20) "Social Justice in the Math Classroom" (Dr. Kari Kokka)

Radical Math Talk

In this episode, I had the pleasure of having Dr. Kari Kokka on the podcast to talk about her personal math journey, and the intersection of social justice and the study of mathematics. To learn more about Kari's journey, you can visit her website at karikokka.com or follow her on Instagram and Twitter (@karikokka).

BIO: Dr. Kari Kokka (she/her) is an Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education in the Department of Teaching and Learning at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. She studies Social Justice Mathematics, mathematics teacher activism, and critical consciousness development of mathematics teachers. Her current research projects are funded by the National Science Foundation and Spencer Foundation. Prior to her position at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas she was an Assistant Professor of Mathematics Education at the University of Pittsburgh where she was awarded the Dean’s Distinguished Research Award (2022), the Dean’s Distinguished Teaching Award (2021), and the Iris Marion Marion Award for Social Justice (2019).

She began her career in education as a mathematics teacher and diving coach at Berkeley High School (1999) and was a mathematics teacher activist and mathematics instructional coach at Vanguard High School (2001-2011), a Title I public school in New York City, where she used Complex Instruction and Performance Assessment. She is co-founder of the Creating Balance in an Unjust World Conference on STEAMM Education and Social Justice (co-founded in 2007), former co-chair of the Critical Educators for Social Justice SIG, and has been part of the Radical STEMM Educators of the Bay Area, People’s Education Movement, and the New York Collective of Radical Educators. Dr. Kokka completed her Ed.D. at the Harvard Graduate School of Education (2017), principal certification with the NYC Leadership Academy (2011), and M.A. in Education (2001) and B.S. in Mechanical Engineering at Stanford University (1999). She is a proud product of East San Jose, CA K-12 public schools. You can learn more about her work at www.karikokka.com, and you can follow her on Twitter @karikokka. She can be reached at [e-mail].