Reclaiming Education through Liberation: The Convening 2022
What would it feel like to join in community with other education professionals committed to racial equity in schools? To collaborate with educators and leaders of color, as well as white allies in positions of leadership? It is possible to move beyond passive resistance and transform school systems into affirming, learning, and growing environments. This October 7th-9th at the Pacific Science Center, TAF’s Network for EdWork team is excited to bring you just that for our first annual Convening.
Grassroots solidarity has the power to radically shift education away from white supremacist norms that harm communities of color. Change must come as a defiant act of community to be truly sustainable and transformative.
None of us are able to move the ball as individuals, but we can do it as a collective. What does that really mean? How do we shore each other up and make sure we are there for each other?
The Convening has been designed to be the place for people to fill their cup and walk away with tangible actions and a support network to make their learning environments anti-racist and liberatory from the ground up. This sentiment fits right in with the rest of Network for EdWork’s programming, which supports educators of all stages as they strive to create equitable, inclusive, and anti-racist public education systems. Here is what past NWEW participants had to say:
During Network for EdWork’s biggest event yet, we will brainstorm real solutions to build a learning environment where everyone succeeds. The Convening is a space for educators to collaborate, share ideas, and gather with intention. Over the course of this 3-day gathering, there will be:
- Heart-centered Affinity Salons that provide space for processing and action planning
- Inclusive, action-oriented workshops that uplift and center BIPOC experiences, wisdom, and leadership
- Guided activities centered around mindfulness and introspection
- An unforgettable keynote with abolitionist educator and advocate for education reform, Dr. Bettina Love
Doing the work as individuals can feel isolating, but together at The Convening your work amplifies to push back against white supremacist individualism. We can change public education to finally serve all communities. When we build a community across different schools and backgrounds, we have the power to change lives, both for ourselves and the children we serve. We all have a place in an anti-racist education system.
Earlier in my career I had affinity groups at the companies that I worked at, but they didn’t go beyond the company. So, something like this, where people are coming from different schools, bringing in different levels of experience, I think it would have helped me a great deal, and given me a lot more confidence earlier in my career.
Get ready to do some headwork, heartwork, and reflection as we take on white supremacy as a community. Every session at The Convening will be firmly rooted in Liberation Pedagogy. This framework begins with recognition and identification, then works to undo the white supremacy mindset. As these behaviors unravel, Liberation Pedagogy offers new and healthy replacements. With these practical alternatives, we can move forward as advocates and engage with our communities in uprooting white supremacy culture.
If this work is something that resonates with you, register for The Convening today. If you want to take the lead in dismantling systems of oppression within education, sign up to be a Convening Ambassador. When you register 5 or more participants, you’ll get these special perks:
The Convening is more than a conference; we are rejecting white supremacist norms with actionable steps toward equitable education.
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