Be A Global Citizen!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Lisa Galdino about her thoughts on global citizenship. Lisa works with Head Start as a Talent Development Specialist. She has over 14 years of teaching experience in early childhood education and has lived in different countries such as Canada and Brazil. She speaks about how her mother’s initiative to begin a Family Child Center taught her the value of connecting with others and earning trust. It becomes evident how staying curious and going outside of one’s comfort zone are key to becoming a global citizen. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Michelle Niska about her thoughts on global citizenship. Michelle works for the Minnesota Department of Education as an English Learner Program specialist. She speaks about how empathy, compassion, and open mindedness need to be at the forefront of serving multilingual and multicultural families. Her experience is informed by a passion for learning as well as her journey of raising two children as a single mother. She discusses how ESL, family and community engagement, and Prince relate to the concept of global citizenship. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Salman Moti about his thoughts on global citizenship. Salman is the Director of Health System Quality and Operational Analytics at UT Southwestern Medical Center. Since an early age, he has been driven to understand the complexities around him to make better sense of the world. By navigating higher education as a first gen immigrant from Pakistan and exploring diverse areas such as finance, public health, and education, Salman has learned to embrace difference and encourage others to forge new paths. He also shares about his family and religious faith background as acts of service and self exploration about what it means to be a global citizen. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Peter Sagun about his thoughts on global citizenship. Peter is the PYP coordinator at a IB school in Nagoya, Japan.  He has also served in roles such as principal, deputy head of school, and IB coordinator across countries such as Kazakhstan, Sweden, and the Philippines. He shares his insights on the need to be more mindful of one’s school culture and the wider country’s culture to establish bonds of trust and understanding as a leader. His views on being a global citizen speak to the embracing of multiple identities to form a greater whole. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Zandra Pinnix about her thoughts on global citizenship. Zandra is a professor, biochemist and pre-health coach at the University of North Carolina Wilmington. She speaks about the many influential figures who guided and supported her to achieve big things. By anchoring her actions in faith, she speaks to making change in one’s community with a sense of joy and love as global citizens. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Yuen Ip about his thoughts on global citizenship. Yuen is the chief executive officer at CPA Western School of Business. He has extensive leadership experience in areas such as higher education, healthcare, and accounting. From his formative years growing up in Spain, he speaks to why he is passionate about creating more access and opportunity for marginalized communities to gain visibility. In an ever changing world, Yuen is committed to being a grassroots, adaptive leader. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke with William Yip about his thoughts on global citizenship. William is a theater director and drama teacher. He is originally from Hong Kong and has been flying all around the world to spread his passion for theater within education. He speaks about his own journey as a teacher-facilitator and the profound influences that art has had on his character and personality. William believes that with humility and determination, anyone can be a global citizen. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Muslimah Williams about her thoughts on global citizenship. Muslimah is an accessibility coordinator at Oberlin college. She talks about why her work to embrace and support students’ needs with kindness is rooted in her values as a global citizen. She believes that more empathy, more generosity of spirit, and more diversity with an open heart are key to fostering global citizens. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Dr. Khalya Hopkins about her thoughts on global citizenship. Khalya is a special education instructional coach for the NYC department of education and an adjunct lecturer at Harvard University. She is passionate about racial equity, inclusive classrooms, culturally responsive education, and teaching. Her views on global citizenship center on lifting perspectives, building partnerships, and cultivating a greater sense of belonging in the world. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Rocio Mondragon Reyes about her thoughts on global citizenship. Rocio is a career development program lead in Sacramento. She also sits on the Board of a school that serves primarily a latino population. Her journey to become an educator started with an interest in immigration law. The story of her family and her parent’s undocumented status serves as a driving force to create a greater impact on underrepresented communities in the Bay area. In the episode, she talks about how being a global citizen involves standing up for justice and building community right where you are. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Liz Hara about her thoughts on global citizenship. Liz is a puppet builder and puppeteer for Sesame street. She also writes for television shows of different ages. She speaks about the magic of puppets and how they bring out one’s full imagination and wonder. Liz also brings up the importance of play as a way to build resiliency and joy. One of many takeaways from this episode is that as global citizens we must learn how to play. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Mariah Nandyona about her thoughts on global citizenship. Mariah is a school administrator in Uganda. She has a strong background in finance, business, and accounting that informs much of the foundational work she is doing to lead her school community towards greater inclusion and higher academic achievements. She speaks about her growth as a school leader and the efforts she is making to ensure that education is more accessible to children in her community, especially for girls and teenage mothers. She believes that being a global citizen is about having empathy and care for others. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Dr. Timothy McCarthy about his thoughts on global citizenship. Tim is a professor at Harvard University in both the graduate school of education and the Kennedy school of government. As a historian, he has a keen eye to make connections between events and peoples to reveal the stories that make history. Tim looks to his own personal history and the larger world historical events that shaped him and led him down a path of being a scholar, teacher, and activist. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Carolyn Siegel about her thoughts on global citizenship. Carolyn is associate director of college counseling at a private school in Los Altos, California. She has extensive teaching experience as a Spanish teacher and taught at the undergraduate level at Brown University. With her love of language and belief in the power of education, she speaks about what makes for a global citizen. Qualities such as empathy and curiosity come to mind as she recounts her own past teachers who made a difference in her life. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke with James Austin about his thoughts on global citizenship. James is the assistant Superintendent for Finance and Operations at a PK-12 school district in Georgia. He shares his journey to find a career that combines finance and teaching. The many positive influences that his family has had on him demonstrates rootedness in his home state of Georgia, while expressing a spirit of entrepreneurship about how to go beyond what has been done before. James is a committed global citizen to his school district and encourages young people to be the change they wish to see in the world. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Dr. Irvin Scott about his thoughts on global citizenship. Dr. Scott is a professor at Harvard Graduate School of Education. He shares some of his journey as an educator who sought after opportunities in school leadership to transform the lives of his community. He brings insight from an extensive portfolio working in classrooms, school districts, and foundations about what it means to cultivate new school leaders. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Dr Peter and Theresa Nguyen about their thoughts on global citizenship. Dr Pete is a family medicine physician and Dr Theresa is a child and adolescent and adult psychiatrist. From this conversation, it is clear how passionate they both are for valuing their patients and emphasizing the importance of mental health. They also share interesting perspectives on global citizenship in their own parenting strategies for their children. They are happily married and share insights into how they seek to prepare young people for a rapidly changing and increasingly stressful world. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Jason Hill about his thoughts on global citizenship. Jason is a current student at Harvard Graduate School of Education in the Learning Design, Innovation, and Technology program. He has worked in diverse areas of higher education, outdoor education, public health, and technology. He talks about the deeper meanings of belonging and community. By showing up for those in one’s community, Jason emphasizes the role that we each play in building our connections with others to foster global citizenship. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Anny Chan about her thoughts on global citizenship. Anny is currently a masters student at Harvard Graduate School of Education in the Education in Leadership, Organizations, and Entrepreneurship program. She is originally from Hong Kong and now lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts. She is passionate about connecting with people from different cultural backgrounds and building organizational networks to support the learning of intercultural competencies. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Paula Franklin about her thoughts on global citizenship. Paula is a US government and Global Politics teacher in Knoxville, Tennessee. She speaks to the importance of having students know that what they do matters. From the local context and expanding to the global, Paula guides her students in shared inquiry about political issues. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Noah Heller about his thoughts on global citizenship. Noah is Lecturer on Education and a core faculty member in the Teacher and Teacher Leadership (TTL) program at Harvard. He talks about his non linear journey through schooling and his formation of a social identity from deep reflections on race and class. He works in schools as a teacher trainer and engages professionals in how to expand their teacher toolkits. Check out our conversation about the intersections between social identities, learning, and global citizenship.

