Rewriting the Rules®

Pushing limits is quite honestly a healthy part of youth development. How we respond to young people when they act out can dramatically alter the course of their lives for the better or much, much worse. At SPYS, we’re creating a community-wide culture in which young people feel not just welcome, but wanted everywhere they go. We are showing youth that they matter. In this episode of Rewriting the Rules, host Dr. Tracine Asberry, Executive Director of Saint Paul Youth Services (SPYS), speaks with two youth at SPYS for our first ever Pre-Charge Diversion Symposium. We hope that this conversation can offer fertile ground to continue to think about how we can transform cultures and practices towards a new vision of society. About Pre-Charge Diversion: SPYS’ Pre-Charge Diversion program offers an alternative to juvenile court for a range of first-time offenses such as shoplifting, property damage, disorderly conduct, and curfew violations and gives youth a chance to learn from their mistakes. We provide a restorative justice approach that holds young people accountable for their actions while working with them to develop skills to make better decisions, avoiding the detrimental impacts incarceration has on their lives and on our community – in terms of education, employment, homelessness, and other measures of well-being. About Jamesha: Jamesha is a sophomore, and she’s a Varsity Cheerleading Captain and her high school and hopes to pursue a scholarship for college. About Orien: Orien is in 9th grade and hopes to be on TV in the future. *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

In Part 3 of our “LIVE” Event Recording! Series, guests who joined us to hear from youth author & illustrator Miles Asberry-Wallace asked him questions about his creative journey. In this episode, you’ll hear insights from Miles about his process and plans for the future. The launch of Miles’ first published comic book, Kings of Quests: A Tale of Bros, Book #1 took place on Wednesday, February 7th. The youth-led event explored the power of dreams, the power of our stories, and the power of a beloved community that wraps its arms around one inspiring young Black man named Miles. Listen & learn why St. Paul Youth Services (SPYS) is a leader in reimagining how our community engages with and holds itself accountable for youth. About Miles Asberry-Wallace: Miles Asberry-Wallace is a young black man who was born on February 7, 2011, and lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He started drawing comics at five years old and made his first comic series, Miles TGM and the Giant Zombie. He loved making comics so much that he started selling them at school. He now has a comic book business named Stickman Legacy. About Guest Host Connor Walford: Connor Walford is in the 7th grade and is Miles Asberry Wallace’s best friend. Show Links: Order Comic Books Online: https://strivepubandco.com/strivestore/p/kings-of-quests-a-tale-of-brosOrder Merch Online https://strivepubandco.com/strivestore/p/kings-of-quests-a-tale-of-bros *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

In Part 2 of our “LIVE” Event Recording! Series, Youth Host Connor Walford conducts “man on the street” interviews with guests joining us to hear from Youth Author & Illustrator Miles Asberry-Wallace and share their favorite books, authors, and reasons why reading is important to critically and creatively make sense of and navigate our world, our lives and specific circumstances that come our way. All of this takes places during the launch of Miles’ first published comic book, Kings of Quests: A Tale of Bros, Book #1 on Wednesday, February 7th. The youth-led event explored the power of dreams, the power of our stories, and the power of a beloved community that wraps its arms around one inspiring young Black man named Miles. Listen & learn why St. Paul Youth Services (SPYS) is a leader in reimagining how our community engages with and holds itself accountable for youth. About Miles Asberry-Wallace: Miles Asberry-Wallace is a young black man who was born on February 7, 2011, and lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He started drawing comics at five years old and made his first comic series, Miles TGM and the Giant Zombie. He loved making comics so much that he started selling them at school. He now has a comic book business named Stickman Legacy. About Guest Host Connor Walford: Connor Walford is in the 7th grade and is Miles Asberry Wallace’s best friend. Show Links: Order Comic Books Online: https://strivepubandco.com/strivestore/p/kings-of-quests-a-tale-of-brosOrder Merch Online https://strivepubandco.com/strivestore/p/kings-of-quests-a-tale-of-bros Read the Podcast “LIVE” Event Recording article in the Star TribuneTelbee* Link: https://sayhi.chat/spysrtr*The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

