Soul SiStories
Soul SiStories was born out of a mutual desire to bring forward hope and healing through sharing our lived experiences. Hope is embracing life despite adversity. Hope is our reason.
Soul SiStories
Empowering Change: Lisa Greathouse on Activism, Hope, and Community
Lisa Greathouse joins us on Soul Sisteries to illuminate the often-unseen power of community activism. As a passionate advocate and educator, Lisa candidly shares her journey of inspiring tangible change within her local school district. She challenges us to rethink our roles in activism, encouraging everyone to engage, whether through voting or creating inclusive environments in our daily lives. Lisa brings a unique perspective shaped by her Brooklyn roots and journalism background, driving home the message that embodying kindness and love in our actions can transform educational settings and communities at large.
We venture into the pivotal moments that sparked Lisa's fervent commitment to activism, from her high school experiments to opposing Proposition 8 in California. Her story is one of resilience and courage, highlighting the importance of using one's voice against injustices. Lisa's experiences in journalism and community activism reveal the crucial role of public education as a cornerstone for equality, urging us to improve rather than dismantle it. We explore how her personal history and family influences have shaped her dedication to advocating for truth and justice.
Our conversation doesn't shy away from the challenges faced in activism, especially in public education. Lisa shares her journey of running for the school board amidst personal hardship, underscoring the power of hope and community engagement. We delve into the pressing need for fostering media literacy and supporting educators under pressure. With a heartfelt reflection on the power of hope and love, we invite listeners to connect with Lisa's inspiring story and be motivated to make a difference in their own communities. Join us as we celebrate the transformative power of sharing stories and fostering connections that inspire meaningful change.
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Welcome to Soul Sisteries.
Speaker 2:I just want to say this is fun for me because I've known Lisa for a long time obviously not to the extent you know Lisa and have interacted with her, but I learned a lot more about her than I knew and about what she's doing and really the difference she is making in the community is incredible.
Speaker 1:Right, I mean, don't you just like, oh my God, I'm so impressed by you, you're amazing and she is. And she's so humble, you know, and she, you know, to inspire other people as well. This is, quote, unquote just a mom, quote unquote, just a woman right out there in the world. She's a person like you who stands up, steps up and speaks and does it again and again, so anyone can do this. And right, isn't that that thing that we think sometimes there's some magic behind those who are doing big things in the world and important things in the world. And sure, some people have a leg up. Some people start in sort of you know, some people start in sort of you know, a position of some entitled type of space that exists, but for the most part, people are doing the things or they're they're doing it.
Speaker 2:Lisa even said that she knows she comes from a place of privilege that allows her to be able to be involved at the level that she's involved in. But that wasn't always the case. She was involved at a different level and we can all be involved at some level. And it's interesting when I hear what she's doing, I think, oh, what am I doing? At what level can I you know I'm very busy what level can I participate in these different you know, activist roles?
Speaker 1:I guess I mean a vote, at the very least right. We all can vote, and that is one of the things we see at the polls where we have certain low percentages, people come out and vote, and particularly come out to vote in these local elections. These things that really do impact your immediate experience and those of your immediate community, of course, support those larger elections as well. But, my goodness, votes matter.
Speaker 2:Right and you know, having been next to the school district that Lisa's, you know next to the school district that Lisa's worked with a while and getting to hear how things have changed over the years and how things are going in that district right now. As a parent, I would be very excited to have her in the classroom and, like you said, it's not to push any agenda except for to teach the kids what they're supposed to be learning, but that my kid and all the other kids in the classroom were in a safe place where they were all accepted for who they are. They didn't have to be anything that they're not in order to be given the same access to education, the same, you know, the same love in the classroom.
Speaker 1:Yeah, you know it's interesting that word safe space, when it comes to schools, has been contorted here and elsewhere. To me, like I, really it's so hard to grasp this particular twisting and turning. But something about well, no, only the home should be a safe space, so we can't use that term any place else, because then we're taking it away from the home. I think, well, holy moly, I want my kids safe at school and at work, and at home and out on the freeway. I would like it all to be a safe space. So I have a very hard time understanding that particular contortion. I don't really think when they use it that's not really sincere. What it is that they're saying certainly doesn't sound it. It sounds like it's sort of a mask of something they're saying something else Even there was some talk about.
Speaker 2:You know, treat others how you want to be treated and use kindness. I forget what the other things were offhand, but you know we have all these stories of you know. Let's put the 10 commandments in the classroom. How about we put these things that really show that we are being a loving environment for the kids in the classroom?
Speaker 1:Yeah, Like, how about maybe just living some of those spiritual truths that we're wanting to put forward? Now, in all honesty, how about just living some of those Right? Using that modeling? I sort of thought the whole you know what would Jesus do thing was that. I think that was about the let's love, love, love and accept and just keep on loving. I am so grateful, as I said, to know our guest Lisa personally and to call her my friend, but I'm so grateful that she's doing this work in the world too and is a real teacher and model about how we stay involved and active for the greater good. It's a beautiful thing.
