EPiC

Supported by Durham Public Schools Deputy Superintendent, Director of Equity Affairs, and Director of Advanced Academics; two school Principals; a Black Male honors/AP teacher; a Durham Associate of Education equity-minded school counselor: two Black honors/AP high school students; and a North Carolina Central University honor student; along with six education vendors and nearly 100 attendees, is only the beginning of the story. From District presentation on inequities and hearing about the District-wide race equity training for the entire school system to the breakout sessions where systemic barriers and structural racism was named, this workshop was full of information and empowerment.

The feedback shared at the end of the event from the attendees was that the “information shared by the District was transparent”; “the panel discussion was real and informative”; and “Excellent resources, and excellent job staying on time, responsible childcare. Great vendors” closed out an amazing workshop. To learn a little about what happened in the middle, check out the Facebook live stream.

The Empowered Parents in Community (EPiC) non-profit will continue to offer education, race equity conversations and advocacy to hold the school system accountable to policy and practice in the community. We will work towards practice and policy change with regular updates given through the Empower Newsletters and School Board meetings.

Our amazing volunteers of Black Parent Leaders have committed to follow up with any unanswered questions during the panel discussion and create an accountability chart based on the roundtable discussion that named structural racism and systemic barriers and offered solutions for increased access to advanced academics for Black students.

See slides from presentation on Sept. 19, 2019.

Save the date for the Access to Advanced Academics, Part II on April 21, 2020.