Listen Learn Love Podcast

Florida has passed the Don't Say Gay Bill and this week Delaney and Heather have a lot to say about the consequences of this bill, both intended and unintended. There is no shortage of laughs (mostly at Delaney's expense) in this episode; so don't miss this one!

Everyone has the right to their own opinion, but does that also mean that everyone has the right to make other people listen to their opinions? This is the conversation that Delaney and Heather explore in this episode.

Be sure to listen to this episode to understand why Delaney and Heather are always so excited to have Katie Sesti join on the podcast. In this episode, Katie explains to Delaney how she came to understand her own privilege and how to use it appropriately. Katie gives so much great advice on how to use power for good in anti-racism work during this conversation.

Heather introduced this over-used and damaging trope to Delaney a while back. Today Delaney asks all the questions to learn more about how the Trope of the Magical Negro has been used not only throughout media but also how it plays out in real life.

In this episode Delaney gets to interview Shaughnessy Daniels and Grace Wright about their projects working at Great Rivers Greenway and how equity plays an important role in planning and facilitating public spaces. This is a very informative episode with so much information that shouldn't be missed, especially because a follow-up episode is already in the works.

Delaney admits to Heather that the warm spring day has renewed in her a sense of hope, even though many things are still concerning and in transition in our world. The conversation flows through several current emotionally charged topics and how to find the hope within them.

Heather and Delaney have a powerful discussion about the pervasive myth of absent Black fathers as the root of trouble within the Black Community. Heather gives in-depth background information and statistics dispelling this myth and celebrating the strong family ties within the Black Community.

In this episode Delaney interviews an In Purpose Educational Services board of directors member, Christy Potthast, about the newly created Banned Book Program that IPES is running.

Katie Sesti joins this episode to share with Delaney, and the listeners, about how she is working to provide her young children with diverse experiences and to make anti-racism a normal everyday occurrence in their family.

Cillian joins Delaney and Heather in this episode to discuss the standards of beauty that are so pervasive in media and art and the damaging effects this has on those who fall outside of those narrow parameters.

Heather and Delaney are BACK! After a few weeks off from recording due to holidays and illnesses, the kick-off episode of the year is just in time for Black History Month. Heather talks to Delaney about how people should focus their learning and observance of Black History Month.

In this last In Case You Missed It episode, Delaney and Heather dive deeper into the idea of the myth of every issue having a black or white, right or wrong, mutually exclusive standpoint. There is a power in being able to say “Yes, and…”

This is an important episode not to be missed from 2021! In this episode, Delaney interviews a friend about her experiences parenting a transgender child. The honesty, authenticity, and candid conversations about the myths and realities of what it is to be transgender is such an important gift to all through this recording. Please listen and share with anyone who has questions and cares about our transgender siblings.

I've chosen this episode to replay because so often we get stuck on the idea of extremes that oppose each other and forget that there is a lot of common middle ground. The idea is that yes, this can be true, AND there is also this co-existing truth. Since this episode aired, Heather and Delaney have used this saying many times in reference back to this episode.

In Case You Missed It: this week we are replaying the episode where Heather interviews a fellow educator about the Parents' Bill of Rights Act and the state of education in Missouri. We want to make sure that no one missed this very informative episode given the numerous controversial educational bills we are seeing in state legislation.

The whole IPES team discusses the past year of work we've done and what we are looking forward to in the year to come.

Katie joins Delaney and Heather this week to discuss the long cited war on Christmas and what they all do, and do not, see as problematic around the holiday season.

Heather Fleming interviews a Missouri educator, Cloe Telle, about the upheaval surrounding the proposed Missouri Parents' Bill of Rights and what she sees happening in the classroom every day.

Delaney and Heather discuss the difference between having your view and opinions being attacked versus being reviewed. This conversations starts centered around Christianity and then spreads to cover many current issues.

Delaney and Heather tackle the difficult nuances of differentiating between cultural appreciation, which is great, versus cultural appropriation, which should be avoided. It's a tricky subject with a lot of gray areas between right and wrong, but it makes for a great conversation.

All things turkey-day are discussed in this episode. Heather and Delaney start by comparing their own family traditions with Thanksgiving food, then they take us through strategies for dealing with difficult family conversations, and even touch on the historical inaccuracies in how we teach about the first Thanksgiving and what it meant for the Indigenous Native Americans. Listen, and weigh in on dressing vs stuffing!

Heather, Delaney, and Katie discuss the current cries for books to be banned from schools and how this relates to equity and diversity within our public schools. They discuss previous banned books and the culture of censorship in our society.

Some days you struggle to find the energy to sit upright, let alone save the world. Delaney and Heather discuss how they are both coping with one of those days.

This week Delaney interviews a special guest about the myths versus realities of parenting a child who is transgender. This is a beautiful episode full of information that needs to be heard and understood. Content warning: due to the nature of the topic, there are anatomical body parts named although no content is explicit.

