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Hello, hello to all the folks out there.

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My name is Melvette Hill and I'm here with my colleague, Zulema Gomez, and we're here for

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the Brave and the Bold podcast, a parent leader podcast at that.

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So much is happening in the world today.

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I first probably should say that we are here as parent leaders first in our many roles.

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I'm also here to represent the National Parent Leadership Institute as a policy consultant.

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And also I wear a hat in the state of Connecticut at a commission.

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And Zulema, welcome, come on in.

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Hi, this is Zulema Gomez.

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I am the director of implementation at the National Parent Leadership Institute and a

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proud parent leader in my own community as well.

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I'm happy to be here.

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We have a lot to talk about that you have been very busy.

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Melvette, where do we start?

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Well, last night there was a debate.

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There was a presidential debate.

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Ironically before even the conventions, there was a debate between former president Donald

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Trump and current president, Joseph Biden.

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Yes.

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So interesting.

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There was no audience.

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Different rules of engagement this time.

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But I love that there was a debate because debates are part of our democratic process.

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What did you, what do you think, Zulema?

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Sitting with you after the debate.

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I think the most interesting thing about this process is it is an important process for

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those of us who are engaged in the voting process, paying attention to policies that

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either of these candidates are sharing.

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I think it is also important to say that we just didn't hear much of that at this debate.

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And how much it informed policy, I don't know.

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I think both have enough of a track record to inform our decisions as candidates.

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And so these debates in the democratic process, I think that is debatable is how much this

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really impacts.

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However, I think it is important, especially for those of us in PLCI, to really look at

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how debate itself and the skill of having some back and forth and talking about all

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types of different civic issues, how that is important to them in the process.

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And how much we value the learning of civic debate in PLCI.

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And it is hard to do.

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I mean, we saw we have two, you know, former president, current president who struggle

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at the skill of debate.

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And it's hard, but it is something to continue to hone and refine as civic leaders and as

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parent leaders specifically.

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Yeah, I thought it was interesting.

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Debating is a skill and some people do it very well.

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Others not so much.

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And depending on what the day is and what's happening, right, you can either have a great

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performance or not so great performance.

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But I think this is the first debate.

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I believe that they said with a former and a sitting president.

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So interesting.

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I was like, wow, that's fun facts for the folks.

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But I like a good debate.

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I wasn't so excited about this last one based on the things that you said, right?

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Was this really a show of democratic process?

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You know, we went through the motions.

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We all, you know, we watched those who watch.

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We saw what we saw.

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I'm hoping for something else next time around.

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But onward we march into other news.

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There's so much happening.

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There's so much happening.

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Yes, you know, before we started recording this, we were talking about all of the decisions

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made by the Supreme Court, not just this week, last week and this whole legislative season,

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really.

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And there are definitely some troubling things that are coming out and decisions that are

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coming out.

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Some harmful, harmful decisions for us as parent leaders to pay attention to.

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I know specifically as a parent leader, especially as I'm hearing some of these decisions around,

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you know, like presidential immunity or who gets to dictate policy or who has certain

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rights, it can feel a little bit disempowering.

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And I sometimes tend to feel very powerless.

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Like, what can I do if the highest court in the land has made decisions like this?

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And I know that that's the temporary feeling, but it's a very real feeling for me.

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You know, you're also a leader, Melvette.

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You're also a parent.

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And I don't know what these moments sort of feel like for you.

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And like, how do we how do we act?

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What do we do about all of this?

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I don't know.

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Where are you with it?

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I think with some of the recent rulings and considering what could be happening over the

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next decade with our Supreme Court, the Supreme Court of the United States, I think the idea

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of balance of power and why we have three branches of government is super important.

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It's really important for people to understand the balance of power and the division of power.

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But also, it makes me a little concerned where we see some of the decisions coming out of

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the Supreme Court, but also who's checking the Supreme Court?

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Right.

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And so we have all of these standards and codes of conduct across the legislative branch

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and the executive branch.

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And those those leaders, those elected leaders are held accountable for things.

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But who is holding the Supreme Court of the United States accountable for their actions

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and for their behaviors and for their conduct?

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And I think that I'm coming to this realization this year that they're holding themselves

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accountable.

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And really, is that the best thing to do?

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Is it fair in our democracy when we talk about democratic process?

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Is this really the right thing to do when others are held accountable by other branches?

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So I just wonder about that.

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That's what I'm sitting in a little bit as we move forward and see some decisions that

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might be surprising to some, not to others.

