Moving the Community Towards Action - PSi's Online Conversation on July 7, 2020
PSi hosts provocative, inspirational leaders in conversation about systemic oppression and racism, and how we seek justice to bridge the gap between our history and the future we are building.
On July 7th, we hosted an online community conversation titled “The Anti-Racist Leader is a Persistent Leader.” We heard from Dr. Almi Abeyta, Superintendent of the Chelsea Public Schools; principal, thought-leader and blogger Joe Truss; Boston City Councilor At-Large Julia Mejia; Will C., PSi Faculty and facilitator of personal, communal, and leadership development; Dr. Monica Hall, Leadership Development Administrator, Boston Public Schools; and Sung-Joon Pai, PSi Faculty and Director of ELL & Alternative Programs, Charlestown High School.
We asked our panelists to respond to this question:
We all see how the pandemic has underscored racism and inequity in this country. We cannot return to “normal” when we one day return to school. When we reopen schools, how do we redouble our efforts to address issues of systemic oppression and racism? What three things would you say to your stakeholders?
The evening was framed by PSi 2018-2019 graduate and award-winning artist Wyatt Jackson’s superb video “Get Up” (this song is currently available to stream on Apple Music, Spotify, and Amazon Music as “Get Up - We the People.”), which he co-produced with Gen Rubin. The video catalyzes listeners and viewers to “get up” and do something about racial injustice and violence. The work has been picked up by Feel Good Voting to encourage young people to take action for change in this country through the democratic process. Wyatt and his colleagues deeply understand artists’ power to create and inspire change. They challenge all of us to take risks, ignore doubt, speak up, and get up—and vote! Never has the moment been more critical.
Our goals for the evening were threefold, to:
Reflect through a creative lens on how to move from this Moment (systemic oppression and racism) to a Movement
Share ideas in community that move the community towards action
Identify action steps short-term and long-term
The speakers and panelists generated conversations in Zoom chat and in small breakout groups that demonstrate we met our objectives. Here are some major takeaways shared by participants:
We have to be intentional about teaching our students about critical consciousness. This will give students the ability to fight institutional racism, white supremacy, racism, and oppression
If the goal of educating students well is to support students in developing their true potential, then their voices must be a valued part in structuring that journey in classrooms, in the schools, and in their communities!
We must push back on the current high stakes testing culture, which is not responsive to young people’s communities
In place of standardized tests, we need student-centered, social change, project-based, and arts-integrated curricula.
We must have compassion and grace—towards one another, as teachers and leaders—and our students and families. Without that, academic learning is nearly impossible and continues to feel irrelevant to students.
We need a paradigm shift and a recognition that white women (who are the majority of teachers right now) cannot do this work alone without people of color. White women need to co-lead with people of color in order to embrace a wider lens. This is group work. This is community work.
The hard part of that is the realization that education is dominated by white people—white women in particular. I agree with coaching liberation, but how does that look coming from people who have never needed it? Or at least felt like they never needed it?
What about leaders? How can we ensure that our school leaders fight for an education that empowers young people? Too much falls on the backs of teachers to be the change. Our school leaders and administrators must lead and say, “No. This testing culture has gone too far.” And, “I do not expect you to do more with less.”
I look forward to more opportunities for CAS/PSi to convene thought leaders, artists, community members, and educators to come together and move from reflection to action.
Access the Zoom-recorded event online.
If you want to listen to Wyatt Jackson's song and share it with others, find the Get Up video on YouTube, and the Get Up song on Apple Music.