Teachers Unify Podcast

What Has Changed—and What Hasn’t—Eight Years After School Gun Violence Eight years after the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting, educator Sarah Lerner reflects on trauma, resilience and what it means to keep teaching in the aftermath of school gun violence. What has chang...

We’re grateful for the voice of our co-founder & podcast host, Sarah Lerner. “This day never gets easier. The pain never goes away. The memories, nightmares, survivor’s guilt and mental health issues always remain—sometimes tucked away, sometimes front and center.” ☮️📓❤️‍🩹💔 @teachersunifypc.bsky.social

Tomorrow marks eight years since my world was turned upside down. I hope you’ll read my most recent blog post.

This episode features Jack DiPrimio, a survivor from the Brown Univ. shooting on Dec. 13, 2025. He talks about his experience, the loss of a dear friend, navigating life as a survivor & why he is committed to making change in the GVP space. @teachersunify.bsky.social teachersunify.transistor.fm/58

This episode features Kate McCann, an educator & state legislator from Vermont. She talks about her experience as a high school math teacher, work she’s done in the legislature, what students & teachers can do to enact change and more. @teachersunify.bsky.social teachersunify.transistor.fm/57

School Stories: Sofia Gonzalez Sofia, a Teachers Unify Ambassador, educator-leader, and activist from Chicago, shares her experience losing students to gun violence and her fierce commitment to safe schools and communities.

“The first two year of teaching, instead of graduating my students, I felt like I was burying them more to gang and to gun violence,” — Sofia Gonzalez, Teachers Unify Ambassador, teacher, education leader, activist. 🎧 here & subscribe to our Substack! ☮️📚📓 @teachersunifypc.bsky.social

This episode features Sofia Gonzalez, an educator from Chicago. She talks about losing students to gun violence, what brought her to education & navigating as an activist. She shares an excerpt of an essay & gives suggestions for change. @teachersunify.bsky.social teachersunify.transistor.fm/56

This episode features Alex Fleming, a gun violence survivor. She talks about her experience & journey as a drive-by shooting survivor, the importance of the teacher-voice, the advocacy work she’s done and more. @teachersunify.bsky.social teachersunify.transistor.fm/55

This episode features the @teachersunify.bsky.social Crisis Intervention & Support Team who attended the inaugural Summit in Philadelphia on Nov. 7-9, 2025. The voices include survivors from Columbine, Sandy Hook, MSD, Sparks, Santa Fe & a licensed clinical counselor. teachersunify.transistor.fm/54

These teachers survived school shootings. Now they’re offering help to their peers. “They don't have to be alone with those thoughts or those fears in the aftermath,” said Kiki Leyba, who was teaching at Columbine High School during the 1999 mass shooting.

This is a wonderful piece written about the @teachersunifypc.bsky.social summit I attended last weekend in Philadelphia. Any teacher/school can reach a member of the crisis intervention team by calling (203) 296-3689 or emailing response@teachersunify.org www.chalkbeat.org/philadelphia...

This episode features Dr. Elyse Thulin. She works for the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, Department of Health Behavior & Equity and the Institute for Social Research at the University of Michigan. @teachersunify.bsky.social teachersunify.transistor.fm/53

This episode features Cindy Carlson, a Sandy Hook School survivor. She talks about her experience from Dec. 14, 2012, her work in the gun violence prevention space and much more. @teachersunify.bsky.social teachersunify.transistor.fm/52

September 2025 Update! A Grim September for Schools and Communities in America

Our September Newsletter is out! Highlights: our newly formed Teachers Unify Crisis Intervention and Support Team, #ProjectLockdown, @teachersunifypc.bsky.social guest La-Shanda West, and updates from our friends at ENOUGH! Plays, @feelgoodaction.bsky.social, @newtownaction.org.
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Teachers Unify | Voices for Change: Michael Cotey This episode features Michael Cotey, the creator of Enough: Plays To End Gun Violence. He talks about his organization, his work with Change the Ref and Manny & Patricia Oliver, what he hopes peopl...

This episode features Michael Cotey, the creator of Enough: Plays To End Gun Violence. He talks about his organization, his work with @changetheref.bsky.social and Manny & Patricia Oliver, what he hopes people glean from the plays, and more. @teachersunify.bsky.social teachersunify.transistor.fm/51

Congratulations on releasing 50 podcast episodes!

🌟🎉 @teachersunifypc.bsky.social—50 episodes! These oral histories counter the normalization of gun violence. Grateful to those who share their stories, this isn’t easy. Our hope: these narratives will inspire action, empathy, & safer schools & communities. ☮️📓📚
www.teachersunify.org/our-work

Why Teachers’ Voices Matter: Teachers Unify at AFT TEACH 2025 At AFT TEACH 2025, teachers came together to share stories, support one another, and speak out against gun violence. Hear from the educators behind Teachers Unify and why teachers' voices matter.