Speaker 2:She's brought that Brooklyn girl into the mix, right, yeah, I'm not going to stop her, she's. That's an interesting thing. She commented on the the thicker skin of being from Brooklyn, and there's, you know, obviously we've heard that over the years, yeah, but being being the daughters of the Brooklyn born and family.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, we get it All right. Well that was. That was so great. I'm so excited for everybody to hear all that Lisa has to say Good stuff. Welcome everyone to this session of Soul Sisteries, our wonderful podcast, where I'm here with my fabulous sister I'm Donna Rice, I'm Diana Herwick and you know we've been sisters forever, soul sisters always and here to talk today to the fabulous, the wonderful, the one and only Lisa Greathouse, longtime friend of mine. I am really honored and delighted to say.
Speaker 1:Let me tell you a little bit about Lisa. Lisa is a native New Yorker. New York is a big part of her heart and soul. She is a longtime journalist, worked for many years with the AP and has been writing, always, writes in many formats, and at the heart of really how she lives and how she meets the world is she is somebody who takes action in her community. She is an activist who is really looking and working for the greater good and puts herself forward in the community. In that way she's a great mother and in her professional life she brings this flavor of taking action and making a difference always to whatever she does. So I hope I said that right and well, but welcome. Welcome, lisa.
Speaker 3:We're so glad you're here with us today. That was such a kind introduction, donna. Thank you so much, so happy and honored to be here with you and Diana. So thank you for inviting me.
Speaker 2:Yay, and it's great to see you. Lisa, I know I don't know you as well as Donna, but I've known you for many years also, so it's great to have you here. I know one of the things Donna shared is your involvement in the community, and you know community activism, and I'm just wondering, as we get started, if you can just tell us a little bit about how you developed, I guess, that mindset for community activism. Were you born with it? Have you always done it? Did it come about through your journalism?
Speaker 3:about through your journalism. Yes, to all of those, really. I would say that when I was in high school, a particular class really stood out to me. It was a social studies class. I remember Mr Siegelman I think I was 10th grade perhaps, and he did't experiment. I think probably a lot of listeners have had similar kinds of classes to this where he wanted to make a point about discrimination and he set the class up to say if you have brown eyes, you sit over here. If you have blue eyes, you sit over here. If you have green eyes, you sit over there. And he then it went through and he said you know, if you have brown eyes, you're really not. Your grades are not as good as you're not as smart as this other group with blue eyes. And he went through and then he had everyone switch. And so it was such a great lesson about the randomness of discrimination in our society and it stuck with me to my core and I remember that triggering some interest in some other things and getting involved in some clubs and getting involved in the student newspaper, and I don't really remember exactly what triggered what, but I've been writing for first in high school, then in college, for the student newspaper throughout that time and getting more and more involved.
Speaker 3:And then in college on the radio station, doing the news on the radio station and looking for those stories that help to symbolize a lot of social issues that were going on. But really you know, when you're a journalist you cover everything. So I would say that when I joined the Associated Press I wouldn't say that I was particularly politically active, because really you couldn't be. When you're working as a professional journalist you kind of keep that part of your life separate. You want to be as objective and get to the core of being as truthful as you can, without a bias in whatever it is that you're covering. But definitely being a journalist for that 10 or 12 years, definitely being a journalist for that 10 or 12 years, excluding all of what I did in college and high school those things get you to see the world, I think, in a particular way where you're noticing more ways in which people are discriminated against and seeing how government works or doesn't work, seeing corruption, seeing all of these different things and really wanting to act on it. But the best you can do at that time is tell stories. You're reporting, you're telling the truth, you're trying to expose and inform and really just educate the public as best you can about those things.
Speaker 3:I would say that the first time I really my first foray into I would say, local activism came in probably 2008. And both of you may remember, prop 8 was on the ballot and that would basically have amended the state constitution to ban same-sex marriage. And I remember seeing in the paper that our local school board was going to introduce a resolution advocating for Prop 8. So they were in the resolution. They were talking about how awful homosexuality is and we shouldn't be exposing our children to any of this and this is going to ruin the fabric of our society and how detrimental it was. They were trying to tie it to education and really more about kids. We shouldn't be exposing them to homosexuality. This is terrible for them to think that this is normal.
Speaker 3:So I was looking at those stories and thinking what, this is our school board, what are you doing? And so that was when and I think, donna, we probably had discussions about it back then. I know we did, I know we did, yeah, and I was just like how is this part of their purview? Like, what does this have to do with that? That was part of it. And then you were also simultaneously appalled that your community and you know we were seeing all of this yes, on Prop 8 signs all around our community that were being distributed by our local megachurch, and so all of those things combined I went to the school board meeting and that was my first time speaking about something and I mean I remember people booing and.
