Radical Math Talk

In this final episode of 2022, I'm honored to close out the calendar year with Dr. Francis Su as he opens up about his personal math journey, his book "Mathematics for Human Flourishing", and his desire for schools and teachers to adopt an inclusive vision for mathematics. To learn more about Dr. Su's work, you can visit his website at francissu.com or you can follow him on Twitter (@mathyawp). BIO: Francis Su is the Benediktsson-Karwa Professor of Mathematics at Harvey Mudd College, and former president of the Mathematical Association of America. He received his B.S. in Mathematics from the University of Texas at Austin and his Ph.D. from Harvard University. His research is in topological and geometric combinatorics and applications to the sciences, including game theory, voting theory, and the mathematics of fair decisions. He has co-authored numerous papers with undergraduates. He also has a passion for teaching and popularizing mathematics through writing and public engagement. His work has been featured in Quanta Magazine, Wired, and the New York Times. From the Mathematical Association of America, he received the 2018 Halmos-Ford award for mathematical writing, and the 2013 Haimo Award for distinguished teaching of college-level mathematics. Three of his articles have been featured in Princeton Press' Best Writing on Mathematics in 2011, 2014, and 2018. He authors the popular Math Fun Facts website and is creator of “MathFeed,” the math news app. His book Mathematics for Human Flourishing, published by Yale University Press, won the 2021 Euler Book Prize. It offers an inclusive vision of what math is, who it's for, and why anyone should learn it.

In this episode, I had the honor of welcoming Dr. Nickolaus Ortiz to the podcast to share his personal math journey, the ways in which anti-Blackness manifests itself in the math classroom, and so much more! To learn more about Nickolaus, you can follow him on Twitter (@ProfessuhNAO) and LinkedIn. BIO: Nickolaus Ortiz earned his doctorate in curriculum and instruction with a focus on mathematics education from Texas A&M University in 2018. Following graduate work, he served as a post-doctoral research associate at Michigan State University and is currently a tenure track assistant professor in the College of Education & Human Development's Department of Middle and Secondary Education. Ortiz is a mathematics teacher educator and researcher whose research interests deal with Black/African-American students and the impact that teachers have on these students' performance and appreciation for mathematics. He is very much interested in how ontological Blackness is manifested and/or stifled during high-quality mathematics instruction that involves, for example, teaching for conceptual understanding and utilizing mathematics discourse, as well as identifying new and innovative ways for Black children to demonstrate the mathematics proficiency that already exists within. His scholarship deals with these issues, centering the brilliance of Black children in mathematics as an irrefutable reality. Ortiz is also a musician and loves everything from Gladys Knight to J. Cole, and utilizes music and Black vernacular in his approach to culturally relevant mathematics pedagogy.

