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Social Justice Origin Stories

Storytelling, reflections, educational resources, and conversations on what moves us to work for equity, social justice, and collective liberation. A growing community.

Social Justice Origin Stories

Storytelling, reflections, educational resources, and conversations on what moves us to work for equity, social justice, and collective liberation. A growing community.

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Social Justice Origin Stories

Storytelling, reflections, educational resources, and conversations on what moves us to work for equity, social justice, and collective liberation. A growing community.

Social Justice Origin Stories

Storytelling, reflections, educational resources, and conversations on what moves us to work for equity, social justice, and collective liberation. A growing community.

  • Stories
  • Pathways
    • Personal Journeys
    • Organizational Histories
    • Educational Segments
    • Weaving Our Voices
      • The Justice We Imagine
      • Take This With You
      • For Those Who’ll Come After
      • In Community: The Voices of Social Justice Origin Stories
    • Community Voices
    • Design Decisions
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Support
  • Stories
  • Pathways
    • Personal Journeys
    • Organizational Histories
    • Educational Segments
    • Weaving Our Voices
      • The Justice We Imagine
      • Take This With You
      • For Those Who’ll Come After
      • In Community: The Voices of Social Justice Origin Stories
    • Community Voices
    • Design Decisions
  • About
  • Subscribe
  • Contact
  • Support
  • Support Social Justice Origin Stories on Patreon
  • Subscribe to Our YouTube Channel!
  • Listen on Apple Podcasts
  • Follow on Instagram
  • Connect with Relando on LinkedIn
  • Follow on Bluesky
  • Like Us on Facebook
Close

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Design DecisionsPersonal Journeys

Funky Production: Social Work, Race, Class, and Education with l o t i walker | Design Decisions

By Relando Thompkins-Jones
August 5, 2026

Subscribe on YouTube | Follow on Apple Podcasts | Listen Across Platforms


Made with minimal equipment and rooted in the belief that ideas need time to grow, this bonus crossover episode between Notes From an Aspiring Humanitarian (NAH) and Social Justice Origin Stories revisits my very first recording from 10 years ago with special guest l o t i walker, a social worker, social justice advocate, artist, and photographer.

l o t i shares why she chose social work, the challenges of working within under-resourced systems, the importance of cultural humility, and building trust through client-centered practice.

She also explores art as self-care, describes her “funky production” approach to problem-solving, and speaks on the power of storytelling and naming our experiences for ourselves.

Companion Episodes:

Ideas Need Time To Grow: How Starting My First Podcast Led Me To Social Justice Origin Stories

Making Race Heard with Surabhi Pandit

Notes from On-Air References:

Visit The Untold Stories of Black Girls at NPR for further insight into l o t i’s thoughts on the high suspension rates of Black girls in the education system.

Regarding my thoughts on maintaining humility and doing personal work, visit my note, Degrees Are Not The Final Say.

Related to the cultural share activity, visit my note, There’s Room for All of Us In This Work.

For additional advice for people who may be considering Social Work as a career or area of study, feel free to browse the Social Work section of N.A.H.

Relevant notes related to combatting the savior complex in Social Work practice:

Want To Help? First, Shut Up and Listen

Having Trouble Connecting With Oppressed Groups? Maybe It’s Not Them. Maybe It’s You

Treat Others How They Want To Be Treated

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Your voice helps shape this community and may be featured in a future episode.

Send a voicemail to Social Justice Origin Stories, or leave a message via our contact form. You can also leave a comment below.

Email: stories@socialjusticeoriginstories.com

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Social Justice Origin Stories is produced, edited, and hosted by Relando Thompkins-Jones

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Author

Relando Thompkins-Jones

I'm a macro social worker, social justice educator, strategist, and storyteller who leverages media and education to advance equity and social justice within people, organizations, and communities. I started Social Justice Origin Stories because I believe in the power of storytelling and making our experiences accessible to others, because I believe in the liberatory effects of social justice education, to support justice-seekers in finding community and feeling less alone given the relentlessness of oppressive systems, and to be a resource of support and reflection for those who are thinking through how they could best contribute to the work. We need all who can, to do what they can.

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Storytelling, reflections, educational resources, and conversations on what moves us to work for equity, social justice, and collective liberation. A growing community.

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