Speaker 3:But then you'd find your kind of core group of people, some of who were as outraged as I was, and going to speak about this. So you kind of start finding your community and it was fascinating. It was very eye opening in in many, many ways because I was learning about more about the conservative nature of this part of Southern California that I just really wasn't expecting and paying attention to a school board that was filled with people who were kind of hand selected by this megach church and funded by them to get elected. So that was kind of my first entry into what I guess was community activism. I wouldn't have called it that at the time. It was just one person standing up and saying what the hell is this?
Speaker 1:Right, absolutely, and doing so, I mean, here's part of the magic your clarity of understanding honed over many years, so you had a purposeful voice in your speaking at that time and ever since. And that, and just the boldness in taking that on and willingness to be, I guess, a target for other perspectives in order, while you speak, truth.
Speaker 3:Yeah, thank you, and that goes a little bit back to that whole New York attitude and, in keeping with the theme here, having two older sisters who also are bold and you know one of them is a school board member in another community and you know us kind of going through our lives and not taking a whole lot of BS from people.
Speaker 1:So there's part of that too is that it goes back to sort of how you were raised about speaking up when you saw something that wasn't right, and that's what I've always known about you, my friend, is that you know, if there is an injustice, you're going to speak up, you're going to call it like it is, with simplicity, with love, with professionalism, with care, human to human, which are going to be really clear and direct.
Speaker 1:I want to interject something else, and I know we really want to talk to you, but I want to say out loud for the record you know I've known you more than 20 years. You're one of those. I moved into my little neighborhood here, one of the first people I met, and instantly we became friends, very like-minded. I just I have so much respect for you and you truly are when we talk about just good people in the world. That's you, that's how you live your life, it's who you are and you do everything with so much integrity and it's just a heart of love and goodness for humankind. That is absolutely who you are and without question. And so I'm just like I'm saying that out loud right now for the record, declaring the absolute truth of that.
Speaker 3:That's so kind of you. And back at you, my friends, I can't say enough, but yeah, thank you so much.
Speaker 1:Love you, pal, love you so much, so yeah, so let's, let's talk more to you, though. Get more from you what you have to say, that's what we want to know.
Speaker 2:More to you, though get more from you what you have to say. That's what we want to know Before we started talking. I know Donna had asked you know kind of what is your? You know how do you find hope? Hope through what? And it was this idea of community activism.
Speaker 3:It sounds like a lot of work and a lot of headache and a lot of pain to go through that. So I'm curious how do you find hope through that? It's a loaded question, for sure, and let me first say that I feel incredibly privileged to have a life that allows me to get as involved as I do, because I know I hear from so many people in our community and outside our community who say I want to do what you're doing. I just you know they may have young kids at home, they may be working two jobs, they don't have the time to do it. And what I always say is you do whatever it is that you can, and if it's just getting to the polls or filling out your mail-in ballot at home, if that is all that you have time to do, that's what you do. Make a couple of phone calls or go canvassing with us for candidates that we really believe in, or write postcards to send out in your community to advocate for a particular candidate or an issue, then do that. My daughter lives in New York now and she went to a postcard writing party the other day and didn't even tell me about it before she went, just mentioned that she was doing it and I was so proud of that because she's doing what she can do.
Speaker 3:And you know what, once you get your feet wet and you feel like you're making a difference, there is nothing more contagious than that. Because if you feel like you've even reached one voter and you maybe touch their heart and their minds about an issue or about a candidate, there's nothing that gets you more motivated than that. And then the next year, when maybe you have a little bit more time, you can do more. You can go walking with a candidate, you can get involved, you can write a letter to the editor. There are a million things that people can do, but sometimes they need a little bit of guidance.
Speaker 3:People say I want to write a letter to the editor of our local newspaper. How do I even do that? And there are people in your community who are there waiting to help with that and to go to the concept of hope. Oh my gosh. I mean it sounds cliche, but the young people today are motivating. Two years ago I ran for school board, as you both know, and I ran unsuccessfully, unfortunately. But I met a bunch of students. Some of them were advocating hard for LGBTQ issues. Some of them are advocating because they know we have teachers in our district that are leaving our district because of the political climate in our district. There's a whole host of reasons for them to get involved, but those kids are so smart and so motivated and just so ready to make a difference in the world, it know. It really just makes you excited about the future and makes you hopeful about the next generation and then really being able to perhaps have a little bit more success than our generation did in what we think is being on the right side of history, basically.
Speaker 1:Yeah, absolutely. I agree with you so wholeheartedly being with and working with these very impassioned young people who see clearly what the right path is this place of love and acceptance, and just things in right order, right alignment is really.
