Episode 24: Liberated Living - Decolonizing Parenting and Education
/School is different this year. It just is. For many of us it may seem that we have very little say in the matter, and very little support as we try to figure this all out. But what if we flipped that script?
What if we saw the opportunity in this unique moment in time. What if we used this school year to make more conscious and informed decisions when it comes to our children's education? What if we used this as a catalyst to look more closely at a system that isn't just broken and failing, but was actually built to be that way? What if we embraced this moment in history as an opportunity to re-think how and what children should learn?
When my guest this week on the podcast, Chemay Morales-James, who is a social liberation education activist, became a parent and looked the educational resources available to her family, she didn't see her child in any of the materials. She wanted them to grow up seeing themselves and knowing that their histories, perspectives, and futures matter. Out of this, My Reflection Matters was born. She writes more about why we should really think hard about going back to schooling as usual, when we can choose freedom instead here, and she raises a lot of great points.
As an avid fan of her work for years, I was THRILLED when she agreed to come and chat with us. In this episode, join us as we discuss decolonizing parenting and education and what it takes to raise a truly liberated child. Chemay shares her ample experience as an educational equity consultant and tells us about her new parent-support resource: My Reflection Matters Village, which is still enrolling. The mission of the village is to create a co-learning space where the power of education is placed back in the hands of families and gives families the opportunity and guidance they need to "opt-out" of an educational system built on control and oppression.
More info here: https://my-reflection-matters.mn.co/
I'm so excited to share this episode with you. The resources and materials that My Reflection Matters provide have been helpful for me over the years as I have tried to supplement my child's public education and encouraged her teachers to be more inclusive and culturally aware. I hope you at the very least go and follow them on Facebook!
DOWNLOAD THE THREE R’s WORKBOOK HERE to create rhythms, rituals, and routines that will keep you grounded in your values as you deal with the new mode of education during the pandemic.