In this episode of Wine, Women, and Revolution, Heather hosts a panel discussion about the revolutionary social studies curriculum in NJ directed by the Amistad Law. New Jersey is the first state in the country to pass a law and implement a truly racially inclusive social studies program. Today, Heather is joined by Gary Melton, Dr. Stephanie James-Harris, and Tamar Lasure Owens. They talk about the successes, challenges, and plans for what can be done in NJ. Can a social studies curriculum change the world? It just might be able to with the dedication of hard working educators.

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Gary Melton 0:00
We as educators must, must learn to infuse, right and it’s not a standalone, it’s not something that should be siloed and put to the side and only brought out when when people feel like it’s necessary. African American History is American history.

Heather Warburton 0:22
This is Wine, Women and Revolution, with your host, Heather Warburton. Hi, and welcome to Wine Women and Revolution. I’m your host, Heather Warburton coming at you here on Create Your Future Productions. You can find us online at www.YourFutureCreator.com. Follow us on all the social medias and get us wherever you get your podcasts from. Tonight, I’ve got a really amazing panel. So I don’t want to do too much introduction other than just to tell you, we’re going to be talking again about the Amistad curriculum and some other really good successes we’re having here in New Jersey and some of the challenges that we’re having. But like I said, I don’t want to give you too much intro because I’ve got three amazing people here tonight. And I want to jump right in let them introduce themselves first.

Let’s start with Mr. Gary Melton, would you like to introduce yourself?

Gary Melton 1:11
Yes, good evening. Thank you so much. My name is Gary Melton, I’m the Associate Director of the New Jersey Education Association. Its executive office. And part of my duties are well really, the whole listing of my duties is racial, social and economic justice. But I also do governance for the organization, and so have been a part of Amistad since its inception as a classroom teacher, and kind of carried that over and trying to make sure that implementation is being successful in the state of New Jersey. So we have really been driving our members along with the Amistad Commission to make sure that this is being done appropriately and effectively to every school district in the state.

Heather Warburton 1:59
Who would like to go next.

Dr. Stephanie James-Harris 2:02
I’ll go next, how are you?

Heather Warburton 2:04
I’m good. Hopw are you

Dr. Stephanie James-Harris 2:05
I’m good. I’m good. I’m Dr. Stephanie James-Harris. I am the Executive Director of the New Jersey Amistad Commission at the Department of Education for the state of New Jersey. And I’m excited to be able to be with you today. I’m always excited to talk about Amistad law, implementation across the state, some of our successes, and some of our challenges. I’ll call them challenges not failures as we try to really move social justice issues as well as make sure that there is an infusion of a variety of histories into our K through 12 curriculum for the state in the attempt to try to make sure that our next generation of leaders are global thinkers and understand our collective contribution to this world history.

Heather Warburton 3:02
And last but not least,

Tamar Lasure Owens 3:05
Hi there. I’m Tamar Owens. I’m a teacher at Leeds Avenue school. I teach first grade I’m also the district AMHOTINO coordinator, which stands for Amistad, Holocaust, Latino history. I have also attend the Amistad Summer Institute sin