WEBVTT

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You're listening to the Valley
College Connection podcast

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for John to y and Scott.

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Why again, two Valley
professors engaged in

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a conversation about
success with educators

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and students each week,

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they'll sit down with a
different guest to find

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out ways each of us
have had to plan,

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persevere, and overcome
to be where we are now.

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The show will also highlight
resources and services

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that are working to
make a difference

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at Los Angeles Valley College,

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john and Scott believe
that all of us

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and the college itself
work in progress.

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And in this podcast,

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we'll explore on a
more personal level,

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how the community
can work together to

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support each other as we
move forward with our goal.

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Thank you so much for joining
us today for the podcast.

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And these were really
happy that you're here

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and that you're able
to sit down with us.

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Great. I'm glad to be here.

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We wanted to take this
opportunity to chat

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a little bit with you and
find out a little bit more

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about your back story,

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about who you are,

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what brought you to Valley.

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Some of your strategies
for teaching

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and some of the advice that

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perhaps you'd like to give
the students with that,

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if you could share with us,

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maybe starting sort
of, you know,

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how did you how did you come
to be here at Valley College?

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Okay.

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Sure.

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So I think I should probably
start with the fact that I

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never actually thought that
I was going to go to college.

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I came from a working
class family where

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college and higher education
was it really valued.

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You just work, you don't
necessarily go to school.

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There's not much there.

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I'm not that there was any
issue with going to school,

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but nobody just really
ever thought of it.

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And my dad ended up
actually going to college

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because he was a veteran.

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But he wasn't with my
mom when I was young

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and my mom never really
thought about college,

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so I don't really
think about college.

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So I was actually the
first woman in my family

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to get not only a
four-year degree,

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but also a graduate degree.

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And the thing that
actually started me thinking

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about going to college
was the fact that I was,

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you know, ended up
as a single mother

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with a six month old baby and

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very few options in terms
of job possibilities.

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And somebody said, Why don't
you go take a few classes

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at the local community college

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and maybe do Child
Development major or something

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so you can at least teach.

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And I started here
in actually here

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at Valley College in
probably 91 or 92,

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took a couple of classes
and then came back

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after my son was born.

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Actually had to show my
son's birth certificate

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to my professor.

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So he didn't dropped
me from the class

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because I just said
the first day of class.

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And so I was a child
development major and took as

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an elective a sociology of
women class from Pat Allen

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who just recently retired.

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And as I sat in that
sociology of women class,

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I thought to myself,

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This is the thing
that I have to do.

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The idea that there were

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thoughts in conversations that
were being had about issues

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that directly impacted me,

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had never really crossed my
mind until I sat in that class.

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And so I brought my baby
along with me to every class

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and changed my major
to sociology.

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And in that class,

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she had a component
where you had to go out

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into the community and
do some community work

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and do some voluntary.

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I volunteered at a
local domestic violence

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and sexual assault hotline,

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which led me to basically
the next 25 to 30 years

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of my work in the field.

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So without without Valley
College in that class,

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I probably would not be
doing what I'm doing now,

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certainly, but not have been
able to do them multiple things

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that I've been able to do.

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So, wow, that's, that's really
interesting how oftentimes

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will have

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one experience sort
of transition us

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into another experience
completely unexpectedly for,

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for you and you are here

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your first first semester
Valley and perhaps taking

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that class was with
Professor Alan.

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Were you were you thinking at
that point about transferring,

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getting a four-year degree or
where you sort of just Hey,

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I'm here a valley when I
took a few classes and kind

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of see how this feels.

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Mm.

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Well, as a working single mom,

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I don't know if I
thought that foreign

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and I sort of thought
what was going

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to happen today or tomorrow.

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But when I, when I transition
from the Child Development major

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into the sociology major,

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folks in the sociology
department,

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we're talking about the
potential to transfer to go on.

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This was before we had a lot
of the transfer agreements

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that we currently have.

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And by the time I had
finished classes here,

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I just felt like there was
more to learn and more to do.

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And so it became part of what
I decided I wanted to do.

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I wasn't sure if I
was going to be able

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to do it because of course

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I didn't have the
time or the money,

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just like a lot of people.

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But it became part of
my goal to do though.

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So then I, I transferred
to to see

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son was a sociology and women's
studies major at Sea Sun.

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And actually at CSUN
was introduced to

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perspective in terms of my
own experience that was very

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different than I had
experienced prior to that,

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in that my experience
became connected

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to other people's experience.

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So I was a sociology
and gender studies major

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and I began to take courses in

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Chicano Studies and
African-American Studies and

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really began to see the
parallels of my own experience

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within these communities.

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And so that was meaningful.

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Comfortable, did you feel
being apparent that season?

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Well, I was more comfortable
here being a parent

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when I was at Valley,

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I had amazing professors.

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I remember Pat Allen used,

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let me bring my center
class with me.

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I had a former professor here

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and African-American Studies
Barbara still for who?

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The day of the final exam

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my son was sick and had a fever

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and so I couldn't
taken to childcare.

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And so I brought him into
class and I was in tears

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because I thought
I'm not going to be

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able to take my final and she
held him the whole time while I

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took my final exam.

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So definitely here at Valley,

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I found that there was a lot of
the community and investment in

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my efforts to learn and to be

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in the space is a
little harder at CSUN.

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I think primarily because I
was a transfer student who was

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also a non-traditional student.

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And so I hadn't been
introduced to

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maybe some resources that would
have been available to help me.

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My Was it I did it
might certainly

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in my women's studies classes,

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I had a lot of professors who
were open to my son coming

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by with a different environment.

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So it was a little more
challenging, I think,

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to have to be a single parent

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at a four-year university
than it was here.

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Do you find that which
you talked about,

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the questions you
ask are different

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because you are non-traditional
students.

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Oh, absolutely.

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And I noticed that even in
my classes now that the,

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well for me, what was really,

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what felt really important
was to understand experiences

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that I had had or was having.

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And to think about them within
the context of that experience.

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And as a single parent
or working parent

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and non-traditional student,

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I had lots of experiences to
draw from that were a little bit

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different and foreign
probably to my peers, right?

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So, yeah, definitely,
it's certainly

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influenced the way that I
thought about my education.

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I also was very focused because
I only had a certain amount

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of time.

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I had a growing child.

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They didn't have a lot
of time to mess around.

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So I was very focused
in terms of by timing

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and how long it took me,

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which is a little
challenging for me when

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my own son went to school
and was a little less focus.

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But yeah, I think I thought
about things differently

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as a non-traditional
student in that environment.

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And using that out is,

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how do you set up
your class differently

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because of that experience?

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Well, I know.

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So I set up my class I,

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when, when I talk to students,

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I introduced this
in the syllabus

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and in the very first
week of class.

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I see that this is a
critical classroom.

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And what I mean by saying this
is a critical classroom is

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that this is a place that

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we bring ideas and
experiences where

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we can talk about them
within the context

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of theory and structure that
allow us to understand them.

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But it's not my job to stand at

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the front of the class
and tell you everything

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that you need to know.

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Part of my job as a professor
is really to be a facilitator,

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a facilitator of knowledge.

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And one of the agreements that
I make with my students at

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the beginning is that we
develop collective knowledge

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in the classroom.

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And so those experiences as
a non-traditional student,

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when I would offer an
experience in class.

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To my professors, if it was
engaged and became part of

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the class discussion and seemed

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to be acknowledged is
relevant and important.

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Then it was so much more
interesting for me to learn

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and for me to be able to

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share and in some ways
teach my professors

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to about my own experience.

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Really informed the way
that my classroom is

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currently structured.

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I tell my students from
the very beginning that

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I'm not responsible for
their learning in the class.

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That as a community,

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we're responsible for the
knowledge that's developed

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within the walls
of the classroom.

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Well, to key off
your trajectory.

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So once you are at CSUN
and you got your degree,

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what happened after them?

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Well, so the when
when I was at Valley

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and I had started
volunteering for that hotline,

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I continue to work
for that organization

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for more than 15 years.

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And so while I was in
while I was at CSUN,

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I was working for
that organization,

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which was a local
domestic violence

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and sexual violence
organization,

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flashed up here at that for
just a second because I think

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that perhaps your experience,

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you started off volunteering
there.

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You said it was voluntarily
in class

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and Lindsay came a student.

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Okay. Okay.

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And so sometimes I think
that's an opportunity that

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our students don't
necessarily see

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the benefit of doing that type

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of service learning
or volunteering.

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The understanding that that
can ultimately lead to, to,

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to paid work as well as, right,

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let alone finding something that
you're really passionate about.

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Your stories are a really
great example of gray.

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Absolutely.

00:12:10.356 --> 00:12:12.616 A:middle
And I volunteered for

00:12:13.046 --> 00:12:16.836 A:middle
probably almost three
years before I began

00:12:16.836 --> 00:12:18.586 A:middle
to work in the organization.

00:12:18.986 --> 00:12:22.216 A:middle
And then as a worker
at that organization,

00:12:22.376 --> 00:12:25.566 A:middle
I got progressively
more authority.

00:12:25.686 --> 00:12:28.326 A:middle
I moved up and did a
lot more things that

00:12:28.766 --> 00:12:30.266 A:middle
I really thought
were interesting

00:12:30.266 --> 00:12:31.326 A:middle
and that I wanted to do,

00:12:31.686 --> 00:12:36.096 A:middle
but was also responsible and
took on the responsibility of

00:12:36.656 --> 00:12:39.996 A:middle
facilitating a lot more other
opportunities for volunteers

00:12:40.056 --> 00:12:41.376 A:middle
to come into the organization.

00:12:42.126 --> 00:12:42.236 A:middle
Okay.

00:12:42.396 --> 00:12:45.296 A:middle
And volunteering
became a critical part

00:12:45.296 --> 00:12:47.066 A:middle
of the work that
I did because it

00:12:47.286 --> 00:12:54.036 A:middle
felt to me like each of us has
an obligation to each other.

00:12:54.846 --> 00:12:57.326 A:middle
And so whether it mine,

00:12:57.476 --> 00:12:59.766 A:middle
my initial introduction to
volunteering was clearly

00:12:59.766 --> 00:13:01.976 A:middle
in a educational setting,

00:13:02.046 --> 00:13:03.386 A:middle
but it became so important

00:13:03.386 --> 00:13:05.396 A:middle
that it was something
that I wanted to,

00:13:05.666 --> 00:13:07.946 A:middle
to really continue to do.

00:13:08.046 --> 00:13:11.896 A:middle
Not only in my work outside
of the classroom to facilitate

00:13:12.006 --> 00:13:13.936 A:middle
opportunities for people
to give back within

00:13:14.006 --> 00:13:16.156 A:middle
their own communities and
to be part of the community.

00:13:16.696 --> 00:13:18.936 A:middle
But also in my classroom.

00:13:19.766 --> 00:13:23.656 A:middle
We are absolutely among
the I understand I'm

00:13:23.656 --> 00:13:24.676 A:middle
on the service learning lists.

00:13:24.806 --> 00:13:26.406 A:middle
I'm not sure I knew I was there.

00:13:27.696 --> 00:13:28.846 A:middle
I understand I'm there.

00:13:30.166 --> 00:13:33.276 A:middle
I think primarily
because it's so critical.

00:13:34.496 --> 00:13:36.716 A:middle
As somebody who came,

00:13:36.846 --> 00:13:38.936 A:middle
who became an academic.

00:13:39.006 --> 00:13:40.946 A:middle
And I say that in
air quotes right?

00:13:41.746 --> 00:13:46.166 A:middle
Later in life, so much of my
work was in practice, right?

00:13:46.416 --> 00:13:49.086 A:middle
And so the, so when I
come into the classroom,

00:13:49.246 --> 00:13:51.796 A:middle
I bring a connection
between sort

00:13:51.796 --> 00:13:53.676 A:middle
of the ideas and the theory and

00:13:53.746 --> 00:13:56.346 A:middle
what that really looks
like when we put it

00:13:56.346 --> 00:13:58.156 A:middle
into practice in the community.

