Augustana’s Office of Diversity announced today the release of a new podcast entitled “Too Tired to Code-Switch,” intended to connect musical influence with personal experiences.
Assistant Dean of Students for Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DE&I) Willette Capers joins members of the Augustana community in Studio 47 to talk about issues related to diversity, equity and inclusion.
“I love music so much. If I ever did a podcast, I knew music would be involved in some way, but I do DE&I. So, how can I combine DE&I with music?” Capers asked herself when coming up with the idea. “I go through the songs lyric by lyric and I pull out pieces from the song to jumpstart the conversation and what we're talking about.”
With Capers as the host, the podcast “Too Tired to Code-Switch” debuts with an episode that incorporates westside connections and the phrase “Issa Vibe” in conversations with Dean of Students Mark Blackburn and Senior Director of Alumni Engagement Joel Gackle. President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin is also featured in an episode with Capers on March 19, with discussions surrounding Jay-Z’s hit song titled “Politics as Usual,” which debuted in 1996.
Capers said, “It's just people in their raw elements sharing their personal experiences when it comes to DE&I issues, but the twist on it is the conversation comes from the lyrics of the song. It’s (music is) that connector of who we are and our own identity. You would never think, ‘Oh, I can connect Jay-Z to President Stephanie, but you can.’”
Following the launch of “Too Tired to Code-Switch” on February 19, new episodes will appear each Friday. The podcast can be heard on Spotify, which includes the following episodes:
Friday, February 19
Friday, February 26
- “The Chronic: South Dakota has Legalized Marijuana,” with Director of Campus Safety Rick Tupper and Director of Student Conduct Jeff Venekamp
Friday, March 5
- “Girls Raised in the South (GRITS),” with Violence Prevention Coordinator Dr. Checka Leinwall
Friday, March 12
- “400 Degreez of Liquid Swords,” with Assistant Vice Provost for Assessment and Academic Excellence Dr. Jay Kahl
Friday, March 19
- “Politics as Usual,” with President Stephanie Herseth Sandlin, Chief of Staff Pam Miller and Professor of Economics Dr. Reynold Nesiba
Friday, March 26
- “Supporting Veterans in the Workforce and the Classroom,” with Dean of the School of Music Dr. Peter Folliard and Director of Facility Services Andrea Smith
Friday, April 2
- "Jesus Walks: Faith and Inclusion,” with Campus Pastor Rev. Ann Rosendale, Professor of Religion Dr. Richard Swanson, Associate Vice President for Academic Affairs Dr. Mitch Kinsinger and Assistant Professor of Philosophy and Religion Dr. Julie Loveland Swanstrom
- "Can I Kick it? Yes You Can,” with Student Leaders