For our second episode of Rewriting the Rules® Season 3, we’re launching a three-episode series resulting from SPYS’ Podcast “LIVE” Event Recording held on Wednesday, February 7th. The youth-led event explored the power of dreams, the power of our stories, and the power of a beloved community that wraps its arms around one inspiring Black young man named Miles. For this first episode, Guest Host Connor Walford interviews youth author & illustrator Miles Asberry-Wallace about publishing his first comic book, "Kings of Quests: A Tale of Bros.” Join us to connect the dots between Miles writing “mini” comic books for fun at 5 years old to publishing his first Comic Book (still) for fun at 12 years old. About Miles Asberry-Wallace: Miles Asberry-Wallace is a young black man who was born on February 7, 2011, and lives in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He started drawing comics at five years old and made his first comic series, Miles TGM and the Giant Zombie. He loved making comics so much that he started selling them at school. He now has a comic book business named Stickman Legacy. About Guest Host Connor Walford: Connor Walford is in the 7th grade and is Miles Asberry-Wallace’s best friend. Show Links: Order Comic Books Online: Kings of Quests: A Tale of Bros https://strivepubandco.com/strivestore/p/kings-of-quests-a-tale-of-bros Order Merchandise Online: https://strivepubandco.com/strivestore/p/kings-of-quests-sweatshirt Read the Podcast “LIVE” Event Recording article in the Star Tribune https://m.startribune.com/with-new-coming-book-young-minneapolis-author-artist-makes-his-debut/600342813/?clmob=y&c=n&clmob=y&c=n *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

For Season 3, Ep. 1, of Rewriting the Rules®, we are talking about L.O.V.E.— With everything going on in the world. And all the things that we’re focused on locally and nationally, we rarely see or hear about the opportunities we, as adults, create to engage our young people in conversations about love. For this episode, we take time to speak with our youth leaders from our YouthPowerMN℠ Leadership Institute about the ways that love shows up and stands out for them. Pull up a chair, lean in and be ready to... learn and listen about this thing called love! *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

For our seventh episode of Rewriting the Rules℠ Season 2, we’re shining a light on Georgina Lorencz, whose work builds on power and genius fundamental to Black communities. Our host, Dr. Tracine Asberry, talks with Georgina about her work helping people to connect to their roots and identity. Our aim with the conversation is to tell the truth. We do this to respect those before us, those among us, and to conserve and preserve those who are yet to come. About Georgina: Georgina Lorencz is passionate about learning through travel. She custom-designs travel programs for individuals and groups so that they can explore and learn through firsthand experience, focusing on Africa and countries that offer significant African history, culture, as well as African heritage sites. Georgina was born in Ghana and came to the US in the late 1970s to attend The University of Minnesota, earning her bachelor’s in international relations, then her master's in communications with an emphasis and broadcasting, doing a 6-month internship with KARE 11, an NBC affiliate. She has directed International Students and the Study Abroad Programs at the university level, including 8 years at Hamline University, where she was Director of International Programs. She also worked with The University of Minnesota’s Student Program for Amity Among Nations. Georgina has won numerous awards for her experience, including an Apex Award for Distinguished Contributions in Heritage Tourism, and an African Diaspora Tourism Award for Outstanding Cultural Heritage Educational Tours. She is also a two-time Finalist for African Business of the year. Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/georgina-lorencz-a79a2013/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/africantravelseminars/?hl=en Georgina Lorencz’s business, African Travel Seminars *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

For our sixth episode of Rewriting the Rules℠ Season 2, we’re continuing our focus on being the adult we wished we had as a child and teen from the perspectives of our business leaders. This is how we continue Creating a Community That Wraps Its Arms Around Our Youth. For today’s episode, we welcome Frederick Bw’Ombongi, a leader in the health care field who is committed to ensuring health care access around the globe. Fred talks with host Dr. Tracine Asberry, Executive Director of St. Paul Youth Services, about the people, experiences, and messages that have helped to shape him as the person, the husband, the father, and the business leader he is today. We hope that this conversation can offer fertile ground to continue to think about how we're going to transform cultures and practices towards a new vision of society. About Fred: Frederick Bw’Ombongi is originally from Kenya and serves as vice president of operations at Minnesota-based Allina Health. Before that, he was interim Vice President for operations at KentuckyOne Health (now called CommonSpirit), providing leadership in the delivery of strategic, financial, quality, and operations results. He also worked at Spectrum Health in Grand Rapids, Michigan, in various leadership roles. Fred cofounded two nonprofits, Opening Village Doors Foundation, which fights poverty in Kenya through entrepreneurship and student scholarships, and the Refugee Education Center in West Michigan. He’s also on the board of directors at Cure International and the Immigrant Law Center of Minnesota. Fred is the recipient of the Henry Dunant Global Impact Award by the American Red Cross of Greater West Michigan and the Community Champion Award by the Grand Rapids Chamber of Commerce. He was featured on the 40 Under 40 list by the Grand Rapids Business Journal in 2014. Fred earned an MHA in health administration from Grand Valley State University in Allendale, MI and a BS in international business from Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, MI. He’s currently pursuing his PhD at the University of Minnesota, where he teaches as an adjunct faculty member. *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

