Ep 237: On Māori Mother Wisdom (The Language Episode)

Whadddup, Listener homie!

I hope you're listening to this final episode thinkin' Daang, Akilah really helped me get more aligned with the type of person I wanna be.

Who are you now that you have experienced some of these conversations here on the podcast? My answer to that question is that I am more zoned in on the embodiment of the unschooling skills, which currently look like:

• Shifting my seminary studies from interfaith/interspiritual ministerial ordination to Integrative Thanatology at the Art of Dying Institute (this is so aligned with what the past four years have taught me!)
• more somatic movement tings (been studying the Feldenkreis method and doing more Dancehall-centric freestyle movements lately)
• Savor Complex Work (wrote about it on my new-ish newsletter here)
• Being at home with my family and present for all the ways love live here

This podcast has been such a belonging-maker in my life--thank you for being part of this! In our finale episode, I offer the fifth care package of how-to guides to navigate this work: Been Unschooling and now Ready to Deepen My Shit. 

You'll hear me talk about moving into grounded confident autonomy, and provide some perspective and reassurances to help you trust and honor your wisdom. It's big spiritual work, and for some of us, it's happening at the same time we're  witnessing what children need from us and how we are responding to that.

I also give you the ways to stay connected with this type of work, including the resources on Schoolishness.com, my Patreon page, the Fare of the Free Child Podcast YouTube channel, as well as the wisdom from all the episodes that live on raisingfreepeople.com. Every single episode this season was dedicated to YOU feeling equipped to start or continue your journey towards raising and being free people.

With plenty love,
Akilah

Dig this show? Join our make-it-happen family at patreon.com/akilah to make sure we can keep this thang going strong. Thank you!


The Raising Free People Practice Card Deck
https://schoolishness.com/market/rfp-a-practice-deck/

Peek at the details of Personal Manifesto Path (will be available exclusively through our make-it-happen family on Patreon)
https://www.rfpunschool.com/p/manifesto

Our Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/@fareofthefreechild

The Village:
https://my-reflection-matters.mn.co/

Have you ever wondered how grief and loss might pave a pathway toward spiritual growth? In this penultimate episode of Fare of the Free Child podcast, I share with you the fourth path in my care package to this community. Sharing Season 9 reflections, Chemay Morales-James, Vanessa Molano, Jasai Madden, Stori, and I bring to life our experiences in this liberation walk. Engaging in a candid exploration of spirituality, manifestation, magic, and money, we unravel the ways it has shaped our lives. We also dive into our origin stories and the leveling up it has brought us to.

Taking a step further, we tackle the often overlooked issue of pervasive whiteness ingrained in ourselves, our communities, and our learning or workspaces. Drawing from the wisdom condensed in the Developing a Disruptor's Ear workbook, we unearth the impacts of whiteness on various aspects of education and society. Pervasive Whiteness, as we articulate, "Is when a white person either unconsciously or deliberately asserts unsolicited opinions and ideas using their voice, bodies or a particular approach or mindset - like NVC- in ways that are dismissive of the voices, bodies, and experiences of those outside their 'in-group' or culture."

"Pervasive Whiteness is an embodiment of harmful structures deeply rooted in modernity and coloniality, transcending beyond white bodies." It's a significant thread that weaves through our conversation as we  share notes from pages 15 to 27 of the workbook.

In the final segment of our discussion, we challenge the traditional norms and tactics underpinned by pervasive whiteness. We delve into the intricate ways whiteness weaponizes communication and highlight the schoolishness that unknowingly seep into our daily lives.

As we wrap up, with our FINAL episode next week, I extend an invitation for you to continue this enlightening journey by accessing the five pathways I have gifted you on this departure. I remain deeply grateful for your unwavering support!

Links:
RFP Unschool
Developing a Disruptor's Ear
Eclectic Learning Network
RFP Book
Bayo Akomolafe
Rooted Global Village
Ep 120

Dig this show? Join our make-it-happen family at patreon.com/akilah to make sure we can keep this thang going strong. Thank you!


The Raising Free People Practice Card Deck
https://schoolishness.com/market/rfp-a-practice-deck/

Peek at the details of Personal Manifesto Path (will be available exclusively through our make-it-happen family on Patreon)
https://www.rfpunschool.com/p/manifesto

Our Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/@fareofthefreechild

The Village:
https://my-reflection-matters.mn.co/

Join Akilah as she journeys through the third path to Raising Free People: For Me not Them. Learn the languaging that helps you, the adult, the independent person, move through discovering confident autonomy and other themes that come through as you traverse the pathway of personal leadership.