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And some might feel like they're aligned with their values.

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I just question some of the things that are happening around holding the justices accountable

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for their behavior.

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Yeah, I know your question was rhetorical.

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Like, is it fair?

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I'm just going to go ahead and say, like, no.

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No, it is not fair.

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And we know that the rules established around this decision making body were rules that

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were written hundreds of years ago.

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And I think it's always important to reevaluate.

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Do we still hold these values around accountability?

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Who gets to check some of these processes in democracy?

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And I think as citizens, we need to begin to really consider how we initiate the process,

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not just around the Supreme Court, but anything that is impacting our lives.

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How do we initiate the process of amendment and change to some of these very old laws

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that are still governing our day to day lives as some of these decisions have very serious

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impact on our day to day lives, right, and our rights?

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Yeah, absolutely.

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I mean, it is scary.

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I will say that, you know, you and I were together physically together in San Francisco

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the day of that major Supreme Court decision two years ago to overturn Roe v. Wade.

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And I remember that same feeling, the emotional powerlessness that I was feeling.

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And I will say that, yes, many of our fears have played out, but one of the things that

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I have found hope in two years later is that we have states, though, that have implemented

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a different process, right?

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They've given the voice back to the voters around some of these decisions or states that

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went back and protected, you know, for example, abortion rights.

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And so I think with some of these decisions, it will be important as a parent leader and,

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you know, just as a civically engaged person to look at what is your state's response to

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some of the decisions coming out of the Supreme Court, what are your governors saying, what

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are your legislators saying?

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And if you don't know, it's OK to make a call or send an email to say, what is your stance

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on this?

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How will this implementation look in our state?

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Because it doesn't have to be so, right?

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Just because the Supreme Court has made a decision doesn't always mean that the impact

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has to be what it is in our local states.

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And so as you're hearing some of these things, reach out, find out what those decisions are.

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And if you're trying to get ahead of some of these impacts and actions, organize as

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parent leaders and talk to the legislators and not just around Supreme Court decisions.

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I think one of the things that we're also seeing in the last couple of weeks are decisions

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that are coming out of our neighboring states, right?

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So we're seeing in Oklahoma.

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I think it was Louisiana.

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Was that the other state that we were talking about around the religion specifically in

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schools?

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If that's something that for you as a parent is concerning or if you're supporting that

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you get ahead of waiting for your state to do something about this and begin to talk

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to your legislators around, I know our neighbor is doing this.

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What does this mean for us?

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Right.

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Is this going to happen here?

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And so again, we don't have to wait for things to happen in our communities.

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We can get ahead, but it means we have to pay attention, right?

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We need to be watching the news, listening to the news as difficult as that may be.

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Yeah.

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And I know it's summertime in most of these United States and the warm weather has hit

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and people want to just relax and tap out and not think about some of the hard things.

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But so much is happening right now.

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We've got to stay tapped in.

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Even if we have one foot in, we have to be really vigilant and watch the news or read

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the newspaper or however people get things because there are so many decisions being

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made even while we're sleeping at night.

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There's so many things happening.

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So it's important.

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It's important.

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Oh yeah.

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If you've ever stayed up late and watched C-SPAN like at 11 or 12 o'clock at night,

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it's scary to see the decisions that they are voting on in the middle of the night,

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literally in the middle of the night.

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Yeah, absolutely.

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So it's happening.

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It's happening with or without us, but it's better for us, we, all of us to be in it and

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understand what's happening.

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So we're getting ready to get on the road again, to do a few things, but we were just

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in Arlington together doing some good work there.

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Yeah, that was great.

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And I've talked a lot about some of the learnings from that conference, but happy to share with

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our fellow parent leaders and supporters.

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We were at the American Public Human Services Association conference.

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They do an annual summit for those in human services and specifically for leaders in that

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space.

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We had the great privilege of presenting on language justice.

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What is it?

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How do you implement quality language justice practice?

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It's something that I advocate for in my own district community.

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It's something that we practice as an organization.

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So that was, I think, really great work.

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But I really value that space and sort of the growth that is happening in human services

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around really collaborating and partnering with people with lived experience.

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I think it's something that we are seeing increase.

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Certainly there are still some good learnings for what is quality partnership and collaboration.

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How do you do this well?

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And that is why we are there as the National Parent Leadership Institute to help guide

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that process.

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I think there's a lot of really good learnings that we do there too.