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Monique Brinson about her thoughts on global citizenship. Monique is a teacher and education leader with three decades of professional experience. She is originally from Massachusetts and now lives in Northern California. She shares her personal journey as a young learner confronting harsh opposition from societal pressures like race and class. Her awakening to the mission of education is beautifully told. From building her foundation and connecting to her deeper ancestral roots in Africa, she speaks to why she does the important work of educating youth for the world. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I’ll be sharing a brief statement about the educational philosophy that underpins Soka and what is my vision for a reimagined schooling environment. Enjoy!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Liss Scogland about her thoughts on global citizenship. Liss is an early learning specialist working in Austin, Texas. She is originally from Monterrey, Mexico and speaks to her bilingual and bicultural upbringing. Her journey speaks to cultivating one’s sense of curiosity about the world and applying skills to create value in and outside of the classroom. She has used her background in industrial design to forge an exciting career in PreK education across state and national lines. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Elisabeth Duursma about her thoughts on global citizenship. Elisabeth is a research theme fellow at Western Sydney University. She is originally from the Netherlands and now lives in Australia. She is engaged in research that involves child development, literacy, and poverty. Her discussions about incarcerated fathers’ influence on the literacy rates of their children is aligned with her belief in making an active contribution to society. She is a dynamic researcher and compassionate mentor for her graduate students too! Enjoy what Elisabeth has to say about global citizenship!