00:13:58.746 --> 00:14:01.566 A:middle
And so that's a critical
part of learning, right?

00:14:02.176 --> 00:14:05.836 A:middle
Oftentimes it academia is that
connection sometimes isn't made.

00:14:06.446 --> 00:14:09.776 A:middle
It's the proverbial isolation
of the ivory tower now for you.

00:14:09.916 --> 00:14:11.446 A:middle
So maybe this kind
of as a segue back

00:14:11.446 --> 00:14:12.946 A:middle
to your your trajectory,
so to speak.

00:14:13.106 --> 00:14:16.336 A:middle
So you're at CSUN, you you
were continuing to work at

00:14:16.406 --> 00:14:20.116 A:middle
the at the hotline in different
capacities at this point now,

00:14:21.096 --> 00:14:23.716 A:middle
graduating CSUN with
your degree.

00:14:24.186 --> 00:14:26.636 A:middle
And then then what what
did you decide from there?

00:14:26.906 --> 00:14:29.126 A:middle
So I went to work full-time
with the organization

00:14:29.126 --> 00:14:30.066 A:middle
that I was working for.

00:14:30.176 --> 00:14:33.446 A:middle
I became very passionate about
the work that I was doing.

00:14:34.586 --> 00:14:36.196 A:middle
Working not only with people

00:14:36.196 --> 00:14:38.776 A:middle
who had experienced
vulnerability and harm,

00:14:38.846 --> 00:14:42.696 A:middle
but also being part
of a community.

00:14:43.426 --> 00:14:45.606 A:middle
I could talk about issues

00:14:45.606 --> 00:14:48.896 A:middle
that were really
impactful to all of us.

00:14:49.446 --> 00:14:52.896 A:middle
And what I recognized

00:14:53.076 --> 00:14:54.446 A:middle
as I was doing that work

00:14:54.446 --> 00:14:56.436 A:middle
in the community was
it there were a lot of

00:14:56.696 --> 00:14:59.886 A:middle
gaps in the legal
system for people

00:14:59.886 --> 00:15:03.816 A:middle
who had experienced
domestic or sexual violence.

00:15:04.516 --> 00:15:06.316 A:middle
And so I decided to
go to law school.

00:15:08.326 --> 00:15:11.286 A:middle
So I actually worked full time
while I went to law school,

00:15:11.376 --> 00:15:12.606 A:middle
I went to an evening program.

00:15:12.846 --> 00:15:13.026 A:middle
Okay.

00:15:14.156 --> 00:15:17.776 A:middle
Because I wanted to
understand how the law

00:15:17.946 --> 00:15:22.216 A:middle
impacted people who are
vulnerable and people

00:15:22.216 --> 00:15:23.826 A:middle
in general and communities.

00:15:24.556 --> 00:15:29.446 A:middle
And when I graduated
from law school,

00:15:29.676 --> 00:15:33.576 A:middle
I actually developed within
that same organization the

00:15:33.766 --> 00:15:35.466 A:middle
first legal

00:15:35.606 --> 00:15:37.906 A:middle
services program that
was actually housed

00:15:38.506 --> 00:15:41.926 A:middle
in a domestic violence and
sexual assaults program.

00:15:42.106 --> 00:15:43.496 A:middle
Also, there have been other

00:15:43.496 --> 00:15:45.936 A:middle
like legal aid organizations
that had partnered,

00:15:46.366 --> 00:15:49.226 A:middle
but this was I developed the
very first one that was going to

00:15:49.596 --> 00:15:53.796 A:middle
serve victims specifically of
domestic and sexual violence.

00:15:54.346 --> 00:15:58.346 A:middle
And so my job was to bring in
volunteers from the community,

00:15:58.446 --> 00:15:59.806 A:middle
whether they were
lawyers or others,

00:16:00.636 --> 00:16:05.606 A:middle
to help people who had
experienced harm understand how

00:16:05.606 --> 00:16:07.426 A:middle
to maneuver this system.

00:16:08.316 --> 00:16:10.746 A:middle
And then later became
very interested

00:16:10.746 --> 00:16:14.326 A:middle
in writing laws and policy.

00:16:15.176 --> 00:16:18.516 A:middle
And so began to work at a
local and statewide level

00:16:18.516 --> 00:16:20.916 A:middle
on legislative development,

00:16:21.246 --> 00:16:23.936 A:middle
writing state law on, later.

00:16:25.486 --> 00:16:28.846 A:middle
Sat with the Department
of Education actually,

00:16:29.906 --> 00:16:34.066 A:middle
when they developed the new
Title Nine regulations related

00:16:34.066 --> 00:16:35.056 A:middle
to sexual violence,

00:16:35.176 --> 00:16:37.386 A:middle
I was part of the
team that worked

00:16:37.466 --> 00:16:40.446 A:middle
with the federal government
and doing, and doing that.

00:16:40.656 --> 00:16:44.776 A:middle
Wow. So I'll, because I
sat in a classroom here,

00:16:45.996 --> 00:16:50.436 A:middle
I do think it's important and
I've said this before and I,

00:16:50.746 --> 00:16:52.506 A:middle
I often say this to my students.

00:16:54.326 --> 00:17:00.246 A:middle
One thing, the realities that we
just don't know what things are

00:17:00.246 --> 00:17:01.376 A:middle
going to bring us.

00:17:01.446 --> 00:17:03.946 A:middle
We just don't know the way
that our lives are going to go.

00:17:04.046 --> 00:17:07.716 A:middle
I would have never in a
million years thought that I

00:17:07.846 --> 00:17:11.766 A:middle
would I would be an invite t of
the United States Department of

00:17:11.916 --> 00:17:15.686 A:middle
State to go to India and
help them understand how to

00:17:15.806 --> 00:17:17.696 A:middle
implement policies and laws

00:17:18.056 --> 00:17:20.016 A:middle
that would protect
victims of violence.

00:17:20.206 --> 00:17:21.806 A:middle
Never in a million
years when I was

00:17:22.276 --> 00:17:25.426 A:middle
that single parent trying to
figure out how it was going

00:17:25.426 --> 00:17:27.086 A:middle
to get my homework done, right?

00:17:27.376 --> 00:17:31.476 A:middle
And so I often remind
students that even being in

00:17:31.666 --> 00:17:34.186 A:middle
the classroom provides them with

00:17:34.306 --> 00:17:38.406 A:middle
opportunities that they probably
won't ever have expected,

00:17:38.476 --> 00:17:42.306 A:middle
they won't ever know
are coming for that.

00:17:43.306 --> 00:17:46.316 A:middle
On your stories are certainly
an illustration of that.

00:17:46.466 --> 00:17:48.216 A:middle
I mean, such a powerful
story to be able to.

00:17:48.376 --> 00:17:49.986 A:middle
Sure. So you mentioned just,

00:17:50.176 --> 00:17:51.696 A:middle
just just there that,

00:17:51.816 --> 00:17:53.946 A:middle
you know, your work brought
you to India were whirls.

00:17:54.206 --> 00:17:57.876 A:middle
Did you travel by way of your
work at that point, your mind?

00:17:58.396 --> 00:18:02.206 A:middle
So I spent a good portion,

00:18:02.306 --> 00:18:05.536 A:middle
probably about five or six years
traveling around the country.

00:18:05.646 --> 00:18:08.556 A:middle
So I've been says states
all over the country working

00:18:08.646 --> 00:18:09.286 A:middle
specifically

00:18:09.286 --> 00:18:12.106 A:middle
with community-based
organizations and

00:18:12.176 --> 00:18:15.706 A:middle
universities to try
to develop policies

00:18:15.706 --> 00:18:19.306 A:middle
that would promote
gender equity,

00:18:19.426 --> 00:18:22.756 A:middle
that would prevent
gendered violence.

00:18:23.576 --> 00:18:27.346 A:middle
So I've been all over the
country several times working

00:18:27.346 --> 00:18:27.506 A:middle
with

00:18:27.606 --> 00:18:29.826 A:middle
the Department of Justice and
the Department of Education

00:18:30.436 --> 00:18:31.946 A:middle
at the federal government level,

00:18:32.336 --> 00:18:35.966 A:middle
the Office of Emergency
Services at the state level.

00:18:36.886 --> 00:18:43.326 A:middle
I was invited to work with
the sexual assault coalition

00:18:43.386 --> 00:18:45.006 A:middle
in Scotland.

00:18:45.096 --> 00:18:48.316 A:middle
They have a national in the US,

00:18:48.906 --> 00:18:51.166 A:middle
everything sort of
state by state, but in,

00:18:51.756 --> 00:18:53.886 A:middle
in the UK, in different areas,

00:18:54.006 --> 00:18:56.326 A:middle
It's primarily like
a state run NGO.

00:18:56.816 --> 00:18:59.606 A:middle
So they're state-run NGO
invited me to come and talk

00:18:59.606 --> 00:19:01.636 A:middle
to them about how to really

00:19:01.706 --> 00:19:04.246 A:middle
engage the community
and being able to do

00:19:04.376 --> 00:19:06.946 A:middle
prevention work related
to gender-based violence.

00:19:08.636 --> 00:19:13.296 A:middle
I worked with a very
small community.

00:19:13.706 --> 00:19:17.896 A:middle
I I had gone to Central
Mexico quarter of aka to

00:19:17.976 --> 00:19:22.466 A:middle
take a Spanish language
immersion program,

00:19:24.076 --> 00:19:26.476 A:middle
which didn't work
completely accept

00:19:26.476 --> 00:19:28.116 A:middle
that it was really interesting.

00:19:28.526 --> 00:19:31.676 A:middle
That program was a women
in social change program.

00:19:31.846 --> 00:19:33.966 A:middle
And so they had brought
in lots of activists

00:19:34.506 --> 00:19:36.536 A:middle
from the community to
talk to us as students.

00:19:37.426 --> 00:19:39.046 A:middle
And as I was sharing with some,

00:19:39.216 --> 00:19:42.776 A:middle
some of my work with some of
the professors in that program.

00:19:43.176 --> 00:19:45.636 A:middle
They asked me to share with

00:19:45.706 --> 00:19:47.966 A:middle
their community some of the
work that we had done here

00:19:47.966 --> 00:19:49.276 A:middle
in the US related to that.

00:19:49.636 --> 00:19:52.676 A:middle
So I was able to share with
that community of activists.

00:19:53.236 --> 00:19:54.256 A:middle
My were.

00:19:54.616 --> 00:19:56.556 A:middle
So some yeses.

00:19:56.556 --> 00:19:57.096 A:middle
Let's see.

00:19:57.206 --> 00:19:59.546 A:middle
I'm someone who's really
interested in the B2B world

00:19:59.976 --> 00:20:02.816 A:middle
that would say that
I'm 21 years old.

00:20:03.406 --> 00:20:04.126 A:middle
How do I start?

00:20:04.336 --> 00:20:08.966 A:middle
Like, how do I start having
these interesting experiences

00:20:08.966 --> 00:20:10.086 A:middle
in Ottawa?

00:20:10.476 --> 00:20:11.286 A:middle
What's the first step?

00:20:11.396 --> 00:20:13.626 A:middle
But what advice would you give?

00:20:15.706 --> 00:20:18.276 A:middle
The first step is starting
and starting somewhere

00:20:18.276 --> 00:20:19.646 A:middle
and starting anywhere.

00:20:19.806 --> 00:20:21.436 A:middle
I think one of

00:20:21.506 --> 00:20:26.726 A:middle
the most critical mistakes
that we often make is

00:20:26.806 --> 00:20:28.686 A:middle
to wait for the right moment,

00:20:28.876 --> 00:20:30.476 A:middle
to wait for the right job,

00:20:30.546 --> 00:20:31.956 A:middle
to wait for the right place.

