Paw'd Defiance

Welcome to Paw’d Defiance where we don’t lecture but we do educate. I’m Eric Wilson-Edge. In this episode we hear from UW Tacoma Advisor Isabella Webb. Besides advising students, Webb runs the Husky Success Series which helps new students connect to campus. We’ll also hear from three UW Tacoma students who are part of the Husky Success Series. Eliza Gines, Kara Peterson and Jake Detert will talk about their experience in college, including their choice of major and challenges they’ve faced. They’ll also share some words of wisdom for future students.

UW Tacoma Associate Professor and Ed.D. Director Robin Zape-tah-hol-ah Minthorn has collaborated on a new book called "Indigenous Motherhood in the Academy." The book is a collection of short essays written by Indigenous mothers who work in higher education. The stories from these mothers are honest, and at times, difficult. We'll talk about the book, the process of putting it together as well as the challenges facing Indigenous mothers in academia. We'll also talk about the process of writing a book during the pandemic as well as the pandemic's impact the contributors personal and professional lives.
Muckleshoot cohort:https://www.tacoma.uw.edu/soe/EdD/muckleshoot-cohort

UW Tacoma Assistant Professor Vern Harner recently completed their doctorate in social welfare and will begin teaching on campus this fall. In this episode Harner talks about their interest in social work. They also discuss the importance of having trans researchers conduct research about the trans community. Harner is trans and played an important role in getting the University of Washington to change its diploma name policy. Until recently the university only allowed full legal names on diplomas. Harner got involved with the issue after a few of their trans students expressed concern about the policy. We'll talk about that and Harner's long history of activism.
School of Social Work & Criminal Justice
CEI

Isabella Webb was born and raised in Australia. For years she tried to hide her Aboriginal heritage. In this episode, Webb talks about how higher education and travel helped her embrace her heritage. Webb earned a bachelor's, master's and is currently working on a doctorate. We also discuss Aboriginal history including the Australian government's attempt to eradicate the Aboriginal way of life. Finally, Webb talks about her role as an academic advisor including how she empowers students to embrace their journey and succeed in college.

UW Tacoma Associate Professor Eric Madfis is an expert on mass shootings and has been quoted in numerous publications including the New York Times, Politico and the Washington Post. Madfis has also written four books about mass shootings. His latest book “All American Massacre: The Tragic Role of American Culture and Society in Mass Shootings” comes out in the fall. In this episode we talk with Madfis about mass shootings in the United States. We talk about how access to guns along with gun culture contributes to gun violence. We also discuss the idea that "the only way to stop a bad guy with a gun is a good good with a gun." Finally, the discussion turns to ways to prevent school shootings. Research suggests a positive school environment might be a more effective way to stop school shootings before they start.

In this episode of the podcast we take a tour of Professor Mike Honey’s office. Honey is a founding faculty member of UW Tacoma. He started in 1990 and moved into his current office in 1997. The office overlooks Pacific Avenue which runs right through the heart of downtown. Honey’s office is lined with books and posters. Research material and graded papers are stuffed into accordion file folders. There are at least two guitars and a banjo in the space. There are also records, cassettes and VHS tapes. The carpet is faded and worn from use. Honey has spent countless hours here. It is, in many ways more than just an office; it’s a home, a library and a gathering place. In this office Honey has conducted research, and written articles and books. He’s also met with students, community members and civil rights and labor leaders. Honey is retiring from teaching in July and will hand over the keys to his office, eventually. Honey may be retiring from teaching, but that doesn’t mean he’s done working.

KNKX News Director Florangela Davila stopped by the studio to talk about her experience in the news industry. Davila and the KNKX team recently launched an eight-part podcast series called "The Walk Home." The series details the life and death of Manny Ellis, a Tacoma man who died in police custody in 2020. We'll talk about the podcast, we'll also talk about the push to tell a more diverse range of stories as well as
the challenges of reporting the news. Finally, we discuss the future of journalism as well as what students need to do to prepare themselves for a career in the industry.