Today on the podcast, we are doing something different. As part of a final assignment for my graduate course on Equity and Opportunity, I’m inviting three previous guests, Judson Tomlin, Reid Pierce, and Wayne Jones to join me in reflecting on social class identity. Each of us will share individual reflections and then participate in a dialogue. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Nir Froimovici about his thoughts on global citizenship. Nir is a Product Manager at Microsoft and also teaches Computer science at a public high school. He is originally from Israel and now lives in Seattle, Washington. He talks about the importance of education that instills a drive to learn about the self and the world. His insights about math, computers, leadership, storytelling, and global citizenship are tied to his personal and professional experiences. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Natalia Vanegas about her thoughts on global citizenship. Natalia is a school principal at Community Prep. She was born in Colombia and lives in Providence, Rhode Island. She speaks about immigration, empathy, and connection. There are fascinating parallels with her own immigrant story and the myriad stories of students and their families that she serves as an education leader. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Reid Pierce about his thoughts on global citizenship. Reid is a history and theory of knowledge teacher at an international school in Pune, India. Prior to his teaching career, he worked as a lawyer and management consultant. He speaks about his core values in Indian philosophy and how they inform not only his teaching approach to history, but his greater purpose for cultivating students to be better human beings, and in turn, better global citizens. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Alejandro Brambila about his thoughts on global citizenship. Alejandro is a fourth grade teacher in Sacramento, California. He has worked in various careers that include serving in the military, working as a personal trainer, an emergency medical technician, and working in the fashion industry. He shares stories about some of the major influences in his life that brought him to teaching. He is passionate about underserved children and providing them with strong mentorship. He believes in the power of education to uplift students out of poverty. Find out what Alejandro has to say about what it means to be a global citizen. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Judson Tomlin about his thoughts on global citizenship. Judson is a biology teacher at the United World College in Singapore. He is originally from Alabama and has lived abroad in countries like Egypt and China. He shares how important it is for people to ground themselves in their cultural identity through reflection and listening to others. He encourages everyone to become global citizens who are interested in engaging people across differences. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Midm Yi about his thoughts on global citizenship. Midm is a network instructional coach at the Learn Charter school in Chicago. He talks about the need for educators to nurture the voices of their students. He is also a writer and shares a children’s book he is writing for his one-year old daughter about what it means to hold multiple identities. Enjoy the conversation! 

This is the thirteenth installment of the interview series called 'Foster the GCs.' I spoke with Professor Alexander Harang and his students about global citizenship, human education, and humanism. This is an exciting opportunity to listen in on what kind of dialogues happen within the classrooms here. The course is called CORE: Enduring questions of humanity. Enjoy what these 13 SUA students have to say about their role as global citizens and what is human education according to the school founder, Daisaku Ikeda.

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Fernanda Silva about her thoughts on global citizenship.Fernanda is a learning designer for the World Bank. She is originally from Ecuador and now lives in Barbados. She is passionate about serving vulnerable communities by creating capacity building programs and workshops. She has lived in different places around the world and encourages anyone to live abroad to discover themselves! Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Soleiman about his thoughts on global citizenship. Soleiman is originally from Brazil and has lived in South Korea for the past 23 years. He is currently the director of alumni and international relations at Chadwick International. He shares about his love of teaching and learning from an early age and how this passion brought him to Korea. He is a dynamic educator who wants to ignite the spark of learning in others. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Wayne Jones about his thoughts on global citizenship. Wayne is an Equal Opportunity Specialist at HUD. He is originally from Kentucky and now lives in Houstin, Texas. He has a background in public policy and law. His interests in education, community organizing and engagement, music, and travel all inform his understanding of what it means to be a global citizen: someone who is open minded and compassionate. Find out more about what this lawyer and education leader has to say on global citizenship. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Prakash Bista about his thoughts on global citizenship. Prakash completed his early education and high school in Nepal, and received a scholarship to pursue a BA in Liberal Arts degree at Soka University of America and another scholarship to attend the London School of Economics where he received his Masters in Social Innovation and Entrepreneurship in 2018. After graduating, Prakash returned to his home village to lead his village's first service-oriented non-profit school, called Modern Model Residential School. His school currently houses 32 orphans and children in need and provides education to 250 children together with its sister school. Enjoy the conversation! 

Today on the podcast, I spoke to Ramon Paras who graduated from SUA in 2008. He went on to receive his M.A. in TESOL from Soka University, Japan. For past ten years, he has been teaching English Language Skills, University Prep Courses, and Project-based lessons at Kansai Soka High School in Osaka, Japan. His interests are in Social Emotional Learning, Dialogic Learning, and Global Citizenship Education. He also has a deep passion for building a strong rapport with his students and creating a classroom environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and encouraged. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Dustin Purdy about his thoughts on global citizenship. Dustin is a mathematics teacher at Dwight Global Online School. He is originally from New York, and has taught in both rural and urban settings. He shares about addressing math anxiety, discussing math as a universal language for global connection, and inspiring the growth mindset in students. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Jay Lutsky about his thoughts on global citizenship. Jay is a children’s dentist with over 30 years of dental practice. He is originally from New York and now lives in Los Angeles. He shares stories about his work within the Navy reserves, his volunteer service for an international organization that provides free dental work for low-income communities in Latin America, and his spiritual journey of perceiving his mission as a dentist and as a Buddhist.  Find out what this dentist has to say about what it means to be a global citizen. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Rey Bustillo about his thoughts on global citizenship. Rey is a Speech and Language Pathologist. He also worked in law enforcement in the Philippines for 20 years, serving in various capacities such as the chief of police and criminal investigator at the US embassy.  He is committed to serving and protecting not only his local community, but the global community. Through his passion for service, Rey connects with his students and offers them new perspectives and hope about what it means to be a global citizen. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Viki Rudez about her thoughts on global citizenship. Viki is an English and Literature teacher at Dwight Global Online school. She has over 20 years of teaching experience in multiple countries around the world. She is passionate about languages and sees global citizenship as a commitment to being open minded. Enjoy the conversation!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Dani about her thoughts on global citizenship. Dani is a content creator who posts regularly for her channel about topics such as autism, identity, and cultivating empathy for others. She has amassed many followers on her channel and she shares some of her insights about the kind of influence that social media and technology have towards positively influencing the world. Enjoy the conversation!