00:20:33.686 --> 00:20:37.456 A:middle
If I if I really thought
about all the things

00:20:37.456 --> 00:20:38.776 A:middle
that I should have
been waiting for,

00:20:38.846 --> 00:20:41.276 A:middle
I probably wouldn't have had
many of the experiences I had.

00:20:41.916 --> 00:20:44.526 A:middle
So finding things
that are happening

00:20:44.526 --> 00:20:46.386 A:middle
around you and trying it out,

00:20:47.026 --> 00:20:49.876 A:middle
going and talking to the
people within the community,

00:20:49.946 --> 00:20:53.836 A:middle
maybe showing up to a March
or a benefit, excuse me,

00:20:53.956 --> 00:20:59.946 A:middle
a benefit or or volunteering
even a day

00:20:59.946 --> 00:21:02.536 A:middle
if you don't have all
kinds of time to do it.

00:21:03.566 --> 00:21:08.426 A:middle
And to remember that we're
all experts in our own lives.

00:21:08.876 --> 00:21:12.346 A:middle
But our lives don't always apply
to everybody else around us.

00:21:12.346 --> 00:21:12.986 A:middle
And so.

00:21:14.196 --> 00:21:19.206 A:middle
Somebody who is volunteering
or wise we involved in

00:21:19.276 --> 00:21:21.446 A:middle
these movements to really
be willing to listen

00:21:21.576 --> 00:21:24.006 A:middle
and learn at the same
time you share and teach.

00:21:24.076 --> 00:21:24.166 A:middle
Sure.

00:21:25.056 --> 00:21:26.796 A:middle
So what are some of
the organizations

00:21:26.796 --> 00:21:27.996 A:middle
around here that you think?

00:21:28.746 --> 00:21:30.646 A:middle
If I was a young
person interested

00:21:30.646 --> 00:21:33.176 A:middle
in this movement
that I call and say,

00:21:33.276 --> 00:21:35.756 A:middle
Hey, you have anything
to give me a volunteer?

00:21:36.206 --> 00:21:37.776 A:middle
What are some of the
organizations around you

00:21:37.776 --> 00:21:39.156 A:middle
that you really respect ME?

00:21:39.866 --> 00:21:42.996 A:middle
Well, unfortunately, our
service learning program

00:21:43.106 --> 00:21:46.336 A:middle
here on campus actually has a
whole list of organizations,

00:21:46.406 --> 00:21:49.766 A:middle
many of whom are many
of which I really trust

00:21:49.766 --> 00:21:50.626 A:middle
and have worked with.

00:21:50.936 --> 00:21:53.096 A:middle
I've had students go through.

00:21:54.936 --> 00:21:58.396 A:middle
So there's in the
San Fernando Valley,

00:21:58.476 --> 00:22:01.636 A:middle
there is an organization
called strength

00:22:01.886 --> 00:22:05.146 A:middle
United that does work related
to gender based violence.

00:22:06.166 --> 00:22:08.006 A:middle
And so they do They work with

00:22:08.626 --> 00:22:12.276 A:middle
victims of domestic violence and
sexual assault and child abuse,

00:22:12.906 --> 00:22:15.106 A:middle
but not just victims
also working

00:22:15.106 --> 00:22:16.926 A:middle
in the community do
some prevention work.

00:22:17.516 --> 00:22:20.546 A:middle
They do a lot of great work
around human trafficking,

00:22:20.716 --> 00:22:23.266 A:middle
helping to work with law
enforcement to be able

00:22:23.376 --> 00:22:25.856 A:middle
to identify when human
trafficking is occurring.

00:22:27.196 --> 00:22:29.946 A:middle
I would see the organization
that I worked

00:22:30.046 --> 00:22:33.456 A:middle
for currently is called
peace over violence.

00:22:33.576 --> 00:22:35.516 A:middle
When I worked there, it
was the LA commission

00:22:35.646 --> 00:22:37.876 A:middle
on assaults against women
many, many years ago.

00:22:38.696 --> 00:22:39.656 A:middle
So they're doing a lot

00:22:39.656 --> 00:22:41.356 A:middle
of interesting work
in the community.

00:22:41.476 --> 00:22:46.166 A:middle
They have an amazing
leader in their deaf

00:22:46.166 --> 00:22:47.876 A:middle
and disable services program.

00:22:48.506 --> 00:22:51.686 A:middle
So they work specifically
with communities

00:22:51.726 --> 00:22:55.186 A:middle
that are dafur disabled to

00:22:55.426 --> 00:22:58.976 A:middle
either provide services for
people who've experienced

00:22:59.046 --> 00:23:02.116 A:middle
victimization or to
do prevention work

00:23:02.166 --> 00:23:03.696 A:middle
around gender-based violence.

00:23:03.916 --> 00:23:05.896 A:middle
And so that program,
there is really,

00:23:06.346 --> 00:23:07.996 A:middle
really special and the leader

00:23:07.996 --> 00:23:11.366 A:middle
of that program is an
amazing woman and advocate.

00:23:12.826 --> 00:23:14.156 A:middle
The select some great resources.

00:23:14.446 --> 00:23:16.236 A:middle
And as you said that
at that list,

00:23:16.306 --> 00:23:18.926 A:middle
that's part of the service
learning program here

00:23:18.926 --> 00:23:21.076 A:middle
at the college is
pretty comprehensive.

00:23:21.146 --> 00:23:22.526 A:middle
And for students or faculty,

00:23:22.846 --> 00:23:23.936 A:middle
if you, if you don't
know how to find it,

00:23:24.006 --> 00:23:25.656 A:middle
if you just go to the
Valley College website

00:23:26.186 --> 00:23:27.826 A:middle
and search for service learning,

00:23:28.246 --> 00:23:29.866 A:middle
it will bring up the
service learning page.

00:23:29.946 --> 00:23:31.466 A:middle
It's coordinated
by Rick Brockman

00:23:31.926 --> 00:23:32.866 A:middle
over there and counseling.

00:23:32.946 --> 00:23:36.196 A:middle
And it is a list of all
sorts of organizations.

00:23:36.316 --> 00:23:38.626 A:middle
It's organized by
different categories in terms

00:23:38.626 --> 00:23:40.136 A:middle
of what they do with
contact information.

00:23:40.306 --> 00:23:41.796 A:middle
Really, really a
great, great resource.

00:23:43.416 --> 00:23:45.906 A:middle
So within your classroom,
do you ever,

00:23:47.096 --> 00:23:49.676 A:middle
I guess for me is I'm
comfortable talking about race,

00:23:49.756 --> 00:23:51.426 A:middle
I'm comfortable talking
about disability.

00:23:51.666 --> 00:23:52.216 A:middle
All right.

00:23:52.406 --> 00:23:54.416 A:middle
Those are things
that I practice.

00:23:54.696 --> 00:23:56.436 A:middle
Those are things that
I've made mistakes

00:23:56.626 --> 00:23:58.976 A:middle
at ease to where I was young
enough or so we can say,

00:23:59.456 --> 00:24:00.756 A:middle
I'm not going to
fire you for that,

00:24:00.886 --> 00:24:02.876 A:middle
but adults say that or
don't say it that way.

00:24:02.976 --> 00:24:05.336 A:middle
Or maybe, maybe you
should rethink it this way.

00:24:05.406 --> 00:24:07.226 A:middle
Maybe here's another
book you should read.

00:24:07.736 --> 00:24:09.216 A:middle
I think now at this age,

00:24:09.626 --> 00:24:14.596 A:middle
I'm terrifying at
trying to say something

00:24:14.596 --> 00:24:15.916 A:middle
or write something that may not,

00:24:16.656 --> 00:24:17.836 A:middle
may not come out well.

00:24:18.406 --> 00:24:20.976 A:middle
Like how does, how
does someone know

00:24:20.976 --> 00:24:23.916 A:middle
who is pretty ignorant
in this area?

00:24:24.776 --> 00:24:27.756 A:middle
But as curious and would
like to be more informed.

00:24:28.786 --> 00:24:33.136 A:middle
Where's there were space to
have those conversations?

00:24:34.326 --> 00:24:36.636 A:middle
Well, I think the
place that we start,

00:24:36.936 --> 00:24:39.276 A:middle
so i'm I'm trained as a,

00:24:40.076 --> 00:24:42.636 A:middle
what I like to identify as
a critical sociologists,

00:24:42.726 --> 00:24:47.556 A:middle
which means that I use like
critical race theory and

00:24:47.646 --> 00:24:50.736 A:middle
feminist theory in my classroom
where we start to challenge and

00:24:50.806 --> 00:24:54.176 A:middle
think about the existing
social systems and structures.

00:24:55.126 --> 00:24:59.106 A:middle
And maybe all those
highly educated,

00:24:59.176 --> 00:25:00.976 A:middle
rich white guys who
wrote all that stuff down

00:25:01.106 --> 00:25:04.126 A:middle
initially may not have known
everybody's experience.

00:25:04.966 --> 00:25:07.476 A:middle
And so in the classroom,

00:25:07.546 --> 00:25:11.396 A:middle
we certainly have an environment
where people can ask questions.

00:25:11.996 --> 00:25:14.936 A:middle
But I also think that
it's really important

00:25:14.936 --> 00:25:17.306 A:middle
that we spend some time in

00:25:17.406 --> 00:25:20.656 A:middle
self analysis that
we try to think

00:25:20.656 --> 00:25:23.676 A:middle
about why I'm afraid
to say this.

00:25:24.816 --> 00:25:30.076 A:middle
Why I'm afraid to talk
about this or do this action

00:25:30.076 --> 00:25:31.936 A:middle
if we really explore that,

00:25:32.186 --> 00:25:35.536 A:middle
oftentimes it's because
we're worried that

00:25:35.606 --> 00:25:38.686 A:middle
it might be harmful to somebody
or that somebody might be hurt.

00:25:39.716 --> 00:25:42.256 A:middle
And so I think it's
really important for us

00:25:42.296 --> 00:25:45.036 A:middle
to spend time thinking

00:25:45.176 --> 00:25:49.426 A:middle
about all of the
experiences that people come

00:25:49.426 --> 00:25:50.556 A:middle
to our classrooms with,

00:25:50.656 --> 00:25:54.536 A:middle
that people come in
contact with us have and

00:25:54.606 --> 00:25:57.656 A:middle
to spend more time listening
to what they have to say

00:25:57.656 --> 00:25:59.106 A:middle
about their own experience.

00:25:59.206 --> 00:26:04.466 A:middle
I think it's very easy for us
in academia especially to say,

00:26:04.706 --> 00:26:06.596 A:middle
Well no, there's a
theory for that, right?

00:26:06.686 --> 00:26:07.916 A:middle
It's like there's an
app for that, right?

00:26:08.106 --> 00:26:09.056 A:middle
There's a theorem for that.

00:26:10.156 --> 00:26:13.066 A:middle
But theories are just
theories right there.

00:26:13.176 --> 00:26:15.916 A:middle
Ideas that are open to critique.

00:26:16.836 --> 00:26:18.196 A:middle
That's how they became theories,

00:26:18.316 --> 00:26:19.856 A:middle
That's why we use them
in our classrooms.

00:26:19.986 --> 00:26:23.206 A:middle
And so we have to
be willing to hear

00:26:23.206 --> 00:26:25.386 A:middle
and listen what are
students say?

00:26:26.496 --> 00:26:29.236 A:middle
And quite frankly, be
willing to challenge students

00:26:29.456 --> 00:26:33.576 A:middle
thinking to not be afraid in the
classroom to say, I'm not sure.

00:26:34.776 --> 00:26:38.276 A:middle
Day, that's exactly
where, you know,

00:26:38.406 --> 00:26:41.116 A:middle
where you should be coming
from or have you thought

00:26:41.116 --> 00:26:43.316 A:middle
about where you got
that information,

00:26:43.576 --> 00:26:45.286 A:middle
you know, why, why
you thinking that way?

