Good Things from Lemonada

What does it take to ensure every child receives the same high quality education? School districts across the country are working to answer that question—and are seeing major improvements to student outcomes. In this episode, we share the story of Guilford County Schools in North Carolina, one of twelve districts featured in All Systems Go, a landmark research project from The Center for Public Research and Leadership (CPRL) at Columbia University that seeks to uncover how districts are achieving major math and reading gains. To unpack what that research reveals, host Gloria Riviera sits down with Liz Chu, Executive Director of CPRL and Senior Research Scholar and Lecturer in Law at Columbia Law School, and Dr. Whitney Oakley, Superintendent of Guilford County Schools. This episode is created in partnership with Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Learn more about All Systems Go by visiting itsallsystemsgo.com

What if the people best suited to transform the justice system are the ones who know what it's like to live inside of it? In prisons across the country, incarcerated organizers have long fought for policy change, but they’ve rarely had the resources to communicate with the outside world and stay up-to-date on current events. In this episode, host Maya Rupert speaks with James King, Director of Programs at the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights, about how the organization is changing that through their Inside/Outside Policy Fellowship. Now in its fifth year, the program pairs incarcerated Inside Fellows with formerly incarcerated Outside Fellows to lead system reform together. In working to shape campaigns like the California Racial Justice Act, and ensuring that incarcerated fellows are fairly compensated for their work, Fellows are transforming both the system and their own lives. This episode is created in partnership with Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Learn more about the Ella Baker Center for Human Rights at ellabakercenter.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Great teaching changes lives, but even the best teachers need support. In this episode, we highlight a bright spot in New York City Public Schools where students achieved remarkable gains in reading proficiency. To uncover what led to these results, host Gloria Riviera speaks with Teaching Lab CEO Sarah Johnson and explores how investing in teachers can transform classrooms, boost student learning, and create a ripple effect of success. You’ll also hear from a New York City teacher and his teaching coach about what coaching looks like in practice – and the tangible impact it has in the classroom. This episode is created in partnership with Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Learn more about Teaching Lab at teachinglab.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

A year ago, North Carolina experienced one of the worst storms in history when Hurricane Helene hit. As a result of the historic rainfall, several rivers in the region overflowed, causing major destruction and over a hundred deaths. Two council members in North Carolina have been at the forefront of helping rebuild their communities from the ground up. Councilwoman Maggie Ullman and Councilman Anthony Sutton join us to discuss their response both during the hurricane and its aftermath, including their efforts to secure more recovery funds from D.C. and ensure their towns can rebuild stronger, giving them a fighting chance during hurricane season. This episode is presented by America Wins With Water. From the pipes, plants, and pools to the streams, lakes, and rivers that connect our 50 states, protecting and investing in water is all about protecting and investing in America. Learn more at americawinswithwater.org. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

After wildfires razed Los Angeles neighborhoods at the start of this year, the city was reeling. Repair the World, a Jewish service organization, mobilized hundreds of people to support wildfire relief efforts. They also launched a service corps specifically focused on assisting wildfire victims. In this episode, we’ll hear from Cindy Greenberg, CEO of Repair the World, and Michael Auerbach, who oversees their Los Angeles programs. You’ll also hear stories from volunteers on the ground, who show us that the power of service is in all of us. This episode is created in partnership with Charles and Lynn Schusterman Family Philanthropies. Special thank you to Repair the World. Learn more about their work by visiting https://werepair.org/. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

For decades, the story of religion in America has been the story of decline. A steadily growing share of Americans have been identifying as “nones” – people with no religious affiliation. But a new report from the Pew Research Center shows something surprising. That number of “nones” has plateaued. What could be behind it – and is it a sign of bigger things to come? We’re joined by Greg Smith, senior researcher at Pew Research Center, and Ed Stetzer, theology dean at Biola University, to explore this trend. Thank you to Pew Research Center for making today’s conversation possible. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

North Carolina has one of the biggest rural populations in the country, but for a long time, the needs of rural North Carolinians were largely ignored – until Down Home North Carolina came along in 2017. Since then, the grassroots nonprofit has changed the conversation to center the needs of rural people. Host Maya Rupert talks to Down Home Co-Directors Dreama Caldwell and Todd Zimmer about what it takes to build multiracial political power among the working class, and why it’s the only way to get their needs met and bring about lasting change. This episode is presented by the Marguerite Casey Foundation. MCF supports leaders who work to shift the balance of power in their communities toward working people and families, and who have the vision and capacity for building a truly representative economy. Learn more at caseygrants.org or visit on social media @caseygrants. See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.