Small Steps, Big Impact Podcast
UNCG strives to create safe and inclusive environments in our classrooms including, but not limited to, all ethnicities, racial backgrounds, religions, ability status, socioeconomic backgrounds, first-generation status, sexuality, and gender identities. Equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) are our core values as an institution, but we must continue the conversations about how to do this important work on a daily basis. That’s the goal of our Small Steps, Big Impact podcast: on-going conversations about EDI in our classrooms. You can subscribe to our podcast via Podbean, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, or iHeartRadio. Just search “Small Steps, Big Impact in Higher Ed.”
Latest Episodes
Meet Our Podcast hosts
Dr. Brad Johnson
Dr. Johnson works to bring a theory-to-practice approach to his courses by incorporating over 20 years of experience working in Student Affairs and Higher Education, primarily within housing and residence life. Dr. Johnson has also served several state organizations, including serving on both executive boards of the North Carolina Housing Officers’ (NCHO) association and the North Carolina College Personnel Association (NCCPA). Dr. Johnson has been recognized by several professional organizations, most recently by ACPA-College Student Educators International as a Diamond Honoree as well as an Annuit Coeptis Senior Professional. Dr. Johnson also serves as the Coordinator for the LGBTQ+ Education and Research Network (LEARN) as well as a Section Chief for the Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta (FIJI).
Nodia Mena
Nodia C. Mena (she, her, hers), is a Ph.D. student in the Education Leadership and Cultural Foundations program at UNC-Greensboro. Her area of research is centered around racial and gender equity as well as educational justice. Nodia teaches Cultural Foundations of Education in the School of Education building. She is Garifuna, Black-Indigenous born in Honduras, Central America. Nodia served as the Lead Coordinator for the Afro-Latinx Consortium from August 2018 – June 2021. Nodia currently serves as Racial Equity Associate in collaboration with the Chancellor Fellow for Campus Climate at UNC-Greensboro.
Small Steps to Get Started
If EDI exploration is new to you, consider taking some first steps to learn more using these resources.
Consider taking some time to explore the Project Implicit website to complete one or more tests for personal reflection. The Implicit Association Test (IAT) measures attitudes and beliefs that people may be unwilling or unable to report.
Read Interrogating Your Discipline, and Other Ways into Anti-Racist Teaching. This article from the Chronicle of Higher Education provides suggestions on how to help students talk about racism.
Read Five Principles as Pathways to Inclusive Teaching. This Inside Higher Education article gives you five possible starting places to make your classroom more inclusive.
Be sure to review UNCG’s EDI websites for more resources:
UNCG’s Equity, Diversity and Inclusion website
Consider registering for UNCG’s EDI Institute. Join TIO and RCO for a hybrid experience diving into difficult dialogues, foundations of equity pedagogy, and deep exploration of culturally-responsive teaching. The Institute concludes with lunch and great conversations.
Have suggestions for future episodes? Please let us know using this brief feedback form.
If you have questions about the series, please contact Amy Brown at albro25@uncg.edu.
If you are looking for further podcast recommendations related to teaching in higher education, check out our resource list.