This week the participatory research team listened to a 9-month old recording of our students debriefing a song they wrote about freedom. We looked for insights that might apply to the work we are doing right now with the same students: supporting them writing and composing songs that mean something to them. The recording reminded us of how brilliant and thoughtful they are — honestly, things we don’t always have at the forefront of our minds in the midst of schedule changes, cancellations, the ongoing trauma of Oxford up the road, and more. For me specifically, it reminded me of how students often follow our lead when we are vulnerable and honest. Our vulnerability as grown ups can be a support to them.