This week we continue our exploration into liberation and self-direction from Seasons 6, 7, and 8. Among those who got their flowers are Yolonda Coles Jones, Leslie W. Bray, and Vanessa Molano, who have provided essential tools for this journey. Karen M Ricks, Tony Galloway, and Amelia Allen Sherwood. Karen explored the correlation between food, play, and mindfulness, followed by Tony's reflections on finance, politics, masculinity, mental health, and unschooling, and Amelia gave us a unique perspective on Montessori education for Black folks. We also showed love to other guests like Iris Chen, Karema Akilah, Ieishah Clelland-Lang, and Season 8's co-host, Domari Dickinson, who joined us in offering the P.A.U.S.E. framework and its transformative role in self-reflection and personal development.

This episode is a treasure trove of wisdom for all, dig in!

Episode links:
Yolanda Coles Jones
Leslie W Bray
Vanessa Molano
Raising Free People book
Karen M Ricks
Amelia Sherwood and Sankofa Learning Centre
Iris Chen and Untigering
Karema Akilah and The Genius School
Anthony Galloway
Fare of the Free Man Child series: Ep 232, 233, 234
Ieishah Clelland-Lang
Maori Mother Wisdom series: Ep 237,238,239,240
P.A.U.S.E series and Domari Dickinson
Tebogo Modisane and Ha se Lehola

Dig this show? Join our make-it-happen family at patreon.com/akilah to make sure we can keep this thang going strong. Thank you!


The Raising Free People Practice Card Deck
https://schoolishness.com/market/rfp-a-practice-deck/

Peek at the details of Personal Manifesto Path (will be available exclusively through our make-it-happen family on Patreon)
https://www.rfpunschool.com/p/manifesto

Our Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/@fareofthefreechild

The Village:
https://my-reflection-matters.mn.co/

Moving away from school-centric culture and the performances we got going on is a very real thing that one listener voiced and we're sharing it here in this episode.
We're diving deep into this topic, addressing the importance of honoring our children's confident autonomy and moving away from the ingrained schoolishness we perform at home. We're exploring this through one listener's transformative story, lessons from my personal parenting journey, and the integrated perspectives that Savorism has allowed.

Embrace this journey with us as we navigate the shift from school at home to more liberated and nurturing approaches. We recap Season 4 and 5 in this episode and highlight the overarching themes. This episode is a fusion of personal narratives, listener insights, and practical pieces of advice tailored for anyone managing the beautiful task of raising free people.

Let's rethink education, nurture relationships, and foster liberation, while savoring the spaciousness it allows.

Some links:
Our family of podcasts all in one place: RFPN
Pleasure Series: Ep 112, 113, 114, 115, 116
Racial Equity in SDE: Ep 125
Chevanni Davids: Ep 146
Black, Queer Feminism: Ep 109

Dig this show? Join our make-it-happen family at patreon.com/akilah to make sure we can keep this thang going strong. Thank you!


The Raising Free People Practice Card Deck
https://schoolishness.com/market/rfp-a-practice-deck/

Peek at the details of Personal Manifesto Path (will be available exclusively through our make-it-happen family on Patreon)
https://www.rfpunschool.com/p/manifesto

Our Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/@fareofthefreechild

The Village:
https://my-reflection-matters.mn.co/

A 6-minute offering for the beginner’s path.

Start a journey of discovery, trusting that learning comes from various sources - many of which can't be measured on a conventional scale. May this bonus 6-minute offering on Fare of the Free Child serve you well! Be sure to listen to Episode 265 for more on the starter/beginner path too!

We're throwing some critical questions in the mix with some MQA, inviting you to question the rules and agreements we've held ourselves and our children to.
 As we navigate the path of unschooling, we'll explore the profound impact of trusting the autonomy of children, and of avoiding performance and external validation in favor of self-inquiry and self-knowledge. This is your ticket to embark on a journey of trust and discovery. 
 
Join us again in the next episode for more tools to walk the talk in this work of raising free people.

Dig this show? Join our make-it-happen family at patreon.com/akilah to make sure we can keep this thang going strong. Thank you!


The Raising Free People Practice Card Deck
https://schoolishness.com/market/rfp-a-practice-deck/

Peek at the details of Personal Manifesto Path (will be available exclusively through our make-it-happen family on Patreon)
https://www.rfpunschool.com/p/manifesto

Our Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/@fareofthefreechild

The Village:
https://my-reflection-matters.mn.co/

If you've been searching and asking about some of the most innovative minds in the realm of unschooling, youth rights, and liberation, names like Zakkiyya Chase, Moji Yai, Lane Santa Cruz, and Dr. Sundiata should ring a bell.

