Between Us: The Communication Project

When Understanding Breaks Down

Every day, we speak with the belief that our meaning is obvious — that the words we choose will land the way we intend. But meaning doesn’t travel intact. It’s built in real time, shaped by emotion, history, uncertainty, and the tiny slivers of information people actually receive. And when understanding breaks down, the consequences aren’t just confusion — they’re mistrust, fear, and the sense that institutions or individuals “aren’t being clear,” even when everyone is trying their best. On this episode of Between Us, we explore why misunderstanding is so common, why clarity is so fragile, and how people and organizations can rebuild alignment when messages drift. IN THIS EPISODE * Why two people can hear the same message and walk away with entirely different interpretations * How uncertainty, fear, and cognitive load shape the way families and communities “fill in the gaps” * Why information alone isn’t enough — and why communication must be relational, not transactional * What sensemaking looks like inside school systems and public agencies * The role of repair in communication: how to rebuild trust after misalignment * Joy’s practical insights from working in districts where clarity is essential, and misunderstanding has real stakes THIS EPISODE’S GUEST Joy Moyers is a Public Information Officer based in Orange County, California. She works in K–12 public education, helping districts navigate complex communication challenges — from everyday updates to high-stakes moments involving safety, policy changes, and family concerns. Joy holds an M.S. in Public Relations, Innovation, Strategy & Management from the University of Southern California (USC). Her work draws on systems theory, relational communication, and sensemaking to help organizations understand how messages land, how interpretations form, and how to rebuild clarity when breakdowns occur. She believes communication is not merely the transmission of information, but a social process that shapes trust, culture, and community alignment. RESOURCES & LINKS * Recommended reading on systems theory, sensemaking, and organizational communication (curated at thecommproject.com [http://thecommproject.com]) * Follow Between Us wherever you listen to podcasts Host / Producer: Travis Souders Guest: Joy Moyers © 2025 The Comm Project

Who Gets to Sound "Proper?"

Every voice carries power. But not every voice gets heard the same way. In classrooms and workplaces, we still measure “credibility” by how closely someone matches an invisible standard — a voice that sounds educated, confident, and, often, white. On this episode of Between Us, we explore how power and culture shape whose voices get heard. IN THIS EPISODE * How “proper” and “professional” speech became cultural norms * The hidden power structures inside “best practices” for public speaking * bell hooks and Teaching to Transgress as a foundation for critical pedagogy * What linguistic supremacy means — and how it shows up in classrooms * Re-imagining education as an act of freedom, not conformity THIS EPISODE'S GUEST Dr. Sergio Fernando Juárez is an Assistant Professor of Communication Studies at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. His research focuses on critical pedagogy, language, and equity in education, particularly how institutions reinforce or challenge systems of power through communication. His recent paper, Transgressing Linguistic Supremacy, examines how public-speaking instruction can both include and exclude diverse voices. RESOURCES & LINKS * Read Transgressing Linguistic Supremacy and related research — thecommproject.com [http://thecommproject.com] * Study Guide (for the nerds!): bell hooks’ Teaching to Transgress * Follow Between Us wherever you listen to podcasts Host / Producer: Travis Souders Guest: Dr. Sergio Fernando Juárez © 2025 The Comm Project