This episode features Veronica Mata, an educator and mother of Tess, whose life was tragically taken at Robb Elementary in Uvalde, Texas in May 2022. She talks about Tess, her advocacy work with Lives Robbed, and Gloves for Tess, the non-profit her family started.
Teachers Unify
by Teachers Unify to End Gun Violence
The Teachers Unify podcast is hosted by Sarah Lerner, a co-founder of Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence. A 22-year educator in Florida, Sarah is a teacher-survivor from the shooting on Feb. 14, 2018 at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland. The show works to address issues of gun violence and how it impacts schools & communities.
Latest Episodes
This episode features Ray & Diana Haneski, survivors of the shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018. They were joined off-mic by their therapy dog, River. They talk about their experiences, journeys through healing and how they brought River into their lives and the lives of those a…
This episode features Sydney Chaffee, a Nationally Board Certified high school teacher in Boston, the 2017 Massachusetts Teacher of the Year and 2017 National Teacher of the Year, as well as a Teachers Unify Ambassador. She talks about her role as an educator, the work she’s done since becoming Teac…
This episode features Kiki Leyba, Columbine teacher-survivor & Teachers Unify Ambassador. He shares his experience from April 20, 1999, the work he’s done in the survivor space and more.
This episode features Katherine White of Feel Good Action. She discusses National Preregistration Day, what educators can do to help get their students engaged and more.
This extended episode features Jack DiPrimio, a graduate student survivor from the Brown University shooting on Dec. 13, 2025. In a very raw & honest conversation recorded less than a month after the incident, Jack talks about his experience, the loss of a dear friend, navigating life as a survivor …
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.
This episode features Sofia Gonzalez, an educator & activist from Chicago. She talks about losing students to gang & gun violence, what brought her to education & navigating as an education activist. She shares an excerpt of an essay she recently had published, gives some suggestions for change, and…
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.
This episode features members of the Teachers Unify To End Gun Violence Crisis Intervention & Support Team who attended the inaugural Summit in Philadelphia from Nov. 7-9, 2025, under the leadership of Dr. Michael Schultz. The voices in the episode include survivors from Columbine High School, Sandy…
This episode features Dr. Elyse Thulin, an assistant research professor at the University of Michigan. She works for the Institute for Firearm Injury Prevention, the Department of Health Behavior and Health Equity and the Institute for Social Research. She talks about her extensive research on socia…
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.
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 people glean from the plays, and much more.
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.
This episode features Karen Dunholter, a school social worker in Michigan. She talks about her experiences working with families impacted by homicide, losing a student to suicide at school, her school safety task force and more.
This episode features Karen McDonald, a former educator & judge, current Oakland County prosecutor & candidate for Michigan Attorney General. She talks about her time in the classroom, the Oxford shooting trials, how she worked to create a foundation in the gun violence prevention space, and more.
This episode features Nadia Murillo, a survivor from both Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in 2018 & Florida State University in April 2025. She talks about her experiences, how she kept her own students safe, her healing journey, plans for the future, and more.
This episode features Flo Rice, a former substitute teacher & injured survivor from the shooting at Santa Fe High School in Texas in May 2018. She talks about her experience from that day, how she’s used her story to bring about change, the different connections she’s made, and much more.
This episode features Debra Hixon, a former educator, current school board member and 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, and much more.
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 from that day, how she’s moved through trauma & healing, her experiences helping others, and much more.