We quite literally took the show on the road in this episode. A few months ago, Keri and I traveled to Chicago and we brought our recording equipment with us so that we could capture our conversations with the awesome folks we would be seeing during our time out there. After some quick banter during which Keri bemoans the fact that she wasn’t personally greeted by Barack Obama at the airport and we both swoon a bit over former Secretary of Education Arne Duncan, we dive right into the heart of our mission: talking to real moms doing the hard work of education advocacy all over the country. (I may or may not have referred to the former Ed Sec as a “tall drink of water.”
We are so proud to introduce you to two awesome moms who are warriors for parents of school kids in their respective cities.
Vesia Wilson-Hawkins is an education blogger and mom in Nashville, Tennessee. Her own children are already out of school but she continues to stay in the fight on behalf of other families currently in the throes of parenthood and figuring out how to navigate this whole school thing. We discuss school choice as well as advocating for families and working to ensure that all of their needs are met. Vesia’s blog is called Volume and Light. We love Vesia!
Bernita Bradley is the Engagement Manager at Brilliant Detroit, an education blogger, and most importantly, a mom of two in Detroit, Michigan. She shared with us some of the issues facing the Detroit Public Schools, and what she believes needs to change with school staff and elected officials to make schools better for all kids and her wisdom applies to cities outside of Detroit as well. Bernita writes at Detroit School Talk and has a website called The Girl in the Alley. And Bernita sings for us at the end of the episode! We love Bernita!
We are so grateful for these 2 mothers who care so deeply for other people’s kids that they put themselves out there every day in an effort to make school better for all.
Episode Details:
- Keri and Erika have have some banter about Chicago and their time at the Education Post Blogger Summit 1:13
- Vesia Wilson-Hawkins, a warrior mom from Nashville, joins us on the podcast 5:18
- Why Vesia’s passion is advocating for families 6:20
- Why we have to meet parents where they are at and make sure their needs are heard and met 13:58
- Bernita Bradley joins us on the show 18:24
- Issues right now in Detroit schools 20:08