Welcome to the first episode of a new podcast about the arts in Tacoma.
In this episode we preview the Tacoma Studio Tour (part of Tacoma Arts Month) and get to know two Tacoma artists—Jasmine Brown and Michaela Eaves.
Host: Erik Hanberg
Sound: Doug Mackey
Links
With Book Club Guests:
Hope Teague Bowling – ELA Teacher, Pod-Spouse, Interchangeable White Lady
Kenny Coble – Tacoma’s Book Seller, Avid Tweeter, Activist, INFJ
5:00 Why should we read this?
8:00 Is diversity for white people?
13:00 What is Jeff Chang’s story?
15:00 “We Got Be Alright” is a profound example of allyship. Discuss.
18:30 Where is the solidarity between all non-whiteness?
19:30 Colorism vs Racism
23:00 Discussing Chang’s voice as a writer.
“Not a single thing that happened in Ferguson would happen in a white community.”
31:00 The media doesn’t care about non-white stories. We can tell our own stories.
35:00 Jeff Chang: “[He’s] always most interested in how people see resegregation happening in their neighborhood.” Gentrification. Resegregation. Displacement.
42:00 “The fate of Brooklyn that tells us about the fate of Ferguson.”
47:00 How do you square this book with the idea that we have consistent black leadership in Tacoma?
48:00 “Should schools try integration based on factors like socio-economic status given the challenge using voluntary race-based measures?’
54:00 Chase Hutchinson “With the discussion in the book about the Oscars, what do you think is to be learned and what do you hope to see with both the films selected this year as well as the broader cinematic art that is to be told in the future?”
There could be something to finding forgiveness, to finding wholeness, to finding reconciliation.
The Socials: Suggested Twitter Follows
This week’s guests talk with Nate about running for office and what life is like on the other side.
First up is Deputy Mayor, Anders Ibsen. Anders ran for office of Pierce County Conservation District in 2008 while finishing his senior year at Evergreen State College. He was elected to Tacoma City Council in 2011 and re-elected in 2015. Ibsen is a native Tacoman and a graduate of Tacoma School of the Arts.
The second half of the show is dedicated to Andrea Cobb. Andrea is the current President of the Tacoma School Board. She has a BA is Sociology from Willamette University, Masters in Public Administration from University of Washington (Go Dawgs) and is currently working on a PhD in Education Leadership & Policy Studies. Andrea is also a Proud Lincoln Alum and second generation Abe.
Anders Ibsen:
“The only thing innate is desire. Everything else can be learned.”
11:00 Council District Boundaries.
13:00 How to get involved?
14:00 Getting Started.
16:00 How much to run? Where does the money from?
19:00 What seats are coming open?
22:00 What’s next for Anders Ibsen?
Andrea Cobb:
“If not me, then who?”
27:00 What were your hesitations?
30:00 What’s it like to campaign and raise money?
31:00 Being Legitimate. If you can’t find your space, take it.
35:00 Experience with the Op Ed Board
40:00 I try to live in a place where not everyone is having an experience that is the same as my own.
43:00 If you were the tsar of Tacoma Schools- what would be your focus?
The 5 with Andrea Cobb
Going Further
The Socials
Housekeeping: Buy the fall #NerdFarmReads Book, We Gon Be Alright: Notes on Race and Resegregation by Jeff Chang
Host Evelyn Lopez sits down with The News Tribune reporter Sean Robinson, who has been covering the ongoing Tacoma teacher strike.
(Recorded Thursday morning, September 13)
Below are links to his coverage (and Matt’s Driscoll’s column about the strike).
Regular hosts are Julie Anderson, Justin Camarata, Dave Jones, Erik Hanberg, Evelyn Lopez.
Producer is Erik Hanberg.
Sound by Doug Mackey.
Theme written and performed by Doug Mackey.
Logo by Sean Alexander.
Crossing Division is in the Channel 253 podcast network.
On today’s episode, we talk to three striking teachers and union leaders about how we got here, what is the McCleary case, the realities of teacher pay and schedules, and how we can help.
WAYS YOU CAN SUPPORT TEACHERS DURING THE STRIKE
*** Come to the rally on Thursday 9/13 at 4pm at Peoples Park! ***
1. Bring food, snacks and drinks to the sign waving teachers in front of their schools. You could also ask local businesses to help with this. Surely a morale booster!
2. Schools are not open to teachers. They will need access to restrooms. If you live near a school or can arrange for a business to have restrooms open for nearby teachers, let them know. Put a sign out front to let teachers know they can use your restroom(s).
3. Write a letter to the editor in support of teachers. Teachers need to know the parents and community members are in their corner. This is a way to get the word out there.https://www.thenewstribune.com/…/letters-to-…/submit-letter/
https://tacomaweekly.com/contact/
4. If you belong to a union, approach its leadership about showing support to the teachers.
5. Walk the picket lines at your neighborhood or child’s school. Bring the kids!
6. Wear the color red (for Ed-ucation).
7. Put signs in your homes, cars, businesses saying you support Tacoma’s Teachers.
8. Keep the pressure on the school district. Call, email, text, call and email again. 253-571-1000 Use social media (Facebook, Twitter, Instagram). Express your support for teachers! School Board member Emails: Debbie WInskill – tbeatti@tacoma.k12.wa.us, Enrique Leon – eleon@tacoma.k12.wa.us, Scott Heinze – sheinze@tacoma.k12.wa.us, Andrea Cobb – acobb@tacoma.k12.wa.us, Karen Vialle – kvialle@tacoma.k12.wa.us, Superintendent Carla Santorno: csantor@tacoma.k12.wa.us or Fax her at (253) 571-1440.
9. Honk your car horn if you see people in red in front of schools holding signs! Honk for your teachers!
10. Parents can sign the affidavit that is located at the TEA office, stating their children are not harmed by our strike, in case the school makes this a legal matter. Download a copy from here: https://tinyurl.com/yd7gfohf or you may pick up a copy from the TEA Office at 3049 S 36th Street, Suite 300 – Tacoma, WA 98409, **Located on the third floor of the IBEW Building** (253) 565-4411 Drop off or mail the completed and signed form to Connie L Powell, Tacoma UniServ Council, Uniserv Representative, 3049 S 36th Street, Suite 300
Tacoma, WA 98409
11. Call our lawmakers in Olympia to tell them you support the teachers and so should they!
Host: Jenny Jacobs
Producer: Doug Mackey
Links:
Tacoma School Board Contact Page
Citizen Tacoma is proudly sponsored by Alaska Airlines
Tacoma teachers are currently at a labor impasse with the Tacoma School District. Because the school district has the home phone number and home email address for every family they serve, there’s an information asymmetry. They can give families whatever information they choose to share or withhold and frame events in any way they see fit. Teachers don’t get to tell their side of the story. So I decided to sit down with three local educators, right after they finished their first day on the picket-lines. They each shared why they voted to strike and why they find the most recent contract offers from the district unacceptable.
Our guests:
National Board Certified Teacher, Sara Ketelsen, Math
Interchangeable White Ladies show host, National Board Certified Teacher, Hope Teague-Bowling, English
Channel 253 contributor Cat Melaunie, a new kindergarten teacher