Follow Dani's IG account: @myneurotype

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Wenli Jen about her thoughts on global citizenship. She is a consultant for Integral Prudence Solutions, a TedX speaker, and a professor of Asian and Ethnic Studies, and Public Health at Cal State Dominguez Hills. In our conversation, Wenli shares how an understanding of one’s power and privilege is vital towards cultivating greater awareness and humility as a global citizen. Enjoy our conversation!

Here is the long awaited update on the rebrand! Introducing....(dramatic pause).... Peace Together! Find out more about what this rebrand means for the podcast and beyond in this quick update episode. Be sure to check out and follow the new Instagram handle :) @_peacetogether

Enjoy!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with St Claire Adriaan about his thoughts on global citizenship. He is originally from South Africa and has worked as a teacher, coordinator, and principal for over two decades. He speaks about the importance of community in fostering global citizens and how each person must not only be aware of injustices, but speak out against them. Enjoy our conversation!

I wanted to let the listeners of 'Be A Global Citizen!' know that I will be focusing on rebranding my podcast. There are many exciting things I'm planning for this rebrand and I can't wait to share it with the community. Stay tuned! For now, I will hold off on posting for the next month until the rebrand is complete. Thank you for your support and understanding! Take care :)

I spoke with David Burke about his thoughts on global citizenship. He is an experienced educator with teaching and administration experiences that span from Australia to Korea to Singapore. He has worked as an Assistant Principal, a Dean of Technology and Innovation, and an Events Consultant. He is the founder of Ed Events & Consulting, and is interested in building an online community of professionals who are committed to advancing education for social good. Enjoy our conversation!

I spoke with Liz Hutton about her thoughts on global citizenship. She is the IB diploma coordinator at Dwight New York. For over 16 years, Liz has developed her teaching and leadership skills in the IB with subjects such as Biology and Theory of Knowledge. She is passionate about youth and wants to support their development as global leaders and lifelong learners. Enjoy this conversation about learning from difference, collaborating with others, and making your own path as a global citizen!

Here is the first episode of a series I call 'GC Milestones.' I want to share more about my journey as a global citizen with updates on how I'm advancing in my personal life and professional career. The first update is a BIG one! In January, I applied for an online master's of Education Leadership through Harvard and in early March I got my acceptance letter. I wanted to share more about why this program will help me advance as a global citizen by reading out my Statement of Purpose (S.O.P.). Enjoy!

This is the twelfth installment of the interview series called 'Foster the GCs.' I spoke with Jonathan Wray who is the Director of Career Development & Internships at Soka University of America. Jonathan has worked at SUA for over four years and has been engaging students in new and exciting ways to advance their career aspirations. Enjoy this conversation about how Jonathan views the mission of SUA and the practical ways he brings it into dialogue with students, faculty, and the whole campus community!

On February 20, 2023, I led a virtual session about global citizenship at the third annual Dwight Seoul Conference. The theme of the event was 'Strengthening Communities.' This episode shows my reflections on the session I led about global citizenship and the role of imaginative empathy. Enjoy!  

I spoke with Halle Amore Bauer about her thoughts on global citizenship. She is a Global Politics and US history teacher at Dwight New York. With a decade of teaching experience working in public and independent high schools in both Ohio and New York, Halle makes anti-racist teaching and inclusive curriculum design a top priority. This is a great conversation about how to form authentic relationships to bridge differences with the other. Enjoy!

This is the eleventh installment of the interview series called 'Foster the GCs.' I spoke with Mary Patrick Kavanaugh who is the Director of Special Projects & Program Development at Soka University of America. Mary Patrick has worked at SUA for over 10 years and has created incredible programs such as Soka Changemakers and Bridges 2 Business. She has a fascinating career background that spans private investigation to social enterprising to business consultancy to higher education. Moreover, she shares powerful insights about diversity, business for social good, and global citizenship in this episode. I really enjoyed learning about how the Soka community is advancing in its mission statement through the important work of individuals such as Mary Patrick. Enjoy!

In January 2013, I traveled to Brazil for the first time with a group of classmates and a professor to collaborate with a NGO in a rural town in the state of Minas Gerias. This experience has such a positive influence on my journey as a global citizen given the fact that I would go on to spent six years teaching in Brazil. With the passing of ten years, I organized a virtual reunion with my class, the NGO, and the community to think back on those experiences. On this episode, I share what this trip was all about and how the experiences I accrued from it inform my notions on global citizenship. Enjoy! 

We are back with more GC Talks! To kick off the New Year, I spoke with Terry Peet-Lukes about his thoughts on global citizenship. He has over 30 years of experience as a leader in market research and data analytics. Before retiring, he worked as the Vice President of Market & Business Insights for Laureate Education.  For more than 20 years, Laureate Education has remained committed to making a positive impact in the communities they serve, by providing accessible, high-quality undergraduate, graduate and specialized degree programs. Let’s get right into the conversation! Enjoy!

