AES Ohio’s Post

Collective action creates systemic change, and The Higher Ed Equity Network is focused on exactly that. Complete College America is proud to be part of this coalition. Watch below to hear from the leaders shaping HEEN, including Yolanda Watson Spiva, Ph.D., BCC, as they share in their own words the importance of equity in higher education. #HigherEdEquity #Highered #Equity

Building bridges for lower socioeconomic backgrounds Tonight I will be joining a panel at a BYP Network in Leeds discussing Goal setting and career growth strategies with a focus on Black young professionals. With Leeds continuing to grow economically and the divide widening how can we enable people from lower socioeconomic backgrounds into positions of affluence. 1. Strengths: Understanding and promoting some of the unique strengths of coming from these environments. 2. Education: Supporting teachers to understand nuances, coaching and implementing restorative practices. 3. Removing career barriers: Moving to strength based interviews and diversifying access to entry and applications. 4. Enabling programmes: To support career development and promoting alternate career paths. 5. Community & collaboration: Supporting community programmes with funding as well as private sector and leaders involvement. 6. Promotion and recognition: Promoting those who have come from diverse backgrounds and creating a link to the community to inspire the next generation. Leeds City Council #leeds #leadership #community #diversity

My dissertation research was on the ways that Black educators experience racial battle fatigue in the workplace and how it impacts their family members. I've spoken on this topic at conferences and in professional development spaces. The Butler Institute was the first opportunity that I had to be able to sit on a team of researchers and influence a long-term project. It's been great working with them and I've learned as much from them as they have learned from me. #racialbattlefatigue #retentionbeforerecruitment #testimonial #preschooleducation

Here is information about an undergraduate fellowship that trains students in civic leadership. The deadline to apply is March 10. -- "The John Lewis Young Leaders (JLYL) program is an undergraduate fellowship program that equips students with the necessary skills to become effective social justice and civic leaders. Since its creation in 2017, the Young Leaders program has focused on building the power of young people and supporting them as the next generation of human rights defenders. In 2022 we restructured and rebranded the program to pay homage to the beautiful and inspiring friendship between John Lewis and Robert Kennedy. Both Lewis and Kennedy shared a joint dream of building a more just and equitable future and worked towards one where all young people can see this come to fruition. The JLYL program is a year-long fellowship that prepares college students for a future in community organizing and civic engagement. Throughout the course of the year, fellows engage their campus and local communities in human rights work through a robust capstone project. Fellows receive resources and support to ensure their success in the program, including access to comprehensive grassroots organizing workshops, 1:1 mentorship from RFK Human Rights staff, financial support, and access to an extensive network of human rights professionals, peers, and program alumni. By providing fellows with these resources, we aim to build their capacity and confidence to pursue careers as human rights defenders and enact positive and perpetual change in their communities." https://lnkd.in/eXe3vWH3

When I embarked on my mid-life journey to attain a bachelor's degree, I made a personal commitment to engage with intellectuals who would challenge my beliefs. Navigating the modern college campus can be a complex endeavor, especially given the prevailing liberal and Democrat-leaning perspectives among professors and administrators—a diversity category I wish more schools would consider when hiring. However, I'm excited to have discovered the Buckley Institute. The debates, speakers, and fellow students I've encountered have expanded my perspectives and understanding about what divides us in ways I didn't anticipate. I've come to realize that when we venture beyond the media's curated narratives and engage in substantive discussions, there's a shift—almost like an important threshold has been crossed in the divisiveness so common today. As an older, non-traditional student, I am always appreciative when my peers select me for opportunities and I'm excited to announce my selection as a participant in the Washington D.C. Fellowship alongside other Buckley Fellows this spring break! We can't just virtue-signal and talk about "embracing diversity" without acknowledging that diversity of thought is as important as all other categories of diversity that we champion. Commitment to intellectual diversity is essential; otherwise, Allan Bloom's "The Closing of the American Mind" becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy. I would argue that it already has. It's going to be an amazing opportunity to spend a week back in D.C. and meet "with government officials, members of Congress, judges, think tank scholars, journalists, and the people who make the nation’s capital run." Here are some past speakers: Supreme Court Justice Brett Kavanaugh Senator Ted Cruz Mary Katherine Ham Guy Benson Senator Ben Sasse Senator Rand Paul George Will Peter Berkowitz Scott Walker #EducationalJourney #ChallengingBeliefs #BuckleyInstitute #OpenMinds #DCFellowship #BuckleyFellows #yale #vetsinhighered

