Let Us Listen Let Us Listen Podcast

In this series we will be joined by Adriana Gonzalez and Tyrone Scafe in discussing the role that policing plays in education, specifically focusing on the presence of school resource officers and the effects of the school to prison pipeline on black and brown students. The goal of this podcast series is to promote and extend this discussion within our communities, empowering our listeners to share their knowledge and resources on the topic. The first episode released this Thursday will center the conversation in our hometown of Waukegan, Illinois, highlighting the effects of policing within the very schools we attended.

Adriana Gonzalez graduated from Pomona College with a B.A. in Public Policy Analysis and Latin American Studies in 2018. As an undergraduate, she was involved as a member of various organizations primarily focused on social change, immigrant advocacy, and equitable access to education. After graduation, she worked as a small business advisor for local entrepreneurs in her hometown, bussing, and waitressing part-time in the evenings and on weekends to build an emergency fund. Her experiences as an advisor led her to the position she currently holds within the Community Development department of a bank based in Chicago. Since 2019, she has served as a Board member of the Waukegan Schools Foundation, most recently helping create and distribute $7,500 in scholarships for Waukegan High School graduates.

Tyrone Scafe grew up in Waukegan and attended Waukegan High School where he graduated back in 2013. As an undergrad at Williams College, he was an Allison Davis Research Fellow, where he researched and wrote about the role of security and surveillance in K-12 public education and how that impacts how we think about and engage in Democracy. He’s currently based out of Oakland, California, where he’s a software developer consultant at ThoughtWorks. He’s also on the alumni board for YCore, a San Francisco based non-profit organization that helps partner social impact-driven professionals with community-based non-profits, with the goal of fostering just, inclusive communities.

Trigger warning: Please note that this episode talks about mental illness (including depression and anxiety), thoughts of self harm, morbid thinking and young people’s mental health.

In this episode we sit down with 14-year old, Anabelle Hedrick, to discuss how mental illness impacts young people. We touch on the importance of recognizing that mental health matters no matter how old we are, the interconnectedness of mental and physical health, how to begin to identify that we may be dealing with a mental health issue, and how to begin reaching out for help.

Anabelle Hedrick is a 14-year old student that lives in Wisconsin. Diagnosed with depression and anxiety, she wants to talk about the struggle of mental illness as well as maintaining mental health. She looks forward to being able to reach out to young people like herself to spark a conversation about mental health amongst young children and students alike.

In this episode we sit down with mindset coach, Kc Vu, in order to talk about imposter syndrome, it’s effects on people of color, how to know if you’re truly on the way towards unlocking your full potential, how to set healthy boundaries with loved ones who may be influencing your decisions in life, and specific strategies to become more self-aware.

KC Vu is a mindset coach, NLP practitioner & CEO of KC VU LLC. She helps female entrepreneurs master online confidence, their authenticity & purpose to impact lives WHILE being compensated for their gifts.

KC Vu was born in Japan of two Filipino parents before she was adopted into an American-Mexican family of 5. She talks about how imposter syndrome is conditioning that starts at a young age and what to do about it in order to reach your full potential.

Follow Kc Vu on instagram @kcvu_

Follow us at @letuslistenpodcast on instagram for updates. 

In this episode your hosts listen to the experiences of our very first guests: Aurora Flores and Quincy Ray from Waukegan, Illinois. During this informal conversation, we discuss the question of "How do we find our purpose in life?" in the midst of societal barriers, systemic oppression, and racial trauma. In this episode we use the term “white people” because for us it is difficult to talk about racism without naming white people. We also believe that everyone has a role within this racist system, so we all have learning and unlearning to do. In order to begin this process, we must get uncomfortable and really listen to POC’s experiences without getting defensive.
Quincy Ray Chantel is a local Waukegan artist, writer and entrepreneur. Inspired by his encounters moving through the world as a Black trans individual, he strives to use his creative skills to highlight the stories of those whose voices are often unjustly overpowered or dismissed.

Aurora Flores-Gaytan is a local Waukegan activist and racial healing practitioner starting her second year in college. Driven by her experiences as a queer, undocumented immigrant and the experiences of those around her, she spends her free time working to empower her community.

Hosts Victor & Maria bring you a solo episode in which they will reflect on feelings and thoughts that came up after releasing the first episode of this podcast. They will also discuss the need for difficult conversations about racial justice issues, whether or not there is a difference between being respectful and passionate during these conversations,  whether or not it is our responsibility as POC to educate others, and steps for how to continue being an ally to people of color.