As I sat down to record this episode, a wave of emotions overwhelmed me. It was the day after the 2024 election, and like many of you, I felt a mix of anxiety, disappointment, and frustration. But amidst this storm of emotions, I realized how crucial it is to focus on our families and the values we instill in our children. In times of uncertainty, nothing feels more important than shaping a future that prioritizes empathy, justice, and compassion.
This week, I revisited a conversation I had with Samantha Siers, an inspiring mami of two, and an Obama Foundation scholar. Samantha’s journey is a testament to resilience and determination, from her beginnings as a young mom navigating life to her profound impact in social work. I felt compelled to share her story again because of the important lessons she offers on raising social justice-minded children.
To read the original blog post, click here.
Show Notes
In this episode, I reflect on the emotional aftermath of the 2024 Presidential Election and the importance of focusing on family and community during uncertain times. Because I needed time to rest, I made the decision to replay an impactful interview with a Latina mami, social worker, and Obama Foundation Scholar, Samantha Siers.
As mamás, we have been or will be having many difficult conversations with our children. Some of these conversations will be related to social justice-related issues like racism, poverty, and homelessness. In order for us to dismantle biases and prejudices, we should be mindful of what we say and what we model for our kids to ensure they are social justice-minded children.
In this week’s episode, we welcome Samantha Siers (she/her) who is a mom of two, and a 2023-2024 Obama Foundation Scholar. Through her personal experience with teenage parenthood, Samantha is passionate about offering robust, equitable, support services to mothers of color on Chicago’s south and west sides. Her project with the Obama Foundation centers around creating a resource database that is truly reflective of the unique needs of single mothers.
Samantha discusses the importance of instilling kindness, thoughtfulness and a sense of social justice in children and shares tips for families to become agents of change.
In this episode you’ll hear:
- Why it is important to raise justice-minded children.
- How to raise children through a social justice lens and how to help reduce fear.
- Age-appropriate lessons that we can teach our children and how to expose our children to normalize this process.
- How to navigate political differences in family.
Ways to connect with Samantha Siers on LinkedIn and learn about the work she is doing.
About Our Guest
Samantha Siera, Content Creator
As a proud Hispanic and Indigenous mother of two, Samantha is deeply committed to empowering BIPOC-led and BIPOC-serving organizations that advance social justice, education equity, migrant rights, economic mobility, and cultural preservation.
As the inaugural Manager of Growth and Culture at the Wayfarer Foundation, a spiritually grounded organization committed to funding justice-driven nonprofits, Samantha spearheads relationship-building, non-extractive data cultivation, holistic professional development, and wellness initiatives, including launching a $1.1 million sabbatical pilot. Her focus is on enhancing organizational culture, empowering our grantee partners and staff through comprehensive skill-building, and amplifying our overall impact.
In her previous roles, she managed programming and operations for a national non-profit serving low-income families, led community-building efforts for UChicago’s Office of Housing and Residence Life with a focus on supporting first-generation and low-income students, and taught migrant youth in Chicago’s Back of the Yards neighborhood. As the youngest manager in Peter Piper’s history, she launched impactful community engagement initiatives, including free educational summer programs and meal programs for local children from SNAP-approved households that would go on to be duplicated throughout the restaurant chain.
In her personal time, she serves as the Board Chair of San Miguel School & Community Center, a faith-based institution dedicated to providing holistic support to low-income Hispanic youth. She also serves as a board member for New Moms, a mentor for the Obama Leadership Network and Chicago Women in Philanthropy, and a coalition member for Moms First.