Excellent opinion piece in the Toronto Star by George Brown College's President Dr. Gervan Fearon. From the piece: "Colleges and universities play a vital role in building an inclusive society and fostering broader global understanding. The relationships we form and understanding we gain about each other are fundamental to the empathetic understanding we bring to our decision-making. It is inclusive education that sets the stage for inclusive societies and the full capacity of humanity to face the challenges of the future." https://lnkd.in/gn-kCqym

Sometimes this work is about asking the "hard" questions. When making the decision to attend an academic institution, Black students must ask themselves questions that non-Black counterparts may not even have to think about. How will I handle being in a predominately white and/or male environment? Am I safe in this learning environment to express my honest opinions and thought? What will I do if someone's perspective challenges my identity and being? Will I find community? These are questions I asked myself before going to Cornell University: MPA Program - Cornell Jeb E. Brooks School of Public Policy. Fortunately, I was greeted by a warm and supportive community, however, I had to make a mental decision before deciding to attend an ivy league to prepare for the worst-case scenarios: isolation, otherness, and challenges to my overall ability to perform. These are the hard realities that academic institutions must work to address if they want to continue to build and retain diverse program cohorts. In the meantime, diverse students will need to continue to navigate these systems in order to achieve. I believe that the #ClaudineGay case will have major impact on the participation of Black and diverse individuals in choosing to attend or pursue academic career paths at elite or Ivy League institutions. However, we cannot be distracted from the big picture. Tonight, what I found most inspiring in this conversation with Heather and Ryan from HKS was the willingness to ask, answer, and explore the hard questions. As we continue in this work, there is power in humble, open, and transparent ("HOT") dialogue. We cannot fear speaking truth to power. I look forward to what is to come. Further, together. Harvard University Harvard Kennedy School Executive Education Black Professionals in International Affairs - BPIA #highereducation #partnerships #blackprofessionals #DEImatters #Harvard #HarvardUniversity #academia #truthtopower #education #college #gradschool #HKS #HBS #publicpolicy #community #culture #opportunities #careerdevelopment Bobby King, M.A. Sierra Bracero

During my first semester at Rice University, I actively participated in RISE, a program that aims to equip future leaders with the skills of Responsibility, Inclusion, and Student Empowerment. While taking part in the program, I was interviewed by the Texas Tribune about my perspective on the Black Rice Experience. This was my first news feature, and I would appreciate it if you could take the time to read the article, which is linked below!

"If our work is not about truth first, change will not happen." - Tiveeda Stovall, CCEO. This week we are attending the African American Policy Forum. As advocates, Griffin Legacy is here to connect and bolster our wisdom from leaders fighting for honesty and inclusion in education throughout the United States. Summer school has never been as good as this. Check out the flipbook below to see the conversations taking place. #crt #educationpolicy #educationadvocacy

We are excited to welcome 🌟 Paul Forbes to the 2024-25 TEL Fellowship! Paul is a bias awareness and educational #equity consultant who focuses on implicit bias or what he refers to as “the work behind the work”. A native New Yorker who was born, raised, and still lives in Brooklyn, he has dedicated his professional life to working with students and families from historically underrepresented neighborhoods and communities. Paul spent almost 20 years as a central administrator in various roles within the NYC Department of Education. In his last role in the NYC DOE as Executive Director for Educational Equity, Anti-Bias and Diversity, Paul provided oversight and support for the effective implementation and continuous development of the Implicit Bias/CRE initiative. He also helped develop a strategic vision to guide the implementation of trainings and professional development to schools, after-school providers, districts, and central offices on equity topics within education that included implicit bias, culturally responsive education and discussions around systemic and structural racism. What draws Paul to becoming a TEL Fellow? Paul shares: "Being a TEL Fellow will allow me to be surrounded by folks who are interested and willing to do the introspective and #reflective work that so many are not willing to do. I have always been drawn to the idea of a “beloved community” but often I wonder if that is an existential idea found in Thoreau’s Walden Pond. I continue doing the work that I believe I was called to do because I am optimistic, and I believe that there are likeminded folks out there but the challenge is to find us and bring us together. We need to know that we are not alone and there are many more of us out here. I believe that things happen at the right time. Getting this opportunity to join this community is exactly what I need at this moment in time." #edleaders #edleadership #equity #biasawareness