231: Cultivating Awe with Homa Tavangar
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
Release Date: 07/10/2025
242: Abraham's Second Chance Story
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
Every year, brilliant low-income students from around the world risk being left behind — not for lack of talent, but for lack of financial means to accept their college admission offers. Until takes action. Each April, at the final hour of the admissions cycle, we identify a cohort of extraordinary students and connect them with full scholarships at leading universities worldwide. On the podcast you get to hear first hand from students who have experienced the mission of Second Chance. This September, we...
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Step up for Second Chance this September
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
Second Chance when 60 of the world’s best students had their full scholarships revoked by a university at the last moment. Every year, high-achieving, high-need students around the world miss out on university for reasons outside of their control. These students have applied to university, but are not able to access the financial aid they had hoped for. This is where Second Chance comes in. Each year, they identify a cohort of the world's most brilliant students who face financial and other barriers to higher education, who have not gained access to university in the...
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240: Planning from hope with Ruchira Gupta
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
Ruchira Gupta is a writer, feminist campaigner, professor at New York University and founder of the anti-sex-trafficking organization, Apne Aap Women Worldwide. She won the Clinton Global Citizen award in 2009, the Sera Bangali Award in 2012 and an Emmy for outstanding investigative journalism in 1996. She has helped more than twenty thousand girls and women in India exit prostitution systems and her experiences with this work inspired her debut novel I Kick and I Fly. She has also edited As If Women Matter, an anthology of Gloria Steinem’s essays, and written manuals on human trafficking...
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239: The future and the present world of interspecies communication
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
In this conversation, Leo Trottier discusses the interdisciplinary foundations of Fluent Pet, emphasizing the importance of cognitive science in understanding animal behavior and communication. He explores the emotional connections humans have with their pets and the implications of interspecies communication for animal rights and empathy. The conversation also touches on the future of technology in enhancing communication between species and the role of education in fostering empathy in children through interactions with animals. Chapters 00:00 Interdisciplinary Foundations of Fluent Pet...
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238: Vibe Coding for Community
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
In this episode, Tricia Friedman discusses the intersection of AI, personal health, and community engagement through the lens of her experience with vibe coding. She shares a personal anecdote about tracking gut health and how she utilized AI to develop an app that promotes health awareness. The conversation emphasizes the importance of storytelling and empathy in technology, encouraging listeners to explore AI's potential for community building and personal growth. Chapters 00:00 Introduction to AI and Personal Anecdotes 02:56 Vibe Coding: Merging Technology with Personal Health 05:45...
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Why we need to talk Companion AI in schools
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
What happens when your teammate isn’t human? In this episode, Tricia Friedman explores the rise of AI-powered robotics in sports—from Stephen Curry’s new training partner A.B.E. (Automated Basketball Engine) to motivational robot K.I.T.—and why these breakthroughs signal urgent lessons for K12 school leaders. If robots can wear team colors and offer pep talks in the NBA, what does that mean for the classroom, playground, and future of education? This conversation digs into the world of Companion AI, emotional engineering, and what it means for leadership, identity, and belonging....
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Inventing the World: with Dylan Thuras & Jennifer Swanson
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
In this episode, we welcome Dylan Thuras, cofounder and creative director of Atlas Obscura, and Jennifer Swanson, award-winning author and co-host of Solve It for Kids, to talk about their latest book: Following up on their acclaimed New York Times bestseller The Atlas Obscura Explorer’s Guide for the World’s Most Adventurous Kid (200,000+ copies sold), this new globe-spanning, STEM-focused guide takes middle-grade readers on a thrilling journey through the 50 most fascinating inventions and scientific discoveries in history. Chapters 00:00 The Ambitious Project Begins 02:52 Exploring the...
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The Vision Behind Brownkind With Drs. Desai
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
In this conversation, Tricia Friedman speaks with Dr. Gauri and Dr. Abhijit Desai about their skincare brand, Brownkind, which focuses on the unique needs of brown skin. They discuss the importance of recognizing and celebrating diverse skin types, the role of education in skincare, and the necessity of creating products specifically for brown skin. The doctors share their journey from frustration in their clinical practice to launching their own line, emphasizing the importance of scientific understanding over trends. They also highlight the need for diversity in dermatology and the...
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Creativity can be taught with Tiffany D. Jackson
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
In this conversation, Tiffany D. Jackson discusses her journey as a writer, the influence of her early experiences with film, the importance of representation in horror and thrillers, the collaborative nature of writing, and the role of research in her creative process. She emphasizes the significance of understanding characters deeply and the impact of her background on her storytelling. Meet the guest: Tiffany D. Jackson is the NYT Bestselling, award-winning author of YA novels Monday’s Not Coming, Allegedly, Let Me Hear A Rhyme, Grown, White Smoke, Santa in The City, The Weight of...
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Screens, Spies & Student Privacy: Gordon Korman’s Snoop for Digital Literacy
Be a Better Ally: critical conversations for K12 educators
If your digital‑literacy lessons feel stuck on the same old slide deck, Gordon Korman’s brand‑new novel Snoop (Scholastic Press, July 1 2025) offers a timely narrative hook. The story follows Carter, a phone‑addicted tween who—after two broken legs and zero mobility—turns police webcams into his personal feed and learns the hard way that surveillance isn’t a superpower. Teacher Take‑Aways Mirror, then Question. Use Snoop’s live‑cam plot to ask: Who controls the lens in your daily media diet? Empathy through POV. Have students rewrite a chapter from the watched...
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