More than 100 school equity leaders came together March 25-27 for ACSA’s annual Equity Institute, which focused on remaining committed to “doing the work” amid growing challenges in the field.

“The tides are shifting,” said Dr. Alana Hughes-Hunter, chair of the Equity Institute Planning Committee, in her opening remarks. The conference theme, “Equity For Real: Anchored in Integrity When the Tide Shifts,” reflects the current reality of diversity, equity and inclusion work in schools, she said.

“The pushback is real,” Hughes-Hunter said. “The question isn’t if the tide has shifted, but whether we remain anchored when it does ... No matter what you call it, in my sister’s words, do the work.”

ACSA Executive Director Dr. Edgar Zazueta discussed California-specific challenges in his remarks, noting that district equity teams are often the ones who must “make sense” of policy and curriculum decisions.

“Many of these policy debates end up on your doorstep before they’re on television,” Zazueta said. “You have to explain to your students what this means.”

He also referenced disgraced labor leader César Chávez while reflecting on California “heroes.”

“The few heroes we have — the few we could point to — we realize they are disappointing us, too,” he said. “How do we tell that story to our communities? It’s a reminder that we have to uplift the movement as much as the individual.”

Parvin Ahmadi, former ACSA president and retired superintendent of Castro Valley Unified School District, delivered the conference’s first keynote address Wednesday evening. She spoke about “decolonizing public education,” noting that justice and liberation must begin with understanding our own biases.

“It’s so important to recognize the power and privilege that each one of us has,” Ahmadi said. “That self-reflection reminds us — what are my core values? What do I really believe in when it comes to serving children?”

The conference continued Thursday morning with a keynote by Dr. Travis J. Bristol, an associate professor at UC Berkeley. Bristol highlighted suspension rates for Black students, including preschoolers, and how school leaders can help build teacher capacity.

“A small number of teachers are responsible for a disproportionate number of suspensions in your school,” Bristol told attendees. “As an administrator, if you can do some support work with this small group — how to redesign content, how to do culturally sustaining work — you can build capacity and professional learning.”

Developing those connections with teachers is key to retaining them at the school site, Bristol said.

“Teachers do not leave their students. They leave their principals,” he said. “It’s their principals who create the working conditions in their schools that drive them out. Support educators when they struggle.”

Breakout sessions covered topics including integrating AI tools into equity work, supporting multilingual learners, and “cultivating connection and joy” in the ethnic studies classroom.

“The 2026 Equity Institute was not just an event; it was a reaffirmation. A reaffirmation that equity-centered leadership is not performative — it is purposeful,” said Dr. Simone Charles, president of the ACSA Council of Equity Leaders, whose members plan the conference. “This work is not just hard work — it is ‘heart’ work, requiring us to lead with courage, compassion, and unwavering purpose.”

Charles said one session that helped call leaders back to their purpose was the student panel, where young scholars from San Leandro Social Justice Academy reminded attendees that their work is far from complete.

“They spoke not with hesitation, but with clarity: Do not stop. Keep going. We need you,” Charles said. “Our scholars are not waiting for change — they are leading it, calling us to continue the work alongside them.”

The Institute came to a close with Friday’s keynote from Dr. Yolanda Sealy-Ruiz, professor of English Education at Columbia University, who spoke about resilience, which does not always look like action.

“Resilience in equity work is not always loud; sometimes it is the quiet, steady decision to keep going,” Charles said, reflecting on Sealy-Ruiz’s words.