{"version":1,"type":"rich","provider_name":"Libsyn","provider_url":"https:\/\/www.libsyn.com","height":90,"width":600,"title":"103 Mantras and Musings","description":"Renee & Susan reflect on the beginning of a new(ish) year, and the ideas and thoughts they want to bring into 2026. We kick off the new year not with rigid resolutions, but with honesty, compassion, and intention. As they enter their fifth year of podcasting, Renee and Susan acknowledge that January doesn\u2019t always feel like a fresh start\u2014especially amid relentless bad news, family pressures, and the emotional weight carried by so many everyday advocates. Instead of traditional New Year\u2019s resolutions, the hosts explore the power of mantras: simple truths we can return to when motivation is low and hope feels fragile. Renee shares her personal mantra, \u201cI am capable,\u201d reflecting on identity, self-worth, stay-at-home parenting, and reentering the workforce. Susan offers her own grounding reminder, \u201cYou\u2019re enough\u201d, and reframes survival, care work, and showing up imperfectly as meaningful and valuable. The conversation then turns outward, as Susan calls on advocates to recognize their collective power, especially at the local level. From school boards to county commissioners to the North Carolina General Assembly, this episode emphasizes why community action still matters and why special education advocacy must be front and center in 2025. The hosts discuss proven policy solutions, fair pay and training for educators and instructional assistants, and the urgent need to fully implement Leandro recommendations. In true Advocacy Bites fashion, Renee balances hope with sharp accountability, offering a blunt New Year\u2019s wish for legislators: give a damn. The episode closes with concrete opportunities to take action, including upcoming public education demonstrations, teacher-led walkouts, and simple ways to practice showing up in community, even when it feels hard. \ud83c\udfa7 In this episode, you\u2019ll hear about: Choosing mantras over resolutions Advocacy burnout, grief, and showing yourself grace Identity, caregiving, and self-worth Reclaiming personal and collective power Special education funding and policy solutions Leandro, public school funding, and educator support Practical ways to get involved locally in 2025   (02:18) - Choosing a Mantra: I Am Capable (06:15) - New Year's Resolutions and Social Media (07:53) - Empowering Advocates in Education (12:23) - Legislative Resolutions and Advocacy (15:46) - Hope and Action: Upcoming Events (20:31) - Conclusion and Call to Action ","author_name":"Advocacy Bites","author_url":"http:\/\/saveourschoolsnc.org\/","html":"