S5E6: Equity Math Modeling with Delia Sotelo Fierros and Jennifer Suh

What does it look like when elementary students use math to make sense of their own communities? In this episode, hosts Shari Kaku and Shakiyya Bland sit down with Dr. Jennifer Suh, Professor of Mathematics Education at George Mason University, and Delia Sotelo Fierros, a third-grade teacher in Tucson, Arizona, to dig into Chapter 9 of Antiracist Mathematics Education: Building a Practice of Equity and Justice: "Cultivating Equity and Empathy in Community-Focused Elementary Math Modeling."Jennifer and Delia are part of the EQSTEMM Project, an NSF-funded collaboration focused on equity in STEM education. Together, they explore how mathematical modeling can become a space for student voice, cultural connection, and genuine problem-solving when it's rooted in what kids actually know and care about.Delia opens up about her own journey as a first-generation Mexican American growing up in Arizona, where math meant speed and accuracy and nothing more. It wasn't until she encountered the concept of funds of knowledge as an undergraduate student at the University of Arizona that something shifted. Suddenly, she saw a different vision for what math class could be: a space where students' histories, families, and lived experiences don't wait at the door. She shares how something as simple as Monday morning catch-up conversations, or swapping out textbook names for students' family members, can transform engagement for kids who rarely see themselves in the curriculum.Jennifer traces her own path from lesson study to the EQSTEMM project, and reflects on what it meant to grow up in spaces where her culture was never really invited in. She lifts up the work of their co-author and math coach Holly Tate, whose lesson around indigenous land loss in Virginia shows just how deep math modeling can go when it's paired with historical awareness and civic engagement. Second graders weren't just learning about area. They were reckoning with real stories of land taken from Native nations, and they got to hear from a member of the tribal council directly.The conversation also touches on what it means to shift your own math identity. Delia reflects on moving from "I follow the steps correctly" to "I am a problem solver," and why that shift matters for the students she teaches now. Jennifer reminds us that cultural humility has to accompany all of this: you can't know every child's world, but you can stay curious.Jenn closes with a story about eating Tteokguk, Korean rice cakes, every New Year, and also imperfections when her family makes dumplings, which is the whole point. Delia makes the case for Tucson's 23 miles of Mexican food and recommends Antojo Poblano for dishes from Puebla. Finally, before you go, write this down: Look around you. Where do you see math?Don't miss the hosts' reflection at the end of the episode. And mark your calendars for the TODOS Conference, June 25-26, 2026 in Garden Grove, California!