Equity Institute comes back with focus on collective care
January 27, 2025
Collective care — caring for our students, for ourselves and fellow school leaders — is the central theme of Equity Institute, ACSA’s annual conference focused on educational equity for all California students.
Diversity, Equity and Inclusion leaders, principals, teachers, counselors and many others have a unique opportunity to gather, discuss their classroom practices and learn strategies and tools to help their pursuit of educational equity. The theme “The Power of Connection: Equity, Wellness and Collective Care” expresses the need for attendees to work together for the benefit of students.
Keynote speakers Vajra Watson and Joaquin Noguera are set to address the Equity Institute group. Watson is a professor of educational leadership and policy studies who works at the intersections of theory and practice, policies and pedagogies. She is an author and editor of several journal articles and books, including “Learning to Liberate” and “Transformative Schooling.”
Noguera, an assistant professor at Loyola Marymount University, is a former social worker, K-12 teacher and school leader. He was formerly director of the International Youth Leadership Institute dedicated to serving Black and Latinx youth in New York City.
Both keynotes and the additional sessions make Equity Institute an essential conference to attend, said Rebecca Pianta, the event’s planning committee chair and coordinator of college and career readiness at Santa Ana Unified School District.
“(Equity Institute) provides a platform to explore critical topics like building inclusive school communities, fostering a culture of care and empowering student voices,” Pianta said. “The Institute serves as a space for reflection, learning and collaboration, equipping attendees with the strategies and inspiration needed to address systemic inequities.”
Pianta said she hopes attendees take away actionable strategies to implement culturally responsive practices in their school sites.
“Above all, I hope they leave feeling empowered to continue spreading the message of equity and equipped to engage families and communities in this vital work,” she said.
FYI
Equity Institute
What: Two and a half days of workshops, discussions and learning moments designed specifically for teams of principals and teachers, parent leaders, counselors and central office administrators to deepen their explorations of how these pathways can assist the pursuit of educational equity.
When: March 12-14
Where: Doubletree by Hilton, Berkeley Marina
Cost: $580 members and team voucher/$780 non-members/$385 retired members
Register: bit.ly/ACSAEquity2025
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