Manisha Snoyer engages in a compelling conversation with Alycia Wright, founder of the Cultural Roots Homeschool Co-op, about her transition from being a public school teacher to a homeschooling parent. Alycia shares the challenges she faced in finding an educational space that resonated with her family's African cultural heritage, leading to the creation of a co-op that centers on the cultural, historical, and traditional backgrounds of Black, Brown, and Indigenous communities. The episode highlights the co-op's unique curriculum, community-building efforts, and the incorporation of technology in homeschooling, while also touching on the challenges of homeschooling and the co-op’s role in community activism, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic. This conversation offers valuable insights into homeschooling as a lifestyle change, emphasizing the importance of cultural identity, community support, and educational accessibility. Alycia Wright, M.Ed., is the visionary founder of Cultural Roots Homeschool Cooperative, a non-profit founded in 2016 in Richmond, VA. Driven by the absence of educational spaces celebrating African culture, Alycia, a former educator and homeschool parent, established Cultural Roots to provide an enriched learning environment for children of color. The organization emphasizes cultural and historical awareness, nurturing self-love, and community empowerment.
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Time Codes
00:00:00 — Manisha Snoyer introduces the podcast, focusing on homeschooling, learning, and whole child development
00:02:44 — Alycia Wright joins the conversation, discussing her collaboration with Manisha and their roles as Vela founders
00:03:19 — Alycia shares her initial experiences with her children's education and her decision to homeschool
00:08:20 — Discussion on compromising ethics and personal integrity in the homeschooling environment
00:10:00 — Alycia details her decision to create her ideal homeschooling environment due to the lack of suitable existing options
00:11:47 — Alycia describes the process of starting Cultural Roots Homeschool Co-op, responding to a global interest in building homeschooling communities
00:15:52 — Early days of Cultural Roots are described, including the cooperative's structure and activities
00:18:40 — Alycia discusses the practical challenges of hosting homeschool groups at home
00:21:50 — Alycia emphasizes the importance of sharing experiences within the homeschooling community
00:29:20 — Cultural Roots' partnership with community college for sports and cultural activities are highlighted
00:31:53 — Alycia discusses how Cultural Roots incorporates student feedback into class choices
00:34:20 — Alycia talks about the focus on fundamental skills in her homeschooling approach, such as reading, writing, and spelling
00:37:20 — Manisha and Alycia discuss the importance of coding and technology skills in education
00:44:55 — Alycia addresses the balance between caring for oneself and caring for children in intentional parenting
00:49:20 — Manisha and Alycia discuss the cost-effectiveness of homeschooling and potential taxpayer savings
01:05:44 — The episode concludes with Manisha offering scholarships for the podcast's online community, emphasizing the commitment to providing equal access to personalized education for all children
This podcast is made possible through a generous grant from the Vela Education Fund
VELA Education Fund is catalyzing a vibrant alternative education ecosystem. VELA provides trust-based funding to entrepreneurs, fosters community-building and knowledge-sharing, and increases visibility through storytelling that promotes cultural awareness and acceptance of the out-of-system space. Today, VELA serves the largest community of out-of-system education entrepreneurs in the country, with over 2,000 community members. About half of VELA’s community members operate small learning environments, and the other half are ecosystem and community builders offering direct services and support across the out-of-system space. Learn more at
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