Conversations with Ma - Do You Take a Stance?
Episode 18 - September 24th, 2020
*Scroll Down for Books, Resources, and First Steps in Taking a Stance*
Do you take a stance?
Do I take a stance?
This year, for me, in my lifetime, is standing out as a year of people standing up.
As I watch the news and scroll social media, I gain perspective and with that I start questioning why I think certain ways.
Something I’ve been processing is not just,
“Do I take a stance?” but
“Why do I take or not take a stance?”
What impacts my reflexes and reasoning?
One factor is my upbringing, another is my career as an educator, of course motherhood also impacts everything that runs through my mind.
So, to work through this topic,
I invited someone to join me who can speak to all those things…
My mom… or as I call her, Ma.
Listen to hear more about the impact of communities on our advocacy for good or bad, the influence of our parents on our stance taking, the impact of our careers on our outspokenness, and more.
Kid’s Books: Taking a Stance
No! My First Book of Activists (Board Book)
Antiracist Baby (Board Book)
Shaking Things Up (3+ years old)
Lucia the Luchadora (3+ years old)
We Are Water Protectors (2-6 years old)
Me…Jane (3-8 years old)
Super Manny Stands Up (3-8 years old)
I Dissent: Ruth Bader Ginsberg Makes Her Mark (6-8 years)
Malala: my Story of Standing up for Girl’s Rights (6-10 years)
The Book Itch (9-12 years old)
If you have a book to add, use the contact box below to send me your recommendations.
Start Conversations
- Talk to your friends about what it means to take a stance.
- Talk about ways to help others around the dinner table.
- Ask friends about their feelings with current events.
- If someone uses discriminatory language, speak up!
- Tell others when you learn something new: example from my life recently – ableist language and how to form new vocabulary habits.
- Read diverse books with children and answer tough questions.
First Steps towards Taking a Stance
- Buy from companies that support the causes you want to support
- Repost social media posts, share podcasts and forward articles to friends.
- Join online local community groups to see volunteer opportunities.
- Join online topic specific groups to join the dialogue.
- Follow your representatives on social media to be more informed.
- Register to vote and vote in every election – Local elections matter!
- Research who are the decision makers in your area: schools, local government and organisations.
- Make contact in friendly, supportive ways to build connections for when you want to take a stance.
- Look up the email for government contacts and save them for when you are ready to take a stance.
- Senate Directory
- House of Representatives Contact Search
- ACLU Letter Writing Tips
- Use Resistbot to quickly and easily contact representatives.
Resources and Organizations
“As the largest not-for-profit exclusively for young people and social change, DoSomething’s millions of members represent every US area code and 131 countries. Using our digital platform, DoSomething members join our volunteer, social change, and civic action campaigns to make real-world impact on causes they care about.”
“Championing LGBTQ issues in K-12 education since 1990. GLSEN works to ensure that LGBTQ students are able to learn and grow in a school environment free from bullying and harassment.”
“EduColor mobilizes advocates nationwide around issues of educational equity, agency, and justice. We amplify the works and ideas of students, educators, and communities of color through supportive on- and off-line networks and professional development. We are an inclusive cooperative of informed, inspired and motivated educators, parents, students, writers and activists who promote and embrace the centrality of substantive intersectional diversity.”
“We believe that, while reading and understanding the perspective of people of color is important, it’s just as critical to interrogate and uproot personal instances where injustice, racism, sexism, homophobia, white supremacy, and other forms of oppression exist.”
“We believe that stories play a powerful role in education. Founded in 2006 as an initiative of Kalliopeia Foundation, we aim to plant seeds of empathy, resilience, and a sacred relationship to our planet. Using stories as a pedagogical tool for growing minds, we bring the world’s cultures alive in the classroom. Committed to the exploration of cultural, environmental, and social issues, we offer a rich library of multimedia stories comprised of award-winning films, photo essays, and essays.”
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