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We're not just there as content experts, but also as learners.

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And I really value that.

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I don't know what you walked away with as a learner yourself, Melvette.

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Yeah, a lot.

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I mean, and there was that conversation around AI, artificial intelligence, that I really

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appreciate them elevating in the space of human services and really trying to see, number

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one, how AI is our friend and helper.

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And also things that we should be aware of as we look at our work, our intersectional

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work as agencies look at how they're using the tool or how the tool is helping them to

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be better and to do better and to provide better services to the families that they're

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serving.

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And also, I think within government, government is really looking at being cautious and trying

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to see what are some of the pitfalls that this new wave of AI is bringing and trying

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to get ahead of what's to come.

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So I thought it was a really good conversation.

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We learned a lot there around AI, definitely.

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Yeah.

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I was really surprised at how much of that work has been happening.

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I think we watched a really great panel that was hosted by one of our partners at APHSA

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and they said something like seven to 800 pilots or projects underway and well documented

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by the federal government and a wide range of AI uses.

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But I think one of the common things that we saw are there are great benefits.

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There are absolutely some opportunities for making really the human, our experiences with

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human services easier.

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But there's some equity issues as in everything we have to consider how can this technology

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still harmfully impact folks, right?

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Whether it's seniors or folks that don't have equitable access to technology or does AI

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have bias in any way?

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And so I think these are all questions that came up.

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And for us as MPLA, I know our ears perked up because we're like, what does advocacy

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look like for us and for parent leaders in this space specifically?

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And I never thought to ask as a parent leader to ask my service or my system leaders, how

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are you using AI right now to track data and to connect with families in any way and for

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us to get ahead, right?

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We suggest a commission or a committee if those conversations are happening yet.

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And the government did this well, they began to have these like circles, but they weren't

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including regular people, right?

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We know that these were a lot of tech leaders and now this is our place to say, okay, as

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regular humans being impacted by these systems, include us in the conversations because we'll

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bring up the equity issues, right?

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So I think there's great opportunity for us here.

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I do.

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I wonder how AI will be used to help the efforts of language justice.

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We did a workshop while we were at the American Public Human Services Association Summit.

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And so my wondering, right, as we talk about equity, it's like, how will AI support a language

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justice effort?

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I'm thinking also like about American Sign Language and all of these ways to communicate,

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how will AI help us get that much further ahead in some of the work that's being done

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around language justice?

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So I'm curious to see how that's going to help the efforts.

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Yeah.

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Yeah.

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And we've talked about language justice now and I think it's important to define language

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justice to our listeners.

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And that's what we did at that conference, right?

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And so our definition of language justice really came from our partners at Buncha Lenguas.

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So Buncha Lenguas is a language justice collective based out of New Orleans.

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And now the collective has greatly expanded.

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But they really define language justice as the ability to communicate in the language

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that you feel most powerful in.

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And I think that's really important.

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And for us at MPLI, which is all about civic engagement, it's all around elevating our

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voice to create change.

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The language in which we are learning and communicating in matters to the experience.

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It matters to our ability to really make change.

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And so for us, language justice is about, and right now for the most part, it is in

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Spanish.

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Some of our sites provide interpretation supports and ASL and our desire is to expand

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this further.

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But it does mean that it's beyond interpretation.

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It's also translation and not just the materials, but it's slides, it's in the chat if you're

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in Zoom space.

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It's how you work with your interpretation team, right?

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So it's not just having an interpretation team come in, but really building partnership

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or relationship around the process and the content with them.

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Yeah.

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Shout out to Buncha Lenguas.

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And we so enjoy working with them and others around the country when we're trying to ensure

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that there's language justice in the spaces that we're in as well.

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I really like how they phrase it, right?

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And how they frame it.

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It's like communicating in the language that you are most powerful, that you feel most

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powerful.

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And that really is a game changer, especially in this work of civic engagement, especially

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in this work of those who are citizens and understand their citizenship and the power

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that they have.

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And then those who are working towards citizenship and those who are here and working through

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different things and through different levels of documentation and all the things, right?

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And so I think I want to go into a moment of celebration.

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Can we celebrate some folks as we talk about citizenship?

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I think we have a celebration.

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So we're celebrating all the folks who recently gained their citizenship to be a citizen of

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these United States, sending all kinds of love to those who are in that space of having

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certain privileges now in this country.

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And so appreciative of the work.

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There's hard work that goes into that.