Today on the podcast, I spoke with Shivangi Khattar about her thoughts on global citizenship. She is a Doctoral candidate at Ashoka University in the Department of Psychology. She has been a consultant counselor and research associate as well as a career support mentor. Let’s get right into the conversation! Enjoy!

Here are the article and video references that Shivangi mentions at the end of the episode. Check them out :) 

https://uclpress.scienceopen.com/hosted-document?doi=10.18546/IJDEGL.8.1.05

Here are the videos:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kVr8SH0t8EI&ab_channel=GlobalEducationFirstInitiative

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6xx6975PyEA&feature=emb_imp_woyt&ab_channel=SokaGakkaiOfficial

Feel free to reach out: Khattar, Shivangi <sk4085@tc.columbia.edu>

This is the tenth installment of the interview series called 'Foster the GCs.' I spoke with Linda Kennedy who is the Executive Director of Philanthropy at Soka University of America. Linda has worked at SUA for almost 20 years and shares how much joy she feels for the work she does in supporting the incredible donor base for the University. Her spirit for SUA is contagious, and she emphasizes how important it is to really 'walk the walk' and 'talk the talk' when it comes to global citizenship. Her attitude has its source from a culture of care that speaks to an important theme of global citizenship: compassion. Enjoy this conversation with Linda!  

I'm joined by Allie Wong who shares how she discovered her love for teaching in Elementary school and how her passion to support and guide students towards unlocking their potential informs her approaches to education. Currently, she is working for an innovative non-profit organization that trains teachers across the nation in methods of project-based learning. Allie is a former graduate of Soka University of America and went on to do a masters at the University of Pennsylvania. Please enjoy our conversation about how Allie views the concept of global citizenship and the diverse ways in which this concept manifests in her  interactions within the class, design to projects, and engagement with local/global community spaces. 

I spoke with Sofia Dugas who is the founder of Kyo Nutrition where she coaches leaders in the art of self-mastery through meditation, nutrition, and speech interventions. Currently, she lives in Bogota, Colombia. Sofia shares about her journey of uncovering her ancestral roots to Cuban culture through bold initiatives, language acquisition, and soul searching. She is also a fellow alum of Soka University of America! Please enjoy this joyful conversation about functional nutrition, language-identity, self-care, and following your own path towards value creation. 

For more about Sofia's company, you can follow her on IG @kyo_nutrition and her linktree (linktr.ee/kyosanacion). 

This is the ninth installment of the interview series called 'Foster the GCs.' I spoke with Rob Duran who is a 2nd year student at Soka University of America in the Masters of Arts program in Educational Leadership and Societal Change. Rob has many years of work experience in the non-profit education sector and his current research interests look to how the private sector and public sector negotiate and form agreements on social responsibility to fund public education for the betterment of society. Check out how the mission statement of SUA ties into Rob's journey to build community on campus, while envisioning a world that values an education that informs how one lives a contributive life. Enjoy!

Today's episode looks at the intersections between Chinese medicine and global citizenship. My guest is Dr. Corina Giselle who is a Doctor of Chinese Medicine and an acupuncturist. She runs her own clinic called 'Yin and Well' in Woodland Hills, California. She also happens to be a former classmate of mine at Soka University of America! I'm so happy to hear more of her journey in the field of medicine and the roots of her practice in global citizenship. She shares information about what is Chinese medicine and how her passion for this area emerged through many different experiences that took her to China, London, and many other places. Enjoy! 

This is the eighth installment of the interview series called 'Foster the GCs.' I spoke with Giulia Paié who is a current 4th year student at Soka University of America. Giulia is from Brazil, and has done excellent work creating content on social media for those in Brazil who are interested in studying abroad. She shares her experiences about getting to SUA and what her journey has been like through the pandemic. Check out how the mission statement of SUA ties into Giulia's journey to uncover her own sense of purpose on campus and beyond. Enjoy! 

I had a blast learning more about my fellow colleague at Dwight Global, Renata Nikolayev. She has traveled the world, learned numerous languages, and expanded her sense of global citizenship through varied professional tracks and experiences. Currently, she works as the Associate Director of Curriculum & Instruction/ Head of World Languages at Dwight Global. Enjoy our wonderful conversation about how a mindset of global citizenship can lead individuals to cultivate a deeper sense of empathy, promote language learning as a valued tool within our globalized society, and instill a curious mind to go beyond one's local environment. 

I had the great pleasure of talking with Rebecca Tarlau about her thoughts on global citizenship. She is the associate professor of adult education and labor and employment relations at Penn State University. With a deep sense of social justice, extensive research in social movements, and an upbringing in activism, she talks about how her work is tied to and interwoven into liberatory practices and pedagogies. She brings into the conversation some insights from Brazilian social movements that serve to illustrate how education and critical awareness play a role in cultivating one's own perception as a global citizen. Enjoy!   