In this episode, I had the honor of interviewing Transformative Justice practioner and educator Neha Sobti for a second time! In this conversation, Neha shares about her personal math journey, the need to decolonize restorative justice practice in the Math classroom, and so much more! To learn more about Neha's work, you can follow her on Instagram and Twitter (@nehajoya). BIO: Neha Sobti is a Transformative Justice practitioner, anti-racist school leader, scholar and poet. She supports educators in creating school communities grounded in relationships, healing, care, and culturally sustaining practices. She dreams and leads conversations about dismantling systems of racism in schools while supporting you on your journey to adopt anti-racist and transformative practices. Neha is currently a Doctoral Student at New York University in the Department of Administration, Leadership and Technology. She writes on topics of school discipline and transformative/restorative justice in education.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of having Dr. Kari Kokka on the podcast to talk about her personal math journey, and the intersection of social justice and the study of mathematics. To learn more about Kari's journey, you can visit her website at karikokka.com or follow her on Instagram and Twitter (@karikokka). BIO: Dr. Kari Kokka (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She studies Social Justice Mathematics, mathematics teacher activism, and critical consciousness development of mathematics teachers. Her current research projects are funded by the National Science Foundation and Spencer Foundation. Prior to her position at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas she was an Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Pittsburgh where she was awarded the Dean's Distinguished Research Award (2022), the Dean's Distinguished Teaching Award (2021), and the Iris Marion Marion Award for Social Justice (2019). She began her career in education as a mathematics teacher and diving coach at Berkeley High School (1999) and was a mathematics teacher activist and mathematics instructional coach at Vanguard High School (2001-2011), a Title I public school in New York City, where she used Complex Instruction and Performance Assessment. She is co-founder of the Creating Balance in an Unjust World Conference on STEAMM Education and Social Justice (co-founded in 2007), former co-chair of the Critical Educators for Social Justice SIG, and has been part of the Radical STEMM Educators of the Bay Area, People's Education Movement, and the New York Collective of Radical Educators. Dr. Kokka completed her Ed.D. at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (2017), principal certification with the NYC Leadership Academy (2011), and M.A. in Education (2001) and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University (1999). She is a proud product of East San Jose, CA K-12 public schools. You can learn more about her work at www.karikokka.com, and you can follow her on Twitter @karikokka. She can be reached at kari.kokka@unlv.edu.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Jessica Sanon about her personal math journey, her advocacy for women of color in the STEM and entrepreneurial space, the founding of her company sySTEMic flow, and so much more! To learn more about Jessica's work, you can visit her website at jessicasanon.com or you can follow her on LinkedIn. BIO: As an entrepreneur, Jessica Sanon is passionate about supporting and building economic mobility and capacity for marginalized communities. In 2017, Jessica founded sySTEMic flow, a socially driven organization aiming to advance STEM learning for women who identify as Black, Indigenous, and Person of color (BIPOC). Before joining HPN, Jessica was the Youth Employment Coordinator at Waltham Partnership for Youth, where she developed, implemented, and oversaw four career exploration and training programs that provided youth access and opportunity to workforce development and worked with business leaders on their recruitment and retention efforts within their organizations. She also worked at UMass Amherst as an Assistant Manager of Operations, implementing and managing student projects, events, and financial accounts. Jessica Sanon joined the Housing partnership network staff in November 2020. As the Associate for Peer Exchange, Policy, and Innovation, Jessica is responsible for working with HPN staff to advance new business and program concepts that strategically address gaps in the affordable housing marketplace. She will work with HPN business line and program leaders and platform service staff to explore, pilot, and incubate new member initiatives and ventures that stem from peer engagement. Jessica will also assist the VP and the EVP of Peer Exchange in HPN's efforts to help members address racial equity in their organizations, the network, and the sector. Jessica has worked across various disciplines and has experience in client management, program and business development, organizational assessment, and project management. Most importantly, Jessica sees the work that she does as a community effort, focusing on addressing members' needs by continuously listening to members' perspectives in an open, safe-space, and collaborative environment. Jessica earned her MBA at the Heller School with a concentration in Social Entrepreneurship and Impact Management from the Heller School of Social Policy and Impact Management at Brandeis University; she was elected as the 2018 student commencement speaker of her MBA class. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics & Statistics and Economics from the University of Massachusetts Amherst and a Gender, Leadership, and Public Policy certificate from the University of Massachusetts Boston.

In this episode, I have the pleasure of welcoming Lisa Wang to the podcast to talk about her personal math journey, her transition from Google into entrepreneurship, the founding of Almost Fun, and the need for teachers to take a culturally responsive approach to building Math joy and confidence in our most marginalized students. To learn more about Lisa's work, you can visit the Almost Fun website at almostfun.org or you can follow them on Instagram (@almostfunlearning) or Twitter (@fun_almost). BIO: Lisa Wang founded Almost Fun to ensure low-income students and BIPOC students have educational resources that empower their learning. Her passion for educational equity is inspired in part by students she has worked with and in part by her parents, who grew up in rural China with scarce access to quality educational resources. Prior to leading Almost Fun, she was a product manager at Google, leading development of features on Google Classroom and Google Maps. She received her B.A. in Math and Computer Science from Harvard College.