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And there's a lot of patience and persistence.

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So shout out to all of you who have recently or even in the past year or so gained your

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citizenship.

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That citizenship gives you certain rights, right?

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But there's still obstacles.

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But I'm so excited because guess what?

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These people get to vote in this election coming up.

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So more power, power to the people.

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Yeah.

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I have a family member in my circle who recently became a citizen and they have said, I didn't

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think this would mean that much.

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I knew I needed to do it, but it wasn't until they took their oath that they felt like the

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impact, the weight of the privilege and the duty.

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And I think that's what we are seeing from a lot of folks is the duty that they felt

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to go after this process and to participate.

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But I think it's also important to honor those who don't have the legal right to vote and

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to honor all of their civic participation because we really see this in our PLTA network

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where there are lots of parent leaders who, though they can't cast that vote on election

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night, they're doing all of the other work, which is staying informed about the decisions

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to be made, who the candidates are, supporting campaigns themselves with sweat equity or

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with their own donations, driving people to the different polling places.

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So we see civic participation even though they might not have the legal right to vote.

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But I think especially for those with this new privilege of voting, there's a way to

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do it and we congratulate you and invite you to also be an informed voter on election night.

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So July 4th, we are coming off of two holidays, two holidays where people celebrate freedom

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of sorts.

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Juneteenth, which was June 19th and the 4th of July.

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And so I think it would be important to pause in this moment as we look at how these two

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or how people feel.

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Let's just talk about how we feel.

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I don't want to talk about how the people feel.

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I want to talk about how I feel about it.

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So for me as an African American woman, identify as a black woman to be exact and correct in

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how I identify myself.

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And Juneteenth has become an awareness for folks to understand that when slaves were

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freed, it took two years really for the word to get out to the folks in Texas that they

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were free too.

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And so there has been this thread that continues to be pulled through this idea of this democracy

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that has been started for many different sets of values.

332
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And the fact remains that communication consists to need some work, right?

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The way that information is communicated to people and who gets clear communication, who

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gets what they need and who's still being oppressed.

335
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And so for Juneteenth, for me, it's a celebration of yes, this is where we acknowledge true

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freedom at least, or at least people thought for African Americans and slaves in this country.

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However, if you would ask others, they would say, we're still not free.

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And there was a whole period of reconstruction and where things didn't go well for those

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freed slaves.

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And we can look at the civil rights movement and see that there was still work to be done.

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And so when I approached July 4th as an African American woman, sure, there's a celebration

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of America's independence as a group, as a country, as being free from Great Britain,

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from England, but not all of us were free.

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My people weren't free.

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And so really I've come to understand and learn that maybe that's not a place that I

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want to be celebrating.

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It's fine for other people to celebrate.

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But I think for me, these holidays that are so close together that both talk about freedom,

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we really need more work.

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And I think as we approach this celebration of America's 250 years as this democracy,

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right, there's more conversation to be had.

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I know MPLI is doing a lot to work around that.

353
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And if you saw the release of some interesting news, we want you to hit us up in the comments.

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00:24:52,840 --> 00:24:57,380
I don't know, Zalima, if you want to give a teaser about that, but what would have you

355
00:24:57,380 --> 00:25:00,440
to say about Juneteenth and Fourth of July?

356
00:25:00,440 --> 00:25:06,440
Yeah, I mean, I don't know if you know, Mel, that I am not a black woman, but...

357
00:25:06,440 --> 00:25:07,440
You're not!

358
00:25:07,440 --> 00:25:08,440
Do you know that?

359
00:25:08,440 --> 00:25:11,720
I don't know if you know that.

360
00:25:11,720 --> 00:25:13,340
I'm a Mexican-American woman.

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And as a Mexican-American, Juneteenth still has meaning for me in that it's a moment for

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00:25:20,020 --> 00:25:22,880
me to honor our shared American history, right?

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For us to honor a truth that has been hidden, is not taught in many of our schools even

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today.

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And it is still an important holiday.

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And I think we do hear conversations, social media circles, like, why you?

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Why you, as a person who is not black or as a white person, what does it mean to you?

368
00:25:44,600 --> 00:25:48,440
It's still about honoring this moment.

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And I think Fourth of July, as a Mexican-American, I straddle both of those parts of my identity.

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The fact that I am a Mexican daughter of Mexicans and born in America.

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And that's always been a conflict for me.

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And the work that I do, still seeing the lack of freedom that many Americans still experience,

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00:26:08,160 --> 00:26:09,160
right?

