Visit Alex's website at 1839 01:17:17,625 --> 01:17:22,625 www.toandalex.satterinvestors.com/tudo. 1840 01:17:23,735 --> 01:17:27,365 Spell out to schedule an initial 1841 01:17:27,515 --> 01:17:29,005 virtual consultation. 1842 01:17:29,385 --> 01:17:32,645 And here's the best part. 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