Esther Crotser, Livian Roth-Amodt - Education for Solidarity and Resilience

In this episode of the podcast we dip our toes into the turbulent waters of current events in a conversation with Esther Crotser and Livian Roth-Amodt, two former students of mine and recent graduates of the Youth Initiative High School, our partner Waldorf-inspired high school here in Viroqua, Wisconsin. Since graduating in 2024 from YIHS, where students play a major role in governing, funding, and promoting the school, Esther and Livian have been living in the Twin Cities of Minneapolis/St Paul. For the past year they have been involved with a variety of political and social causes, including work with the Minnesota Immigrants Rights Action Committee (MIRAC).

Since the start of 2026, Esther and Livian and the groups they are working with found themselves on the main stage of contemporary history as the eyes of the country and the world turned to Minneapolis as a result of the ICE enforcement surge and subsequent violence and unrest in that city. In our conversation, we talk about the work they have been doing and how their education at Youth Initiative prepared them to be able to respond constructively and resiliently and to take on leadership roles in this complex environment as engaged and passionate youth leaders. Towards the end we also discuss the Singing Resistance Movement, which is introducing Community Singing to the protests in Minneapolis as a tool of solidarity building and psychic resilience.

Youth Initiative High School - https://www.yihs.net/

Minnesota Immigrant Rights Action Committee - https://www.miracmn.com/

GoFundMe for Janet (Esther's friend who was detained and then released by ICE) - https://gofund.me/dfd163256

Singing Resistance Songbook - https://docs.proton.me/doc?mode=open-url&token=407BQZDEPG#3JsVHndYmmhy

Singing Resistance on CNN - Anderson Cooper 360 - https://www.facebook.com/reel/1264918162211154

Thoreau College - https://thoreaucollege.org/