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00:26:09,160 --> 00:26:14,480
Not everyone gets to fully live until liberty in this country or is free to really pursue

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00:26:14,480 --> 00:26:16,840
their happiness in this country.

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00:26:16,840 --> 00:26:22,000
And with this full knowledge, the Fourth of July continues to be a conflicted holiday

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00:26:22,000 --> 00:26:23,000
for me.

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00:26:23,000 --> 00:26:30,520
I honor the sacrifice that many have made for this country to find freedom.

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00:26:30,520 --> 00:26:35,160
We know that there were white folks that died for the independence of this country.

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00:26:35,160 --> 00:26:41,400
And we also know that there were enslaved folks that died for this ideal or dream or

381
00:26:41,400 --> 00:26:43,920
this promise of the someday, right?

382
00:26:43,920 --> 00:26:45,560
Finding freedom or independence.

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00:26:45,560 --> 00:26:50,240
And it's always important to honor and reflect.

384
00:26:50,240 --> 00:26:54,720
But I think jubilation on the Fourth of July, probably not.

385
00:26:54,720 --> 00:26:57,520
As for me, there's still a lot of work to do.

386
00:26:57,520 --> 00:27:01,360
It is a time for like family gathering in my family, right?

387
00:27:01,360 --> 00:27:11,520
So it is still a time where we will gather and be together as a family and with our community.

388
00:27:11,520 --> 00:27:15,400
But it continues to be conflict, just the way Thanksgiving is, right?

389
00:27:15,400 --> 00:27:19,000
We don't even say anything about Thanksgiving now.

390
00:27:19,000 --> 00:27:24,080
But again, this is as we are growing into our understanding of our history, as we are

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00:27:24,080 --> 00:27:30,960
growing into our understanding of how others experience democracy and freedom.

392
00:27:30,960 --> 00:27:34,440
And that's what I'm really excited about this Fourth of July project.

393
00:27:34,440 --> 00:27:38,880
So hopefully you have had a chance to see it on our social media.

394
00:27:38,880 --> 00:27:47,000
But if not, know that it is really about us recognizing that though this country's original

395
00:27:47,000 --> 00:27:52,360
Declaration of Independence did not include you, Melvette, it did not include anyone like

396
00:27:52,360 --> 00:27:58,000
me or many other folks in this country, we have still made lemons.

397
00:27:58,000 --> 00:27:59,560
I mean, lemonade out of lemons, right?

398
00:27:59,560 --> 00:28:01,680
We have made something on this country.

399
00:28:01,680 --> 00:28:03,680
We found a home in this country.

400
00:28:03,680 --> 00:28:07,320
We continue to contribute and make it better.

401
00:28:07,320 --> 00:28:12,440
And for me, that statement is really about what we have done and how we have made those

402
00:28:12,440 --> 00:28:19,400
words ours in some way as we continue to pursue our own liberty and happiness in this country.

403
00:28:19,400 --> 00:28:20,480
Yeah, I love it.

404
00:28:20,480 --> 00:28:25,760
I love how you said we've made lemons out of lemonade or vice versa.

405
00:28:25,760 --> 00:28:26,760
Lemonade out of what?

406
00:28:26,760 --> 00:28:27,760
The other way around.

407
00:28:27,760 --> 00:28:28,760
Yeah.

408
00:28:28,760 --> 00:28:30,840
I think we both got it wrong.

409
00:28:30,840 --> 00:28:34,000
I mean, but the fact is, right, it's true, right?

410
00:28:34,000 --> 00:28:38,400
These lemons, when I think about lemons, it's tart, sometimes it gets bitter, but it also

411
00:28:38,400 --> 00:28:40,160
can be very sweet, right?

412
00:28:40,160 --> 00:28:43,200
And so some people are making strawberry lemonade.

413
00:28:43,200 --> 00:28:47,160
Some people are making pink lemonade or berry lemonade, whatever it is, right?

414
00:28:47,160 --> 00:28:50,920
That's what these United States have become for us.

415
00:28:50,920 --> 00:28:57,240
And I would also say, I would add here, thank you for reminding us of there are people who

416
00:28:57,240 --> 00:29:05,440
fought for us, for this country to exist as an independent nation, for us to have some

417
00:29:05,440 --> 00:29:07,960
of the rights and freedoms that we do have.

418
00:29:07,960 --> 00:29:12,520
There were people of all colors who joined regiments.

