Rooted Dialogues — Season One Season One of Rooted Dialogues is a nine-episode, African-centered exploration of rites of passage, education, identity, history, and human development. Grounded in scholarship and community wisdom, this season examines how education functions—both as a tool for liberation and as a mechanism of control—and what it means to reclaim learning as a culturally rooted, humanizing process. Across the season, hosts Victoria Brown and LaVon Gordon, joined by Dr. Lathardus Goggins II, guide listeners through a deep dive into African-centered Rites of Passage and Education, unpacking the universal process of human development and its implications for educators, students, parents, communities, and scholars. The conversations move from theory to history, from critique to implication, and ultimately toward responsibility and action. Season One closes by reflecting on more than 25 years of African-centered educational work and setting the stage for what comes next—affirming that while this chapter has ended, the work continues. Rooted Dialogues - Where community, culture, and critical thought converge. Episode 1: An introduction to Rooted Dialogues, setting the purpose, tone, and African-centered framework for the conversations ahead. Episode 2: A foundational discussion on African-centered education, examining the duties of educators and the role of conscience in teaching and learning. Episode 3: The beginning of a deep dive into African-centered Rites of Passage and Education, introducing the text, its origins, and its core purpose. Episode 4: A focused exploration of the rites of passage model, unpacking its stages, structure, and transformative potential for youth development. Episode 5: An examination of sense of self, identity, and consciousness, and how mis-education shapes academic experiences for African-descended students. Episode 6: A historical and structural analysis of American schooling, tracing how narratives of Black inferiority continue to shape education and outcomes. Episode 7: A discussion of the implications of African-centered rites of passage for educators, students, families, communities, and scholars. Episode 8: A 25-year reflection on African-centered educational work, examining SEL, trauma-informed practices, power, and the limits of reform without culture. Episode 9: The Season One finale, closing the circle with reflections on purpose, intention, responsibility, and the work ahead. Rooted Dialogues is a production of Saint Rest Publications — Where Community, Culture, and Critical Thought Converge Visit us at Afrocentric.Info/SaintRest to explore more from Saint Rest Publications.
