What does “back to school” look like when your community is bracing for ICE raids?
In this episode, educator and organizer Lupe Carrasco Cardona joins us to talk about protecting students through Know Your Rights workshops, walking school buses, and community safety plans. We also explore her 2022 lawsuit over teaching ethnic studies (dismissed in 2024) and how that fight connects to resisting the criminalization of immigrant families. From mutual aid to decolonized curriculum, Lupe shows why defending truth in the classroom is inseparable from defending our communities.
Show Notes:
00:23 The Fight for Ethnic Studies
03:35 Formation of Liberated Ethnic Studies
07:55 The Impact of Ethnic Studies on Personal Identity
10:18 Community Solidarity and Defense Initiatives
13:23 Workshops and Training for ICE Raids
22:19 Empowering Communities Through Education and Solidarity
28:40 Discovering the Power of Mutual Aid
29:09 Indigenous Socialism and Community Building
29:50 The Theft of Labor and Wealth Inequality
31:11 Generational Responsibility and Environmental Concerns
32:37 The Struggle Against Racism and Capitalism
33:43 Challenges in Promoting Ethnic Studies
40:33 The Importance of Ancestral Knowledge
43:05 Legal Battles and Community Organizing
47:11 Standing Firm Against Oppression
