Maija Reed

This interview was conducted with Maija Reed on July 22, 2020 from her home in Hudson, New York. Maija is an early childhood educator who works with infants and their families. She is also the Youth Commissioner for the City of Hudson. Maija began by sharing about an ancestor, her great-grandmother, who was an important role model for her. She describes her struggles in grade school and details different teachers who played positive and negative roles in those years. In her work with infants, Maija emphasizes the relational and communicative aspects as part of her perspective on the wholeness of young people. When COVID-19 broke out, Maija's life pivoted away from the families she works with, who chose to self-isolate, and towards her responsibilities as the Youth Commissioner in Hudson. In that role she describes a whirlwind of activity, from doing food deliveries to children and their families to supporting a daycare center that serves low-income and migrant children. She also reflects on the personal challenge of caring for her parents during this time. Reflecting on her work as the Youth Commissioner, Maija discusses her growing understanding of her own power and how she wields it. She closes by sharing a vision for a better educational system that prioritizes the local and the relational and delivers the best of what we know about education to everyone.