I spoke with another incredible staff member from Minerva University. Fatou Badiane-Toure is the Director of Outreach at Minerva, and she is from Senegal. Her curiosity and ambition has taken her around the world to places such as the United States and China. In her pioneering work at Minerva, she took the lead in conceptualizing and later implementing how student's experience in another country would be one of genuine engagement, rather than tourism. She has worked hard to build a global network to attract students from all walks of life, in different places around the world. Check out what Fatou has to say about global citizenship! Enjoy!

This is the seventh installment of the interview series called 'Foster the GCs.' I spoke with Subina Thapaliya who is a recent graduate of SUA from the class of 2022. Subina is from Nepal, and has bold aspirations to further her interests in global development and sustainability in graduate school. At the moment, she is working in two different departments on campus. She shares her insights on what the mission statement represents to her and how this informs what she plans to do post-SUA to live a contributive life as a global citizen. Enjoy! 

I'm happy to share this wonderful conversation I had with Ken Kimura about global citizenship! Ken is a postdoctoral researcher at the Harvard Graduate School of Education. He shares about his upbringing in Alaska and the ways in which different opportunities and state policies led to his growth. His research at Harvard focuses on the history of higher education, and Ken comes from a finance and management background. Enjoy! 

This is the sixth installment of my new interview series called 'Foster the GCs.' Today, I'm joined by Hiro Sakai who is the Executive Assistant to the President at Soka University of America. For almost three decades, Hiro has been supporting the development of the University in different capacities as a language teacher, admin staff, and executive assistant to the President. I appreciate and respect his long-time commitment to the ideals of SUA. Hiro shares some thoughts about what makes SUA unique and special, based on its values and principles. Please enjoy listening to his insights about SUA's mission statement!

This is the fifth installment of my new interview series called 'Foster the GCs.' Today, I'm joined by Jessie Ramirez who is a graduate student in Soka University of America's MA program, Educational Leadership and Societal Change. Jessie shares a great deal about his identity and mission to overcome climate injustices and act as a planetary steward for future generations. Jessie also shares an upcoming initiative on campus to create transformative community spaces for dialogue. Please enjoy listening to his insights!

I'm very happy to speak with Laura Balbuena for today's episode of GC talks. Laura is the executive director of the Fulbright commission in Peru. I first met Laura, or Lali, in 2014 when I did my study abroad program in the Peruvian capital of Lima. At that time, Lali was the director of the study abroad program through Butler University. I learned so much from this experience and, in large part, that is thanks to Laura's dedicated efforts to support and inspire our cohort to experience Peruvian culture from different perspectives and sensitivities. Her academic and cultural journey is fascinating, and one that definitely embodies what it means to be a global citizen. Enjoy our conversation!  

This is the fourth installment of my new interview series called 'Foster the GCs.' Today, I'm joined by Margaret Kasahara who is the Associate Director of International Student Services at Soka University of America. As a pioneer staff, Margaret has seen the development of the university from its early construction years in 2000. Together with her experience living and studying abroad in different countries, she has been able to draw from these experiences in ways that deepen her connection to the international students who attend SUA. Please enjoy listening to her insights about SUA's mission statement! 

How do immigrants find jobs in Lima? What impediments does inequality create for marginalized peoples in urban spaces? And how can global citizenship provide a lens for understanding these populations? These are a few broad questions that were discussed in my amazing conversation about global citizenship with Meylin Gonzalez Huaman. Meylin is a PhD student in sociology at Harvard University. She is interested in areas such as immigration, gender, and inequality. Check out our conversation and enjoy! 

The title of Ikeda's 2003 peace proposal is "A Global Ethic of Coexistence: Toward a ‘Life-Sized’ Paradigm for our age." I share a brief summary of the contents of this document while adding my own commentary on the overall significance of Ikeda's specific proposals in our current times. I encourage interested listeners to check out Ikeda's full text here (https://www.daisakuikeda.org/assets/files/peace2003.pdf). Enjoy! 

I'm joined by Preandra Noel on this week's installment of GC talks. Preandra is the Program and Office Assistant at Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue. On this episode, she emphasizes the importance of friendship in building solid identities as global citizens. Enjoy! 

This is the third installment of my new interview series called 'Foster the GCs.' Today, I'm joined by Megumi Tanaka who is Soka University of America's Manager of Alumni Relations. We spoke about the role that virtual and in person interactions play in connecting people back to the mission statement. Megumi is also a fellow alumna from the class of 2011. Please enjoy listening to her insights about SUA's mission statement! 

The title of Ikeda's 2002 peace proposal is "The Humanism of the Middle Way: Dawn of a Global Civilization." This episode is a little on the shorter side. My intention is to offer up some initial impressions of the document and highlight one or more key concepts. I encourage interested listeners to check out Ikeda's full text here (https://www.daisakuikeda.org/assets/files/peace2002.pdf). May this episode spark further dialogue on the important issues he raises from 2002. For example, a discussion on dehumanization and dialogue is just as relevant today as it was twenty years ago! Enjoy! 

On this week's episode of GC talks, I'm joined by Victor Haynes who is a political scientist with a PhD from Claremont Graduate University. He talks about his passion of teaching as a way to foster global citizens. Also, he shares more about his dissertation and the ways in which President Trump's anti-rhetoric produced negative ripple effects across the political arena. How can one feel confident in their own voice, while being open to listening to what others have to say when the current political environment is polarizing? Find out! Enjoy. 