Some of our most listened-to early dialogues included ones with Ieishah Clelland-Lang and Lou Wilkerson. We detangled topics like Black maternal mortality rates, intuition, trust, and deschooling. Their insights set the stage for seasons two and three of Fare of the Free Child podcast, and Akilah is giving them their flowers today! 

As we revisit these transformative dialogues, we dive into the heart of raising free people, where we're amplifying our stories and deepening our connections to love and liberation.

You'll also get perspectives and madd question-askin' around how to start unschooling. Questions that double as mantras is the offering here, and we truly hope you find these useful!

THE LINKS.

Moji Yai of Wise African Woman Retreats. Host of THE Birth Education Retreat where participants immerse in village healing culture.

https://www.instagram.com/wawretreat/

Tucson Ward 1 Council Member

https://www.instagram.com/lanewar

Dr. Sundiata of The Theory of Indivisibility

https://www.instagram.com/drsundiata/

Genesis Ripley of Mythology of a Dragon Newsletter

https://www.genesisripley.com/

Yolanda Coles Jones

https://bio.site/YolondaColesJones

Lou Hollis

https://linktr.ee/LouHollisTalent

https://www.instagram.com/lhtmproductions/

Miss Lou - Louise Bennett-Coverley
 louisebennettheritage.com

The Unschooling Entrepreneur’s Guide to Life and Learning
The link between unschooling and entrepreneurship | Raising Free (rfpunschool.com)

Veronica Ashley-Reid

https://purposedyoga.com/

https://www.instagram.com/autonomousgrowth/

https://fofc.buzzsprout.com/344681/1193546-ep-41-demilitarizing-myself

Maleka Diggs

https://www.eclecticlearningnetwork.com/

Tia Cunnigham

Ep. 32: Kicking Cancer's Ass While Unschooling (buzzsprout.com)

Dig this show? Join our make-it-happen family at patreon.com/akilah to make sure we can keep this thang going strong. Thank you!


The Raising Free People Practice Card Deck
https://schoolishness.com/market/rfp-a-practice-deck/

Peek at the details of Personal Manifesto Path (will be available exclusively through our make-it-happen family on Patreon)
https://www.rfpunschool.com/p/manifesto

Our Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/@fareofthefreechild

The Village:
https://my-reflection-matters.mn.co/

In this episode, we'll explore the concept of savorism, a term Akilah coined to savor the spaciousness, slowness, and richness that comes from integrated unschooling.

Sit with us for storytime about how Akilah's family made the shift from conventional school to homeschooling to unschooling. It was an experience that caused her and her partner to pause, reflect, and listen more to their children's needs. Hear how they fought against the 'stuckness' of conventional schooling and forged their own paths.

This episode also gets into the important difference between pace and rhythm as we set out to design our days with our natural flow in mind.

Also, we send our heartfelt thanks to Megan, our fellow liberationist over at The Unschool Files, for her energizing words and strong commitment to the raising free people movement!

Links:

Shoutout to Meghan! You can learn more about her podcast, zine and Roam here:
https://www.flowcode.com/page/theunschoolfiles

Our dope beats are from these beatmakers:
https://www.instagram.com/akeemmuzikbeatz/

https://linktr.ee/Richeflex

https://www.instagram.com/sehratonin/

Other links:

https://youtu.be/PoMTrwRkZmk

http://mybrownbaby.com/2012/03/harmony-the-sustainable-alternative-to-worklife-balance/

https://savorcomplex.substack.com/

https://schoolishness.com/coaching/

https://schoolishness.com/savorade-coaching/

Dig this show? Join our make-it-happen family at patreon.com/akilah to make sure we can keep this thang going strong. Thank you!


The Raising Free People Practice Card Deck
https://schoolishness.com/market/rfp-a-practice-deck/

Peek at the details of Personal Manifesto Path (will be available exclusively through our make-it-happen family on Patreon)
https://www.rfpunschool.com/p/manifesto

Our Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/@fareofthefreechild

The Village:
https://my-reflection-matters.mn.co/

Ever wondered how unschooling and liberation work intersect? Join us for a nostalgic trip down memory lane as we delve into the first season of Fare of the Free Child podcast. We discuss my personal journey to unschooling and how moving away from a school-centric life connected to liberation work.

In this episode, we give a special shout out to Juan Perez, our beloved audio editor! We also celebrate the various topics, conversations, and stories from season one that have left a lasting impact on us as listeners.

Discover how resistance can serve as a roadmap to understanding the identity of unschooling and its potential for personal growth. I share my experience with revisiting the personal manifesto path - a transformative course I published in 2014.

We discuss the importance of taking full responsibility for our experiences, opening up new portals of exploration in the world of unschooling, liberation, and social justice. Find a cozy spot, tune in, and let's do some Sankofa work.

