The Integrated Schools Podcast

Ten years after Nikole Hannah-Jones wrote about choosing an integrated school for her daughter, she's revisiting that decision through her now-16-year-old daughter's eyes, raising difficult questions about school choice, privilege, and the tension between what's best for our own children and what's best for all children. We're joined by Marian Dingle, a longtime educator and Black mother of two, and Jenny Devenny, a White mother and Integrated Schools NYC chapter leader, to reflect on Hannah-Jones's powerful new essay. Together, we explore what makes a school "good," how race shapes the choices families face, and what it means to stay committed to integration when the work gets complicated. One family can't fix a broken system. But our choices still matter. How wide can we draw the circle of children we consider "our kids"?

In this kickoff episode, we take stock of the national public education landscape, looking at civil rights rollbacks and privatization schemes alongside local opportunities like district boundary redraws aimed at reducing socioeconomic segregation. Most of all, we set our sights on the season ahead: tilling the soil for future systemic change, holding our link in the chain, and dreaming together about a truly just, multiracial education system. How are you holding your link in the chain this season, and what is your dream for the future of public education?

As we wrap up Season 12, we're reflecting on the conversations that sustained us through a year marked by uncertainty, challenge, and change. From belonging and disability justice to school closures, immigration raids, public education advocacy, and the lessons history offers us today, this season reminded us of the power of community and collective action. We also hear from listeners navigating school closures, parent organizing, and the everyday joys of integrated schools. Together, these stories remind us that while we can't predict what comes next, we can keep showing up for one another—and for all of our children.

On the 72nd anniversary of Brown v. Board of Education, Andrew and Dr. Val talk with Cecilia Marshall, granddaughter of Justice Thurgood Marshall and founder of the Thurgood Marshall Foundation. Together, they reflect on the families behind Brown, the sacrifices made in the fight for educational justice, and why public schools remain essential to democracy. Ms. Marshall shares personal stories about knowing Thurgood Marshall simply as “Grandpa,” the responsibility of preserving his legacy, and her vision for a traveling museum bringing civil rights and civics education to communities across the country. This conversation explores collective responsibility, the power of diverse public schools, and what it means to keep building bridges in a deeply divided moment.

What if accountability didn’t require public shaming? MacArthur “Genius” Dr. Loretta Ross joins us to talk about the power of “calling in”—a practice rooted in love, curiosity, and connection. From her personal journey through trauma and healing to her decades of justice work, Dr. Ross shows us how we can hold each other accountable without breaking our communities. A timely, necessary conversation about parenting, privilege, public schools, and the power of showing up as our best selves.