Black History Month at work

February marks Black History Month in the United States and that’s definitely been reflected this last week on the Labor Radio Podcast Network. 

On El Cafecito del Día, Janella Hinds from the United Federation of Teachers in New York discussed the importance of centering Afro-Latina voices within the contemporary labor movement, and the need to address the continued under-representation of black members within positions of union leadership.

The following two shows are really a tale of two different states:
On the OEA Grow Podcast, Natika Samuels interviewed Kevin Adams, a Colorado social studies teacher and the host of the Two Dope Teachers podcast.  Adams discusses the full gamut of activities that are on offer to students during black history month and how to create a positive environment where students feel free to explore questions of culture, politics and heritage in a lively and meaningful way.
By contrast is a new report on the stifling environment that teachers are facing in the Sunshine State on Educating From the Heart, from the Florida Education Association.  Tina and Luke spoke to Raegan Miller, Jabari Hosey, and Jen Cousins, - not professional educators themselves but rather parent advocates and activists – who describe some of the classroom realities faced by teachers when they’re attempting to teach black history, and how parents can respond in productive ways that avoid the shouting and hectoring of adversarial school board meetings.

In the second half of today’s show we go to the Heartland Labor Forum where Bloomberg News’ labor reporter Robert Lafolla brings us an update from the National Labor Relations Board.

We stay in the Midwest where WORT community radio in Madison, Wisconsin, reports on recent charges of a hostile work environment at the Henry Vilas Zoo.  It has nothing to do with the animals.

Then we visit New Zealand where Auckland union representative Justine Sachs digs into the mailbag on Red Dead Redemption and addresses the age old question of what to do when your workplace has a moldy carpet.

We began with Black History Month and that’s where we end today's show, with a trailer for AFSCME’s new I AM Podcast, a forthcoming series that explores the legacy of the 1968 Memphis Sanitation Strike.

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Highlights from labor radio and podcast shows around the country, part of the national Labor Radio Podcast Network of shows focusing on working people’s issues and concerns.

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Edited by Patrick Dixon and Mel Smith, produced by Patrick Dixon and Chris Garlock; social media guru Mr. Harold Phillips.