00:26:45.666 --> 00:26:48.226 A:middle
If we begin to ask
people to think

00:26:48.226 --> 00:26:50.206 A:middle
about their own experiences,

00:26:50.276 --> 00:26:51.636 A:middle
to justify their own thinking,

00:26:51.706 --> 00:26:52.426 A:middle
to be critical of that.

00:26:53.066 --> 00:26:55.436 A:middle
Then very often they're
the first people who are,

00:26:55.526 --> 00:26:56.676 A:middle
who are like, Oh,

00:26:57.726 --> 00:27:00.026 A:middle
maybe I shouldn't say
that in this environment

00:27:00.026 --> 00:27:01.736 A:middle
because somebody might
be harmed by that

00:27:01.826 --> 00:27:05.136 A:middle
or because someone might have
an experience that's different

00:27:05.166 --> 00:27:05.766 A:middle
from my own.

00:27:05.926 --> 00:27:07.956 A:middle
So I think self-awareness
is really important.

00:27:08.146 --> 00:27:10.396 A:middle
And I think we can
ask students to do

00:27:10.396 --> 00:27:13.336 A:middle
that in a classroom
by just asking them,

00:27:13.416 --> 00:27:14.776 A:middle
where did you get
that information?

00:27:14.856 --> 00:27:15.806 A:middle
Where did that come from?

00:27:16.536 --> 00:27:17.766 A:middle
Why are you thinking that way?

00:27:17.766 --> 00:27:18.476 A:middle
Not in a way.

00:27:18.546 --> 00:27:20.766 A:middle
That's why do you
think like that,

00:27:20.876 --> 00:27:24.376 A:middle
but in a way that asks you to
really think about the reasons

00:27:24.376 --> 00:27:25.116 A:middle
that you do something.

00:27:25.576 --> 00:27:28.606 A:middle
I mean, the one thing I like
about Valley College is that I

00:27:28.706 --> 00:27:31.766 A:middle
think we are a college
where that space is given.

00:27:33.516 --> 00:27:35.316 A:middle
But if I went to UCLA,

00:27:35.476 --> 00:27:36.516 A:middle
definitely if I want to, yeah,

00:27:36.776 --> 00:27:37.836 A:middle
definitely I went to Harvard.

00:27:38.456 --> 00:27:44.126 A:middle
I'd be terrified of just like
not something coming out clumsy.

00:27:44.436 --> 00:27:44.776 A:middle
Mm-hm.

00:27:45.196 --> 00:27:49.336 A:middle
Right. I do feel like we have a
space you on this call is we're,

00:27:49.706 --> 00:27:53.256 A:middle
we're pretty forgiving about
allowing beautiful people to

00:27:53.366 --> 00:27:57.116 A:middle
explore how to say
something, right?

00:27:58.206 --> 00:27:59.736 A:middle
I think that there's,

00:28:00.026 --> 00:28:05.806 A:middle
I think it depends too on the
on the focus of your professors,

00:28:05.926 --> 00:28:08.286 A:middle
on the type of courses
that you're taking?

00:28:08.606 --> 00:28:11.216 A:middle
I always I say this to my own.

00:28:11.306 --> 00:28:13.676 A:middle
So when he was in when
he was going to college,

00:28:14.036 --> 00:28:16.466 A:middle
I always think it's great
to take classes about things

00:28:17.046 --> 00:28:19.296 A:middle
that you don't know, right?

00:28:19.446 --> 00:28:22.866 A:middle
So a lot of times
we decide on a major

00:28:22.866 --> 00:28:24.606 A:middle
and we're really
interested in that thing.

00:28:24.676 --> 00:28:26.596 A:middle
We know a lot about it
and so we keep going.

00:28:27.216 --> 00:28:29.686 A:middle
And so I think some of
the some of the room

00:28:29.686 --> 00:28:31.276 A:middle
and some of the wiggle room

00:28:31.346 --> 00:28:34.496 A:middle
comes when you put
yourself in a position

00:28:34.496 --> 00:28:36.096 A:middle
where you're outside
your comfort zone?

00:28:36.176 --> 00:28:36.266 A:middle
Sure.

00:28:36.576 --> 00:28:39.636 A:middle
Where you have to learn
instead of talk, right?

00:28:39.796 --> 00:28:42.856 A:middle
Where you have to the
person who hears and

00:28:42.946 --> 00:28:44.566 A:middle
tries to understand
is that the person

00:28:44.566 --> 00:28:46.116 A:middle
who teaches somebody
else something.

00:28:46.676 --> 00:28:49.636 A:middle
And so where we have
the ability to have

00:28:49.636 --> 00:28:51.586 A:middle
that environment here on campus,

00:28:52.266 --> 00:28:54.356 A:middle
I, you know, I I think
I definitely believe

00:28:54.356 --> 00:28:55.176 A:middle
that that exists.

00:28:55.976 --> 00:28:58.776 A:middle
I think it exists more
in some parts of campus

00:28:58.816 --> 00:29:00.006 A:middle
than it might in others.

00:29:00.306 --> 00:29:00.426 A:middle
Sure.

00:29:00.996 --> 00:29:04.976 A:middle
And I think it's
incumbent on us as faculty

00:29:04.976 --> 00:29:06.586 A:middle
and administrators
and even as students,

00:29:06.706 --> 00:29:07.866 A:middle
as part of this community,

00:29:08.366 --> 00:29:10.366 A:middle
to be willing to
create more spaces

00:29:10.416 --> 00:29:13.476 A:middle
like that where we where we

00:29:13.906 --> 00:29:18.416 A:middle
ask for the ability to teach
each other in an environment.

00:29:19.826 --> 00:29:21.756 A:middle
So when these last few
minutes that we have,

00:29:22.536 --> 00:29:26.136 A:middle
because you're a former
Valley College students.

00:29:26.976 --> 00:29:29.496 A:middle
What advice would you have given
yourself when you first walk

00:29:29.676 --> 00:29:32.186 A:middle
in here with you wish that
you knew that, you know,

00:29:34.256 --> 00:29:37.416 A:middle
now, I think that the advice
would have been to hang on.

00:29:39.046 --> 00:29:40.376 A:middle
There were multiple points

00:29:40.376 --> 00:29:42.966 A:middle
where I thought I just
wasn't going to make it.

00:29:44.536 --> 00:29:45.906 A:middle
I remember.

00:29:46.306 --> 00:29:47.706 A:middle
It's a funny story.

00:29:47.706 --> 00:29:49.836 A:middle
Does it does it is not
necessarily Valley College,

00:29:49.906 --> 00:29:53.776 A:middle
but as a student, my very
last shear at Sea Sun,

00:29:54.596 --> 00:29:59.226 A:middle
I had I had I got D's
in two of the classes in

00:29:59.316 --> 00:30:05.006 A:middle
my major that you should
you can't get Ds, right?

00:30:05.106 --> 00:30:07.986 A:middle
And now of course that was
the day that you could get Ds,

00:30:08.166 --> 00:30:09.876 A:middle
but now that you
can't get these.

00:30:10.916 --> 00:30:13.146 A:middle
And I just thought,
what is the point even

00:30:13.536 --> 00:30:14.846 A:middle
of going to these classes?

00:30:14.946 --> 00:30:16.356 A:middle
I'm just not going to pass them.

00:30:16.586 --> 00:30:20.296 A:middle
And I when I got my diploma and
the male actually photocopies of

00:30:20.406 --> 00:30:22.186 A:middle
it and like send it to everybody

00:30:22.366 --> 00:30:24.206 A:middle
I knew because I thought they
were going to come take it.

00:30:27.116 --> 00:30:32.736 A:middle
But I think that like I felt
defeated because I thought,

00:30:32.806 --> 00:30:34.806 A:middle
Oh, I'm just not going to I'm
just not going to make it.

00:30:34.876 --> 00:30:36.656 A:middle
There were a lot of things
that were happening in my life

00:30:36.656 --> 00:30:39.436 A:middle
that informed write that d,

00:30:39.506 --> 00:30:41.846 A:middle
Those two Ds and everything
else had been fine.

00:30:43.166 --> 00:30:46.776 A:middle
But just this idea
that you keep peak,

00:30:46.846 --> 00:30:48.966 A:middle
keep plugging away,
keep pushing forward.

00:30:49.866 --> 00:30:51.736 A:middle
What I often say to my school,

00:30:51.806 --> 00:30:53.226 A:middle
what ours to my students.

00:30:53.976 --> 00:30:56.346 A:middle
One class is better
than no classes.

00:30:56.576 --> 00:30:59.116 A:middle
One semester is better
than no semesters,

00:30:59.306 --> 00:31:01.246 A:middle
one year is better
than no years.

00:31:01.656 --> 00:31:03.576 A:middle
Because you've been
introduced to ideas

00:31:03.576 --> 00:31:04.876 A:middle
that you'll never forget.

00:31:05.006 --> 00:31:06.536 A:middle
You can't take those
things away for you.

00:31:07.076 --> 00:31:08.926 A:middle
Somebody can repossess your car,

00:31:09.036 --> 00:31:10.806 A:middle
but they can't repossess
your education.

00:31:11.506 --> 00:31:12.106 A:middle
Alright?

00:31:12.226 --> 00:31:13.456 A:middle
And so, you know,

00:31:13.546 --> 00:31:15.846 A:middle
to really just keep
plugging away if I was

00:31:16.256 --> 00:31:21.096 A:middle
that adult person giving
advice to my students self,

00:31:21.216 --> 00:31:23.276 A:middle
I would say today is just today.

00:31:23.576 --> 00:31:25.826 A:middle
Yeah, tomorrow is tomorrow.

00:31:26.146 --> 00:31:28.076 A:middle
Just keep one day at a time,

00:31:28.206 --> 00:31:30.036 A:middle
sort of moving through
this process.

00:31:30.506 --> 00:31:32.036 A:middle
So then such I'm
sorry, go ahead.

00:31:32.106 --> 00:31:33.806 A:middle
Because I think that's such
an important perspective

00:31:33.806 --> 00:31:34.556 A:middle
to share with students.

00:31:34.696 --> 00:31:36.676 A:middle
I hear it oftentimes
over the tutoring centers

00:31:36.676 --> 00:31:37.376 A:middle
where students are just

00:31:37.486 --> 00:31:40.236 A:middle
devastated by the bad grade
that they got on a test.

00:31:40.346 --> 00:31:42.576 A:middle
And it starts to
question their whole sense

00:31:42.756 --> 00:31:43.806 A:middle
of who they thought they were

00:31:43.806 --> 00:31:45.016 A:middle
and what they're going
to be able to do.

00:31:45.146 --> 00:31:46.406 A:middle
And so having that sort of

00:31:46.476 --> 00:31:48.176 A:middle
a longer perspective
of understanding

00:31:48.176 --> 00:31:49.606 A:middle
that this was just one class.

00:31:49.696 --> 00:31:51.006 A:middle
There's going to be
many more classes.

00:31:51.076 --> 00:31:52.246 A:middle
What's the worst-case
scenario if you failed

00:31:52.246 --> 00:31:53.516 A:middle
that class, you could we take

00:31:53.726 --> 00:31:55.006 A:middle
Hey, I think it's really,

00:31:55.076 --> 00:31:56.346 A:middle
really important that,

00:31:56.346 --> 00:31:58.476 A:middle
that message is communicated
to the students.

00:31:58.786 --> 00:31:59.986 A:middle
And I think it's important to,

00:32:00.076 --> 00:32:03.086 A:middle
for us to remember
that the grade

00:32:03.086 --> 00:32:04.596 A:middle
on a test or the gray we get in

00:32:04.776 --> 00:32:08.186 A:middle
a class is 0 indication
of the type of person

00:32:08.186 --> 00:32:09.826 A:middle
that we also, yeah, it is.

00:32:09.926 --> 00:32:12.236 A:middle
It has nothing to do with
who you are as a person.

00:32:12.546 --> 00:32:14.416 A:middle
It has a lot to do
with circumstances

00:32:14.416 --> 00:32:16.656 A:middle
and has a lot to do with

00:32:17.656 --> 00:32:21.296 A:middle
ability to sort of
understand a concept in the way

00:32:21.296 --> 00:32:22.836 A:middle
that it's being taught.

