Know-It-All: The ABCs of Education

Today's industrial revolution is digital. Students must have fluency in science and technology in order to see real success in school and in life. Despite efforts to increase access to STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math) education for students of color, digital entrepreneurs continue to be overwhelmingly white. My guest, Kathryn Finney, is changing that. Kathy is the founder of digitalUNdivided, which develops programs, projects, and forward thinking initiatives that bridge the digital knowledge gap, particularly for women of color. ______ Host, Allison R. Brown, is a civil rights attorney and founder of Allison Brown Consulting (ABC), which creates education equity plans for schools and works with organizations to promote student equity.

Autism and other disorders on the autism spectrum are difficult to understand. Although we don't know with any certainty what causes autism, parents and educators of children with autism have come up with remarkable strategies to support their children and nurture their gifts, and to be advocates for their children. My guests, Kerry Dillman and Markeycion McKinney, of LEARN Behavior Consultation Services, will talk to us about their work to equip parents and caregivers with the tools they need to support children with autism. Tamara Kassabian, incredible mommy to a child with autism, will share insights from her experiences working to give her child the love and care that he needs. Host, Allison R. Brown, is a civil rights attorney and owner of Allison Brown Consulting (ABC).

Research has demonstrated that diversity among academic researchers, who typically have Ph.D.s, is much needed in order to ensure success and progress in the scholarship they produce. Recent collaborations between academic researchers and practitioners have brought that need to bear. Dr. Shireen Lewis founded SisterMentors because of her own arduous journey to get a Ph.D. and her determination that other women of color would not have to travel that road alone. She talks with us about the importance of racial diversity in higher education, why the dissertation is the most difficult and most fulfilling part of the Ph.D. quest, and what needs to be done to grow Ph.D.s in and among our own communities. Host Allison R. Brown is a civil rights attorney and owner of Allison Brown Consulting (ABC), which creates education equity plans and promotes equity in compliance with federal civil rights law.

Hip-hop music is ubiquitous. While it has been many things to many people over the years, it has consistently been a vehicle of artistic expression for people who otherwise might not have had such a prominent platform. Hip hop is poetry, music, sociology, even macroeconomics. It can be a viable educational tool, when used correctly. My guest, Larry "Lak" Henderson, CEO of SmartMusic Entertainment, will talk about hip hop music and how he uses hip hop to reach a generation. Host Allison R. Brown is a civil rights attorney and owner of Allison Brown Consulting (ABC), which works with schools and other entities to create education equity plans and promote equity in education in compliance with federal law.

Why is it important to talk about poverty in education? How do we do that in a way that is respectful and meaningful? Many times, discussions about education reform intentionally conflate race and class. There are a few reasons for this, including that the federal courts have slowly closed the courthouse doors to claims of race discrimination in education. Courts also have almost completely prohibited voluntary efforts to create racial diversity in schools. As a result, equity proponents have been forced into a difficult position - using socioeconomic status as a proxy for race. This often leaves educators, community members, and others thinking about poverty only in terms of race. Our special guest, Dr. Adriane Williams, will equip listeners with the necessary tools to navigate between the overlapping worlds of race and poverty in education.