In this episode, I welcomed Dr. Pamela E. Harris to the podcast to share her personal Math journey, life as a Latina in academia, the founding of Lathisms, the importance of increasing Latinx representation in Math education, and so much more! To learn more about Dr. Harris' work, you can visit her personal website at pamelaeharris.com or her company website at lathisms.org. You can also follow her on Twitter (@DPeharris). BIO: Dr. Pamela E. Harris is a Mexican-American mathematician and serves as Associate Professor in the Department of Mathematics and Statistics and Faculty Fellow of the Davis Center and the Office of Institutional Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at Williams College. She received her B.S. from Marquette University, and M.S. and Ph.D. in mathematics from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee. Dr. Pamela E. Harris's research is in algebraic combinatorics and she is the author of over 50 peer-reviewed research articles in internationally recognized journals. An award winning mathematical educator, Dr. Harris was the 2020 recipient of the MAA Northeast Section Award for Distinguished College or University Teaching, the 2019 MAA Henry L. Alder Award for Distinguished Teaching by a Beginning College or University Mathematics Faculty Member, and the 2019 Council on Undergraduate Research Mathematics and Computer Sciences Division Early Career Faculty Mentor Award. She was also selected as a 2020 Inaugural Class of Karen Uhlenbeck EDGE Fellows and was one of 50 women featured in the book “Power in Numbers: The Rebel Women of Mathematics.” Her professional mission is to develop learning communities that reinforce students' self-identity as scientists, in particular for women and underrepresented minorities. In support of this mission, Dr. Harris co-organizes research symposia and professional development sessions for the national conference of the Society for the Advancement of Chicanos/Hispanics and Native Americans in Science (SACNAS), and is an editor of the e-Mentoring Network blog of the American Mathematical Society. Moreover, in order to provide visibility to and increase the positive impact of the role models within our community, Dr. Harris co-founded Lathisms.org, a platform that features the contributions of Latinx and Hispanic scholars in the Mathematical Sciences. She cohosts the podcast Mathematically Uncensored and has recently coauthored the books Asked And Answered: Dialogues On Advocating For Students of Color in Mathematics and Practices and Policies: Advocating for Students of Color in Mathematics.

In this episode, I explore the dopeness of Math with Jaliyla Fraser, who shares her personal Math journey, the founding of her company Fraser's Mathematics Solutions, the release of "The Dope Math Notebook", and so much more! To learn more about Jaliyla's work, you can visit her company's website at fmsolutions.site or follow her on Instagram (@f_m_solutions) and LinkedIn. BIO: Jaliyla Fraser is the CEO and founder of Fraser's Mathematics Solutions (FMS) where they provide comprehensive training around high-quality mathematics teaching and learning for administrators, teachers and parents through onsite and virtual math institutes. Most excitingly, FMS has created “The Dope Math Product Line” of notebooks, pencils, and rulers to honor students as they illuminate in the math classroom. Her philosophy is grounded in the belief that mathematics can be accessible to all students if there is a clear and meaningful connection to their previous learning and the real-world. Exposure to mathematics should be rich and grounded in concrete experiences that bridge to the abstract. Mathematics is a true passion of hers and she is constantly looking for new ways to inject that same passion into all stakeholders that she supports. Jaliyla's experience as a Math Supervisor for grades K-12 allowed her to work closely with school stakeholders, parents and students to provide ongoing support of math content and pedagogy. She has spent the last 8 years as a Professor of Mathematics at Rutgers University-Newark, sits on the Computer Science Advisory Board for the state of New Jersey, is a mathematics advisor for the Institute for Anti-Racist Education, and served as a math consultant for Student Achievement Partners where she authored the High School Math Priority Standards for Achieve the Core. Jaliyla earned her Masters of Arts in Mathematics Education from Columbia University in 2009, her Bachelors of Science in Secondary Education/Mathematics from Temple University in 2008, and became certified to teach physics in 2011. Jaliyla is also a chartering member of the Central New Jersey Chapter of the National Coalition of 100 Black Women and on April 8, 2019, she was commemorated with a resolution from the City of East Orange for her accomplishments and dedication to children.

