Episode 3: My Type of Activism
Welcome to Shedding Light on Child Life - a podcast associated with childlifewithanisha.org (https://www.childlifewithanisha.org/) by Anisha S. Reza, MS, CCLS.
Find content here presented through the lens of a Person of Color (POC) career changer from medicine to child life, explore the intersection of diversity, student experiences, & psychosocial health and advocacy for children.
"I think that's why I come back to the term of intersection because this platform is a very unique mix of what I can offer. And that is being a self-identified Asian American woman, Child Life Specialist, I'm an immigrant kid, so that's what makes me second generation immigrant. And all that feels really important this week with what's going on in America and what could happen and with ongoing changes to legislation and a push back against diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility work. But ultimately, it's often used in a negative limelight, but diversity is ultimately a celebration of differences and the celebration of how we all have different stories, we all have different experiences that make our world more interesting and make us human. And that sounds so sappy now to say it like that, but that's kind of why I'm here."
In this episode of "Shedding Light on Child Life", Anisha shares her personal journey by discussing the complexities of identity, intersectionality, and advocacy. She illustrates how diversity is ultimately a celebration of differences and what activism looks like for her. She addresses the challenges faced by immigrant families and the impact of political and social issues on mental health. Anisha emphasizes the need for empathy, advocacy, and education in child life, while also highlighting how sharing and learning from personal experiences shape our understanding of social justice and advocacy.
"I'm encouraged that everyone doing their good work will help us to stay steady and know that educating with stories and with our unique abilities and experiences will help to combat any fear-mongering or othering that occurs of these populations that deserve to exist and deserve the space that they occupy and not only deserve to just exist, but also deserve to be fought for and to be advocated for and to be celebrated, not pushed away."
Chapters
00:00 Introduction and Mission
04:19 Navigating Political and Social Issues
07:00 Intersectionality and Identity
11:44 Allyship and Pushing Dominant Culture
17:48 How Did I Get Here?
21:56 How To Move Forward
25:26 To Disclose or Not
28:39 DEIA Lens in My Work
32:21 Example of Being Seen
33:50 My Intersection for Students
36:03 Empathy and Advocacy with Shedding Light on Child Life
Mentioned social media accounts:
Matthew and Paul (@matthewandpaul) [https://www.instagram.com/matthewandpaul/]
Brittany Packnett Cunningham (@mspackyetti) [https://www.instagram.com/mspackyetti/]
Intersection:
Podcast by Kimberlé Crenshaw [https://www.instagram.com/intersectionalitymatters/]
Short video with Kimberlé Crenshaw [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ViDtnfQ9FHc&ab_channel=NationalAssociationofIndependentSchools%28NAIS%2]
TED talk by Kimberlé Crenshaw [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=akOe5-UsQ2o&ab_channel=TED]
Other Content:
Free webinar, “All of Me: The Impact of Intersectionality on Work as a Child Life Specialist” [https://education.childlife.org/products/all-of-me-the-impact-of-intersectionality-on-work-as-a-child-life-specialist]
My May 2025 webinar [https://education.childlife.org/products/mental-health-landscape-of-asian-immigrant-youth-and-families-in-the-united-states-2025]
What’s in a Name, Part 1 [https://www.childlifewithanisha.org/whats-in-a-name-part-1/]
All episodes reflect this author's professional opinion and expertise. Any questions, comments, or requests can be directed via email to childlifewithanisha@gmail.com