For our fifth episode of Rewriting the Rules℠ Season 2, we’re continuing our focus on being the adult we wished we had as a child and teen, from the perspectives of our mothers and grandmothers. For this episode, host Dr. Tracine Asberry, Executive Director of St. Paul Youth Services, has a Sunday Dinner Conversation with two of our loving experts from our last season, Chakita “Kita” Lewis and Eboun Wilbourn. Tracine talks with Kita and Eboun about navigating health and wellness for their kids, pushing back against stereotypes, and advocating for resources in proportion to the desired social impact. We saved a seat for you - Join us for Sunday Dinner! About Kita: Kita Lewis is an African American Black woman, a step-mother and loving godmother, auntie, and all of the above to all children that she encounters. About Eboun: Eboun Wilbourn is a Laotian mom, auntie, friend, and neighborhood mom to all the little neighborhood kids. *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License. Telbee* Link: https://sayhi.chat/spysrtr * Telbee in a new way for listeners to connect with the podcast! Send us a voice note on what you want to hear or questions you may have. If you are a youth listener, let us know what adults are doing right and what adults can do better!

For our fourth episode of Rewriting the Rules℠ Season 2, we’re continuing our focus on being the adult we wished we had as a child and teen, from the perspectives of our mothers and grandmothers. This is how we continue to create a community that wraps its arms around our youth. For today’s episode, we welcome back two of our mothers and loving experts from our last season, Michelle Dennard and Nyia Harris. About Michelle: Michelle Dennard is a strong Black woman who loves her grandkids. “I’m on the ride of my life,” she says. Dennard also works for the Osseo Area School district as an Education Support Professional working with special education students and was named “Education Support Professional of the Year” by Education Minnesota in 2020-2021. About Nyia: Nyia Harris is a wife, a mother of two girls, 11 and 13, a business owner, and a Brooklyn Park resident. *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

For our third episode of Rewriting the Rules℠ Season 2, we’re continuing our focus on being the adult we wished we had as a child and teen, from the perspectives of our mothers. For this episode, we’re taking a panel approach, mirroring a Sunday Dinner conversation. Through this conversation, we listen, learn, and build in community and see that we’re more connected, stronger, and powerful together. This is how we continue Creating a Community That Wraps Its Arms Around Our Youth. For Season 2, Portia Jackson and Ajibike (BiKé’) Ojomo returned to the studio to expand on their “Respecting Mothers as Loving Experts” conversation from Season 1. They talk with Tracine about creating space, navigating parenthood, and managing individual needs in one household. About BiKé: BiKé Ojomo is a Public Health & Disability Advocate, Mental Health & Wellness Coach, Finance Professional, Author, Apparel Designer, and Mom of two. As a loving expert, BiKé writes “I’ve been that mother who allows her kids to be who they are and to just support them. I’m a hands-on mum.” About Portia: Portia Jackson is a Community Development Specialist with Ramsey County, former board member with PRG, leader of a Minneapolis affordable housing nonprofit, and mom of five and grandmother of one. As a loving expert, Portia says: “I give my children the freedom to be themselves and still be respectful.” *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

For our second episode of Rewriting the Rules℠ Season 2, we focused on Creating a Community That Wraps Its Arms Around Our Youth. Our host, Dr. Tracine Asberry, Executive Director of St. Paul Youth Services (SPYS), spoke with one of her former SPYS’ Behavior Intervention Program Specialists, longtime community leader, and current licensed social worker, Jamil Stamschror-Lott. This episode is for everyone who remembers their middle school and high school experience and is grateful for the adults who got it right and want more adults to do the same. Listen to Jamil's wisdom to be the adults our teens deserve. About Jamil Stamschror-Lott, LICSW: Jamil Stamschror-Lott owns Creative Kuponya in Minneapolis, providing mental health care to those that society has pushed to the margins. In 2020, Creative Kuponya’s office was set ablaze in the unrest after the murder of George Floyd, igniting an even deeper passion for justice within Jamil. That summer, Jamil did what he does best - he began providing Transformative Healing Sessions and Keynote Addresses in parks and community spaces to educate on the intersection for mental health, diversity, equity and inclusion. Jamil has spoken for major universities, health care companies, law firms and corporations such as Caribou and TC Diversity in Practice. Jamil and his work has been featured in publications such as USA Today, Rolling Stone, and The New York Times. Find Jamil: Website: Creative Kuponya LinkedIn: Jamil Stamschror-Lott Instagram: @creativekuponya Facebook: Creative Kuponya *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

