The Unpacked Project is truly a labor of love. Following the state sanctioned murder of George Floyd, Miranda and Noelle decided it was time to utilize their voices to speak out against the continued racial and social injustices that were taking place in this country. Miranda, with her west coast vibes and experience of living as a mixed race woman in America, and Noelle, with a NY state of mind, long aware of her white privilege within the context of societal oppression, together provide unique insight into race relations, equity, and social (in)justice issues affecting our world today. As best friends who share racial trust, Noelle and Miranda always found themselves having these necessary conversations, and now they are sharing these to encourage listeners to engage in their own learning and unlearning as they take this journey together.
Our Story
Our Mission
With the intent to inspire others to take action on the path of building a more inclusive and equitable society, our mission is to create space for personal growth, education, self-reflection and learning regarding all things social justice.
Bios
"Change will not come if we wait for some other person, or if we wait for some other time.
We are the ones we've been waiting for. We are the change that we seek."
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-Barack Obama
Miranda is no stranger to diverse groups of people, progressive minds and inclusive ways of being. Born and raised in the California Bay Area, she grew up rooted in communities that embraced these values, which served as the catalyst in wanting to create similar spaces and experiences for others. While attending San Francisco State University, she dove into the child and youth development field, both academically-through coursework, and professionally-through Jumpstart; a program designed to provide equitable programming in language, literacy, and social-emotional development for preschool children from under-resourced communities. After obtaining her Bachelors in Early Childhood Education and minor in Psychology, she went on to work for the YMCA of SF where she managed Out of School Time programming (before school, after school and summer camps). Throughout her time with the Y, she received and led trainings in Restorative Practices through partnership with the SF Unified School District, became an adult trainer in Be the Change Youth Development curriculum, and later went on to serve as a CalSAC trainer and Chapter Representative. Now living in the Tampa Bay Area, Miranda continues to manage kids programming, serves as an Inclusion Council Ambassador within her company, and looks forward to challenging the status quo by utilizing her voice to educate allies and shed light on the social inequities across marginalized groups of people.
Co-Founder & Co-host
Miranda McDaniel
Dr. Noelle DeLaCruz
Co-Founder & Co-host
Born and raised just outside of New York City, Noelle yearned to know the diverse world outside of herself. An observer by nature, she often questioned injustices and perceived differences in the ways that others were treated within society. Noelle was aware of her whiteness long before she knew the true depth of white privilege, and driven by her compassion and eagerness to create a better world for others, she began social justice work as early as high school. After receiving training through the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), Noelle became a peer educator, and used anti-bias curriculum to teach fellow students about the importance of inclusion and acceptance. During college, she followed her passion in the social sciences through the study of Psychology and Sociology and later went on to earn a Master’s degree in School Psychology in 2007 and Doctor of Psychology degree in 2016. A lifelong learner, Noelle continues to engage in training related to racial equity and disproportionate practices, and her work has involved policy and program development for vulnerable and underrepresented youth. Noelle’s psychological expertise integrates cognitive theories, behavioral science, and social ecology as a means to unpack topics related to injustice and inhumanity. Now living in the Tampa Bay Area, she is a practicing School Psychologist and endless advocate for racial, gender-based, and educational equity. Noelle intends to use this platform to continue educating others and encouraging reform both locally and nationwide.
"The nature of humanity, it's essence, is to feel another's pain as one's own, and to act to take that pain away.
There is nobility in compassion, a beauty in empathy,
a grace in forgiveness."
-John Connolly