Day 73 of 100 days of community

This is a free preview of a paid episode. To hear more, visit desireebstephens.substack.comThe Most Dangerous Thing We Can Teach Is the TruthLet me ask you something—what revolutionized you?Because if your answer didn’t come from a textbook, you’re not alone. Most of us weren’t educated—we were indoctrinated. We were taught nationalism, not nuance. We pledged allegiance before we even knew how to spell it. And the more we start unlearning what was handed to us, the clearer it becomes: education has never been neutral.This is Day 73 of 100 Days of Community, and today we are going all the way in on what it means to reclaim education as a tool for liberation, not assimilation. I’ve lived this. I’ve unschooled, homeschooled, re-schooled, and deschooled my kids over the last 29 years. And what I know for sure is that there is no single path—but there is a truth: liberated people must have liberated learning.So if you’ve ever felt that traditional education didn’t see you, didn’t serve you, or worse—tried to erase you—this conversation is for you.This piece is for the visionaries, the parents, the community educators, and those of you dreaming up parallel systems in a world that’s trying to collapse on itself. Let’s build.Free Preview "Education is either liberation or indoctrination—there is no neutral ground."This part of the conversation invites us to interrogate what we’ve normalized as “schooling.” Because let’s be honest—most of what we were taught was not about cultivating curiosity. It was about control. Standardization. Silence. For so many of our children, especially Black and Indigenous youth, school isn’t a safe place for self-discovery—it’s a site of survival.In this clip, I speak on the moment my daughter chose not to finish high school—and how I chose to support her. Not because I gave up on her, but because I refused to let a system rooted in assimilation steal her joy, her fire, her truth. That decision wasn’t about failure—it was about freedom. And in a world that trains us to prioritize appearance over alignment, choosing happiness is a radical act.This is an invitation to reimagine education as a tool of liberation—one that centers wellness, community, and self-worth instead of compliance.Share this clip if you believe that learning should feel like love in action.3 Key Takeaways* Education is never neutral. It’s either a tool of assimilation or a site of resistance. If it’s not liberating, it’s indoctrinating.* Culturally-relevant learning is essential. When kids see themselves reflected, they find power, not shame. Marginalized truths belong in every curriculum.* Education should inspire action. Knowledge should spark movement, not compliance. Your education should make you want to build, create, challenge, and shift.Behind the Paywall: Let’s Get Into the HowYou’ve felt it—school didn’t teach you about you. It didn’t teach you how to think critically, how to build community, or how to live liberated. That’s what we unpack behind the paywall.In the full version, we dive into:* How I’ve structured Erin’s Place around neuroaffirming, liberatory learning* The history of hedge schools and Freedom Schools as resistance* How parents can form co-ops and mixed-age learning circles* Why youth deserve educational access and authorityReady to Go Deeper?You’ve made it this far because something here is stirring you. You don’t just want to read about liberation—you want to live it. And that’s exactly what we’re doing on the other side of this paywall.From now through my birthday on April 14, I’m offering 46% off a full year of paid subscription—because I’m turning 46, and I want to celebrate by building this vision with you.If this work has moved you, challenged you, or called you into reflection—this is your moment to come closer. You’ll get full access to all companion articles, daily reflections, private posts, and future resources designed to help you decolonize your self, your home, and your work.Let’s build new worlds, together.