In this episode, I link up with Liesl McConchie for an in-depth conversation about her personal math journey, the power of brain-based science in Math, and rethinking some popular concepts that have been deemed controversial in certain Math circles. To learn more about Liesl's work, you can visit her website at lieslmcconchie.com or follow her on Twitter (@LieslMcconchie). BIO: Liesl [LEE-soul] McConchie is a former math teacher with over 20 years of experience training school leaders and teachers across the globe. She has partnered with over 300 schools to implement the science behind what really improves achievement for all students. Whether she is delivering a live-training, speaking at a conference, or doing high-level classroom coaching, educators leave feeling confident and motivated to improve student learning. Liesl brings you the highest quality of research, professionalism, and strategies to improve the learning experience of your students every day. Liesl spent over three years in Denmark studying and working within the Scandinavian school system. She helped create a brand-new school founded on the most impactful pedagogical principles. Part of her involvement there has included designing an entire school-year curriculum on social-emotional learning skills that is a required course for all students. Liesl still travels to Denmark several times a year to deliver trainings to the staff, consult with the leadership team, and provide individual classroom coaching to teachers. The school has been named an Ashoka Change Maker School and has drawn attention from education and political leaders across Europe. Liesl is the co-author (with Dr. Eric Jensen) of the best-selling book, Brain-Based Learning (Corwin Press). She is currently co-authoring Teaching with the Brain in Mind (ASCD), also with Dr. Jensen. This means you get the real science, translated right every time, for better classroom behaviors, greater morale and learning that soars.

In this episode, I had the honor of welcoming Dr. Pamela Seda to the podcast to talk about her personal math journey and her new book, "Choosing to See: A Framework for Equity in the Math Classroom". To learn more about Dr. Seda's work, you can visit her website at sedaeducationalconsulting.com or follow her on Instagram and Twitter (@pamseda1). BIO: Dr. Pamela Seda is the owner of Seda Educational Consulting, LLC. She has over 30 years of educational experience and currently lives in metro Atlanta with her husband and four adult children. Dr. Seda received a Bachelor's degree in Math Education from the University of South Florida, a Master's degree in Math Education from Georgia State University, and a Ph.D. in Teaching and Learning with a concentration in Math Education from Georgia State University. She also earned a Specialist degree in Educational Leadership from the University of West Georgia. She has held various positions in mathematics education including high school mathematics teacher, math instructional coach, college math instructor, and K-12 district math supervisor. Dr. Seda is passionate about changing how students experience mathematics, especially those from marginalized groups, and advocates for mathematics instruction that develops all students as mathematical thinkers and problem-solvers.