00:32:23.186 --> 00:32:24.896 A:middle
You know, you're being
taught to understand it.

00:32:25.446 --> 00:32:29.246 A:middle
But the failure of a test is
not the failure of a percent.

00:32:29.706 --> 00:32:31.006 A:middle
Which I think is
a hard distinction

00:32:31.006 --> 00:32:31.766 A:middle
for a lot of students

00:32:31.876 --> 00:32:33.746 A:middle
because so many folks
identify with their grades.

00:32:34.076 --> 00:32:35.616 A:middle
Yeah, No, I'm an, a student,

00:32:36.046 --> 00:32:39.126 A:middle
I'm a philosophy major.

00:32:39.206 --> 00:32:41.326 A:middle
And so, so much of folks
identity is tied whether it's

00:32:41.326 --> 00:32:42.326 A:middle
with their grades or their,

00:32:42.716 --> 00:32:44.206 A:middle
their work or their possessions.

00:32:44.286 --> 00:32:46.646 A:middle
And so sort of finding a way
to separate those two things

00:32:46.646 --> 00:32:47.976 A:middle
out to say no theory or

00:32:48.046 --> 00:32:50.686 A:middle
bad grade was perhaps a
productive of your your process

00:32:50.786 --> 00:32:52.286 A:middle
when studying for that exam.

00:32:52.406 --> 00:32:54.536 A:middle
And the process is
something that can mutable,

00:32:54.616 --> 00:32:56.076 A:middle
that can be changed
over and over again.

00:32:56.526 --> 00:32:59.986 A:middle
And as faculty, I think it's
incumbent on us to make sure

00:33:00.086 --> 00:33:01.316 A:middle
that they understand
that they've learned

00:33:01.316 --> 00:33:03.806 A:middle
that from us than we are.

00:33:04.186 --> 00:33:06.096 A:middle
We rank them based on grade.

00:33:06.266 --> 00:33:08.836 A:middle
That's our operation, right?

00:33:09.376 --> 00:33:13.106 A:middle
And so I think that we have
an obligation really to remind

00:33:13.336 --> 00:33:15.156 A:middle
them that this doesn't
have anything to do

00:33:15.156 --> 00:33:17.086 A:middle
with who you are
as a person, right?

00:33:17.506 --> 00:33:19.266 A:middle
It's, it's an assessment tool.

00:33:19.406 --> 00:33:22.636 A:middle
It's one more assessment
tool that we use in order to

00:33:23.366 --> 00:33:27.516 A:middle
give use a diploma or whatever
year you're trying to achieve.

00:33:27.676 --> 00:33:29.416 A:middle
But maple without diplomas,

00:33:29.546 --> 00:33:31.936 A:middle
I know a lot of people without
diplomas who I think are

00:33:32.266 --> 00:33:34.656 A:middle
incredibly smart
people who I would love

00:33:34.656 --> 00:33:36.556 A:middle
to spend a lot of
time talking to.

00:33:36.916 --> 00:33:39.686 A:middle
And I know some people
who have lots and lots of

00:33:39.776 --> 00:33:43.396 A:middle
degrees that I don't
want to spend a lot.

00:33:44.686 --> 00:33:47.576 A:middle
So it's not really hi Sam.

00:33:47.756 --> 00:33:48.526 A:middle
Just degrade.

00:33:48.776 --> 00:33:52.436 A:middle
I know it sounds like
that's crazy at this moment.

00:33:52.606 --> 00:33:54.656 A:middle
It is really well, I think
the conversation we have

00:33:54.706 --> 00:33:56.266 A:middle
to have was kids are about golf.

00:33:57.266 --> 00:33:58.016 A:middle
What's your goal?

00:33:58.206 --> 00:33:59.596 A:middle
Your goal isn't a degree.

00:33:59.946 --> 00:34:01.386 A:middle
A group is not which,

00:34:01.576 --> 00:34:02.606 A:middle
what makes you happy, right?

00:34:03.246 --> 00:34:05.936 A:middle
The goal for you was to
have a different life,

00:34:06.296 --> 00:34:09.836 A:middle
a different life, and to
have your opinion matter.

00:34:10.106 --> 00:34:10.306 A:middle
Right.

00:34:10.546 --> 00:34:15.616 A:middle
And do field to have
access and the ability

00:34:16.016 --> 00:34:18.126 A:middle
for your opinions
to be made into law,

00:34:18.376 --> 00:34:19.786 A:middle
to be effective, to be,

00:34:19.906 --> 00:34:22.976 A:middle
to be sprayed on a scale that
you wanted to take a piece

00:34:22.976 --> 00:34:23.986 A:middle
of the world and change it.

00:34:24.326 --> 00:34:25.806 A:middle
The pisa, Well, that
was important to you

00:34:25.806 --> 00:34:27.866 A:middle
that you are informed about it.

00:34:27.976 --> 00:34:30.046 A:middle
I think once we start
thinking about,

00:34:30.206 --> 00:34:31.166 A:middle
does that really do

00:34:31.166 --> 00:34:33.386 A:middle
that d really prevent
you from doing that?

00:34:33.476 --> 00:34:37.616 A:middle
And the answer is no
obvious thing, 9 in kids.

00:34:38.846 --> 00:34:41.476 A:middle
Now, this part of the recording
might sound a little different

00:34:41.546 --> 00:34:44.506 A:middle
because Disney's was one of
the first people we interview

00:34:44.576 --> 00:34:47.776 A:middle
and Scott and I didn't have
a lot of town with technology

00:34:47.846 --> 00:34:51.176 A:middle
in the last part of her
interview got cut off.

00:34:51.376 --> 00:34:53.856 A:middle
But it gave us a
great opportunity

00:34:53.856 --> 00:34:56.656 A:middle
to touch back was done
these 23 years later.

00:34:56.746 --> 00:34:58.836 A:middle
Just ask what's been
going on in her life.

00:34:58.976 --> 00:35:02.776 A:middle
So you've been mentioning
that you've been working

00:35:02.896 --> 00:35:06.456 A:middle
in terms of women's
rights internationally.

00:35:06.646 --> 00:35:09.476 A:middle
How's that work and
going, right?

00:35:09.726 --> 00:35:11.476 A:middle
Well, I think, you know,

00:35:11.656 --> 00:35:14.716 A:middle
as as we left off the
last time I had mentioned

00:35:14.716 --> 00:35:16.726 A:middle
that I have had the
opportunity as

00:35:16.876 --> 00:35:21.346 A:middle
a former LA Valley
College student to travel

00:35:21.446 --> 00:35:26.016 A:middle
to different parts of the world
and do women's rights advocacy.

00:35:26.776 --> 00:35:32.756 A:middle
Everyplace from central Mexico
to parts of Europe and India.

00:35:33.436 --> 00:35:38.276 A:middle
Expert tour around India
with the US State Department,

00:35:38.386 --> 00:35:40.636 A:middle
really on the ground,

00:35:40.706 --> 00:35:44.616 A:middle
engaging with and working
with women's rights advocates

00:35:44.616 --> 00:35:46.386 A:middle
in different parts of the world.

00:35:46.726 --> 00:35:49.616 A:middle
And what, you know, what
I always reference as

00:35:49.956 --> 00:35:54.436 A:middle
the opportunity to teach
and learn from each other.

00:35:54.546 --> 00:35:59.756 A:middle
So clearly in my
expertise and my experience,

00:35:59.926 --> 00:36:01.336 A:middle
I had some things to share,

00:36:01.406 --> 00:36:04.436 A:middle
but also just an
opportunity to learn.

00:36:05.176 --> 00:36:09.636 A:middle
And more recently that
has developed into doing

00:36:09.706 --> 00:36:12.806 A:middle
direct advocacy work
with the Unite

00:36:12.806 --> 00:36:14.706 A:middle
at the United Nations level.

00:36:16.026 --> 00:36:21.266 A:middle
So the United States is,

00:36:21.756 --> 00:36:25.376 A:middle
has an upcoming what's called
the universal periodic review.

00:36:26.306 --> 00:36:31.606 A:middle
It was actually due in May 2020
and just like everything else,

00:36:31.676 --> 00:36:35.436 A:middle
right, it got shut
down and postponed.

00:36:35.646 --> 00:36:39.416 A:middle
And the universal periodic
review is essentially at,

00:36:40.056 --> 00:36:41.676 A:middle
members of the United
member states

00:36:41.676 --> 00:36:43.616 A:middle
of the United Nations
have to account for

00:36:43.706 --> 00:36:47.606 A:middle
their human rights record
that every 4.5 to five years.

00:36:47.766 --> 00:36:53.356 A:middle
And what the UN relies
on in order to create

00:36:53.356 --> 00:36:56.536 A:middle
that accounting is NGOs,

00:36:56.666 --> 00:37:00.366 A:middle
grassroots advocates,
human rights defenders,

00:37:00.586 --> 00:37:02.296 A:middle
and others to be able

00:37:02.296 --> 00:37:07.606 A:middle
to document the human
rights status on the ground.

00:37:07.696 --> 00:37:10.776 A:middle
And so I have.

00:37:11.116 --> 00:37:15.206 A:middle
Working with a collective
of other women and

00:37:15.336 --> 00:37:18.616 A:middle
national human rights defenders

00:37:19.046 --> 00:37:26.216 A:middle
to engage directly with members
of the international community.

00:37:26.676 --> 00:37:30.136 A:middle
For example, last Friday,

00:37:30.206 --> 00:37:34.746 A:middle
if you could officially call
it Friday at about 130 Am,

00:37:35.586 --> 00:37:39.906 A:middle
I had the opportunity to be
on a phone call with folks in

00:37:39.976 --> 00:37:45.476 A:middle
Geneva who are members
of the United Nations,

00:37:45.546 --> 00:37:50.876 A:middle
who are going to be part of the
community that holds the US to

00:37:50.946 --> 00:37:55.326 A:middle
account for its record and
sharing some of the experiences

00:37:55.326 --> 00:37:56.766 A:middle
of women on the ground.

00:37:57.156 --> 00:38:01.426 A:middle
So it's been a really
interesting opportunity

00:38:02.306 --> 00:38:08.906 A:middle
to engage in this
process internationally.

00:38:10.296 --> 00:38:12.966 A:middle
The process, I guess
the process being,

00:38:13.436 --> 00:38:16.076 A:middle
you know, looking
at women's rights,

00:38:16.146 --> 00:38:20.036 A:middle
looking at the rights
of people based on

00:38:20.106 --> 00:38:24.466 A:middle
their gender and how that
looks in different environment.

00:38:25.386 --> 00:38:28.326 A:middle
So when you get on the ground,
what are you actually doing?

00:38:28.496 --> 00:38:31.586 A:middle
Are you talking to
educators or politicians

00:38:31.586 --> 00:38:34.476 A:middle
or you interviewing,
interviewing surveys?

00:38:34.546 --> 00:38:38.066 A:middle
Are all the things
you get to touch.

00:38:38.366 --> 00:38:38.806 A:middle
Yeah.

00:38:39.566 --> 00:38:45.636 A:middle
So the interesting thing
about law and policy, right?

00:38:45.706 --> 00:38:51.276 A:middle
Is that sometimes it's not is
on the ground as it should be.

00:38:52.846 --> 00:38:56.626 A:middle
And so I really,
fortunately for me,

00:38:56.746 --> 00:39:00.046 A:middle
I bring a lot of on the
ground experience having

00:39:00.306 --> 00:39:01.716 A:middle
engage directly

00:39:01.806 --> 00:39:06.836 A:middle
with women who had experienced
gender-based violence,

00:39:06.906 --> 00:39:08.786 A:middle
who had a lack of access

00:39:08.786 --> 00:39:12.306 A:middle
to reproductive health
care right on.

