Season 13 Kick Off: Dreaming of the Future

We are back! Welcome to Season 13 of *The Integrated Schools Podcast*. It’s been almost eight years and over 170 episodes, but as we kick off this new season, we are reflecting on where we find ourselves—as a country, as an organization, and in our own lives. Val is navigating life with a college freshman (who earned a 100% on his first African American Studies test!) and a high school senior, while Andrew is stepping into the classroom for the first time as a high school audio engineering and musical theater teacher. These real-world transitions ground us in the ongoing, messy work of wrestling with parenting, privilege, and public education. In this kickoff episode, we take a hard look at the state of public education right now. With federal rollbacks on civil rights enforcement, decreasing oversight, and expanding voucher and privatization schemes, the national landscape feels tricky and daunting. Yet, even in this moment, we find local reasons for hope. Across the country—from Denver and Winston-Salem to Charlotte-Mecklenburg, Montgomery County, and beyond—school districts are undergoing boundary redraws and student assignment reviews that explicitly aim to reduce socioeconomic segregation. These local efforts remind us that when the ground is shifting, there is an opportunity to build toward real change if we show up and demand it. As we look ahead to Season 13, we are focused on tilling the soil for future systemic change and radicalizing our hope. Guided by Dr. Loretta Ross's reminder to "hold our link in the chain," we are preparing to dream together about what public education could look like on the other side of this moment. Throughout the season, we'll be bringing in a diverse range of voices—including Afrofuturists, Indigenous thinkers, youth, and caregivers of students with special needs—to imagine a truly just, multiracial education system beyond simply rebuilding what was. *How are you holding your link in the chain during this political moment, and what does your dream for a truly integrated, multiracial public education system look like?* ### **LINKS** - Share your thoughts, local stories, or feedback via voice memo at speakpipe.com/integratedschools or email podcast@integratedschools.org - Support the show and access monthly happy hours, show notes, and discussion guides on Patreon - Explore or connect with an Integrated Schools Local Chapter - Listen to the Season 12 finale: Val’s reflection on parenting transitions and letting go ### **Join the Movement** Support is a verb! Help keep these unsponsored, nuanced conversations going by joining our Patreon community, starting a podcast listening group in your neighborhood, or sharing this episode with a friend. The Integrated Schools Podcast was created by Courtney Mykytyn and Andrew Lefkowits. This episode was produced by Andrew Lefkowits and Val Brown. It was edited and mixed by Andrew Lefkowits. Music by Kevin Casey. Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands Privacy & Opt-Out: https://redcircle.com/privacy