Episode 2
Leadership and Governance
Description
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Houston
From the beginning, Houstonians have received mixed messages regarding the severity of the coronavirus pandemic. Government messaging seemed to be in constant conflict, with the federal and state level insisting there was no need for alarm while the local government highlighted an urgent need to take precautions. This battle is entrenched in politics, not just of right vs left, but also of racial and gender power dynamics. Harris County Judge Lina Hidalgo has specifically been the target of racialized attacks after issuing restrictions designed to quell the Coronavirus pandemic in Houston. It is also well-documented that people of color and low income people have been disproportionately impacted by this virus. The Governor of Texas, Greg Abbott originally opposed these restrictions suggested by Judge Hidalgo, positioning Texas as one of the first states to reopen after closures due to the pandemic. However, upon seeing the impacts of reopening, even he ultimately implemented a state-wide mask mandate, which by that point had been so politicized that even members of his own party opposed his decision to do so. The debate about social distancing, business reopenings, and mask wearing continues on today, even as the Coronavirus cases in Harris County continue to increase. In many ways, this has been influenced by the division seen among our leadership.
As educators, what can we be doing to ensure that we are cultivating future leaders that have the skills for engaging in conversations about privilege and are aware of and committed to dismantling systems of oppression?
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Mumbai
In India, the challenge of leadership has not been ideological, instead it has all been about execution of a very ambitious plan. Gauravi's respondents question the efficacy of government schemes and plans announced in the aftermath of the crisis. Why is it that execution of government assistance is so poorly enacted? Why do government officials themselves struggle so acutely with being able to act?
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Laurel's Respondents: Rachel, Teresa, Jeremy Vincent
Gauravi's Respondents: Maitreyee, Marina, Sarika