For years, the NEA Aspiring Educators (AE) LEGACY Project has brought together local students, educators, community organizations, NEA-Retired members and NEA affiliates for a community service that happens the week before the NEA Representative Assembly.
Last summer’s gathering in Minneapolis took on a more reflective tone—critical in today’s divisive environment. Nearly 300 AE members attended NEA’s conference on Racial and Social Justice, which focused on advocacy and activism.
The conference provided a unique space for future and practicing educators to unite for the advancement of justice in education via interactive workshops, sessions, and skill-building activities. A key theme of the conference was art and culture for movement building.
Several excerpts from documentary films were shown and underscored how story telling is a powerful tool that makes way for raising critical questions and dialogue. Films like “Baltimore Rising,” “Gender Revolution,” and “East of Salinas” inspired and provided a unifying force for building change.
California educator Reagan Duncan tweeted about East of Salinas, “A must watch for all my fellow southern CA teachers. Wonderful documentary from an amazing CA educator Oscar Ramos. What a role model! New goal for me, I strive to be an Oscar Ramos in my school, district, and union! Watch it!”
Conference-goers also heard from folks who are deeply embedded in social justice issues, such as Race Forward’s Rinku Sen, who offered her expertise in race, feminism, immigration, economic justice, philanthropy, and community organizing; and Shaun King, a journalist and activist, who advocates for justice and families, and is a visible fundraiser for victims of brutality and discrimination.
The conference left participants energized and ready to take action. “A morning of social justice—I think this is what everyone needs right now. Feeling ready to inspire change in my corner, learning from one student at a time,” tweeted @alex_eskrastlou.
“A morning of social justice—I think this is what everyone needs right now. Feeling ready to inspire change in my corner, learning from one student at a time.”
—Tweeted @Alex_Eskrastlou
