Decentering Whiteness For True Inclusion Ft. Lex Rodriguez w/Anita Nowak - Purposeful Empathy
Description
In a special series devoted to empathy in education, watch this episode to learn why SEL (social emotional learning) starts with the 10% minority; not the 90% majority.
Lex Rodriguez, an educator and PhD candidate at the University of Colorado, reflects on how culturally sustaining (not culturally sensitive) practices better support BIPOC and LGBTQ+ youth. She also shares insights from her teaching and research on identity, access needs, and the power of empathy to create classrooms in which every student feels seen and safe.
00:00 Preview
01:00 Introduction
01:34 About Lex Rodriguez
03:36 Lex’s backstory
04:47 Why is Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) so Important?
09:31 How does SEL create a safe space for students and teachers?
14:22 Empathy starts by asking questions; not making assumptions
16:16 Why empathy and curiosity are essential for systemic change
19:51 What happens to education when we erase empathy from community?
23:35 Culturally sustaining vs. culturally sensitive: what’s the difference?
28:27 What SEL educators need beyond curriculum?
32:58 How expanding the frame of SEL creates true inclusion
35:11 Why does inclusive SEL start with the 10% minority; not the 90% majority?
37:45 Discussing the resistance to inclusive education
39:50 Decentering whiteness in education
43:20 The role of empathy in education
50:24 Lex Rodriguez’s Purposeful Empathy story
CONNECT WITH ANITA
✩ Email purposefulempathy@gmail.com
✩ Website https://www.anitanowak.com
✩ Buy a copy of Purposeful Empathy http://tiny.cc/PurposefulEmpathyCA
✩ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/anitanowak/
✩ Instagram https://tinyurl.com/anitanowakinstagram
✩ Podcast Audio https://tinyurl.com/PurposefulEmpathyPodcast
✩ Bluesky https://bsky.app/profile/anitanowak.bsky.social
CONNECT WITH LEX
✩ LinkedIn https://www.linkedin.com/in/alexandra-rodriguez-b7799046/
✩ Instagram https://www.instagram.com/lunar.visual.design/
SHOW NOTES
✩ Transformative Educational Leadership https://www.teleadership.org/
Substack https://lunarvisualdesign.substack.com/
Video edited by Green Horizon Studio
United States
