How do you see the role of parents/caregivers and educators in creating a thriving school experience, and what are some meaningful ways WE ARE partners with both families and educators?
The roles of parents/caregivers and educators are vital in creating a thriving school experience for students. WE ARE offers workshops for parents on topics such as how to facilitate race-based conversations with children and strategies for responding to biased statements or actions that our students may experience in educational settings. WE ARE also partners with schools to offer workshops on a variety of topics including culturally relevant pedagogy and creating culturally affirming learning environments for students of color.
What inspired the founding of WE ARE, and how has your journey shaped the work you are doing today?
I (Ronda) began the initial brainstorming for we are in the spring of 2015 during my doctoral program at UNC. Multiple events had transpired that increased my pursuit for racial justice including Zimmerman’s ultimate acquittal of taking Trayvon Martin’s life. I started thinking about my own children—one an infant and the other a three year old—and what their experiences would be as Black kids growing up in America. “What kind of world was I bringing them into,” I thought. I wanted to make the world better for them and for other kids, as well.
Can you share some intentional strategies WE ARE has used to support student growth, particularly for Black students, and what outcomes have you seen as a result?
We believe in the power of data-driven decision making in schools. For example, research shows that educators of color positively impact outcomes for Black and Brown students. Thus, we advocate for hiring Black and Brown educators and including parents of color on hiring committees. Additionally, we facilitate workshops that support parents and educators in making the connections between biases and school discipline disparities. We have found when schools are intentional and strategic about closing opportunity gaps or discipline disparities, they are able to do so.