Speaker 1:It's just beautiful and very empowering and hopeful for sure. Yeah, yeah, Well, thank you, Thank you for that. Couldn't have said that better. That's absolutely gorgeous. What do you think? So, on your own journey as a young person and you spoke to this a little bit but I'd love to know, I'd love to know more and more specifically, what do you think really brought you to this moment, this time in your journey? What you know, what is it that kind of not just made you but, like, made this so important for you to speak in this way now?
Speaker 3:Yeah, there, you know there's so many issues right now that I know both of you understand we want to be fighting for reproductive rights. We want to be fighting for you know fairness and election integrity. We want to be fighting for so many things. But I think the issue that touches me the most, and I know is really important to you too, is public education, and you know I'm a product of public schools back in Brooklyn. You know my kids went to public schools. I know that that is not the case with the two of you, but obviously you have a ton of experience with your kids going to public schools and you know I always go back. I was an educator in public schools. We're an educator. You're both educators. Yes, you know, I think, even though I was never a teacher, I am substitute teaching. Now it's out there in the community what a danger I am.
Speaker 1:Oh my God, the kids should be so lucky to have you as the sub, please.
Speaker 3:I mean, you know, and I take it very seriously when I go into stuff, absolutely do yeah, but I will say that you know and I heard Tony Thurman, who is our superintendent of public instruction, in in California now I heard him talk about this not long ago and it kind of reminded me of the quote of public education being the great equalizer. And you know, we all know, that you know, no matter where you grow up or what neighborhood you are, if you're going to a public school, and you know we have a long way to go. It's not like our public schools are perfect, but this is the closest that we have to really be giving everyone that level playing ground and let's start at the same place, whether it is with TK and getting kids, you know, in transitional kindergarten here in California, getting kids to school early so they have that great foundation. Again, it's it's not perfect and it's not equal all over. You know, where do the best teachers want to teach? Do they want to teach in the poorest neighborhoods or do they want to go to the affluent neighborhoods? You know so we know, that this is not a perfect system by any means. There are so many things that you know are inequalities in how kids grow up, but public education is something that we can't turn our back on and over the years and it really this. This started many, many years ago, which people don't realize, but I remember as a journalist in the 80s covering this issue of of private vouchers.
Speaker 3:There is a big segment of our society who would like to close down, as is in Project 2025, close down the Department of Education and let's have all of taxpayer funds that are going to education. Let's just give them to families and let those families decide where their kids want to go to school and they can take them to, you know, whatever religious school that they want. They can take it to a school that is, you know, just teaching one thing and not giving kids a broad based education. They can select where they want their kids to go to school. Perhaps in a perfect world, something like that could make sense, but I don't want to pay for any child to go to a school that I know is preaching hate or preaching discrimination, or not allowing in Black kids, or maybe kids with a disability, or maybe, you know, there's a whole host of reasons why this would not work and would create uh, I would just be very, very detrimental, I think, for our society. So I kind of feel like this is.
Speaker 3:What I'm fighting for is to preserve and improve public education. It's why I wanted to be on the school board is because I saw lots of opportunities. Why don't we have, you know, foreign language in all of our elementary schools? You know, why don't? There's a whole host of things that are. Why don't we have better vocational training in our high schools and set the kids who don't want to go to college or that was never part of their plan? Let's get them on great career paths as well and give them the tools that they need. There's a million things that we can do to really improve our public education system, but it's all about setting priorities, because obviously there's a limited number of funds, so you kind of have to set those priorities.
Speaker 3:I see a tremendous potential in improving public education with the right priorities, or at least what I think are the right priorities. But I know what's not the right priority is what our school board and school boards across this country are doing, which is using culture wars to get people riled up. Which is using culture wars to get people riled up so they think, you know, the transgender kids are the enemy, or that you know a book that mentioned sex in it in our high schools has to be ripped off the shelves, like, let's ban all of these books that maybe say something that my pastor wouldn't allow, you know. So it's these kinds of things that are so worth fighting for, in my opinion, that I almost can't take my eye off the ball that is public education. But believe me behind the scenes donating where I can and getting involved where I can on all of these other issues that if there were more hours in the day I would be on a lot of other soapboxes as well.
Speaker 1:So that, really that exactly what you just said, really speaks to something for those who are really looking to maintain a sense of hope in their lives, those who kind of have that heart for activism, for making a difference, really having an impact. There's a certain weariness that can come about seeing all the challenges, the ills of the world and wanting to make a difference and all, and it becomes debilitating. So exactly what you were saying is how do we maintain hope through that? And I think you answered it and that you find that calling that thing that you, you know you go in all in there in as much as you can and support others, support others in ways that you can, but you can't be all things to all of these issues and also still, let's face it, have a life like have your own life and your own well-being. A caretaker needs to care first for themselves, right? All of us the air mask on first principle right to what your life is.
