Outrageous Love the Podcast: Our Journeys to Responsiveness

In April 2020, we launched the first episode of Outrageous Love the Podcast. We had no idea that 4 years and over 25,000 downloads later,  we we would be still launching. Thank you VABB nation! This episode celebrates 5 years of outrageous love and the over 40 educators who have shared their journeys to responsiveness with us. Thanks to all the previous guests. Your stories have been inspirational, educational, and enlightening. Th...

We continue our PRIDE series, celebrating educators who are LGBTQA+ and PROUD, serving as models and advocates for their students. In this final installment, we meet Theresa Hopkins. LGBTQA+ Advocate. Arts Teacher. Artist. Awesome. Hailing from St. Louis, Missouri, Theresa is a long time educator, who has been validating and affirming her students since the first day she walked into the classroom, over 25 years ago. She is always t...

We continue the highlighting and celebration of LGBTQIA+ CLR educators with Tsedale Forbes from the Ithaca City Schools. Tsedale identifies as non-binary (she/they) in an open, courageous, and inspiring way. Listen to Tsedale's journey from the Bronx, where the importance and value of advocacy was learned in a transformational way, to Ithaca where now as an educator she is empowering students to be advocates and courageous. Li...

Part of being CLR is that we don't wait on designated months to celebrate culture. We believe that culture should be celebrated 365, 24/7 and we encourage "random acts" of cultural celebration. This episode we celebrate PRIDE and our  LGBTQIA+ community. Authentically representing is Ana Bialsky from city of Lowell, Massachusetts near Boston. But what started out as a celebration became testimony of living and speaki...

Our December episode traditionally features a "non-educator" educator, meaning that we hear journeys of folks who are serving as educators outside of the system or in a different career. Have you ever walked into your job and just quit? Have you ever thought about "leaving the system" because you realize that nothing to little is going to change? You decide to fight another way. Meet someone who has.  LeDominque...

We round out the series, "Don't Call Me Karen," with Melissa Scadina, a CLR educator originally from San Jose, California. Melissa has been rolling with Dr. Hollie for over 15 years. Wherever she goes to teach, she has brought CLR with her, including her current stint in Brooklyn. Her story is an actual journey, not only metaphorical. If anybody embodies the spirit and purpose of CLRness, it is Melissa Scadina. Proof...

Meet Carrie Eicher, seasoned CLR educator and she is not a so-called Karen. Carrie Eicher's journey takes us from Minnesota to Great Britain back to Minnesota. In addition to international flavor, Eicher discusses her angle on the "Karen" phenomenon. As a white woman in education, she has had many vantage points that has led her to be insightful about her privilege and yet being a woman she has experienced sexism. Al...

We end the "make up series" by going back to the random audience participant series in May and June. Our very special random audience participant is Jessica Waters from Providence, Rhode Island. Jessica has an incredible and very engaging journey to responsiveness. Her story is so fascinating that we don't want to give anything away. We promise that you will be moved and inspired by the story.  Listen right now. Don&...

We are going back to go forward. Back to the Sizzling Hot CLR Educators series from earlier this year. What a better way to start the year than with a model example of the CLR mindset and skillset. Kaila Dickey from Taos, New Mexico via Texas is our featured guest.  We missed Kaila in January and February so we decided to try again.  Join Kaila on her journey to responsiveness, which mixes rock climbing and the preciseness of data ...

You asked for it. You got it. This episode was your chance to call-in and ask those burning questions about CLR, VABB, race, or whatever was on your mind. Dr. Hollie takes 5 calls from educators from across the country and gives what he considers to be patented responses to commonly asked questions. The answers to these questions bear repeating again and again because many folks are thinking the same but do not have the opportunity...

OTLP is kicking off the official start of summer with a hot episode. We are continuing the "Random" CLR Participant series. This time, we hear the journey of Dana Perez, Connecticut's Assistant Principal of the Year.  Dana was brave enough to step up and volunteer to be our guest and we are honored to have her join us. She shares two compelling stories in her walk that will not only surprise you but will inspire you ...

This episode takes OTLP to a place it has not gone before. Dr. Hollie, your host, asked for volunteers to be guests on the podcast during a recent presentation New York with the Transfer Schools. Two random folks in the audience took him up on the offer. These are first timers to the VABB approach and they only had 2 days of learning with Dr. Hollie. The first brave person is Jazmin Rivera-Polanco, principal at Bronx Haven High Sch...

Welcome to our 4th year of honoring and sharing outrageous love to CLR educators and their journeys to responsiveness. We begin season four with Dr. Hollie's annual personal episode, where you get a quick look into the personal life of your host. This time, Dr. Hollie is celebrating 45 years of friendship with Gerald Luke. They have been friends since 4th grade! What a blessing! Part of the celebration is hearing Gerald's...

This episode culminates the "Sizzling Hot" series with an educator from Minnesota. Ashley Acosta, newly appointed Supervisor of DEI in the South Washington County Schools, tells us her journey to responsiveness from the perspective of a Mexican American who grew up in area where there were very few people who looked like her. Ashley also provides insight on the importance of being student-centered in all that we do in our...

Our Outrageous Love "balloon" lands in the "Show Me" state, Missouri.  Parkway Schools in St. Louis to be exact. And what we see are two sizzling hot CLR educators. Elize Meyers and Toni Dwiggins, who share a lot in common - both teachers in Parkway, both Missourians, both had similar light bulbs moments in relation to the murder of Michael Brown, and both passionate about their equity/CLR work. They also have a...

We are taking the journey to responsiveness to the Pacific Northwest in Everett, Washington specifically. There, we meet two "sizzling hot" CLR cadre members (educators). What is a CLR cadre member? Listen in and find out. The first cadre member is Jennifer Caione who serves as an instructional coach and is bringing her passion for students and equity work together in her CLRness.  The second cadre member is 5th grade tea...

This episode will bring a little joy, cheer, wisdom, and inspiration to the end of your year. Renowned expert and author, Dr. Cruz takes us to Ecuador, Pico Union, Lucky Grocery store, and the work of Shel Silverstein. All of that on top of a keen, wise perspective as it applies to what makes for fearless leadership. Luis offers us insight from his best selling text,  Time For Change: Four Essential Skills for Transformational Lead...