419
00:29:12,520 --> 00:29:19,000
We talk about the Civil War, all the wars that happened thereafter.

420
00:29:19,000 --> 00:29:27,200
And even as I think about my grandfather and my father who fought in the World Wars, where

421
00:29:27,200 --> 00:29:34,600
World War I and World War II, I'm so grateful, right, of those who decided whether they were

422
00:29:34,600 --> 00:29:41,880
drafted or, and decided to take the draft, and also those who willingly to this day,

423
00:29:41,880 --> 00:29:45,680
who joined the regiments of our armed forces to protect us.

424
00:29:45,680 --> 00:29:50,720
And so I just want to honor them today because freedom is not free.

425
00:29:50,720 --> 00:29:52,280
It is not.

426
00:29:52,280 --> 00:29:55,920
And people do pay with their lives on our behalf.

427
00:29:55,920 --> 00:29:57,400
So I do appreciate that.

428
00:29:57,400 --> 00:30:03,320
I thank you for reminding us of that as we look at these holidays, especially the 4th

429
00:30:03,320 --> 00:30:04,320
of July.

430
00:30:04,320 --> 00:30:07,080
And there are other ways that we do honor our servicemen throughout the year.

431
00:30:07,080 --> 00:30:13,320
But I think this is a good framing for me as I look at those who fought and died for

432
00:30:13,320 --> 00:30:15,320
us to be free.

433
00:30:15,320 --> 00:30:17,320
Yeah, absolutely.

434
00:30:17,320 --> 00:30:18,320
Yeah.

435
00:30:18,320 --> 00:30:19,320
Yeah.

436
00:30:19,320 --> 00:30:24,840
And grateful for, you know, Carlos producing this podcast and it's absolutely wonderful,

437
00:30:24,840 --> 00:30:26,800
but has really led that work.

438
00:30:26,800 --> 00:30:33,600
Carlos Maldonado has really led this 4th of July project, which is really a kickoff to

439
00:30:33,600 --> 00:30:37,600
America 250 project that we seek to do.

440
00:30:37,600 --> 00:30:42,520
So for folks, keep an eye on that and what's coming and what we hope is the culmination

441
00:30:42,520 --> 00:30:44,520
of this kickoff project.

442
00:30:44,520 --> 00:30:45,520
Yeah.

443
00:30:45,520 --> 00:30:46,520
Very excited about it.

444
00:30:46,520 --> 00:30:47,520
America 250.

445
00:30:47,520 --> 00:30:51,800
If you're on the lookout, stuff is coming, happening.

446
00:30:51,800 --> 00:30:52,800
Wow.

447
00:30:52,800 --> 00:30:55,400
The time goes by so fast, Selima.

448
00:30:55,400 --> 00:30:57,920
So much to talk about.

449
00:30:57,920 --> 00:30:58,920
I know.

450
00:30:58,920 --> 00:31:01,160
And we were chatting even before we like record on this.

451
00:31:01,160 --> 00:31:04,160
So I know we can do that for a long time.

452
00:31:04,160 --> 00:31:05,880
Summer, you know, summer months are coming.

453
00:31:05,880 --> 00:31:12,280
We'll be together again in July at the National Association for Family Child Care Conference.

454
00:31:12,280 --> 00:31:15,680
And so we'll have more on that after we experience it.

455
00:31:15,680 --> 00:31:20,320
We'll be there really working with family child care educators and building their skills

456
00:31:20,320 --> 00:31:30,440
around public hearings and advocacy through public comments and preparing your testimony

457
00:31:30,440 --> 00:31:31,440
and debating.

458
00:31:31,440 --> 00:31:35,320
So, you know, debate topic is definitely one that's dear to both of us.

459
00:31:35,320 --> 00:31:37,400
It is important to learn how to do this.

460
00:31:37,400 --> 00:31:42,160
So we'll be there doing that as well as celebrating the graduates of the Leader Shaping Leaders

461
00:31:42,160 --> 00:31:43,160
Fellowship.

462
00:31:43,160 --> 00:31:44,160
I'm really excited.

463
00:31:44,160 --> 00:31:47,800
Yeah, this is the third cohort for Leader Shaping Leaders.

464
00:31:47,800 --> 00:31:48,800
It is.

465
00:31:48,800 --> 00:31:49,800
Exciting.

466
00:31:49,800 --> 00:31:51,920
Yeah, it is exciting.