We're back for a new season at Rewriting the Rules℠ with Dr. Lee-Ann Stephens, Minnesota Teacher of Year (2006). Lee-Ann joins the podcast to kick off Season 2 by welcoming students back into the classrooms across the globe, detailing evidence on what makes a GREAT teacher in the classroom, AND offering recommendations to decision-makers locally, nationally, and globally on how to do best (READ: not better) for education. At SPYS we are committed to thought leadership on proven practices and are excited to share this incredible conversation about our schools! About Dr. Lee-Ann Stevens: Dr. Lee-Ann Stephens, Minnesota Teacher of the Year (2006), has been an educator for over 30 years with kindergarten – 12th grade teaching and leadership experience. Lee-Ann currently serves as a Teacher on Special Assignment as a Culturally Relevant Literacy Coach. She is an affiliate with Pacific Educational Group: Courageous Conversations about Race, serves on the Governance Board of Lutheran Social Services and has been appointed by Governor Walz to the Education Commission of the States, a partner with education policy leaders to address issues by sharing resources and expertise. Lee-Ann served as supporting advisor for Integrated Schools, member of the National Board for Professional Teaching Standards, and part of a team who created the Model Code of Ethics for Educators and standards for Educators Rising. Lee-Ann has been featured on national podcasts, authored several articles for Education Post, facilitated conversations on race, equity, and cultural responsiveness with various school districts. Lee-Ann's educational experience includes a Bachelor of Arts in International Studies, a Bachelors of Science. in Elementary Education, a Masters of Education in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Doctor of Education in Educational Leadership which authored dissertation focused on the lived experiences of Black and Brown students in Advanced Placement and International Baccalaureate courses. Find Lee-Ann: LinkedIn: Lee-Ann Stephens, Ed.D. X: @MNTOY2006 *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

Thank you for joining us on Season One of the Rewriting the Rules podcast!! This season, we explored the legacies of strength, creativity, and innovation in Black communities, Indigenous communities, and communities of color. It’s been a joy and a labor of love to get to sit in conversation with all of our amazing guests and to share their wisdom with you. Stay tuned for Season Two in Fall 2023 and don’t forget to follow us on social media for updates! Find us online: FacebookYouTubeInstagramTwitterBuzzsprout*The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

Kyra Bester-Hughes is a remarkable youth leader and a friend of St. Paul Youth Services. She joins the podcast for a fearless conversation that explores some of the mistakes adults have made when working with her through challenging times; as well as what they’ve gotten right. Tracine and Kyra also talk about SPYS’ youth-centric approach, where Kyra has been active in the YouthPowerMN℠ Leadership Institute for the past five years. The YouthPowerMN℠ Leadership Institute offers an organizing hub where Black youth are compensated for their intellectual capital, lived experiences, and contributions to improve our communities. This conversation, and others like it, can help us – as adults, changemakers, and leaders – chart a more thoughtful and inclusive path forward for our young people by learning from our mistakes (and successes). You can find all our reading links and recommendations from the mothers featured here on our podcast page: www.spys.org/podcast *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

What does it mean to live fully and free? In this episode, Tracine invites longtime friend, Jason Jackson, a Human Resources Diversity and Inclusion consultant for HealthPartners (a US-based Medical Insurance Company) into our ongoing discussion on how the practice of love shows up in our work and in our lives. For this episode, they explore the concept of intersectional racial equity, which is one of St. Paul Youth Service’s values, and how intersectionality can help us rewrite the rules of society. Jason draws from the work of Kimberlé Crenshaw, an American civil rights advocate and a leading scholar of critical race theory, to delve into his experiences and understanding of the complexities of identity. Listen to this insightful conversation on how organizations and individuals can empower themselves to create smart, fair and loving communities. Find Jason: Instagram: in_cog_ne_gro | @akin2u Facebook: Jason JacksonArticle: From Pain Comes Strength: Families, Ballroom, and Resistance You can find all our reading links and recommendations from the mothers featured here on our podcast page: www.spys.org/podcast *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

