ESL For Equality Podcast
Episodes
Season 2, Episode 11: Happy World Refugee Day!
16 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In honor of World Refugee Day 2025, Hannah explores the day’s history, this year’s theme Solidarity with Refugees, and why it matters now more tha...
Season 2, Episode 10: A New Travel Ban and the Criminalization of Protest
08 Jun 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of ESL for Equality, Hannah examines the reinstatement of the U.S. travel ban under the Trump administration. She unpacks the policy’...
Season 2, Episode 9: Human Rights on the Chopping Block
27 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of ESL for Equality, Hannah unpacks Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s testimony before Congress and the Trump administration’s shoc...
Season 2, Episode 8: A Flight into Chaos: Deportations and the Collapse of Due Process
23 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of ESL for Equality, host Hannah unpacks a shocking and illegal deportation carried out by the Trump administration, sending eight men...
Season 2, Episode 7: Revoked TPS for Afghans and the Cost of American Abandonment
15 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of ESL for Equality, we dig into the Trump administration’s decision to revoke Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for Afghan nationals...
Season 2, Episode 6: A Pause for Some, A Pathway for Others
10 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this urgent episode, host Hannah Joos returns to unpack one of the most jarring developments in U.S. refugee policy: the expedited resettlement of ...
Season 2, Episode 5: Language as a Weapon
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode of ESL for Equality, Hannah explores how language policy is being weaponized in real time. With the recent repeal of Executive Order 1...
Season 2, Episode 4: When the Law Speaks a Different Language
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
How do you assert your rights when the system doesn’t speak your language? In this episode, host Hannah Joos explores the life-saving power of Know ...
Season 2, Episode 3: The End of the CHNV Parole Program
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we examine the human consequences of the Trump administration’s abrupt revocation of the CHNV humanitarian parole program, a progra...
Season 2, Episode 2: US Wrapped
02 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, we take a hard look at the unraveling of the U.S. Refugee Admissions Program (USRAP). Once a bipartisan humanitarian cornerstone, USR...
Season 2, Episode 1: Beginning Again
01 May 2025
Contributed by Lukas
Season 2 of ESL for Equality opens with a clear-eyed look at the mounting policy rollbacks targeting immigrants, refugees, trans communities, and mult...
Episode 21: Abdi Ali talks Interpretation Services and African Peace Bridges
08 Jun 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to episode 21 where I have a conversation on interpretation services with Abdi Ali. I met Abdi in Nairobi, Kenya when we both worked in the Cu...
Episode 20: Book Recommendations
09 Apr 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to episode 20 where I discuss some books I've read recently that have opened my mind and had me questioning. The books are: Race, Empire, and...
Episode 19: Ian Randall on Teaching English At The Collegiate Level
10 Mar 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to episode 19 where I have a discussion with my dear friend Ian Randall. I know Ian Randall from back home in Chicago, IL. During grad school, ...
Episode 18: Laurie Kuntz and The New Arrival
24 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to episode 18 where I have a conversation with author and poet Laurie Kuntz. Full disclosure, Laurie was a complete stranger to me before recor...
Episode 17: Andrea Echelberger of Literacy Minnesota
10 Feb 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to episode 17 where I have a conversation with Andrea Echelberger from Literacy Minnesota. Andrea is the ESL Training Coordinator at Literacy ...
Episode 16: Biden's Immigration Initiatives
28 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to episode 16 for a brief rundown of some of Biden's recent immigration initiatives. While I don't cover every order or initiative, I attempt ...
Episode 15: Helen Thorpe
20 Jan 2021
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to episode 15 where I have the great honor of speaking with journalist and author, Helen Thorpe. She has authored three books and her magazine ...
Episode 14: Casa De Paz
15 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to episode 14 where I talk with Sarah Jackson, the founder of the Denver/Aurora based organization Casa de Paz. Several years ago, Sarah’s ey...
Episode 13: Abdullahi Mire
02 Dec 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to Episode 13 with guest Abdullahi Mire, a freelance journalist as well as the founder of Dadaab Book Drive and the a host on Radio Gargaar in ...
Episode 12: Conflict In Ethiopia
25 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to Episode 12 for a discussion on the ongoing conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. This episode includes a conversation with Anthony Ala...
Episode 11: BONUS Gratitude Episode
23 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to this bonus mini episode, in honor of Thanksgiving week! I am so incredibly grateful to all guests, listeners, and supporters of the pod. I...
Episode 10: Teaching Pre - Literate And Beginner ESL Students
18 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to episode 10 where I have a conversation with my friend and colleague, Katie Pham. Katie teaches adult ESL and has extensive experience workin...
Episode 9: Understanding The Asylum Process
11 Nov 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to episode 9 - part of the Understanding Refugee Resettlement Series - Understanding the Asylum Process. In this episode I talk with Attorney ...
Episode 8: Linnie Pawlek and Teach By Tech
28 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to episode 8 where I chat with Linnie Pawlek, the founder of the organization Teach by Tech. We discuss how this organization utilizes a hybri...
Episode 7: Understanding Refugee Resettlement - What is Cultural Orientation?
20 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to episode 7, a conversation on Cultural Orientation with my friend and former colleague Irene Wakarindi. This is the second episode in the Un...
Episode 6: Little Fugee
13 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Listen to episode 6, an interview with my friend and new author, Melvin Otieno. Melvin recently published a comic-style book called Little Fugee that ...
Episode 5: Understanding Refugee Resettlement - A History Of Refugee Resettlement In The US
05 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is the first in a series of episodes entitled Understanding Refugee Resettlement. In these episodes, we will dive into topics like vetting refug...
Episode 4: Volunteers In The ESL Classroom Part 2
01 Oct 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 2 of a conversation with Sharon McCreary - go back and listen to part 1 if you missed it! In this episode, we talk volunteer best practi...
Episode 3: Volunteers In The ESL Classroom - Part 1
20 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
This is part 1 of a 2 part conversation where I speak with my friend and colleague Sharon McCreary. Sharon manages volunteers in adult refugee ESL cla...
Episode 2: Teaching English As A Non - Native English Speaker
17 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
In this episode, I speak to my friend and colleague, Bikobiko Mto about his experiences as a resettled refugee and what it is like teaching English as...
Episode 1: Welcome to the ESL for Equality Podcast
17 Sep 2020
Contributed by Lukas
Welcome, beinvenidos, karibu sana to the ESL for Equality podcast. Whether you’re an English language educator, English is your 2nd (or 5th) languag...