Speaker 3:At that moment, when I was running for school board in 2022, I was working full-time at a really demanding job. I was commuting a couple of hours a day. My kids, fortunately, are doing really well and have moved out of the house, so it's not like I'm a young parent. But at the same time, I was dealing with a lot of stuff. I was going through a divorce at the time. I was.
Speaker 3:I was handling a lot of stuff in my life when I was running and you know what I made time for it. I made time to go out canvassing every single weekend. We were walking and walking. I mean, you know you, you hosted an event for me. So you know, I mean it was just a constant thing when you're running for office.
Speaker 3:It's the same thing just with being, you know, involved in your community. You make the time for the things that are really important to you. And you know, right now I have a life that you know I'm semi-retired and I'm able to devote more time to it. But you know, back in those days when you know, just a couple of years ago, when I was juggling all that, I was probably putting in as many hours as I am now. Really, I just am not quite as exhausted as I was two years ago when I was running for office. But I'm campaigning, as you know, for for a couple of other candidates who are running for school board right now, and I'm supporting some congressional campaigns and some other races as well. Motivates you and touches your heart and you know you're fighting for what you truly believe is best for the students and families of your district, of your community. You find the time somehow.
Speaker 2:You find the time, you find the energy, and I think that's when you when through this community activism. I think the piece where hope comes in is knowing, believing and knowing that you can make a difference, that the time and energy you put into this fight is to make a difference for so many other people. Not for your kids, because your kids are out of school now, but for their kids, for the children in your community, the kids that are still in your neighborhood, and being able to help create kind of that culture, that environment that you really see for them to hold out that little bit of hope that it can make the difference. I think that is what keeps you pushing for change in your own district, then, of course, at the state level and beyond.
Speaker 3:And that's such a good point, because we hear that all the time when we're canvassing door-to-door, diana is. People will say, oh, you know, my kids are older, they're out of the district now, and that is such a I don't want to sound condescending, but it's a teachable moment. It's that moment where you say my kids are out of the district for many years. But the truth is, public education affects all of us, even on the very kind of basic level. It affects your property values. Don't you care about your neighbor's kids who are in school, and don't you care about your you know your nieces and nephews and just about your community?
Speaker 3:Public education is such a core piece of our democracy, making sure we have well-educated, well-rounded young people who are going to grow up to be, you know, productive adults in our society. It's just such a basic to me that. But you know, a lot of people just don't think that far and that's not like right. Like we were saying, life happens and people are dealing with getting by day to day. They're not really thinking about that. But as soon as you say that, there's usually like that light bulb moment where they say, well, yeah, public education is important to me too, and so it's a matter of connecting with them on that level.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:Yeah. So I think another thing that we need to mention as you're talking, lisa, is that all of this that you've been doing, it's got to be and you can speak to this it's got to be this cause that you're holding at the forefront, that is supporting you as you work through some pretty heavy criticisms and commentary. That I can say as somebody who knows you I'm appalled, human to human, that some people would say the things that they're saying, but also, knowing you, how contrary these things are to you. They're absolutely made up nonsense coming from somewhere and some pretty hateful stuff coming from somewhere and some pretty hateful stuff, but yet you stay the course and you keep fighting the fight and you keep speaking with grace and integrity. What is it? How is it? How do you find that drive? Talk to us a little bit about that. Well, first I'll go back to Brooklyn. Yeah, it all starts in Brooklyn, my friends.
Speaker 3:You know, after a while, it's that whole thing of consider the source right. When you get some of these nasty things said to you, I always say consider the source. And I say that to the candidates who are running, who are getting trolled online. The other person who was running, who was the president of the school board at the time, and myself we were, you know, not exactly a slate, but we were sort of a slate. We were getting death threats and you know there are really disgusting things going on out there.
Speaker 3:And you know, to this day, as I showed you the other day, donna, you know I get called all kinds of names by the folks on the other side and I really try not to engage with them. I just that's what they want. You know you come out of board meetings and they're there with a camera in your face trying to egg you on calling you names, you know, because they want to get a rise out of you and they want to have something that they can post. Get a rise out of you and they want to have something that they can post. So I try not to lower myself to that level. I really try to stay.
Speaker 3:You know, I want to be able to look in the mirror at the end of the day and be proud of the way that I responded to something, or you know, I never want to have something I said come back at me and feel ashamed of that. So that's one thing. I always keep my kids in mind. They always say you know, your kids are watching. And I just turn around and I say my kids are proud of me and they're proud of what I stand for and I hope your kids are proud of what you stand for. But I don't really mean that.
Speaker 1:So your kids are incredibly proud of you and awed by the work that you do. You're such a model and I know I know personally from them how incredibly proud they are of you.
Speaker 3:That's very kind, and I and I know that there were times when they were in high school and I was up talking at the school board and a teacher, one of their teachers, would say something to me. I know that they were kind of embarrassed and you know, of course, probably saying like mom, do you really have to get out there every school for me? But you know what they understood, that it was important to me and that I was doing it for them but for all of the other students out there too, and the teachers and the staff members, and so you know that gives me more pride. When I see my kids starting to get involved and start to try to make a difference, then you're like, oh, they really were watching.