467
00:31:51,920 --> 00:31:54,080
Anything else that you're looking forward towards the summer?

468
00:31:54,080 --> 00:31:57,920
Any reminders for our listeners for summer engagement?

469
00:31:57,920 --> 00:32:07,280
Well, I would also have to say one way, one thing that I love about civic engagement is

470
00:32:07,280 --> 00:32:11,240
that there's no cookie cutter for a civic engagement.

471
00:32:11,240 --> 00:32:15,740
And so my challenge and many of you probably have already taken up this challenge.

472
00:32:15,740 --> 00:32:20,520
If you have children who are in elementary or middle school or high school, they're reading

473
00:32:20,520 --> 00:32:22,340
this summer.

474
00:32:22,340 --> 00:32:26,160
And so I would say maybe go to a library.

475
00:32:26,160 --> 00:32:34,400
Libraries are civic spaces and maybe just relax and, you know, go to a quiet place.

476
00:32:34,400 --> 00:32:36,600
I think that's my challenge to people.

477
00:32:36,600 --> 00:32:43,280
Like we are so enthralled with noise and things happening around us and social media and our

478
00:32:43,280 --> 00:32:44,680
phones.

479
00:32:44,680 --> 00:32:48,440
And the library for me is like a sacred place, but it's also a civic space.

480
00:32:48,440 --> 00:32:54,320
And so if you're doing some reading with your children this summer or your own, maybe you're

481
00:32:54,320 --> 00:32:59,680
looking for some good beach books or something to just sit on the porch or your fire escape

482
00:32:59,680 --> 00:33:00,680
and read.

483
00:33:00,680 --> 00:33:04,480
Go to the library, check a book out.

484
00:33:04,480 --> 00:33:06,320
That's my challenge.

485
00:33:06,320 --> 00:33:07,320
My encouragement.

486
00:33:07,320 --> 00:33:08,320
I absolutely love that.

487
00:33:08,320 --> 00:33:09,320
I love that.

488
00:33:09,320 --> 00:33:10,320
Love that.

489
00:33:10,320 --> 00:33:12,080
Libraries are amazing spaces.

490
00:33:12,080 --> 00:33:16,880
I think for me, one of the last bastions of democracy.

491
00:33:16,880 --> 00:33:22,240
And I was one of those kids that would just be in the stacks for days and days all by

492
00:33:22,240 --> 00:33:23,240
myself.

493
00:33:23,240 --> 00:33:25,360
Where my parents were, I don't know, but I loved libraries.

494
00:33:25,360 --> 00:33:27,920
They were just sanctuaries.

495
00:33:27,920 --> 00:33:33,120
And they still are for kids, for families, and where many free activities over the summer

496
00:33:33,120 --> 00:33:34,120
exist.

497
00:33:34,120 --> 00:33:35,120
Right?

498
00:33:35,120 --> 00:33:39,560
So whether your kids are readers or not, there are lots of great things happening in libraries

499
00:33:39,560 --> 00:33:40,560
over the summer.

500
00:33:40,560 --> 00:33:42,640
Some of them are doing free meals.

501
00:33:42,640 --> 00:33:45,280
And they usually have good air conditioning.

502
00:33:45,280 --> 00:33:46,280
Yes.

503
00:33:46,280 --> 00:33:50,160
At the very least, as we're going through this ridiculous heat wave.

504
00:33:50,160 --> 00:33:51,640
Yes, indeed.

505
00:33:51,640 --> 00:33:54,080
Lots to do.

506
00:33:54,080 --> 00:33:55,080
Yeah.

507
00:33:55,080 --> 00:33:56,360
Thank you for that, Melbit.

508
00:33:56,360 --> 00:33:59,420
Well, it's always like always a pleasure talking to you.

509
00:33:59,420 --> 00:34:03,320
Thank you, Carlos, for your production of this podcast.

510
00:34:03,320 --> 00:34:06,440
And thank you to those who continue to listen.

511
00:34:06,440 --> 00:34:08,480
Please comment wherever this is posted.

512
00:34:08,480 --> 00:34:09,600
We want to hear from you.

513
00:34:09,600 --> 00:34:13,120
What would you like us to talk about or address?

514
00:34:13,120 --> 00:34:14,320
Let us know.

515
00:34:14,320 --> 00:34:15,320
And thank you all.

516
00:34:15,320 --> 00:34:16,320
Have a great summer.

517
00:34:16,320 --> 00:34:40,440
Everyone.