For this special episode, I was blessed to have not one but two phenomenal educators, Isis Spann and Coach Toni, come on the podcast to share their personal math journeys, the importance of early childhood math development, their math advocacy work, and so much more! To learn more about Isis work, you can visit her website at isisspann.com or follow her on Instagram & Twitter (@fun_oflearning). To learn more about Coach Toni's work, you can visit her website at playmathgrow.com or follow her on Instagram & Twitter (@playmathgrow). BIO: ISIS SPANN: Isis Spann is a mom to Mia(9), Nia(9), Liara(4), Princeton (2) and they reside in Moncks Corner, South Carolina with her amazing husband Terry Spann Jr., she always wants to mention them first because family is the foundation of her work. Her children remind her daily that ALL children are different and they require special nurturing and attention. As a first-generation college student raised by a strong single mother, she knew the value of hard work but also knew it wasn't going to be easy. Homelife at times for her was unstable but her schools and teachers provided that stability that she yearned for. Now as an educator and parent advocate she knows that she also provides that stability for many families, especially those students growing up in low-income communities. Mrs. Spann sees a reflection of herself in many of the students that she serves and she sees her mother in many of the mothers that come to her wanting better for their children but not knowing where to turn. Outside of the classroom, Isis is the CEO of FUNdamentals of Learning (FOL), LLC is a company that focuses on narrowing equity, engagement, and instructional practices gaps in Pre-K through 5th-grade learning environments. When the global pandemic first hit schools she would go live every day on Facebook to ensure that children weren't missing valuable instruction. Out of the pandemic FOL birth its first curriculum "Kindergarten Kounts" which trains parents on how to effectively lead the learning in their homes so that their children are proficient in the area of early mathematics. COACH TONI: Coach Toni is an educational equity warrior from Harlem, New York. She attended Hunter College where she received her bachelor's degree in Mathematics and master's degree in Adolescent Mathematics Education. Coach Toni joined the teaching ranks after spending 10 years in the hospitality management industry and taught fourth through twelfth grade physical education classes and sixth through twelfth grade math class in New York and New Jersey. Coach Toni is the creator of Trap Tables, a hip-hop album that helps students memorize multiplication facts. She also founded Virtual Senior Trip where she organized live, virtual, math standards based field trips for middle and high school seniors during the pandemic where they were able to 'choose their own adventure' and engage with entrepreneurs and successful career people from the comfort of their homes/classrooms. Coach Toni hosts a weekly podcast called The Writing On The Board which discusses the issues that we have leading to the teacher shortage exacerbated by the recent global pandemic. Coach Toni is passionate about educational prowess between the 0-3 age and hosts monthly webinars called Teach Them Yesterday to help parents make the most of their infant's and toddler's brain processing power.

For this episode, I was blessed to have Dr. Kristopher Childs come on the podcast to share his personal math journey and his candid takes on the current state of education from an antiracist and socioeconomical lens. To learn more about Dr. Childs work, you can visit his website at kristopherchilds.com or follow him on all social media platforms (@DrKChilds). BIO: As a teacher, professor, consultant, and member of senior leadership teams, Dr. Kristopher J. Childs focuses on excellence in teacher content and pedagogical knowledge, equity, leadership development, and organizational change. His work is guided by his mantra, “Live life to the fullest; you only get one.” Dr. Childs is a highly sought-after keynote speaker due to his coaching skills, storytelling, and passion. As a speaker, Dr. Childs inspires audiences to relentlessly pursue their goals and dreams. He seeks to help each find his or her passion and purpose, and his messages have been deemed “life-changing” by clients. Dr. Childs seeks to create a movement through educating, advocating, and inspiring individuals to pursue academic excellence. Due to his student-centered approach to teamwork, faculty, staff, and students recognize him as a visionary and collaborative leader. Dr. Child's approach helps both school and district teams that he consults achieve common goals and improve student academic success and students' classroom experiences. Dr. Childs is a Life Member in the Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University National Alumni Association and a Life Member in the Omega Psi Phi Fraternity, Incorporated. Dr. Childs earned his doctor of philosophy in mathematics education from the University of Central Florida, his master of science in mathematics education from Nova Southeastern University, and his bachelor of science in computer engineering from Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University. He is co-author of Making Sense of Mathematics for Teaching Girls in Grades K – 5 and author of the article Good Mathematics Teaching is NOT Telling, it is Facilitating.

In this week's episode, I'm thrilled to connect with my good friend Dr. Che Smith for a deep dive into personal math journey and an introduction to the world of biostatistics and data science! To learn more about Che's work, you can connect with her on LinkedIn (https://www.linkedin.com/in/chesmith1/). BIO: Dr. Che Smith currently serves as the Senior Analytics Engineer for Netflix. She previously served as the visiting assistant professor of Data Science at Davidson College in North Carolina. Che's experience spans a variety of settings, including local and federal government public health agencies, academia, consulting and entrepreneurship. As data and computation continue to be pervasive aspects of our lives, her courses introduce students to how data science and statistics are understood (or, in many cases, misunderstood) and demonstrated in our everyday lives. Her research focuses on modeling data collected from individuals across time with attention to variable choice, bias reduction, and the use of data visualization to communicate complex and high-dimensional data.