Speaker 2:So yeah, go ahead. I was going to comment because you shared that your daughter went to the postcard writing party. So clearly you've inspired her to step into this at whatever level she can be active right now. Who inspires you, then? Oh?
Speaker 3:my gosh. Like I said earlier, the kids inspire me so much. I have just been so inspired by some of these young people, but also the teachers. The teachers in our district have been under fire from this particular school board and I'm sorry that I'm hammering so much on our school board, but you know they got threatening letters. They're being told you can't have a pride flag or a sign that says a safe space in my class. They're being instructed to take those down. Their free speech is being impacted. They are being.
Speaker 3:Everything that they say and do is being scrutinized so intently that they can't even really focus on their job to teach. So these teachers, when they come up to me and they're sharing stories, or they come up and they thank me for something that I said at a board meeting, or they tell me you know I'm starting to apply in other districts because I just I want to stay the course. Really, my heart just breaks for them. But they also inspire me because we have plenty of teachers who are getting involved and saying we are going to change things here. We're going to get back to a place where our focus can be on teaching and we're not going to be accused of grooming or indoctrinating or all of these ridiculous things that they're being accused of. They're being called demons. Really, you're calling our teachers demons. We have fantastic teachers in this community, of course, all over, but just because I know so many of the teachers here and I have a huge heart for what they go through, I don't know that there's a tougher job out there, and so I just really am inspired by the ones who are like hitting the ground and saying we're going to work our tails off to get these candidates elected to our school board, to improve the conditions for our students, to make sure that the students who do need someone to talk to they know they can talk to. Teachers need someone to talk to, they know they can talk to teachers.
Speaker 3:And, like teachers are, as you know, you're providing like social services in some cases for kids who don't have anywhere else to go, and as much as we might like to say, oh, you know, we should always be directing kids to go home and talk to their. Of course we should. Of course we all want as much parental involvement as possible. Just a lot of these kids don't have that at home. They don't have someone who listened to them without, you know, perhaps being very harsh with them. You know where did the kid go to talk about an issue that they might be having at home? They're probably going to go to a teacher or maybe a principal or a counselor. Those are the people that we, you know that we should be trusting and not, you know, not blindly. We all want to get to know our teachers, but the truth is to demonize them, to demonize a teacher's union and all unions, is just talk about something that's dangerous for our society, and I would say that's among one of the top reasons I'm involved.
Speaker 1:Amazing. I mean. That's inspiring. All that you're sharing is so inspiring and we just feel the passion around that and honor you for following forward so wholeheartedly, for sure, in all of this. So, as you think about what got you here and all the parts that have created this sum and have brought you together, have they molded in you sort of a life philosophy or a life motto or something that you really hold as foundational, that you live by?
Speaker 3:Probably the thing that I say most often is live and let live. You know, who are we to judge the way as long as nobody is hurting anybody else in the way they live? Who are we to judge what's right or who somebody loves or whatever path they take? There is seems to be a faction of our community and our society in general that thinks that there's such a black and white way to live and you're wrong if you do this and you're right if you live this way. And you know, sometimes I feel frankly like that comes from organized religion and particular types of more extremist views on what people think Christianity is. But I never have understood how anyone can draw that line and say you're living the right way because you choose to live and marry and love somebody of this gender versus. I just never understood how anybody can make those kinds of judgments to anybody else and I just truly believe that unless you're hurting somebody else, you get to choose the life that you want.
Speaker 1:Absolutely, absolutely. You know, love one another as I have loved you, sort of that message right, like supposed to be a foundational tenant. So perhaps, perhaps we need to think about that.
Speaker 3:Yeah, right, and the golden rule, right, Like treat others the way you would like to be treated. And you know that's another one. I mean I did not really grow up with, you know, with going to to temple very often, but the truth is that I have imparted that upon my kids, just with all of the other morality lessons that I like to think that we teach over a child's childhood, and that's, you know, that's one of the main things is like, just because they're doing something that you don't like doesn't give you the right to criticize them and also treat them with respect as you would like to be treated. Yeah, so I think those things are good at any age, right? Good reminders.
Speaker 1:Absolutely For sure.
Speaker 2:So, lisa, if you think about your life, either where it's gone from or where it is today, is there a song that you could say would be your theme song?
Speaker 1:Oh boy, that is a tough one. It's that song that they play when you're walking out at the stage at that rally where you're the next speaker.
Speaker 3:It's your walk-up song.
Speaker 1:It's your walk-up song, that's it.
Speaker 3:I like that. That's right. Anything that I'm going to think of is going to be so cliche right now.
Speaker 1:Cliches or cliches for reasons that's right.
