Ep. 39: Real Moms Have Difficult Conversations About Race and Culture Too

To celebrate Black History Month, Real Moms Too interview Dr. Melissa Crum, artist, education consultant, diversity practitioner, and founder of Mosaic Education Network LLC. Dr. Crum shares with listeners how to have difficult conversations with children about skin color, discovering and learning in different environments, and the importance of helping children control their own narrative.

“Parenthood is an experiment, but the hope is that our children love and understand who they are at the core,” said Dr. Crum. She encourages parents to know that no matter what environment our children are in, what narrative society portrays about them and culture, with the right exposure and having courageous conversations, we can help empower our children.

Dr. Melissa Crum’s Bio:

Dr. Melissa Crum is an artist, author, researcher, and founder of Mosaic Education Network, LLC. She leads a consulting company that infuses the arts, research, storytelling and critical thinking into professional development, community building and curriculum development. Dr. Crum works with her team of experts to act as engaging and collaborative resources to schools, nonprofits, and companies helping them gauge the collective impact of our unconscious bias on diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) goals.

With her team, she facilitates and encourages thought-provoking conversations addressing difficult topics on supporting, interacting, and partnering with diverse communities. She works hard to help you become informed of and feel secure about using everyday practical applications of DEI strategies to positively impact your work and learning environment. To make this happen she creates a "brave space" where you can ask the tough questions, admit faults and celebrate successes. Her national and international experiences working with educators, museums, and businesses has allowed her to help you make social change from your desk, to your living room and beyond.

You may have heard her amazing TedxTalk title, A Tale of Two Teachers, where Dr. Crum discusses cultural differences she experienced as a child and how she assists educators with their unconscious biases through an art-based professional development program.

Credentials

• MBE/EDGE certified
• B.A. Visual Art Studies from the University of Florida
• Masters in African-American and African Studies from The Ohio State University
• Ph.D in Art Administration, Education, and Policy from The Ohio State University

TedxTalk: A Tale of Two Teachers

https://youtu.be/sgtinODaW78

Mosaic Education Network
https://www.mosaiceducationnetwork.com/about-us

Instagram
@mosaic_education_network

Facebook
https://www.facebook.com/MosaicEducationNetwork/

Scene On Radio Podcast
https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/scene-on-radio/id1036276968

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