In this episode, I chat with Brittany Rhodes to learn about her personal math journey, the founding of Black Girl MATHgic, the importance of literacy in building math proficiency, and so much more! To learn more about Brittany's work, you can visit the Black Girl MATHgic website at blackgirlmathgic.com or follow her on Instagram (@blackgirlmathgic) and Twitter (@blkgirlmathgic). BIO: Brittany Rhodes is a math tutor/coach, GED Math Instructor, and Founder and General MATHager of Black Girl MATHgic (BGM). BGM is a movement dedicated to increasing math confidence, awareness, enthusiasm, identity, fluency and persistence in children, with a focus on girls and black children. BGM's flagship product is the Black Girl MATHgic Box, which is the first and only subscription box designed to increase math confidence and decrease math anxiety in girls on a 3rd-8th grade math level. Brittany received her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Spelman College and her Master of Business Administration in Marketing, Communication and Organizational Behavior from the Tepper School of Business at Carnegie Mellon University. Brittany is a proud native of Detroit, where she lives with her husband, Oscar.

In this episode, I welcome Asia Hines to the podcast to share her personal Math journey, her process for unlocking her creativity as a teacher, and the keys to creating engaging math learning resources for students. To learn more about Asia's work, you can either visit her website thesassymathteacher.com or follow her on Instagram (@thesassyteacher) & Twitter (@sassymathteachr). BIO: Asia Hines a.k.a. "The Sassy Math Teacher" is a graduate of James Madison University where she obtained a Bachelors of Science degree in Interdisciplinary Liberal Studies. While in school, she also obtained a minor in Middle Education with a concentration in math and science. Asia is a driven young woman who strives for excellence in all aspects of her life. She is a very enthusiastic educator who has an eclectic and adaptive personality. Her heart is full as she loves to serve people and communities that are in need of her support and love. She strives to make the world a better place, one bright smile at a time. Asia is currently seeking opportunities in the education sector.

In this episode, I had an entertaining conversation with Math rock star Vanessa Vakharia about her personal math journey, her Math Hack book series, the founding of her company The Math Guru, and the need to dismantle gender stereotypes in Math education. To learn more about Vanessa's work, you can visit the Math Guru website at themathguru.ca or follow her on all social media platforms (@themathguru). BIO: Vanessa Vakharia is the Founder and Chief Inspiration Officer of The Math Guru. She is a teacher with a Bachelor of Commerce, a degree in Graphic Design and a Masters degree in Mathematics Education. Born and raised in Toronto, Vanessa attended the University of Guelph, D'Youville College, Humber College and the University of British Columbia. She is recognized as a leading expert and published author in the field of Youth Engagement and Education. She specializes in teen engagement in STEM, with a specific focus on engaging young women to embrace STEM as a part of their fluid identities.

In this episode, I welcomed veteran elementary Math educator and writer Deborah Peart to the podcast to share her personal math journey, what it means to be a Mather, and the importance of incorporating literacy and practicing mindfulness in the Math classroom. To learn more about Deborah's work, you can visit the My Mathematical Mind website at mymathematicalmind.com or follow her on Twitter (@debpeart1) BIO: Deborah Peart is the CEO of My Mathematical Mind. As an elementary educator for more than 30 years, and a lead curriculum writer for Illustrative Mathematics' K-5 curriculum, Deborah believes that all students can learn and enjoy mathematics. She has dedicated her career to helping other educators approach teaching in innovative ways that allow students to see themselves as valued contributors to the study of elementary mathematics. Deborah also recognizes the reality that students, educators and parents have unaddressed trauma when it comes to learning mathematics, causing challenges with math identity and math anxiety. As a certified yoga instructor who has immersed herself in studies of mindfulness and social-emotional learning, she seamlessly blends these practices into her work with educators. She recognizes the importance of students being able to understand and manage their emotions and advocate for themselves in order to achieve academic success.

