Erika Smoots joins us for episode 5 for a discussion on micro aggressions and how to identify them and help people do less harm.  She is a local activist, Equity Warrior in Lawrence Township Schools, and promotes culturally responsive teaching. Her passion led her to write her district’s K-6 Social Justice Curriculum and develop a Social Justice website to support teachers in their curriculum efforts. She has run district-wide Professional Development on equity and social justice, as well as written school and district grants for multicultural books, book clubs, and programs promoting empathy. She is an advisor for the Black Student Union, and the founder and board member of The Black Educational Advancement Council (BEAC), a K-12, 501(c)3 parent organization that supports advocacy and the academic advancement of Black children in Lawrence. She is currently an adjunct at the College of New Jersey were she helps prepare early childhood special education students to teach in a diverse world.