00:39:12.376 --> 00:39:15.006 A:middle
These are all issues that
present themselves to

00:39:15.086 --> 00:39:19.236 A:middle
women in the US as human
rights issues, right?

00:39:19.346 --> 00:39:23.256 A:middle
Having access to to

00:39:23.926 --> 00:39:30.086 A:middle
maternal care or to have
access to menstrual products

00:39:30.086 --> 00:39:31.406 A:middle
if you're incarcerated, right?

00:39:31.476 --> 00:39:36.036 A:middle
These are all some of the things
that are presenting themselves.

00:39:36.186 --> 00:39:40.026 A:middle
There's some recent cases that
we've been highlighting at a,

00:39:40.366 --> 00:39:46.936 A:middle
at an international level of
non-consensual sterilization for

00:39:47.056 --> 00:39:50.236 A:middle
women who were incarcerated
both in California and

00:39:50.306 --> 00:39:53.846 A:middle
in immigration detention and
in other parts of the country.

00:39:54.266 --> 00:39:58.496 A:middle
And so the way that we engage
that work is by finding

00:39:58.496 --> 00:40:00.426 A:middle
out what's happening
on the ground,

00:40:00.626 --> 00:40:05.436 A:middle
either through direct
reports or through research

00:40:05.546 --> 00:40:10.436 A:middle
that several of the
community are doing.

00:40:10.826 --> 00:40:12.386 A:middle
Issues are highlighted.

00:40:12.616 --> 00:40:15.486 A:middle
And then putting
that together in

00:40:16.646 --> 00:40:21.376 A:middle
a very legalistic format
that has to be submitted

00:40:21.446 --> 00:40:25.966 A:middle
in the form of lots
of reports in to the,

00:40:26.296 --> 00:40:28.936 A:middle
to the UN that requires
you to cross-reference

00:40:29.006 --> 00:40:32.306 A:middle
lots of international law,
international law, etc.

00:40:32.386 --> 00:40:39.766 A:middle
The really sort of boring high
level stuff that really doesn't,

00:40:39.906 --> 00:40:41.456 A:middle
can't possibly do service

00:40:41.456 --> 00:40:43.276 A:middle
to what's really
happening on the ground,

00:40:43.366 --> 00:40:45.606 A:middle
but it's the only
format that we have.

00:40:45.766 --> 00:40:47.306 A:middle
And so, you know, for example,

00:40:47.416 --> 00:40:52.306 A:middle
last Friday in the phone call
with advocates in Geneva,

00:40:52.646 --> 00:40:56.036 A:middle
folks who work for
the UN diplomats rate.

00:40:56.106 --> 00:40:58.346 A:middle
We had about two
minutes to talk about all

00:40:58.346 --> 00:41:02.276 A:middle
of the problems facing
women in the US,

00:41:02.346 --> 00:41:04.996 A:middle
which certainly doesn't
do justice to any of it.

00:41:07.206 --> 00:41:08.806 A:middle
So has it been a surprise?

00:41:08.876 --> 00:41:10.106 A:middle
The I don't know,

00:41:10.176 --> 00:41:15.846 A:middle
I guess the the change in
opportunity or I guess what has

00:41:15.946 --> 00:41:18.766 A:middle
happened in the last few years
in terms of women's rights

00:41:18.846 --> 00:41:21.796 A:middle
and sort of what's your outlook
for the future at this building?

00:41:23.226 --> 00:41:28.076 A:middle
Well, that's a very difficult
question right in the moment.

00:41:28.256 --> 00:41:31.266 A:middle
But I do I think
that there are two,

00:41:31.476 --> 00:41:35.926 A:middle
but a couple of things that
i i think about or thought

00:41:36.056 --> 00:41:37.926 A:middle
about when you ask
that question.

00:41:38.446 --> 00:41:41.776 A:middle
First of all, and I think I
probably said this earlier,

00:41:41.846 --> 00:41:43.706 A:middle
maybe the last time
we connected.

00:41:44.026 --> 00:41:45.706 A:middle
I had no idea.

00:41:45.786 --> 00:41:48.686 A:middle
When I was, you know,

00:41:49.026 --> 00:41:52.256 A:middle
community an LA Valley
College student.

00:41:52.406 --> 00:41:55.356 A:middle
When I was 24 years old,

00:41:55.546 --> 00:41:57.886 A:middle
I had a six month old kid.

00:41:58.046 --> 00:42:01.906 A:middle
I had no idea that,
you know, however,

00:42:01.986 --> 00:42:05.886 A:middle
at 27 years later I
would be on a phone call

00:42:05.886 --> 00:42:09.696 A:middle
with diplomats to it to Geneva,

00:42:09.976 --> 00:42:13.586 A:middle
re, trying to address the
problems of women in the US

00:42:13.586 --> 00:42:15.066 A:middle
at an international level.

00:42:15.326 --> 00:42:16.386 A:middle
And so I, I,

00:42:16.576 --> 00:42:20.996 A:middle
I just think that in terms
of how we think about what's

00:42:21.106 --> 00:42:23.176 A:middle
going to happen or
what's happening

00:42:23.256 --> 00:42:25.536 A:middle
now and how it relates to what's
going to happen in the future.

00:42:26.156 --> 00:42:28.666 A:middle
Can just be so.

00:42:30.286 --> 00:42:33.206 A:middle
But we can imagine
sometimes, you know,

00:42:33.276 --> 00:42:35.906 A:middle
what's going to be
happening in our future.

00:42:36.486 --> 00:42:40.006 A:middle
And then in terms of hope,

00:42:42.266 --> 00:42:48.536 A:middle
I don't think that
I've often been accused

00:42:48.536 --> 00:42:51.046 A:middle
of being an I, an idealist.

00:42:52.636 --> 00:42:55.256 A:middle
And of course that's
an accusation

00:42:55.256 --> 00:42:58.436 A:middle
that is fine with me because I

00:42:58.566 --> 00:43:05.846 A:middle
do have hope that we can
create change for women.

00:43:05.956 --> 00:43:11.306 A:middle
Certainly we have at
the moment, right?

00:43:11.376 --> 00:43:15.136 A:middle
Hope is very hard to
have because we've

00:43:15.246 --> 00:43:19.316 A:middle
had a lot of takeaways right
over the last several years.

00:43:19.406 --> 00:43:21.476 A:middle
So women's experiences
have changed

00:43:21.546 --> 00:43:27.406 A:middle
significantly based on just
the way that government shifts.

00:43:27.666 --> 00:43:30.276 A:middle
So, so I am an idealist,

00:43:30.346 --> 00:43:33.116 A:middle
which means that I ultimately
have to have hope, I guess,

00:43:33.796 --> 00:43:37.686 A:middle
but it's sometimes more than
others difficult to have hope.

00:43:37.776 --> 00:43:43.106 A:middle
But I think one of the things
that makes me very hopeful,

00:43:43.426 --> 00:43:46.086 A:middle
and I think this is
especially evident

00:43:46.216 --> 00:43:48.406 A:middle
in doing international work,

00:43:48.686 --> 00:43:53.906 A:middle
is that regardless of
the experiences that

00:43:53.976 --> 00:43:55.716 A:middle
folks have on the ground

00:43:55.716 --> 00:43:59.216 A:middle
around their human rights,
especially for women.

00:43:59.606 --> 00:44:02.706 A:middle
That they still engage
in organizing rate.

00:44:02.776 --> 00:44:05.216 A:middle
That they, it's almost like
you don't have a choice

00:44:05.216 --> 00:44:06.436 A:middle
but to have hope, right?

00:44:06.506 --> 00:44:07.586 A:middle
What's the other option?

00:44:08.286 --> 00:44:11.326 A:middle
And so there's still so
much organizing happening

00:44:11.326 --> 00:44:13.036 A:middle
from folks that you would

00:44:13.106 --> 00:44:17.776 A:middle
not imagine would be able to
access supportive services.

00:44:17.846 --> 00:44:19.726 A:middle
So I think that, you know,

00:44:20.726 --> 00:44:22.606 A:middle
I think I have to have hope.

00:44:22.816 --> 00:44:24.136 A:middle
We all have to have hope,

00:44:24.206 --> 00:44:26.166 A:middle
but we have to also be realists.

00:44:26.246 --> 00:44:29.306 A:middle
We have to understand that we
can't just sit around and sort

00:44:29.306 --> 00:44:30.506 A:middle
of way for things to happen.

00:44:30.576 --> 00:44:33.366 A:middle
We have to work towards
those things happening.

00:44:34.786 --> 00:44:40.786 A:middle
Well, I remember when I
think it was a Prop 187

00:44:41.236 --> 00:44:45.126 A:middle
when a lot of rights

00:44:45.126 --> 00:44:49.096 A:middle
for affirmative action were
taken away in California.

00:44:49.546 --> 00:44:53.396 A:middle
And I remember talking
to someone at the UCLA

00:44:53.396 --> 00:44:55.026 A:middle
about it and that's it.

00:44:55.116 --> 00:44:56.746 A:middle
And I felt very distraught
about it

00:44:56.746 --> 00:44:58.806 A:middle
and I remember talking
to him about it.

00:44:58.876 --> 00:45:02.006 A:middle
He said and this is a guy
who spent his lifetime.

00:45:02.076 --> 00:45:03.136 A:middle
He had he had been in person,

00:45:03.206 --> 00:45:07.116 A:middle
had been working on civil
rights with my father

00:45:07.116 --> 00:45:08.696 A:middle
and I remember talking
to him about it.

00:45:08.776 --> 00:45:10.056 A:middle
He says, Sometimes John,

00:45:10.406 --> 00:45:11.646 A:middle
you need a new equilibrium.

00:45:12.356 --> 00:45:15.486 A:middle
At some time, you
fight for these rights

00:45:15.486 --> 00:45:18.746 A:middle
and people take them
for granted.

00:45:19.136 --> 00:45:21.316 A:middle
And sometimes you have to
just haven't taken away.

00:45:21.846 --> 00:45:24.886 A:middle
And then all of a sudden,
that equilibrium changes.

00:45:25.306 --> 00:45:27.736 A:middle
Where a portion of
the population,

00:45:27.806 --> 00:45:29.906 A:middle
we just thought that
once there's a,

00:45:30.296 --> 00:45:32.586 A:middle
these rights were
fought for and they

00:45:32.706 --> 00:45:35.066 A:middle
were obtained and could just
as easily been taken away.

00:45:35.526 --> 00:45:37.676 A:middle
And then a new fight begin.

00:45:37.746 --> 00:45:41.626 A:middle
Then I remember him
telling me that and then

00:45:41.786 --> 00:45:45.566 A:middle
following what happened to the
master in the aftermath of 187,

00:45:45.956 --> 00:45:49.016 A:middle
is that the equilibrium that we
created actually is better now

00:45:49.016 --> 00:45:50.106 A:middle
that we look at

00:45:50.196 --> 00:45:53.226 A:middle
the number of African-American
students you are getting degrees

00:45:53.226 --> 00:45:54.746 A:middle
from you sees is higher.

00:45:55.046 --> 00:45:59.306 A:middle
The number of african
American and Hispanic students

00:45:59.436 --> 00:46:02.766 A:middle
who are graduating you see
in Berkeley remain the same.

00:46:02.886 --> 00:46:07.476 A:middle
That a lot of, a lot of,

00:46:07.546 --> 00:46:12.616 A:middle
a lot of people were
then inspired to change.

00:46:13.936 --> 00:46:15.006 A:middle
Just a few years ago,

00:46:15.076 --> 00:46:18.466 A:middle
we had a few $100
million put toward equity

00:46:18.856 --> 00:46:21.006 A:middle
by a Democratic governor,

00:46:21.156 --> 00:46:25.316 A:middle
which could have been done
because since that moment,

00:46:25.866 --> 00:46:28.056 A:middle
if I flip the state blue

00:46:28.646 --> 00:46:31.876 A:middle
within can now be
aggressive in a different way.