In this episode, I had the honor of speaking with Crystal M. Watson about to talk about your personal math journey, the importance of student voice and identity development, CRT and antiracism in Math, and other topics. To learn more about Crystal's work, you can visit her website at crystalmwatson.com or follow her on Twitter (@_CrystalMWatson). BIO: Crystal M. Watson serve as a Middle School Math Teacher and Instructional Coach for Cincinnati Public Schools. She is an innovative, passionate mathematics educator, leader, and life long learner who you can count on to always ask “What do the students think?” Crystal obtained a Masters of Education in Educational Leadership and Administration at Teachers College at Columbia University where she further developed her understanding for school and district leadership. Her work is centered around providing space for student voice and identity development in order for all to experience high quality, deep, and personal mathematics. As Crystal continues to expand her reach, she has shared and continues to lend her experience and knowledge across multiple platforms including local and national conferences, podcasts, and professional development sessions.

In this episode, I had the pleasure of speaking with Ethnic Studies Math teacher Shraddha Shirude about her personal Math journey and the importance of infusing Ethnic Studies in the Math curriculum. To learn more about Shraddha's work, you can visit her blog on esmathteacher.wordpress.org or follow her on Twitter (@ESMathTeacher). BIO: Shraddha Shirude is a high school Math teacher at Seattle Public Schools. She also serves as a Director & Math Specialist for Washington Ethnic Studies Now, a coach for Seattle's Center for Racial Equity and is one of the authors for the Seatlle Ethnic Studies Math Framework.

In this episode, I spent some time with Dr. Tarcia Hubert to talk about life as a Math professor, her health and wellness journey, the founding of her organization, Making Awesome Things Happen (M.A.T.H), life as an entrepreneur, and so much more! To learn more about Dr. Hubert's work, you can visit the M.A.T.H website at makingawesomethingshappen.org, as well as the Greenwood Boutique website at greenwoodboutique.com. You can follow her on Instagram (@dr.thubert). BIO: Dr. Tarcia Hubert serves as an associate professor of Mathematics at Lone Star College, as well as the Founding Executive Director of Making Awesome Things Happen (M.A.T.H.), a community based, not for profit, 501(c)(3), volunteer organization, dedicated to developing mathematical proficiency in economically disadvantaged students. The organization helps traditionally underrepresented students become proficient and confident in mathematics, be successful in academics and life, and increase the number of minorities in STEM related fields. Outside of her Math advocacy work, Dr. Hubert is a thriving entrepreneur who owns Greenwood Boutique, a women's boutique shop that specializes in regular and plus size wholesale fashion clothing.

In this episode, I had the chance to chat with Nayoung Weaver about growing up as a transnational student (i.e. "Third Culture Kid"), her personal Math journey, combating the Model Minority Myth, engaging in translanguaging practices, student agency in the international Math classroom, and so much more! To learn more about Nayoung's work, you can visit the Association of International Educators and Leaders of Color (AIELOC) website at aieloc.org or you can follow her on Twitter (@NayoungWeaver). BIO: Nayoung Weaver is a College Counselor and AP Math teacher at an international school in Asia. As a “Third Culture Kid (TCK),” she is raising her second-generation TCKs while working to make mathematics education global, equitable, and inclusive to diverse learners.

