Episode 71: The Honeycomb Network Creates a BIPOC Collective Care Sanctuary + PC1003 Becomes Law - What That Means For Puerto Rico’s Pensions, Education & Public Services
Small Business Joshua Smyser-DeLeon Small Business Joshua Smyser-DeLeon

Episode 71: The Honeycomb Network Creates a BIPOC Collective Care Sanctuary + PC1003 Becomes Law - What That Means For Puerto Rico’s Pensions, Education & Public Services

It's a packed episode today! First, we welcome Denise Ruiz and Cristina Guitirrez to the show. They are the founders of The Honeycomb Network - a holistic co-working and co-creating collective care sanctuary centered and focused on the BIPOC community. We learn more about their organization, and we cover a lot of ground on things like knowing your worth, opening their space during the pandemic, creating spaces for people to address their generational trauma and personal healing. They also share a story of dealing with people in the neighborhood, who don’t take too kindly to what they do and their mission, which has led to the repeated vandalization of their space. 

Then we welcome returning guest, freelance journalist from Puerto Rico, Carlos Berrios Polanco, to discuss the controversial bill known as PC1003 that recently became law in Puerto Rico. It’s basically a law that takes care of La Junta and vulture capitalists and takes away from pensions, education, and public services that working people benefit from so deeply.

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Episode 50: What The IL Culturally Responsive Teaching And Leading Standards Mean For BIPOC Students
Joshua Smyser-DeLeon Joshua Smyser-DeLeon

Episode 50: What The IL Culturally Responsive Teaching And Leading Standards Mean For BIPOC Students

We welcome two returning guests to the podcast this week. Today we welcome back IL State Senator Cristina Pacione-Zayas and Managing Director of Corps Member Leadership at Teach for America, Jason Dones. We’re going to discuss the Culturally Responsive Teaching and Leading standards that Illinois state lawmakers recently adopted, which will elevate the training teachers receive statewide to better meet the needs of students. We’re going to delve deeper into what these standards are, how they were developed, what these standards mean for Puerto Rican and the wider BIPOC student population and address some of the criticism lawmakers and right wing organizations have charged against them in their attempt to get these standards blocked from adoption in the lead up to their adoption vote in the state Congress.

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Episode 48: Chicago’s Looming Eviction Crisis & Its Impact on the BIPOC Community
Joshua Smyser-DeLeon Joshua Smyser-DeLeon

Episode 48: Chicago’s Looming Eviction Crisis & Its Impact on the BIPOC Community

We welcome back to the show, City Bureau journalist, Justin Agrelo. Justin reports on housing for City Bureau and he and their housing team published a report on Chicago’s looming housing crisis. They spoke with Chicago residents facing eviction to better understand the impacts the pandemic is having on their ability to keep a roof over their heads. We’re going to talk about Chicago’s eviction crisis, who was highlighted in this piece and their testimonials and Justin will share some solutions that can help you or anyone you know who is facing eviction.

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