Ep. 52 - Why I Became a Speech Pathologist to Close the Academic Achievement Gap

In this episode I share my journey and reasons for joining the field of speech pathology. We also explore the role of speech-language pathologists in advocating for children of color in the United States education system. Here are some key takeaways from this episode: I initially pursued a degree in broadcast journalism but shifted my focus to organizational communications with a minor in speech pathology. Through various initiatives, I became aware of the disparities experienced by Black and Latinx children in the United States education system, including exclusionary discipline practices that lead to the school-to-prison pipeline. This realization led me to discover the role of speech-language pathologists in advocating for these children and supporting their academic and behavioral success. My passion for communication and advocacy came together, and I knew that becoming a speech-language pathologist was the path I needed to take. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________ This podcast is sponsored by the Pediatric Speech Sister Network© on YouTube Live. You can checkout the latest live replays here. Get your “5 Ways to Support BIPOC Children in Clinical and Education Settings” FREE Poster Here: ⁠https://mailchi.mp/pediatricspeechsister/5-ways-to-support-bipoc-children-in-educationclinical-settings⁠ Follow me on Instagram! instagram.com/pediatricspeechsister Pediatric Speech Sister Show Podcast - Apple Podcasts: https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-pediatric-speech-sister-show/id1659114388 Spotify - https://open.spotify.com/show/4Uqf5xU9edqc4W1VkhfZV9 "Introduction to Cultural Competemility in Speech Pathology" eBook Pre-Sell: https://mailchi.mp/430872d9bfaa/culturalcompetemilityebookpresell Shop the Pediatric Speech Sister Store for digital products and apparel: https://pediatricspeechsisterstore.myshopify.com/ Are you an SLP2Be? Checkout Praxis Speech Sister on Instagram and Apple Podcasts! Check out these resources mentioned in this episode: 13th (Netflix Documentary Directed by Ava DuVernay) African American English: A Linguistic Introduction (Green, 2002) Dear Colleague Letter on the Nondiscriminatory Administration of School Discipline (US Department of Education, 2021) Expanding Our Views on Behavior and Black Students: a Call to Action (Evans & Perry, 2021) More Than a Metaphor: The Contribution of Exclusionary Discipline to a School-to-Prison Pipeline (Skiba et al., 2014) Racially Disproportionate Discipline in Early Childhood Educational Settings (National Prevention Science Coalition, 2020) --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/pediatricspeechsister/support