In conversation 17-year-old Taha Vahanvaty and his advisor, Cynthia Crowner, discuss the work that Taha has done with The Acceptance Project or TAP, which creates a space for students of different social or political beliefs to have conversations. Taha is a high school senior in Stroudsburg, Penn. Cynthia is a retired Presbyterian minister and the…
In conversation Tonya Whatley tells her sister Lisa McKenzie about losing her two-year-old grandson, the impact it had on the family, and what helped her get through it all. Transcript Tonya: Lee was my second grandchild from my daughter. He was gentle, very loving, and affectionate. Lisa: Very. Tonya:…
In conversation 18-year-old Hope* and her friend and longtime mentor, Sonia Vazquez-Young, talk about their journey together. The two met when Hope was in kindergarten in Bethlehem, Pen. *Hope is a pseudonym. Transcript Sonia: Do you remember coming into kindergarten when I was first working at the elementary school?…
In conversation Roniece Gilkey speaks with Janessa Jordan — a high school teacher who has taught her three sons — about changes in education during the COVID-19 pandemic and the extra burdens that students, teachers and parents have all had to take on. Transcript Roniece: As a teacher, how is…
In conversation Sisters Gloria and Isabel Pappaterra recollect their educational experience and what they wish they had learned in school. Transcript Gloria: We are children of immigrants. Our father is Puerto Rican and our mother is Cuban. Our father is also deaf. So we were raised in a household…
In conversation Bill Milliken tells his colleague and mentee Jane Mentzinger about how he came to found Communities In Schools and how the organization has developed since then. Transcript Bill: They didn’t know back then where I grew up about learning differences and I didn’t know I had a learning…
Akia S. Callum is the director of community impact and marketing at Waterbury Bridge to Success Community Partnership. She has almost a decade of experience as a community organizer, political strategist, social justice advocate, educator and branding consultant. Akia is leading our closing discussion with Nikole Hannah-Jones at the 2020 Cradle to Career Network Convening. …