Show Notes
Every child deserves to feel seen, heard, valued, and like they belong.
In this episode, I sit down with Shannon Milliken, founder and executive director of The P.L.A.Y. Education Corporation, a Colorado nonprofit dedicated to creating inclusive learning spaces and communities where young people and families can thrive.
Shannon is a former physical education teacher, mom, community advocate, and former Colorado Department of Education consultant with experience overseeing wellness grants and helping schools build stronger whole-child health systems.
As a transracial adoptee and woman of color, Shannon’s work is also deeply influenced by her own childhood. Growing up as a Korean adoptee in a predominantly white community, she didn’t always have the language to explain what it felt like to look different from her peers or navigate conversations about race and identity.
Now, as a mother, Shannon wants her daughter—and every child—to grow up in environments where they can show up fully, be heard, and know their authentic selves are valued.
Together, we explore why belonging is such an important part of whole-child wellness and why creating inclusive schools and communities requires more than using the same solution everywhere.
Shannon explains how P.L.A.Y. Education works alongside schools and local communities to identify gaps, understand the specific needs of students and families, and create sustainable programs that don’t disappear when grant funding ends.
We also discuss how children can be empowered simply by being invited to speak, think critically, and share their perspectives—and why adults must be willing to have hard conversations with empathy and compassion.
In this episode, we cover:
- Why belonging is foundational to a child’s wellness
- Shannon’s experience growing up as a transracial adoptee
- How motherhood helped inspire P.L.A.Y. Education
- What equity and inclusion look like in schools and communities
- Why one-size-fits-all programs can leave children behind
- How schools can identify the needs of their unique student populations
- Creating sustainable programs beyond temporary grant funding
- The connection between identity, acceptance, and whole-child wellness
- Why children need opportunities to speak up and be heard
- Building empathy across different experiences and perspectives
- Supporting children who may not fit societal expectations
- Why community members should care about needs that don’t directly affect them
Shannon shares one of the most important reminders from this conversation:
“Belonging is the foundation of wellness.”
When children feel seen, accepted, and part of something, they are better able to be present, engage, think critically, and thrive.
If you’ve ever wondered how schools, families, and community members can help create a world where more children feel like they belong, this episode is a meaningful place to begin.
Because every child deserves a champion—and no child should have to change who they are to feel valued.
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