Check out my latest blog post for @sharemylesson.bsky.social. @aftteach.bsky.social @aft.org @teachersunify.bsky.social sharemylesson.com/blog/teacher...

This episode features La-Shanda West, an educator & Teachers Unify Ambassador. She talks about her activism, navigating life as a child-survivor of gun violence and why she remains in the gun violence prevention space. teachersunify.transistor.fm/50 @teachersunify.bsky.social

This episode features Karen Dunholter, a school social worker in MI. She talks about her experiences working with families impacted by homicide, losing a student to suicide at school, her school safety task force & more. teachersunify.transistor.fm/49 @teachersunify.bsky.social

We’re excited to share that the Teachers Unify Podcast has been recognized as one of the Top 10 Gun Violence Podcasts by Million Podcasts.

This is the most comprehensive ranking of Gun Violence Podcasts online. We’ve also been featured on their top school safety & school violence podcast lists.

This episode features Karen McDonald, former educator & judge, current Oakland County prosecutor & candidate for MI AG. She talks about time in the classroom, Oxford trials & her work to create a GVP foundation. @teachersunify.bsky.social @karenmcdonaldmi.bsky.social teachersunify.transistor.fm/48

I got to listen to Shannon Watts talk about her new book, “Fired Up,” speak about activism & her life since stepping back from Moms Demand. @shannonrwatts.bsky.social @teachersunify.bsky.social @momsdemand.bsky.social @booksandbooks.bsky.social

This episode features Nadia Murillo, a survivor from both MSD in 2018 & FSU in April 2025. She talks about her experiences, how she kept her own students safe, her healing journey, plans for the future, and more. @teachersunify.bsky.social teachersunify.transistor.fm/47

This episode features Flo Rice, a former substitute teacher & injured survivor from Santa Fe High School in May 2018. She talks about her experience from that day, how she’s used her story to bring about change & the connections she’s made. @teachersunify.bsky.social teachersunify.transistor.fm/46

This episode features Debra Hixon, a former educator, current school board member & wife of Chris Hixon, who was killed at MSD in 2018. She talks about her life with Chris, her time in education, work she’s done to make schools safer & more. @teachersunify.bsky.social
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Teachers Unify | Survivor Stories: Paula Reed This episode features Paula Reed, a retired English teacher & current Jefferson County School Board member, who survived the Columbine High School shooting in April 1999. She shares her experience ...

This episode features Paula Reed, a retired English teacher & current school board member, who survived the Columbine High School shooting in April 1999. She shares her experience from that day, how she’s moved through trauma & healing & her experiences helping others. teachersunify.transistor.fm/44

Teachers Unify | Voices for Change: Nikki Fried This episode features Nikki Fried, the former Florida Commissioner of Agriculture & current Chair of the Florida Democratic Party. She talks about her role in public service, her support for the gu...

This episode features Nikki Fried, the former FL Commissioner of Agriculture & current Chair of the FL Democratic Party. She talks about public service, support for the GVP community & how people can get involved. teachersunify.transistor.fm/43 @teachersunify.bsky.social @fladems.bsky.social

This episode features Rhiannon Murphy, a Bronx resident who worked to end gun violence in her community. She shares how she moved her daughter upstate near Buffalo for her education & safety, her forthcoming book and her work in community organizing & activism. teachersunify.transistor.fm/42

This episode features Audrey Brianne, a stylist based in Los Angeles. She shares her experiences in being in close proximity to gun violence & the loss of a dear friend, how she sees gun violence in Black & Brown communities and much more. @teachersunify.bsky.social teachersunify.transistor.fm/41

My life changed forever seven years ago, along with my school, community, colleagues & students. I carry the 17 with me, think of them every single day & honor them as best I can.

These episodes feature Stacey Lippel, a teacher/survivor from the Marjory Stoneman Douglas shooting in 2018. She shares her experience, how she’s been able to help others & her journey through mental health. @teachersunify.bsky.social
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Opinion | Will My Students Ever Know a World Without School Shootings? (Published 2021) Teachers can only do so much to protect their students from school shootings.

I wrote this guest essay for @nytimes.com @nytopinion.nytimes.com three years ago, shortly after I cofounded @teachersunify.bsky.social with @abbeyclements.bsky.social & @saribeth.bsky.social. I stand behind every word; I hope you’ll join us to end gun violence. www.nytimes.com/2021/12/07/o...