54. Representation with Kia London

Kia London is passionate about ensuring that we, as educators are thinking about who is not being represented in our curriculum and how we can branch out and make sure that everyone in our classrooms sees themselves in the curriculum. In this episode of the Language Lounge, Kia talks about how she creates diversity, equity and inclusion through her lessons and gives tips and resources for getting started.

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Kia is a passionate educator, writer, and advocate for equity by way of representation in the world language curriculum. She carries seventeen years of experience in the classroom, and has taught Spanish to second language learners, native, and heritage speakers, for all grade levels K-12. She currently teaches Spanish to 5th and 6th grade students, and works in an additional capacity as a DEI Coordinator in her school community.

Through her brand, Trailblaze Into Language Learning, Kia has provided workshops and webinars focused on student representation, the African Diaspora, and intercultural competence. She has presented at local, state, and regional conferences, as well as the ACTFL conference. As a writer of comprehensible short stories and articles, she successfully designs a rich curriculum filled with victories and stories of African identities, DEI, and student representation.

Mentions:

Las Voces Diversas de la Diáspora magzine by Kia London and A.C. Quintero

LLLAB - Language Learner Literature Advisory Board https://wearelllab.org/

Wildwood School Multicultural Leadership Institue l https://www.wildwood.org/diversity-equity-inclusion-and-belonging/deib-initiatives/multicultural-leadership-institute

ICTFL -Illinois Council on the Teaching of Foreign Languages Kia London, Region 1 director Dr. Michael Ayala, President Affinity groups https://www.ictfl.org/

Culturally Diverse and Equitable Curriculum Design Group https://www.facebook.com/groups/culturallydiverseequitablecurriculum/Bit.ly/klondon

ICTFL Spring Workshop Presented by Kia London, Latin School of Chicago - April 20, 2023 Making Consistent Steps to Centering Diversity, Equity and Inclusion in the World Language Classroom https://www.ictfl.org/2023-spring-workshop.html

Trailblaze into Language Learning https://trailblazeintolanguagelearning.com/

Command Performance Books https://cpli.net/(a variety of class readers for language class including A.C. Quintero and I’s magazine publication in Spanish– Las voces diversas de la diáspora)

Webinar: Cultural and Linguistic Competence through Social Justice by LJ Randolph LJ Randolph - 𝘊𝘶𝘭𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘓𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘶𝘪𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤 𝘊𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘦𝘵𝘦𝘯𝘤𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩 𝘚𝘰𝘤𝘪𝘢𝘭 𝘑𝘶𝘴𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘦 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MgTWeV8Xl7c

Social Media 

Twitter: @MaestraLondon 

Instagram: @clases_de_london  

Kia's Website(s): 

bit.ly/klondon (free classroom activities, blog posts, podcasts, products for the Spanish classroom, Facebook groups, ICTFL Affinity Groups link, CV, YouTube, social media handles) 

Trailblaze Curriculum Design Teachable Courses & Products,  https://trailblaze-into-language-learning.teachable.com/ 

Kia's Blog: 

Trailblaze Into Language Learning https://trailblazeintolanguagelearning.com/equity/cultural-and-linguistic-expressions-2/ 

Kia's Facebook Groups 

ICTFL Region One (Illinois State Language Organization)  https://www.facebook.com/groups/1534890143396038 

BIPOC World Language Educators of Illinois (*BIPOC- Black Indigenous People Of Color) https://www.facebook.com/groups/809226000517715 

Culturally Diverse and Equitable Curriculum Design Group  https://www.facebook.com/groups/culturallydiverseequitablecurriculum