-critical tours > Partners & Reviews

Selected Reviews:

Mal Pool has given LGBTQ history and culture tours to students enrolled in my study abroad course, “Hidden Spaces, Hidden Narratives: Intersectionality Studies in Berlin,” annually since 2017. Mal goes above and beyond to show intersectional linkages between and within various communities in Berlin. They also help us network with other organizations to help further the aims of the course. Mal shows an ability to organize and structure relevant information to communicate strategically and effectively the values of equity, inclusivity, compassion, and contextual awareness. Because of this and so much more, I plan to continue to work with them as long as they are available to offer tours.
~ Prof. Heidi Lewis, Colorado College

These city tours are always well researched and of excellent quality (in EN and DE). We really enjoy working with Mal Pool long-term. The MILES mentoring program is a volunteer program in which volunteers can be mentors for queer / LGBTI refugees and people with migration experiences.
~ Lucina Akintaya, LSVD MILES, Berlin

I recommend Mal Pool based on work they have done with me on multiple occasions for my undergraduate students. Mal has been an integral part of study abroad trips and has enhanced the classroom experience for my Business students. Student and leader feedback on our experiences with Mal have been exceedingly positive. Mal has worked closely with me to design historic and contemporary critical tours in Berlin for students with diverse interests and backgrounds. They have taken time to understand the goals of the experience and put together custom tour packages at a level of service not received elsewhere. The tours have been very successful with students. Mal is an energetic and engaging educator/guide with vast knowledge and experience. Students have walked away from these tours with nuanced perspectives on, among other things, the interplay between business, nonprofit and governmental sectors and impacts on society, including understanding of historical roots and contemporary events. Students’ eyes are opened to myriad possibilities for understanding, addressing, and working with contemporary societal issues. Additionally, the tours are well-organized with care taken for individual needs of group members. Mal has also been a guest lecturer in my Nonprofits and Civil Society course. Mal was able to bring real-world experience in nonprofit and collective work to the students. As usual, their presentation was well-organized, relevant, and engaging. There was a good mix of talk, Q&A, and experiential activities. Mal’s experience and knowledge is beneficial in various training and educational contexts.
~ Prof. Rebecca Jestice, Earlham College, Indiana, USA

Before 2020, Mal conducted high-quality city tours for us in the Berlin-Kreuzberg district several times a year. Unfortunately, this program funding came to an end with Covid.
~ Prof. Rolf Backmann, Wentworth Institute, Berlin

...more reviews selected soon...

Selected Long-Term Public Tour Partners:

Bartow Highschool, Bartow, Florida, USA (I am not out to this school-system, contact me for a reference)

Christian Confirmation Trips from Diakon, Spånga-Kista, Sweden

Business Department of Earlham College, Indiana, USA

Feminist & Gender Studies of Colorado College, Colorado, USA

Kunst Stoffe e.V., Berlin, Germany

Refugee Services of the Lesben- und Schwulenverband in Deutschland (LSVD; MILES), Berlin, Germany

Foresters of Das Lehrkabinett Teufelssee, Berlin (Köpenick), Germany