Feb 13 2025 63 mins 1
What happens when three Asian American women math educators come together to reflect on their journeys, activism, and the role of mathematics in justice? In this powerful episode, Dr. Kari Kokka—math educator, social justice advocate, and former high school teacher—joins hosts Shari Kaku and Michelle Lo for an inspiring conversation about searching for our own stories, math identity, and community organizing.
From her experiences growing up in diverse San Jose, to teaching in New York, to her deep commitment to solidarity and reparations work, Dr. Kokka shares how mathematics can be a tool for justice. Join us for a discussion covers everything from Asian American identity in math education to the importance of centering students’ voices and lived experiences in the classroom.
And to learn more about the many resources on this episode, check out these links:
Red Cards for knowing our immigrant rights:
https://www.ilrc.org/red-cards-tarjetas-rojas
SEARAC: https://searac.org/
Tsuru for Solidarity: https://tsuruforsolidarity.org/
Social Justice Math Resources: www.mathsocialissues.com
A Love Letter to Women, Femme, and Nonbinary Critical Scholars of Color: Theorizing the Four I’s of Love in SiSTARhood by Kari Kokka, Rochelle Gutiérrez, and Marrielle Myers (the article, so email Dr. Kokka if you would like a copy)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/10778004241269909?download=true&journalCode=qixa)
Critical Math Drop Podcast: www.criticalmathdrop.com
