Defining US: Youth Voices of Change

Chelsea Hylton: Your Story, Your Power

Chelsea Hylton is currently a reporter on the De Los team at the Los Angeles Times. She previously reported local breaking news at NBCLA and Telemundo52. The Inglewood native is the daughter of immigrants from Mexico and Jamaica. Hylton has bachelor’s degrees from the University of Wisconsin-Madison and a master’s in journalism from the University of Southern California. During her time in undergrad, she was a Posse Scholar and co-editor in chief of The Black Voice, UW’s Black student-run publication. At USC, she served as a co-editor for Dímelo, the university’s only Latinx-based and bilingual publication. She is passionate about social justice issues and the power that storytelling has on Black and Brown communities. 
Powerful Moments 
Throughout this podcast there are powerful moments that provide deeper insight into the individuals and topics discussed in this podcast:   
06:02 – Standing up to Oppressive Structures 
11:58 – Embracing Self-Worth as a Student
12:34 – Bringing Dia De Los Muertos to LA Times 
16:23 – How Education Serves as Liberation
20:19 – Upholding Ethical Practices as a Journalist
21:26 – Realizing the Power You Hold
24:55 – Staying True to Your Identity
28:31 – Everyone’s Role in Revolution
33:24 – Message to Young Scholars 
 

Hannah Glenn and Christian Alvarado: I Couldn’t Have Done It Alone

Hannah Glenn (she/her/hers) is a PhD Candidate in the Department of Counseling Psychology at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. During her time at UW-Madison, Hannah has served in multiple roles to create and uphold culturally affirming spaces for underrepresented students at UW-Madison, including, but not limited to, being a mentor for the Posse Program from 2018-2020 and a DDEEA Community Support Specialist at the Counseling Psychology Training Clinic during the 2020-2021 and 2022-2023 academic years. In these roles, Hannah has provided welcoming spaces for people to truly feel seen and learn about what makes them who they are. She approaches forming relationships and strengthening communities with her values of cultural humility, curiosity, openness, authenticity, and respecting the infinite worth of every individual. Hannah is motivated to use her positionality as a psychologist-in-training to support others’ mental health and well-being. 
 
Christian Alvarado is a Mexican Guatemalan, first generation, Los Angeles native. Having family in less opportunistic countries and conditions has given him a public service and ambitious outlook on life. He is a recent graduate from the University of Wisconsin-Madison where he obtained a B.S in Microbiology. Christian currently works at UCLA in a biomedical and regenerative sciences laboratory where he assists on a project to build ovarian follicles using stem-cell-based organoids. He plans to take this time as a gap to then pursue his PhD in Molecular biology next year. 
 
Powerful Moments 
Throughout this podcast there are powerful moments that provide deeper insight into the individuals and topics discussed in this podcast:   
(5:30) The Posse Foundation 
(10:39) Learning to Recharge   
(12:55) Entering a PWI as a Student of Color. 
(14:35) The Importance of Therapy for students 
(16:35) Handling Shocking News when arriving to UW-Madison 
(19:15) Social Emotional Learning in Education 
(21:55) Adjusting to College & Mental Health  
(27:40) Achieving a life dream 
Critical Reflection Questions (During and After the Listening) 
Use the following critical reflection questions to make deeper meaning of the topics discussed in this episode: 
How do my own identity, experiences and knowledge influence my understanding of this topic?  
How does this topic connect with my current context? 
What are the implications to my practice? 
How can I support students in taking on and solving big important problems? 
How will I continue the conversation in my school/community/organization? 
Inside the Conversation  
Want to know more? Continue the learning with some of the important individuals, organizations and topics discussed in this episode: 
The Posse Foundation 
UW-Madison Counseling Psychology Training Clinic  
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Ingrid Chung and Angel Diaz: I Am Because We Are

Ingrid Chung grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio and moved to New York to pursue a bachelor’s degree in English and creative writing at New York University where she became an accidental teacher through the New York City Teaching Fellows program, earning a master’s degree in adolescent English education at Hunter College. She began her first year of teaching at the Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science (AMS) 15 years ago as a 7th grade humanities teacher in Room 4 and immediately fell in love with teaching, AMS, & her students. Her passion for and commitment to equitable public education experiences for all young people led her to return to New York University for a master’s in educational leadership in 2011 and now, to pursue her doctorate in urban education leadership at Columbia University's Teachers College. Chung currently lives in East Harlem and loves to travel, wander the city, try new restaurants, read, write, eat everything she can find, hang out with “AMS babies,” and be near/on the water as often as possible.  
 
Angel Diaz was born and raised in Bronx, New York. While living in the neighborhood of Highbridge, he attended the Urban Assembly School for Applied Math and Science and is currently working for New York JTL as director of their after school and summer camp program, while also serving as a paraprofessional for high school students. Diaz is enrolled at Bronx Community College, seeking a degree in secondary education. Most meaningfully, he continues to be a part of his own high school brotherhood program, Umoja, where Diaz began as a student eight years ago, and continued first as an alumni and now staff member. 
 Powerful Moments 
Throughout this podcast there are powerful moments that provide deeper insight into the individuals and topics discussed:   
1:33 – Catching up with Ingrid and Angel. Hearing what they’ve achieved since filming “Defining US” 
3:27 – How Umoja started and grew to be what it is now
6:26 – The Umoja experience from a student perspective
8:40 – How Umoja gives Angel “purpose in life” even as an adult
10:13 – The Umoja retreat
15:30 – Darion relates the Umoja experience to his own experiences
18:55 – Angel tells the amusing story of having his cell phone taken away at the retreat
20:13 – “I Am, Because We Are” 

Sikirat Mustapha: The Only Thing We Can Do Is Change The Future

As a passionate advocate for equity and access, Sikirat Mustapha uses her multifaceted interests in educational policy, finance and business to elicit change in her community. She attends Columbia University studying Statistics, Political Science & Business Administration. Sikirat can be seen mobilizing thousands at town halls, organizing rallies, speaking on panels, and constructing policies that work to eradicate the inequitable practices in NYC public schools through her work as the former Executive Board Member of the Chancellor's Student Advisory Council. As the founder and CEO of Sikirat Tutors, she developed an all encompassing youth enrichment curriculum that prioritizes a unique education where students are taught and mentored by other students. Sikirat's love for equity also branches outside of education, where she can be seen advocating for financial literacy, fair housing, and racial justice. This summer she spent time exploring Venture Capital with a boutique fund, actively investing in organizations impacting social reform for young people in NYC. With her free time, she enjoys exploring different cultures through food, music and dance.  
 Powerful Moments 
Throughout this podcast there are powerful moments that provide deeper insight into the individuals and topics discussed in this podcast.   
1:40 – Sikirat’s background and what she is currently working on 
4:15 – Addressing inequities in marginalized communities and educational policy with the proper tools 
7:01 – “The only thing that we can do is change the future.”
8:32 – Sikirat discusses her education endeavor, Sikirat Tutors.
12:56 – Importance of studying and understanding other cultures
18:06 – Students of color don’t see themselves in higher positions in education or even in teachers and administrators
23:38 – “Where does your hope come from?”
26:10 – Darion and Sikirat discuss Defining Us: Children at the Crossroads of Change.
27:35 – Darion shares his thoughts about the teacher shortage crisis and offers support