The New Year is a meaningful time for me. I have spent years celebrating the New Year with my beloved family of choice which includes my chosen family of African, Chinese, Western European, Russian, Filipino, Japanese and Latino heritages. In gathering and sharing food, fellowship, and our cultural traditions we have forged deep bonds and had countless conversations about racial inequities and our individual and collective responsibilities to work towards greater racial equity. I often leave these New Year’s conversations with great hope for what is possible in the world and a clarity about my personal commitments to “the work”.
As we begin 2021, I wanted to offer you two resources and some events to support your personal commitment to the work of racial equity.
Kirsten Ivey-Colson and Lynn Turner are sisters who wanted to help people shift their mind and hearts towards antiracism and away from anti-Blackness in the aftermath of the televised extrajudicial death of George Floyd. You can hear them explain their journey in our recent conversation. The Table is rich with resources for anti-racist practice and also offers a space, Flowers for the Table, to bring the Black/African Heritage community together.
This multifaceted nonprofit strives towards its goal of forming stronger communities by offering a free racial literacy curriculum, paid professional development opportunities, and paid options for White adults to build racial literacy. In addition, they have produced three position papers that would be great rereads or first-time reads for organizations that committed to be antiracist back in June of 2020.
Diversity practitioners in independent schools offer school leaders a perspective on how to best utilize practitioners to support antiracist work. (All schools will also find the perspective offered useful.)
School communication directors offer what they would want leaders to consider in their communication regarding schools' commitments to racial equity.
Students generously offer their insights about schools and their experiences. A must-read for those who want to stay grounded in the experiences of young people.
Upcoming Events
Folks of Color in Schools Events in January 2021
Monday, January 4, 2021 From 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
This is a group to support and nurture the work and well-being of those people in schools that support diversity, equity, and inclusion work. This group gathers on the first Monday of each month. Our January questions include:
What are you committed to for your own health and well-being?
How are you strategically supporting your school/district in hiring culturally effective employees?
Wednesday, January 20, 2021 from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m.
Gather with other educators that share your racial and/or ethnic identity to begin the New Year. A social and professional gathering via Zoom.
I’m Preppin’ to Step
Are you considering making a professional change? Need support in your job search? Working on a resume or curriculum vitae and want feedback? Want to practice a mock interview? Sign up here for a 30-minute individual session.
Events That Offer What You May Need Right NOW!
Thursday, January 28, 2021 from 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. (PST)
Wednesday, February 3, 2021 from 12:30 - 2:00 p.m. (PST)
Dr. Liza Talusan will lead a two-day workshop for independent schools (would also benefit parochial and public school attendees) that will help schools consider their hiring process, who they are attracting, and how they are assessing candidates. This is a great opportunity to have a shared experience for a hiring committee or interview team.
Wednesday, January 27, 2021 from 10:00 - 12:00 p.m.
Kalyan Balaven invited a group of diversity, equity, and inclusion practitioners to a breakfast in 2016 and the Inclusion Dashboarding group was born! This year’s retreat will be an interactive discussion of data and information gathering to assess belonging, inclusion, and equity in schools. These retreats offer an opportunity to hear what other institutions are doing and will inspire your work.
Finally, I offer you a dekaaz poem for 2021:
Wishes
For Healing
A Hopeful New Year
Peace,
Dori