In this week's episode, I have an in-depth conversation with hip-hop Math edutainer Keziah Finney about her personal math journey, the founding of Lyrical Math, the power of hip-hop as a medium for Math pedagogy, and so much more! To learn more about Keziah's work, you can visit the Lyrical Math website at lyricalmath.com and follow her on Instagram & Twitter (@lyricalmath). BIO: Mrs. Finney was born in Chester, Pennsylvania and moved to New Castle, Delaware at a young age with her mother, father and four older brothers. She grew up in a musical family and spent years in her family church choir gaining her first experience sharing her voice through music in front of a large crowd. She loved teaching from a young age and knew she wanted to be a teacher since elementary school. Growing up with many siblings and cousins being rappers and music producers, she gravitated towards hip-hop music and performed as a rapper in many talent shows while growing up. In 1998, she graduated from William Penn High School. She completed her undergraduate degree in 2002 with a Bachelor's in Biology from the University of Maryland Eastern Shore. Upon graduation, she started her teaching career in Chester, Pennsylvania at Village Charter School. Diving into her love of teaching , she returned to college and received her Master's of Education from Wilmington University. Over the past 18 years, she has taught middle school math and science and various middle schools in Chester, Pennsylvania and in Wilmington, New Castle and Hockessin, Delaware. As an artist and educator, Mrs. Finney noticed early on in her teaching career how quickly students memorized and recited hip-hop songs throughout the school day. While her students walked in the hallways, socialized in the school cafeteria or completed class work, she would find many of them rapping popular hip-hop songs or even creating their own lyrics. These moments led to reflection on her own similar experiences with hip-hop when she attended grade school. When introducing math lessons to her class in the traditional fashion, she would see a disconnect in her students. Eager to have her students engaged in the lesson as well as increase their level of comprehension, Mrs. Finney started creating lyrics that explained the math content she was hired to teach. When she shared the lesson lyrically, her students lit up! Their excitement for learning increased and so did their level of comprehension. Administrators, teachers, parents, students and community members expressed their appreciation for Mrs. Finney's ability to tailor the curriculum to meet the needs of her students. This made for a more rewarding and memorable classroom experience. Mrs. Finney expanded her ability to teach more students through music when she met her husband, James Finney. With his undergraduate degree in Studio Production and Digital Filmmaking and Master's in Applied Technology in Education, Mr. and Mr. Finney combined their passion for education and disciplines to create Lyrical Math. With this edutainment program, Mrs. Finney created two CDs that teach basic math skills through hip-hop music. With the support of her husband and four children, Mrs. Finney aspires to help students all over the world become more engaged and interested in math and science by teaching through educational hip-hop music.

In this inaugural episode of Radical Math Talk, we kick things off with an in-depth conversation with our special guest Michole Washington about her personal math journey, life as an applied mathematician, the founding of her company, STEMulation, the current state of STEM education for Black women, and so much more! To learn more about Michole's work, you can visit the STEMulation website at stemulationescaperoom.org and follow her on Instagram & Twitter (@mathematichole_). BIO: Washington's “abolitionist approach” to STEM education started the year she graduated from Georgia Tech. In 2016, she was the ninth Black woman in history to earn a bachelor's in Applied Mathematics from the Institute. That fact signaled to her that there were deeply rooted, systemic issues in the education system, including racism, sexism, and imperialism; this makes it hard for Black and Brown students to feel seen, challenged, or excited about learning STEM concepts. She's committed to shifting the narrative of what STEM education is and who can do it. As a doctoral candidate in mathematics education at the University of Michigan, she studies different aspects of informal STEM environments like extracurriculars designed for students who are underestimated because of their race or economic status. As a resident researcher intern at NASA, she conducts research and develops tools focused on evidence-based, effective practices aimed at sparking and sustaining underestimated K-12 girls' interest in STEM. She is also CEO and founder of STEMulation, an educational games and media production company that promotes STEM learning through the lens of social justice theory and practice. “Even though most of my current success is about critiquing mathematics education and the culture around it, my formal mathematics training at GT has set a sturdy foundation for my messaging,” Washington says. “By that, I mean my undergraduate experiences as a math major at GT gave me a first-hand perspective to understand when a student is not comfortable within a STEM space, and secondly, the motivation to want to do something about it.”