I speak with Yuko Nakajima about her work in foreign services as Third Secretary of the Embassy of Japan in Myanmar. From her strong intuition to become a diplomat during University to her ceaseless efforts to assist the peoples of Myanmar in rebuilding their policies and democratic frameworks, she is candid about the struggle to reconcile between her national identity and her role as diplomat. It is a fascinating and hope-filled conversation! Enjoy! 

After a long hiatus, I have circled back to the peace proposals, and it is time to talk about Ikeda's 2001 peace proposal to the UN. It is titled: Creating and Sustaining a Century of Life: Challenges for a New Era. My goal is to cover Ikeda's proposals from the year 2000 up until the current year. Each month I will post a new installment of this series! I hope you find these episodes to be a nice appetizer for an eventual full reading of the document. You can read the entire 2001 peace proposal by following the link below. Enjoy! 

https://www.daisakuikeda.org/assets/files/peace2001.pdf

Blended learning, online communities, the Fediverse, and more! I had a great conversation with Ben Wilkoff who is the Associate Director of Admissions Operations at Minerva University. It was a joy to learn more about his pioneering actions to innovate new communal spaces via the Internet. He has a strong ethic of learning and being curious that really inspires me to persist in my inquires about global citizenship. This is my second conversation with a staff member from Minerva University. They are doing excellent work in the area of global citizenship education and recommend that you read up on them. Also, check out Ben's longstanding blog called 'Learning is Change.'

Minerva Website: https://www.minerva.edu/

Ben's blog: https://learningischange.com/

Here is a new interview series called 'Foster the GCs.' The goal of this new series is to speak with staff, faculty, and facilities workers from Soka University of America, or SUA, about the school’s mission statement, which is to foster a steady stream of global citizens committed to living a contributive life. On today's episode, I welcome Jacqueline Chin who works for the Human Resources department at SUA. She is also a graduate of SUA from the first class in 2005. Enjoy!

Maria Fernanda Sanchez is a Soka educator who has worked within the Soka school network in countries such as Japan, the USA, and Brazil. Her experiences in teaching and coordinating span over a decade, and, currently, she is working on her PhD in English Communication at Busan University in South Korea. She is involved in many exciting projects to foster global citizens, and her dream is to one day open a school in her hometown of Caracas, Venezuela, based on value-creating education. Enjoy! 

Child development and humanitarian competition. These are just two fascinating topics of many that I discuss with Stefanie Horton on another episode of VCE, or Value Creating Education, interviews. I wish to spotlight the work and efforts of amazing VCE educators, like Stefanie, and I hope you find their perspectives to be enlightening. She is an early childhood educator with international experience teaching in Japan, New York, and the Philippines. Enjoy! 

Here is a new interview series called 'Foster the GCs.' The goal of this new series is to speak with staff, faculty, and facilities workers from Soka University of America, or SUA, about the school’s mission statement, which is to foster a steady stream of global citizens committed to living a contributive life. On this first episode, I welcome Kevin Moncrief who is the Vice President for Mission Integration at SUA. He shares about his hopes for a future where consistent dialogue on global citizenship will best inform and ensure the actualization of SUA's mission to foster global citizens. Enjoy! 

Today, I speak with Jaemin Park who is a commercial assistant at the embassy of Sri Lanka in Seoul, South Korea. He talks about his mission on the episode: to serve underprivileged populations and create societal change through public policies, rooted in human rights. I believe that Jaemin's many experiences of transforming personal hardships to cultivate greater empathy and his commitment to human rights is what shapes his position and viewpoint as a global citizen. Check out his thoughts for yourself and tune in! Enjoy!  

Melanie Peterson-Nafziger is another incredible person from World Savvy, the non-profit organization whose mission is to educate and engage youth to learn, work, and thrive as responsible global citizens. She is a Professional Learning Facilitator and has over 25 years of teaching experience. I really enjoyed talking with Melanie and found her career trajectory to be fascinating, fulfilling, and innovative. Listen to this episode to find out how Melanie has worked to create, lead, and inspire new programs towards greater global competencies in future generations across schools in the United States. Enjoy! 

In this episode of GC talks, I'm joined by Aishani Khurana who is a doctoral researcher in socio-cultural anthropology at the University of Illinois Chicago. She shares about her perspectives on global citizenship and the need to bring out one's lived- experiences with respect to their societal and cultural milieu. From her experiences as a teacher and professor, she cites the valuable experiences her students shared about their own local geographies and the deep understandings that emerge from their shared struggles to overcome discrimination in society. Aishani talks about her role as a global citizen toward contributing to new theories surrounding hate crimes and what can be done at the local level to feel more empowered to make change. Enjoy! 

What the world urgently needs in this fast-paced, globalized society are global competencies that prepare young people for success and active engagement. With the mission to educate and engage youth to learn, work, and thrive as responsible global citizens, the non-profit organization, World Savvy, is greatly impacting K-12 reform toward new development and hope for a better world. I'm joined by the co-founder and CEO of World Savvy, Dana Mortenson, to learn more about the origins of this growing non-profit and how their idea of global citizenship takes shape through local initiatives as well as systems-level approaches. Enjoy! 