LINKS:

For any audio editing, you can reach out to Juan Pablo: juanpablooperez@gmail.com

krak teet: https://www.krakteet.org/

The Life School Atlanta: https://www.thelifeschool.co/

Humanity Communications Collective: https://humanitycom.com/about-our-ceo/

Smell Good Spa: https://smellgoodspa.com/

Heart of Business: https://www.heartofbusiness.com

Dig this show? Join our make-it-happen family at patreon.com/akilah to make sure we can keep this thang going strong. Thank you!


The Raising Free People Practice Card Deck
https://schoolishness.com/market/rfp-a-practice-deck/

Peek at the details of Personal Manifesto Path (will be available exclusively through our make-it-happen family on Patreon)
https://www.rfpunschool.com/p/manifesto

Our Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/@fareofthefreechild

The Village:
https://my-reflection-matters.mn.co/

What happens when we eulogize an elder who has guided us on our journey of unschooling, decolonizing education, and raising free people? Join me in this heartfelt final season as we celebrate the transformative energy of unschooling and the legacy of Self-Directed Education.

Together, we'll explore the three containers of explainers, affirmations, and insights that will guide us through this final season, reflecting on the wisdom and experiences we've gained from Fare of the Free Child.

As we embark on this extraordinary season of gratitude, growth, and endings, I'll provide you with clear direction for ways to move through this body of work, ensuring that the closure of this podcast is a continuation for you and your journey to be and raise free people.

Throughout this season, I'll use three containers: explainers, affirmations, and insights to cover the core themes that we have wrestled with, realized, reclaimed, or released since our very first episode in July of 2016.

All season long, you will hear my recommendations for ways to walk alongside this work of raising free people, based on your particular location in this journey, whether you're brand new and just getting into it, or you're in it and it's shifting you all kinds of fast and furious, or you rocking with it, grounded and grooving, I gotchu!

So, gather around the elder one last time as we celebrate our collective liberation and the legacy of self-directed education. Let's revel in the power of unschooling, personal leadership, and spiritual growth as we embrace the transformative energy that has brought us to this point.

LINKS:
The Raising Free People Practice Card Deck
https://schoolishness.com/market/rfp-a-practice-deck/

Peek at the details of Personal Manifesto Path (will be available exclusively through our make-it-happen family on Patreon)
https://www.rfpunschool.com/p/manifesto

Our Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/@fareofthefreechild

The Village:
https://my-reflection-matters.mn.co/

Dig this show? Join our make-it-happen family at patreon.com/akilah to make sure we can keep this thang going strong. Thank you!


The Raising Free People Practice Card Deck
https://schoolishness.com/market/rfp-a-practice-deck/

Peek at the details of Personal Manifesto Path (will be available exclusively through our make-it-happen family on Patreon)
https://www.rfpunschool.com/p/manifesto

Our Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/@fareofthefreechild

The Village:
https://my-reflection-matters.mn.co/

Ahhh….what an accomplishment! Our penultimate season reaches it’s finale… and ya’ll what a season it has been!!

Manifestation, magic, bridges, money as a tool, and the community that is MRM Village! We talk about how networking is actually all about creating community and linking up with folks who are willing to support each other’s missions.

• Chemay talks about her intuition-led path to MRM’s updated business model that centers relationships, not dollars!
• We learn how Chemay and Vanessa concepted their current STAR model in the Village.
• We ear-witness Chemay’s passion for bringing SDE into every part of life and reimagining the work we do in the world.
• We name the real FLOW chart of entrepreneurship: The pivot! Nothing is certain, everything will FLOW as it must and morph into iterations of the idea until it forms into what works best for the people involved

This conversation brings so much to the fore and it’s so important to bring these topics to the table and unpack things like: Intuitive work, embodiment, trusting the unknown, making space for what is to come, anti-hustling, and seeing that work is life and life is work.

As we close, we honor the energy of entrepreneurship, and we commit to the continual deschooling of it as one way of supporting the next generation in shifting the hustle-hard-at-all-cost lens they learned from us. Now, we choose to build a bridge for them to walk out of those old models into ways and modes of being that are more aligned with abundance culture, devoid of shame or guilt around money, and filled with mindful intentional and trust for the process.

Dig this show? Join our make-it-happen family at patreon.com/akilah to make sure we can keep this thang going strong. Thank you!


The Raising Free People Practice Card Deck
https://schoolishness.com/market/rfp-a-practice-deck/

Peek at the details of Personal Manifesto Path (will be available exclusively through our make-it-happen family on Patreon)
https://www.rfpunschool.com/p/manifesto

Our Youtube channel
https://www.youtube.com/@fareofthefreechild

The Village:
https://my-reflection-matters.mn.co/