00:46:32.256 --> 00:46:34.336 A:middle
So I, I, I look,

00:46:34.816 --> 00:46:38.886 A:middle
have I go back and forth in
terms of the conservatism

00:46:38.886 --> 00:46:40.326 A:middle
of the judiciary right now.

00:46:40.826 --> 00:46:43.466 A:middle
In terms of things
are going to get lost.

00:46:44.386 --> 00:46:46.686 A:middle
But maybe things need to
get locked for a while only

00:46:46.686 --> 00:46:48.806 A:middle
to evolve a new equilibrium.

00:46:49.116 --> 00:46:51.276 A:middle
And to inspire other
people to join this flight,

00:46:51.346 --> 00:46:53.686 A:middle
which for a long time I
think it's been thought by

00:46:53.776 --> 00:46:57.036 A:middle
the same people and that ever
had been taken for granted.

00:46:57.506 --> 00:46:59.776 A:middle
Yeah, I think it's
a balance right.

00:46:59.846 --> 00:47:03.066 A:middle
In thinking about that
because certainly were an

00:47:03.066 --> 00:47:04.316 A:middle
election season.

00:47:04.636 --> 00:47:09.526 A:middle
And you know, like
I often share with

00:47:09.606 --> 00:47:12.796 A:middle
my my students and
others that most of us

00:47:12.796 --> 00:47:15.156 A:middle
at a community college
level at some point,

00:47:15.526 --> 00:47:16.696 A:middle
you know, whether we're teachers

00:47:16.696 --> 00:47:18.526 A:middle
or we were students
here at some point,

00:47:18.646 --> 00:47:21.086 A:middle
somebody had to fight for
our right to even vote

00:47:21.086 --> 00:47:22.476 A:middle
in an election, right?

00:47:22.546 --> 00:47:28.546 A:middle
And so certainly when there
were fights for voting,

00:47:28.936 --> 00:47:31.336 A:middle
women were on that blog, right?

00:47:31.466 --> 00:47:33.276 A:middle
They had to, had to fight
for the right to vote.

00:47:33.376 --> 00:47:37.806 A:middle
And now, women's votes are
really important and meaningful,

00:47:37.876 --> 00:47:40.976 A:middle
right, in terms of
decisions around elections.

00:47:41.186 --> 00:47:44.476 A:middle
And so I, I think that that is
most definitely true, right?

00:47:44.546 --> 00:47:48.686 A:middle
That thing shift and
sometimes it requires

00:47:49.136 --> 00:47:55.336 A:middle
a loss to to really
understand what that means,

00:47:55.406 --> 00:47:57.436 A:middle
right to have access
to those rights.

00:47:57.576 --> 00:48:01.346 A:middle
I think that the, the
challenge though of course,

00:48:01.446 --> 00:48:04.426 A:middle
is that for some people,

00:48:04.576 --> 00:48:08.116 A:middle
those loss rights may
not be quite as impactful

00:48:08.116 --> 00:48:09.876 A:middle
as they are for others.

00:48:09.996 --> 00:48:11.426 A:middle
And so, you know, it's,

00:48:11.586 --> 00:48:16.636 A:middle
it's like when we
think right now, Yeah,

00:48:16.806 --> 00:48:20.136 A:middle
I don't know how sort of
political folks get on these,

00:48:20.206 --> 00:48:23.956 A:middle
but I think that there's
enough understanding,

00:48:24.046 --> 00:48:25.606 A:middle
for example, about
what's happening

00:48:25.606 --> 00:48:27.736 A:middle
at the Supreme Court
level around

00:48:27.806 --> 00:48:31.806 A:middle
women's rights and their
access to health care, right?

00:48:31.876 --> 00:48:34.386 A:middle
Just generally, to
understand that,

00:48:34.596 --> 00:48:37.236 A:middle
you know, that's a huge
risk for a lot of people.

00:48:37.356 --> 00:48:41.876 A:middle
But like we really could
go back to a time where

00:48:42.256 --> 00:48:46.696 A:middle
there are large numbers of
women who do not have access

00:48:46.696 --> 00:48:48.066 A:middle
to the care that they need.

00:48:48.206 --> 00:48:50.656 A:middle
And by definition of
that become unhealthy

00:48:50.886 --> 00:48:53.476 A:middle
or maybe even die
as a result of that.

00:48:53.566 --> 00:48:57.606 A:middle
And so I do think that there's
this sort of balance, right?

00:48:57.706 --> 00:48:59.116 A:middle
That things have to be,

00:48:59.356 --> 00:49:02.176 A:middle
but sometimes we need to be
shaken a little bit to say, Hey,

00:49:02.256 --> 00:49:06.006 A:middle
let's sort of be more active.

00:49:06.536 --> 00:49:09.286 A:middle
But then the flip side
of it is, you know,

00:49:09.376 --> 00:49:12.716 A:middle
some of us probably can
afford to lose a little more

00:49:12.716 --> 00:49:14.236 A:middle
than others can, right?

00:49:14.306 --> 00:49:15.376 A:middle
And so then, you know,

00:49:15.456 --> 00:49:17.176 A:middle
like how do we sort of make

00:49:17.306 --> 00:49:20.206 A:middle
that determination as
to what what we can lose

00:49:20.206 --> 00:49:21.106 A:middle
and what we can't.

00:49:22.166 --> 00:49:22.336 A:middle
Yeah.

00:49:22.866 --> 00:49:23.356 A:middle
I'm with you.

00:49:23.476 --> 00:49:28.276 A:middle
I mean, I am very
worried about them

00:49:28.346 --> 00:49:31.606 A:middle
being lost in the process
of collecting the data

00:49:31.896 --> 00:49:33.196 A:middle
to save this as harmful.

00:49:33.946 --> 00:49:35.536 A:middle
Now, there's just gonna be a lot

00:49:35.536 --> 00:49:38.006 A:middle
of people were this is
harmed and lot of times

00:49:38.146 --> 00:49:41.226 A:middle
that's what it takes to change
the law is now we need data

00:49:41.226 --> 00:49:42.826 A:middle
of people who suffered, right?

00:49:43.346 --> 00:49:46.116 A:middle
And well, and yeah,

00:49:46.446 --> 00:49:47.836 A:middle
and the reality is that,

00:49:47.916 --> 00:49:51.236 A:middle
and I've said this is somebody
who's used the law from

00:49:51.336 --> 00:49:55.726 A:middle
even before going to law school
and even before writing laws.

00:49:55.806 --> 00:49:57.336 A:middle
I was subject to laws,

00:49:57.406 --> 00:49:58.386 A:middle
were all subject to laws.

00:49:58.506 --> 00:50:00.906 A:middle
I experienced the
impact of laws.

00:50:01.116 --> 00:50:04.886 A:middle
But the reality is that
a lot of times the law,

00:50:05.066 --> 00:50:07.606 A:middle
as it's written, isn't very

00:50:07.686 --> 00:50:09.606 A:middle
realistic for the
people that it's supposed

00:50:09.606 --> 00:50:11.206 A:middle
to be regulating, right?

00:50:11.286 --> 00:50:13.086 A:middle
So, you know, what?

00:50:13.436 --> 00:50:19.796 A:middle
187 was not effective in
doing even what it said it was

00:50:19.796 --> 00:50:20.866 A:middle
supposed to do.

00:50:21.366 --> 00:50:23.236 A:middle
And so in the meantime,

00:50:23.306 --> 00:50:26.106 A:middle
there was such a huge
loss right to the state.

00:50:26.176 --> 00:50:28.636 A:middle
And so the folks on
the way that those laws

00:50:28.706 --> 00:50:31.836 A:middle
sort of translate to people's
experience on the ground

00:50:32.106 --> 00:50:38.166 A:middle
is very different than the
people who are sitting in a hall

00:50:38.166 --> 00:50:39.766 A:middle
of justice writing it.

00:50:40.046 --> 00:50:42.676 A:middle
Or even as a Supreme
Court justice, right?

00:50:42.746 --> 00:50:45.906 A:middle
If we're talking about those
sort of current events,

00:50:46.026 --> 00:50:49.066 A:middle
There's very far away
from the reality of a lot

00:50:49.066 --> 00:50:51.216 A:middle
of people's real experiences.

00:50:53.606 --> 00:50:53.846 A:middle
Yeah.

00:50:54.416 --> 00:50:57.096 A:middle
Wow. And he's, you've
you've had the opportunity

00:50:57.096 --> 00:50:59.916 A:middle
over your career and, you know,

00:51:00.146 --> 00:51:02.836 A:middle
having spans so many
different types of work,

00:51:02.916 --> 00:51:04.436 A:middle
but yet still threading
them together,

00:51:04.506 --> 00:51:05.426 A:middle
connecting them that it seems

00:51:05.426 --> 00:51:06.946 A:middle
as though you've seen
both sides of it.

00:51:07.116 --> 00:51:09.436 A:middle
You've been at that higher
level writing the laws,

00:51:09.506 --> 00:51:12.606 A:middle
but then you've also
compete on the ground.

00:51:13.056 --> 00:51:15.846 A:middle
In terms of the advocates
advocacy that you've been doing?

00:51:17.256 --> 00:51:17.986 A:middle
It's yeah.

00:51:18.556 --> 00:51:19.836 A:middle
And I I think that that's

00:51:19.946 --> 00:51:24.946 A:middle
a really important
point because I often it

00:51:24.946 --> 00:51:26.696 A:middle
and I say this to
students and I,

00:51:26.806 --> 00:51:27.956 A:middle
I really believe it.

00:51:28.076 --> 00:51:30.506 A:middle
I said to students,
I say it to folks,

00:51:30.606 --> 00:51:38.106 A:middle
to advocates, that there's this
sort of sense that, you know,

00:51:38.496 --> 00:51:42.386 A:middle
riding laws in the judiciary
and sort of that type

00:51:42.386 --> 00:51:47.556 A:middle
of thing is the belongs
to lawyers,

00:51:47.646 --> 00:51:49.936 A:middle
that belongs to politicians.

00:51:50.096 --> 00:51:52.576 A:middle
But it really belongs
to the people

00:51:52.576 --> 00:51:54.486 A:middle
who need it and use it gray.

00:51:54.576 --> 00:51:57.596 A:middle
And so it, So you know,

00:51:58.116 --> 00:52:00.266 A:middle
it's something as basic as

00:52:01.106 --> 00:52:03.056 A:middle
community college
students who show

00:52:03.056 --> 00:52:04.856 A:middle
up at a Board of
Trustees meeting.

00:52:05.146 --> 00:52:08.136 A:middle
I think it's because
they're the people who

00:52:08.216 --> 00:52:11.276 A:middle
were directly impacted by
those legislative and policy,

00:52:11.346 --> 00:52:13.126 A:middle
policy decisions
that are being made

00:52:13.726 --> 00:52:15.396 A:middle
at the Board of Trustees level.

00:52:15.766 --> 00:52:17.836 A:middle
And so, you know, the
Board of Trustees,

00:52:17.906 --> 00:52:22.896 A:middle
maybe politicians or educators
or legislators in some ways.

00:52:23.126 --> 00:52:27.746 A:middle
But the people who
really have the power

00:52:27.746 --> 00:52:29.606 A:middle
to create that change are

00:52:29.686 --> 00:52:32.606 A:middle
the students and faculty
who show up there and hold

00:52:32.676 --> 00:52:35.776 A:middle
those folks accountable
for that behavior.

00:52:35.846 --> 00:52:37.156 A:middle
And so, so yeah,

00:52:37.506 --> 00:52:41.646 A:middle
I do think that there's
this sense of, you know,

00:52:41.756 --> 00:52:45.406 A:middle
that that kind of higher level
stuff is sort of the purview

00:52:45.546 --> 00:52:52.236 A:middle
of people who have a specific
set of educational apparatus.

00:52:52.306 --> 00:52:54.246 A:middle
But the reality is that anybody

00:52:54.246 --> 00:52:57.976 A:middle
who is impacted by
any of these laws,

00:52:58.076 --> 00:53:01.166 A:middle
which is all of us,
should be part of

00:53:01.266 --> 00:53:03.856 A:middle
that process and should
feel comfortable being part

00:53:03.856 --> 00:53:04.956 A:middle
of that process.

