In this episode of Social Justice Origin Stories, Relando is joined by Tony Nelson, who explores his development from his rural Michigan upbringing to becoming an active participant in progressive movements and education. Tony revisits the significance of his time as an undergraduate student at Grand Valley State University, recalling how attending a campus presentation by Jane Elliott served as a starting point for his emerging consciousness and involvement as a student on campus. Tony also reflects on his years of work at the intersections of social justice, higher education, and the study abroad field, and his regular disappointment in top-down faculty and administrator relationship dynamics with students as an important turning point in his development, motivating him to think of ways he could influence educators and administrators to relate to students differently.
Tony shares that traditional education models are not liberating and don't do a good job of creating critical consciousness, and Popular Education provides many tools for rethinking how we approach teaching and learning.
01:51 Personal Journey and Reflections 04:01 College Experiences and Activism 07:12 Transformative Moments in Education 09:46 Engagement with Social Justice Movements 28:27 Mentorship and Teaching Philosophy 33:50 Challenging Negative Conversations About Students 35:41 Developing Solidarity as Praxis 37:51 Understanding Solidarity vs. Allyship 42:46 Mentors and Influences in Social Justice Work 48:01 The Importance of Community in Social Justice 51:59 Final Reflections and Gratitude 01:30:12 Closing Remarks and Call to Action
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Social Justice Origin Stories is produced, edited, and hosted by Relando Thompkins-Jones.
I am a social worker, social justice educator, writer, and organizational consultant who works to advance equity and social justice within people, organizations, and communities.
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