Emerging fiction, picture book, and comic book writer, Crown Shepherd (aka Crown the Writer) joins the podcast to explore the journey of discovering and harnessing her own superpower and genius. Crown's writing is deeply rooted in her upbringing and surroundings and she draws on her experiences to create Black characters who are a representation of real children in her life. In this episode, Crown explores how staying true to her story as a Black writer fuels her creativity. She talks to Tracine about what makes a superhero and how discovering your own power can be a source for fortifying not only yourself, but also your community and the world. Find Crown: https://crownthewriter.comBooks By Crown Shepherdhttps://www.facebook.com/tiarra.shepherd.9https://www.instagram.com/crownthewriter/https://twitter.com/crownthewriterYou can find links to the materials referenced in this episode on our website: https://www.spys.org/podcast *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

Chaun Webster, Graphic Designer, Publisher and Poet, is back on the podcast to talk about and read from his newly published poetry collection, Wail Song. Chaun describes Wail Song as an “attempt at care,” which also “lays bare how the construction of the human and the animal both rely on Black abjection.” In this episode, Chaun discusses this long poem with host, Tracine. Together, they weave conversation, meditations, alternatives, metaphors and new possibilities to wade with listeners through and against antiblackness. You can hear more from Chaun Webster on Episode 1 of Rewriting the Rules℠. In ‘All About Love,’ Chaun explores how love informs his artistic practice, what Black boys and men are taught about love, and his own understanding of love. Catch Chaun IN-PERSON at the dates and locations below: Thursday, April 27th at 6pm at The Walker Thursday, May 4th 7pm at Milkweed Books Tuesday, May 9th 7pm at Subtext BooksFind Chaun: @chaunwebsterChaun Webster@dainstapoetWail SongGeNtry!ficationYou can find links to the materials referenced in this episode on our website: https://www.spys.org/podcast *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

‘Black People Don’t Use Measuring Spoons’ is the third installment of our Women’s History Month series. In this episode, Tracine talks to Leah Penniman, a Black Kreyol farmer, mother, soil nerd, author and food justice activist from Soul Fire Farm in Grafton, New York. Together, they explore the connections that Black communities, Indigenous Communities, and Communities of color have to land and the land has to us. Leah is the author of Farming While Black: Soul Fire Farm’s Practical Guide to Liberation on the Land (released in 2018) and Black Earth Wisdom: Soulful Conversations with Black Environmentalists (released in 2023), which she describes as love songs for the land and her people. Find Leah & Soul Fire Farm: Farming While BlackBlack Earth Wisdom@blkfarmer@soulfirefarmhttps://www.facebook.com/soulfirefarm/https://www.instagram.com/soulfirefarm/www.soulfirefarm.orgYou can find all our reading links and recommendations from the mothers featured here on our podcast page: www.spys.org/podcast *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.

Respecting Mothers as Loving Experts - Part 3 of 3 is part of our Women’s History Month series. In this special three-part episode, we are honored to share the wisdom, discernment, and intuition of eight mothers who are experts at living. In Part 3, we speak with Ajibike “BiKé” Ojomo, Michelle Dennard and Portia Jackson. In their own words, we hear from these Black mothers as they explore their hopes for their children (and grandchildren) and how structures of racism, classism, and sexism both challenge and disrupt their work as Loving Experts in their children’s lives. You can find parts 1 & 2 of these inspiring and nourishing conversations in our podcast feed, featuring: You can find all our reading links and recommendations from the mothers featured here on our podcast page: www.spys.org/podcast *We use the term “Indigenous” as adapted from the NDN Collective: “peoples as ethnic communities whose direct ancestral lineage descends from the earliest, original inhabitants of a given region, in contrast to groups that have settled, occupied, and/or colonized the region more recently. The land on which we live and the natural resources on which we depend are inextricably linked to our identities, cultures, livelihoods, as well as our physical and spiritual well-being. The total estimated population of Indigenous peoples is approximately 370 million people worldwide (5% of the global population). We use Indigenous peoples with an “s” to recognize the diversity of individuals and groups that identify with the term, which has been distilled to a singular noun throughout history in an attempt to group our people together rather than recognize our differences and diversity. This is consistent with the UN Declaration on The Rights of Indigenous peoples. (Source: North East Farmers Network) *The music you hear on the podcast is provided by Blue Dot Sessions and is used here under a Creative Commons License.