Delaney and Heather have a great conversation about the experience of being biracial and how that factors into the equity work that needs to be done.

Delaney and Heather have a deep dive discussion into the common frustrations and pitfalls that can happen in interracial spaces when people aren't comfortable with, or experienced in, interacting with people from other ethnicities and cultures. Listen for the great discussion but stick around for all the laughs.

In the absence of Heather, this week it is up to Katie and Delaney to have the big discussions about equity work and what makes it hard for some people to join the fight.

Katie Sesti joins Delaney and Heather for a discussion about how we sometimes attribute good luck and privilege as being blessings or rewards.

Delaney and Heather discuss extreme opinions and the difficulty of making progress with conversations about them without using the powerful word "AND."

In this episode Delaney shares facts and personal anecdotes about Hispanic culture for the start of Hispanic Heritage Month. Be sure to listen for background information on everyone's favorite food: The Taco!

Today Heather shares only good news with Delaney and the listeners. It's an episode of hope and thankfulness. There is also a challenge for everyone to share their personal good news through Listen Learn Love's social media pages so that we can all celebrate the good things happening around us.

Heather and Delaney discuss the difficult clash of opinions and facts through a discussion that starts with mask wearing in public and eventually winds up examining the removal of controversial statues. Come Listen Learn and Love with Delaney and Heather.

Delaney and Heather explore words that are sometimes uncomfortable or confusing as they relate to being equitable and inclusive with people. Delaney finds that sometimes everyday words can also be difficult for no good reason. Laugh and learn with us this episode.

Delaney and Heather have a frank discussion about cancel culture and the importance of forgiveness and grace while doing equity and antiracism work.

This is the most raw and emotional episode to date. There are genuine tears of heartbreak and anger as Delaney and Heather discuss current events and their role in equity.

Delaney and Heather share their experiences after road-tripping to the Missouri Capitol Building to witness a hearing by The Joint Committee on Education about CRT and diversity, equity and inclusion education in Missouri public schools. There is a lot of information packed into this episode but the biggest question of all: Did they survive their first road trip together and still remain friends?

Katie Sesti joins in on a conversation about the individual responsibility we each have to continue doing equity work even when facing our own personal frustrations.

Heather Fleming defines, identifies, and discusses misogynoir with Delaney Rhea in this educational and thought provoking episode that covers several current situations in the news.

Delaney and Heather are back from vacation with a new episode to discuss and compare Juneteenth and the Fourth of July as U.S. holidays. This is not only a great educational episode but find out what damage Heather did to Delaney's laundry room during their vacation.

Another week of vacation from recording so this week we are replaying the episode that Heather and Delaney chose as their joint favorite so far where we dive into the "N" word and exactly who/how/when it can be used. Next week there will be a brand new episode, so please be listening!

This second week of vacation, Heather chose this one as her favorite episode to share again. Not only does this episode have valuable information and insight into how and why women of color are so often fetishized, but it's really hilarious to hear Delaney, Heather, and Katie trying to pronounce the word "fetishization" over and over. We hope you enjoy this episode as much as we enjoyed recording it.

Delaney and Heather are taking a three week summer vacation from recording new episodes and are replaying old favorites. This week is Delaney's choice and we are replaying our first episode because it takes us back to where it all began and because this models the vulnerability and communication that is so important to our podcast.

Heather and Delaney discuss the history of Pride Month and the current equity concerns for the LGBTQ+ community.

Heather Fleming and Delaney Rhea discuss what education is, and what it isn't while addressing current concerns over Critical Race Theory being taught in schools. While the conversation is deep and full of great insight from our experiences as DEI educators, Heather also is having a rough day with words and adds unintentional tongue twisters into the discussion.

In this final episode of the Mellow May series, Delaney and Heather discuss vacations of the past as well as future plans. Be sure to watch our website and social media for information about how to get some podcast swag.

During this third episode of our Mellow May series, Delaney and Heather discuss the one part of operating a non-profit that confounds and confuses them both. Be sure to watch our website and Facebook pages to see what other fun is going on this Mellow May and what answers are hidden in this podcast episode.

In this second episode of our Mellow May series, Delaney and Heather discuss the good, bad, and ugly jobs they've had in early years before ending up here with In Purpose Educational Services. Also be watching our website and social media to learn more, because hidden in this episode is the answer to a question that you will want to email to us at listenlearnlove@inpurposeea.com.

Episode 21: Don't Pet the Peeves

In this episode, Delaney and Heather look at several aspects of equity through the lens of "yes, and" and how it can help process difficult information.

In this episode, that isn't an episode, Delaney gives Heather permission to take a sick day because if we don't take care of ourselves, we can't take care of others. Listen for exciting news about what is to come in May for the Listen Learn Love Podcast.

Delaney and Heather discuss how important food is within cultures and religions and the importance of respecting and understanding how that relationship is tied to equity.