Reflections on Season 9

Reflections on Season 9

Author: Andrew Lefkowits, Val Brown, Courtney Mykytyn May 31, 2023 Duration: 22:52
As Season 9 comes to a close, we reflect on some of the amazing conversations we had over the past 16 episodes, and hear from you about what you’re grappling with. From the Heather McGhee’s episode in the very beginning of the season through Episode 15 on school lunches, we tried to focus on solidarity and elevating voices that have been missing from our conversations. Cathryn and The Saviors focused on the experience of one low-income parent, The Segregated Lives of Preschoolers focused on our youngest learners, The Intersections of Disability, Race, and Segregation began unpacking the needs of disabled students and caregivers. And, of course, we featured student voice in Between the Lines: An EPIC Comeback. Students are the most directly impacted by our education system, so we lean into to featuring their voice and their perspective whenever possible. Through it all, we leaned into nuance, recognizing that no one has all the answers, and that the best way to know better and do better is through relationships. Lots of thanks for the season: All of our guests who were willing to share their insights, their perspectives, their research, and their values. We are all richer for having heard from you. All of podcast staff who work on transcripts and promotion and offer thought partnership on each and every episode – Anna, Darci, Jennifer, Courtney, Susan, Emily. Thank you! Our friends at Connectd Podcasts for the ongoing support. Check out all their shows, as there are so many important conversations happening on the network. All of our Patreon supporters. Your financial support allows us to keep this podcast going, but even more importantly, your engagement on the Patreon page and participation in happy hours means the world to us. And, most importantly, thank you to all of you who listen, who share, who keep this conversation going. The world is changed one relationship and one conversation at a time, and you all engaging with the conversations we share brings us hope. ACTION STEPS: Share your favorite episode with someone and have a conversation with them about it. Support our work on Patreon Hit the “follow” button in your podcast app to make sure you don’t miss an episode. We’ll be back in the fall!! Visit our Bookshop.org storefront to support local bookstores, and send a portion of the proceeds back to us. - https://bookshop.org/shop/IntegratedSchools Join our Patreon to support this work, and connect with us and other listeners to discuss these issues even further. - http://patreon.com/integratedschools Let us know what you think of this episode, suggest future topics, or share your story with us – @integratedschls on twitter, IntegratedSchools on Facebook, or email us podcast@integratedschools.org. We’re proud members of Connectd Podcasts, a network dedicated to helping shows like ours grow and thrive. For more info, or to check out their other amazing shows, head over to their website. - http://connectdpodcasts.com/ The Integrated Schools Podcast was created by Courtney Mykytyn and Andrew Lefkowits. This episode was produced by Andrew Lefkowits and Val Brown. It was edited, and mixed by Andrew Lefkowits. Music by Kevin Casey. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy

It’s easy to talk about school integration in the abstract, but what does it actually look like on the ground for families navigating these choices every day? The Integrated Schools Podcast moves beyond theory into the messy, personal realities of race, parenting, and educational equity. Hosted by Andrew Lefkowits, a White dad from Denver, and Val Brown, a Black mom from North Carolina, along with co-author Courtney Mykytyn, this podcast centers conversations that deliberately sit with discomfort and complexity. Each episode brings in voices from across the spectrum-parents making tough school decisions, educators in the trenches, researchers, and community organizers-to explore why our schools remain so segregated and what it truly means to work toward integration. You’ll hear candid stories about navigating predominantly white spaces, confronting personal bias, and the small, daily actions that either challenge or uphold systemic inequities. This isn’t a podcast offering easy answers; instead, it provides a necessary space to listen, reflect, and engage with the nuanced layers of a deeply entrenched issue. The dialogue here is built on the belief that honest, sometimes difficult talk is a prerequisite for meaningful change, both in our schools and in ourselves.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Integrated Schools Podcast
Podcast Episodes
Reflections on Season 12 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 31:41
As we wrap up another school year, we're taking a moment to reflect on the conversations, challenges, and lessons that shaped Season 12. This year, we explored what it means to build belonging, strengthen community, advo…
REVISIT: Calling In with Loretta Ross [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:40
We're revisiting our conversation with Dr. Loretta Ross because her book, Calling In: How to Start Making Change with Those You’d Rather Cancel, is the Integrated Schools book club pick for this month. You can register f…
REVISIT: Finding Hope in Solidarity with Heather McGhee [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:00:54
We’re going back to the archives today to revisit a conversation with Heather McGhee. In February of 2021, Heather McGhee’s book, The Sum of Us came out. With a focus on the ways in which racism harms everyone, and the p…
Seeds of Resistance: The Lemon Grove Legacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:07
We're joined by YA author, María Dolores Águila to uncover the largely untold story of the 1931 Lemon Grove Incident—the first successful school desegregation case in California, led by Mexican and Mexican American famil…
Spatial Injustice: School Closures as a Form of Educational Redlining [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:03
What happens when we stop thinking about schools as buildings—and start seeing them as the ecosystems that hold our communities together? In this episode, we sit with Dr. Mara Tieken to explore school closures not as iso…
Legacy and Community: Bridging Generations through History [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:52
In this episode, Andrew and Dr. Val are joined by Logan Tilton, a history student at North Carolina Central University and one of the Levine Museum of the New South’s fellowship students. Together, they reflect on what i…
Staying Power with Danielle Wingfield [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:42
What does it mean to outlast backlash? In this episode, we’re joined by Dr. Danielle Wingfield—legal historian, law professor, and public education advocate—whose work sits at the intersection of history, civil rights, d…
Demystifying Disability with Emily Ladau [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:35
Join the conversation by registering for one of our upcoming Book Club sessions! The Integrated Schools Podcast returns with a great conversation with Emily Ladau, disability rights activist and author of Demystifying Di…