To learn more about World Savvy, check out their website: 

https://www.worldsavvy.org/

To learn more about Global Competencies, here is a link to the matrix from their website:

https://www.worldsavvy.org/our-approach/global-competence/

I'm joined yet again by Andrew Gebert to discuss the most recent Ikeda peace proposal. This 2022 peace proposal is titled: 'Transforming Human History: The Light of Peace and Dignity.' Andrew is a professor at Soka University of Japan and DePaul University. He is also a Japanese to English translator who is based in Tokyo, Japan. There is so much to unpack in these peace proposals, so I encourage you to read the full text: https://www.daisakuikeda.org/sub/resources/works/props/2022-peace-proposal-full/ 

Enjoy this conversation and let's be global citizens! 

I'm joined by Laura Cossette to explore the term global citizenship and what it means to embody this ideal in our day-to-day lives. She currently works at Partners of the Americas where she does important work in global citizenship education, specifically, for study abroad programs. Laura has traveled and lived abroad on numerous occasions in Europe and Latin America.  On the episode, she shares some insights from these experiences that exemplify her passion and commitment to creating positive social change in our world. Enjoy our conversation! 

I'm joined by Junior Menezes to talk about his fascinating and inspiring background of broadening his perspective on the world. He came from a lower income community on the outskirts of Sao Paulo, Brazil. Through bold action and grit, he has lived in seven different countries, earned University degrees, and currently works as the Admissions coordinator at Minvera University. There is a lot to unpack with Junior's story! Enjoy! 

In the latest installment of GC talks, I'm joined by Rodrigo Carvalhedo who is a civil engineer, screenwriter, and animator from Brazil. He currently resides in California and is pursuing his dream to write and create stories that fully resonate with people. From his experiences living in different countries to his curiosity about the world, Rodrigo embodies global citizenship. He shares how vital empathy is towards understanding the heart of others. Enjoy! 

From Taiwanese nights markets to international dialogue nights, Lillian I shares her experiences growing up in two different worlds and how her process of constructing a solid identity would lead her to engage in dialogue for global citizenship. Lillian works as program manager at the Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue, located in Boston. She holds dual citizenship in Taiwan and the US. There are many wonderful insights that Lillian shares on this episode as well as some discussion on the recent virtual event hosted by the Ikeda Center called the Ikeda Forum. See below for more information about the 2021 Ikeda forum titled, Becoming Wide Awake to our Wisdom, Courage, and Compassion. Enjoy!  

Homepage of the Ikeda Center for Peace, Learning, and Dialogue: https://www.ikedacenter.org/content/welcome

Link to write-up on the 2021 Ikeda Forum: https://www.ikedacenter.org/events/ikeda-forum/2021-global-cit

Let's talk with another amazing educator from the VCE (Value-Creating Education) program, Kimberly Mullenix. Kim is currently a preschool director in San Diego, CA. She has followed her passion for gymnastics, travel, and culture, while broadening her perspective on what it means to be a global citizen. Kim is also a graduate from Soka University of America. She talks about how her journey for humanistic education led her to teach  in California and Nepal as well as her interests in pursuing a masters degree in the VCE program through DePaul University. Lastly, she discusses how global citizenship informs her approach to raising her newborn son who is five months old! Enjoy this episode of VCE interviews with Kim! 

Let's talk with a fellow IB Global Politics teacher! 

Paul Vliegen is from Holland who is currently working in New York at the Dwight school. His journey as a global citizen has taken him all over the world to places like Poland, China, and the US. Paul shares his stories and approaches to teaching high school students how to ask questions about the world and learn to take action. Don't miss this excellent conversation on how we may grow into action-oriented citizens who are striving to expand our sense of empathy and mission for others. Enjoy! 

Non-governmental organizations, learning across cultural differences, cultivating compassion, and advocating for those in need. Those are just some topics that were discussed on this new installment of GC talks with Marling Aguila. 

Marling is a Peruvian national who works in the NGO sector as well as the founder of a grassroots cultural association called La Casa Cultural Yuyay. Her work engages in community building, education, and, more recently, psychology. Enjoy! 

What is community service? Which community do I serve? And what concrete actions am I taking to demonstrate my service to this community? These are some questions that I asked myself as I wrote my second scholarship essay to the Golden Key Honors Society. My life has taken an unexpected turn during the pandemic and I find myself back in California, working for my alma mater Soka University of America. This is a short episode! It is mostly an update about where I'm at in my life. Plus, I share what I wrote in my essay. Enjoy! 

This episode marks one year for Be A Global Citizen! I'm very happy to have Dr. Paulette Bethel join us to share her incredible journey as a former Ambassador to the United Nations. She continues to be engaged on the International stage and is currently residing in the Bahamas. Her pioneering efforts within the UN are inspiring and exemplify global citizenship in many ways. I hope you enjoy our conversation and walk away from it feeling that anyone can make a big difference to transform the world around us. Enjoy!