Speaker 3:That's right. You know, one of the songs that I have always loved and it really is not a walk-up song, to be honest is it's just a song that has touched me and I remember as a kid just really loving it is just you've got a friend, I love that song, it's got the whole.
Speaker 3:You know I listened to Carole King and James Taylor sing that together yeah, concert live, and it just it brought back just a flood of memories and just loving that concept that, no matter where, you are or what you might need, or where we have been in our lives and you know maybe I haven't talked to you in the longest time, but you've got a friend and you know you can call on me when you, when you need me.
Speaker 1:So we can draw a line. We'll make the you know, the obvious conclusion there. Draw that obvious line, which is exactly what you're talking about here. When you're down in trouble, you need a helping hand, but this is, this is how you've chosen to live your life, to be that friend. Also, I'm going to step up and I up and I am that friend. So you know, just calling out the obvious there. It makes sense. That is what you're talking about and I can see why. I mean it's a gorgeous song, but I can see why that's speaking to you in particular, because it matters to you. It does.
Speaker 3:It does and and and. Having friends like the two of you, you know that can get you through a lot of stuff in your life when you have good friends.
Speaker 1:You know my family is incredibly important, but a community of good friends there's nothing like that, yeah, when you know you're not alone in that sandbox, right, right, it makes all the difference. And a good laugh, because, god, if you don't have a good sense of humor about all of this, what is the point? Right, how do we get through humor? So important, that's right. Well, okay, pal. So so much good, so much good work already done and years of good work ahead. But you know, come that day when you move on, how do you hope that those who are here remember you, the old what's going to be on your tombstone question, I always loved that concept of the dash in the tombstone.
Speaker 3:That's where you live, your life is in that dash. I don't know that in the work that I've done that I really have made a difference. But I try, and so you know that whole concept is I've tried to make a difference. Right, you've tried to educate and you've tried. You know, I feel like through my work in journalism, I tried to inform, I tried to touch people with storytelling throughout my career, which is so important. But I really, in all of that, you're trying to make a difference. You're trying to touch hearts and minds and convey your values to others and hope that at least a piece of that maybe helps inspire somebody else.
Speaker 2:And you said you don't know if you've made the difference, but you know to try, that you've tried to make the difference and what you said earlier about you know when you're canvassing around the neighborhood and maybe you can share some new ideas with just one person, just one person who changes their vote. I promise you you've made a difference. So there's not just this trying that, there are multiple individuals that you have impacted, just even the way that you speak out at the school board meetings for children to know that there's somebody who's on their side, because for a lot of kids in the public school system they don't have anybody on there. It doesn't feel like they have anybody on their side because the other voice is so loud.
Speaker 1:Yes, yeah, and when you're sitting in those meetings and knowing that the individuals you're speaking to it's just going over their heads, it's nothing, but you are in fact speaking for all those in the audience who need to hear, the teachers and the students who hear that support, and that you are with them and that you're fighting the fight. I mean, my goodness, what a difference you make every day, and I can tell you personally you've made a huge difference in my life the gift of your friendship and also the modeling that I have of somebody with so much integrity, and I honor so much your voice and your willingness to speak out. So, in my own little world, a big difference, friend. So okay, mission accomplished.
Speaker 2:Yeah, I didn't know until today that you are now doing substitute teaching and I'm just thinking, like how blessed these kids are in the classroom with them, especially if they're kids that know what you've been fighting for, like how neat to have you step into the classroom. That's your walk-up song. I want that song to be played when you're walking into the classroom.
Speaker 1:Right, but of course also we need to say and I want to say, knowing you then as an educator in the classroom, that your purpose and your mission there would be the education. It's not to talk a different game, it's to support the education, the students. On that topic, what's before you to talk about? You know, social studies, math, whatever it is, we're gonna, we're gonna do that work and I know that to be true. Oh, 100%.
Speaker 3:You know a lot of people, you know got people who are on the other side of some issues, as I am, you know, got really hot and bothered by finding out that I was a substitute teacher and thinking, oh more indoctrination. No, I'm there, I'm there to follow the lesson plan that the teacher left and get to educating kids and actually had one kid at the high school a couple of weeks ago. Say to me, did you run for school board a couple of years ago? And I was so impressed, number one, that you know an 11th grader would have paid enough attention to see. You know, and put two and two together.
Speaker 3:And, believe me, she said to me something like oh well, you know, my parents had some questions about this election and I said you know what? I really can't talk about that here, you know, right, because we want to be so careful. So when the other side is saying you know indoctrination and you're all demons and you're the, the idea is so ludicrous, right? A teacher and even a lowly substitute like myself would ever abuse the privilege of being in a classroom to. You know try and you know say anything political it's, it's all so ridiculous.
Speaker 1:It is, and so, as any good teacher knows, it is ridiculous yeah.