00:53:06.236 --> 00:53:09.286 A:middle
That's definitely a message
to niece of hope right there.

00:53:09.886 --> 00:53:13.336 A:middle
And optimism in terms
of the opportunity

00:53:13.336 --> 00:53:16.376 A:middle
and the possibility
that people have to,

00:53:16.446 --> 00:53:17.396 A:middle
I think make change.

00:53:18.076 --> 00:53:21.276 A:middle
I think we've seen that at
a small level, at least.

00:53:21.346 --> 00:53:23.576 A:middle
I've I've seen a John, I
know you've seen it at at

00:53:23.646 --> 00:53:25.606 A:middle
Valley College when students
have become involved,

00:53:26.206 --> 00:53:28.286 A:middle
when they have shown
up at meetings,

00:53:28.446 --> 00:53:30.746 A:middle
when they have held the powers

00:53:30.746 --> 00:53:34.106 A:middle
that be accountable
for initiatives,

00:53:34.176 --> 00:53:35.936 A:middle
for promises that were
supposed to happen.

00:53:36.046 --> 00:53:39.476 A:middle
And it's, it's always inspiring
to see when that does happen,

00:53:39.636 --> 00:53:42.006 A:middle
that it seems as though
the needle starts to move

00:53:42.076 --> 00:53:45.906 A:middle
in the direction that it's
really in favor of the students.

00:53:46.086 --> 00:53:50.536 A:middle
Well, I think these
the circumstances

00:53:50.606 --> 00:53:52.786 A:middle
of the African American
students having a counselor have

00:53:52.786 --> 00:53:53.726 A:middle
enough space,

00:53:54.076 --> 00:53:57.336 A:middle
is directly attributed
to the activism

00:53:57.426 --> 00:54:00.936 A:middle
that happened by a handful
of students on this campus.

00:54:01.216 --> 00:54:02.986 A:middle
And I think every
time we have a handful

00:54:02.986 --> 00:54:05.336 A:middle
of standard students
or guys and say,

00:54:05.506 --> 00:54:07.076 A:middle
This is exactly what we need.

00:54:07.866 --> 00:54:11.366 A:middle
It gives all of us
who are trying

00:54:11.366 --> 00:54:15.546 A:middle
to push things forward
something to point out.

00:54:16.406 --> 00:54:19.296 A:middle
And remember that the
administrators here,

00:54:20.216 --> 00:54:22.406 A:middle
they came here to help people.

00:54:23.676 --> 00:54:26.816 A:middle
And even though a lot of
times they have this ego

00:54:26.816 --> 00:54:28.116 A:middle
because of budget concerns,

00:54:28.546 --> 00:54:32.246 A:middle
seeing people in a room saying,

00:54:32.496 --> 00:54:34.806 A:middle
this is what I need to
be more successful here,

00:54:35.076 --> 00:54:38.456 A:middle
this is what we need is a group
coming in in groups of fours or

00:54:38.576 --> 00:54:42.126 A:middle
fives into any of these meetings
in which we have leadership.

00:54:42.626 --> 00:54:44.556 A:middle
Absolutely moves the needle.

00:54:44.886 --> 00:54:46.016 A:middle
And I will, I will say

00:54:46.016 --> 00:54:48.536 A:middle
that I really respect
our administration is

00:54:48.536 --> 00:54:50.406 A:middle
that they hear,

00:54:50.476 --> 00:54:51.966 A:middle
they hear what the students say.

00:54:52.276 --> 00:54:53.926 A:middle
And every time we do surveys,

00:54:54.216 --> 00:54:57.836 A:middle
every times a student makes
a really poignant quo,

00:54:58.056 --> 00:54:59.866 A:middle
it is written and
it is distributed.

00:55:00.486 --> 00:55:05.726 A:middle
So even though it may not
seem like people here,

00:55:06.316 --> 00:55:08.006 A:middle
whenever you organize
our campus people here.

00:55:08.996 --> 00:55:13.156 A:middle
As it's really how a
lot of people on this,

00:55:13.316 --> 00:55:16.876 A:middle
on this gap is move things
forward and has really,

00:55:16.946 --> 00:55:20.276 A:middle
has changed the hearts of
our administrators to really

00:55:20.366 --> 00:55:25.536 A:middle
be self-aware of the gaps
that we have on our campus.

00:55:26.136 --> 00:55:28.976 A:middle
Well, and I think
leadership too, I think that,

00:55:29.046 --> 00:55:32.876 A:middle
that word leadership is
important to unpack, right?

00:55:32.946 --> 00:55:35.786 A:middle
Because certainly there are,

00:55:36.116 --> 00:55:38.506 A:middle
there are formal
leadership positions

00:55:38.906 --> 00:55:42.236 A:middle
on a Catholic in
any environment.

00:55:42.326 --> 00:55:44.576 A:middle
But if we want to use the
example of our campus, right?

00:55:44.646 --> 00:55:48.176 A:middle
So in the classroom there's
formal leadership, right?

00:55:48.256 --> 00:55:50.306 A:middle
In the, in Professor,

00:55:50.376 --> 00:55:52.476 A:middle
in a classroom there's
formal leadership

00:55:52.646 --> 00:55:55.636 A:middle
in the president of the
university administrators.

00:55:55.866 --> 00:56:00.906 A:middle
But that formal leadership
is certainly has power,

00:56:00.986 --> 00:56:05.656 A:middle
but also write those informal
leaders have a significant

00:56:05.656 --> 00:56:06.726 A:middle
amount of power.

00:56:07.076 --> 00:56:10.436 A:middle
Any student or professor
for that matter could

00:56:10.506 --> 00:56:11.696 A:middle
look at their own classroom

00:56:11.696 --> 00:56:14.236 A:middle
and see those dynamics
at play, right?

00:56:14.306 --> 00:56:18.606 A:middle
You certainly have somebody who
has a formal leadership role,

00:56:18.836 --> 00:56:20.846 A:middle
but you can point
out the students

00:56:20.846 --> 00:56:23.156 A:middle
who are the informal
leaders and have

00:56:23.266 --> 00:56:28.106 A:middle
the capacity to organize
for positive or negative,

00:56:28.176 --> 00:56:30.586 A:middle
right within the
context of a classroom.

00:56:30.706 --> 00:56:32.736 A:middle
And so, you know, I, I,

00:56:33.086 --> 00:56:34.636 A:middle
I think that it's important

00:56:34.636 --> 00:56:38.206 A:middle
and this has been
particularly true in

00:56:38.276 --> 00:56:43.406 A:middle
doing work around grass with
grassroots women's leadership.

00:56:44.046 --> 00:56:47.196 A:middle
Both nationally and
locally and internationally,

00:56:47.486 --> 00:56:52.156 A:middle
is that it's not always
the formal leaders who,

00:56:52.906 --> 00:56:55.516 A:middle
who have the best
solutions, number one,

00:56:56.136 --> 00:57:01.626 A:middle
but also who are able to push
for change in the same way.

00:57:01.746 --> 00:57:04.036 A:middle
Oftentimes they're
constrained by

00:57:04.256 --> 00:57:08.906 A:middle
institutions that have certain
rules that they have to follow.

00:57:08.976 --> 00:57:11.236 A:middle
And so really those
informal leaders,

00:57:11.306 --> 00:57:12.566 A:middle
whether it's students or,

00:57:12.816 --> 00:57:14.596 A:middle
or others in the community,

00:57:14.846 --> 00:57:16.976 A:middle
are the ones who are able
to push the needle on.

00:57:17.046 --> 00:57:18.566 A:middle
Some of the things
that are important

00:57:18.566 --> 00:57:21.306 A:middle
to folks will be easier.

00:57:21.376 --> 00:57:24.166 A:middle
Been so generous with your
time meeting with us twice.

00:57:24.376 --> 00:57:27.686 A:middle
If students wanted to meet
you and just thank you.

00:57:27.806 --> 00:57:31.846 A:middle
Just your career path and
just opportunities to,

00:57:31.976 --> 00:57:33.736 A:middle
to fight for women's rights.

00:57:33.806 --> 00:57:35.726 A:middle
What's the best way for
them to contact you?

00:57:37.946 --> 00:57:38.776 A:middle
Will certainly.

00:57:39.126 --> 00:57:41.616 A:middle
I have my my email.

00:57:41.706 --> 00:57:44.476 A:middle
I'm probably in these
times that's the best way.

00:57:44.546 --> 00:57:46.416 A:middle
It's hard to get
a hold of anybody

00:57:46.416 --> 00:57:48.626 A:middle
on campus these days
and we shouldn't be.

00:57:49.266 --> 00:57:52.836 A:middle
I was trying to remember
it off the top of my head.

00:57:53.136 --> 00:57:55.206 A:middle
It's L a B,

00:57:55.276 --> 00:57:59.986 A:middle
E R T LD at LA CCD.edu.

00:58:01.216 --> 00:58:05.626 A:middle
And I'm happy to spend
some time chatting with

00:58:05.746 --> 00:58:07.386 A:middle
anyone who has an
interest in any

00:58:07.916 --> 00:58:11.256 A:middle
of these issues and think as,

00:58:12.446 --> 00:58:14.136 A:middle
you know, I want to reiterate as

00:58:14.276 --> 00:58:18.236 A:middle
a former LA Valley
College student

00:58:19.006 --> 00:58:23.266 A:middle
who would have never imagined
to be in the classroom as a,

00:58:23.666 --> 00:58:25.476 A:middle
as a faculty member,
as a professor,

00:58:25.566 --> 00:58:27.736 A:middle
but also not have
imagined to have

00:58:27.816 --> 00:58:31.066 A:middle
done so many of the things
I've had the opportunity to do,

00:58:31.326 --> 00:58:33.406 A:middle
I would love to chat
with students

00:58:33.566 --> 00:58:37.736 A:middle
about what they're thinking
about their lives and,

00:58:38.206 --> 00:58:41.536 A:middle
and especially if they are at
the point where they feel like,

00:58:41.606 --> 00:58:44.566 A:middle
which I felt like many
times when I was a student.

00:58:44.676 --> 00:58:46.396 A:middle
I don't know if this
is going to work.

00:58:46.576 --> 00:58:50.936 A:middle
I just don't I just don't know
if I can make it because I think

00:58:51.006 --> 00:58:52.076 A:middle
that you probably can.

00:58:53.686 --> 00:58:54.686 A:middle
Well, I'll tell you.

00:58:54.686 --> 00:58:57.696 A:middle
I had a rare chance to listen

00:58:57.806 --> 00:59:01.996 A:middle
to an interview before
we put in a capper on it.

00:59:01.996 --> 00:59:02.986 A:middle
And let me just tell you.

00:59:03.156 --> 00:59:06.046 A:middle
Yes, they just listening
to your story one more time

00:59:06.046 --> 00:59:07.306 A:middle
and just hearing

00:59:07.456 --> 00:59:10.616 A:middle
the struggle and
the opportunities

00:59:10.616 --> 00:59:12.966 A:middle
and the following of a passion.

00:59:13.226 --> 00:59:15.626 A:middle
And then where it led to
something so fulfilling.

00:59:16.936 --> 00:59:18.426 A:middle
It always gives me
hope, you know,

00:59:18.506 --> 00:59:21.696 A:middle
it gives me just real
optimism for what's possible.

00:59:22.076 --> 00:59:24.416 A:middle
So I think your life
story is really the,

00:59:24.416 --> 00:59:25.606 A:middle
at the end of the day,

00:59:25.676 --> 00:59:27.426 A:middle
the thing that really
gives me hope in terms

00:59:27.426 --> 00:59:29.876 A:middle
of the fight that's
happening right now.

00:59:30.226 --> 00:59:34.136 A:middle
So thank you so much for
agreeing for much too nice.