Speaker 3:You're there to teach and that's what you're sticking to and you know you don't. You don't want to even get you know. If you want to. Here's a website you could. You know. Like right, like, read the newspaper but you do want it.
Speaker 1:Here's the thing you do want. You do want the kids to know that they are seen, that they are welcome, that this is a safe space to be who they are, yeah, and to learn and grow from this space. That's what you do want them to know, exactly. So if that's some indoctrination, okay.
Speaker 3:Another really important issue, because I have reached out to a couple of journalism teachers in our district and you know I'm going to be going into, I guess, be a guest speaker in one of their classes. But another reason why community activism is so important, probably more today than any other time, is because our, our media landscape is so different now. Reporters that would have been at all the school board meetings and have been, you know, doing some investigative reporters, perhaps investigative journalism, perhaps to a mega church that is buying up, you know, school board seats All of that is now gone. Like our, our journalists are just hanging on day to day getting done what they need to do, because there's like maybe half of them that there were before.
Speaker 3:So it takes a certain level of community activism to go out there and point out things to the community, whether it's on social media or writing letters to the editor or whatever it is to get out there and point out things that are just not being covered, not because our great journalists don't want to, it's because they don't have time.
Speaker 3:And it's like they're playing whack-a-mole because there's so much outrageous stuff going on every day locally and, of course, when you're talking about nationally as well, like there's so much happening every day and there just aren't the number of journalists to cover it all. And on top of that, look at all of the disinformation that's out there so much, and so really teaching kids how to differentiate between you know news that has, you know journalists with training and integrity and are from established institutions and integrity and are from established institutions, versus just some dude who's got a blog or just goes on social media and starts making up stuff. So how do you differentiate? Those things are more critical and not really just for kids, for adults too, and we're not doing a good enough job, I don't think teaching that. So there are so many levels to this and it's all intertwined Fair point.
Speaker 1:Fair point for sure. All right. So we're at the point where we need to pull it all together and what we like to do is a little. We call it rapid fire. It's just like answer with the first thing in your mind right, just a few little rapid fires and we'll bring this all. We'll bring this all home, yeah. So, sis, take it away.
Speaker 2:What color is hope?
Speaker 1:Blue- All right, what does hope sound like?
Speaker 3:It's a steady, low, beautiful sound of the ocean.
Speaker 2:Beautiful Fill in the blank. The soul is what.
Speaker 3:Forever, Love.
Speaker 1:Activism is Hope.
Speaker 2:Yeah, the meaning of life is love that original.
Speaker 1:Perfect and hope is Hope, is love too. Yeah, it all kind of comes back around, right. That's sort of the anchor, the focal of all of it Hope and love, a little hope and love For me, there's a reason Like you said.
Speaker 3:And love, a little hope and love For me. There's a reason like you said.
Speaker 1:There's a reason for cliches Absolutely, absolutely, and not a whole lot else matters. When all is said and done which I know is behind all this work that you do, because that's that's at the heart of this we don't have this, then what do we have Right? I can't thank you enough. We can't thank you enough for taking your time to be with us here and to speak so gorgeously, so eloquently on these really important matters, and I know that are so close to your heart. You are a gem. You're a gem personally. You're a gem in the world, and I and this community are so, so fortunate to have you.
Speaker 3:Oh well, my head grew three sizes. Thank you both so much. I'm so honored to be here with you and I'm so excited about your venture. I love your voices, and so I just thank you both for allowing me to take this platform and share some of my ideas.
Speaker 2:Thank you so much for joining us. I loved listening to you and it really does give me hope just hearing these stories, and then I just think you know how blessed I am that you're in my world. You know that I could reach out and touch you, which is very cool. So, yeah, thank you so much. Thanks, lisa.
Speaker 1:Absolutely Like. That's at the heart of it. I'm going to save this one last thing because I talk so much. At the heart of it, we're doing this because what we want to be part of these messages of hope, but this is what is filling us up as well. It's like, oh right, oh see, oh see, oh see. Yes, this is what's happening. This is the stuff, this is the good stuff, this is the real stuff. That is really yeah, this is why we're going to fly, we're going to keep flying.
Speaker 3:So yay team, I can't wait to listen to all of the other great messages that you're going to be providing a platform.
Speaker 1:Oh wonderful. Thank you, pal. Thanks for being here and thanks everyone for listening. We'll talk to you again soon. Thanks for joining us today on Soul Sisteries and thanks for sharing stories with us. We'd love to hear your stories as well and keep the conversation going, absolutely keeping the hope going. So we're really hopeful that you'll connect with our guests as well, who have great stories to share. Go ahead and follow them in various social media platforms or live venues, wherever it is that they're performing and sharing what they do.
Speaker 2:We would love to have you follow us on all of our social media platforms, subscribe and rate, as that will help us get our message of hope out to others. Thanks for listening to.
Speaker 1:Soul Sisteries.
