• Testimonials

  • "In my role as Superintendent, I attend many conferences and training sessions. Many are good. Few are life-changing. The Equity Project training was one of the few. You challenged my assumptions and caused me to examine what I truly believe about educating all children. You provided me with knowledge and gave me skills in developing leaders and teams who can change the conversation and transform instruction in our schools. Thank you for a creative, visionary approach."

    Mary Jane Burke, Superintendent
    Marin County Office of Education, California



    "The Leading for Equity Institute has provided me a renewed sense of purpose in and for my work. It has given me some great tools to help advance the work of racial equity as an individual in my community, and organization. I really appreciate and enjoyed the structure and balance in both facilitation and activities."

    Carla Little, Program Specialist
    W.K. Kellogg Foundation

Leading for Equity Institute

Breakthrough Conversations

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Irma Parker, Director of the Berkeley High School Resource Center

The Leading For Equity™ Institute is our signature service, offered as both an annual residential experience and to individual partners as part of a greater engagement.

Our definition of leadership is borrowed from the work of Julian Weissglass (1998): Leadership means taking responsibility for what matters to you.

We work with leaders (both formal and informal) to develop their capacity to foster positive change on behalf of historically under-served students and families.

Leading for Equity is an experiential institute providing ample opportunities for sharing, reflection, and planning to inform your current work. We develop individual and collective leadership at every level of schools, districts, foundations or nonprofit organizations. Teams deepen their commitment, relationships, and efficacy while developing strategies toward equity goals.  Teams receive expert, caring guidance and facilitation to work together to address the personal and technical challenges they face in their educational equity efforts..

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Participants Examine

  • The effects of racism and other biases on education policies and practices
  • Individual and organizational dynamics that impede the success of change efforts
  • How to improve collaborative relationships and build teams and alliances in diverse settings
  • Concrete skills for leading change in challenging contexts toward your current equity goals
  • The importance of emotional intelligence and trust in leading equity efforts
  • Research, tools, and other resources for equity-focused leadership and team development.

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Recent Participants

  • School and district teams working on equity or achievement gap initiatives
  • Philanthropic foundations working to improve racial equity
  • Regional equity initiatives involving cross-sector partnerships

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Results

Over 1,000 educators and community leaders have participated in Leading for Equity since 2002.  Over 90% of Leading for Equity participants agree that they are better able to:

  • Work more effectively with colleagues from different racial or cultural backgrounds
  • Raise and discuss issues of equity with their colleagues
  • Make personal and organizational changes to address social and racial inequities

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For more information about customized institutes or dates for our annual Leading for Equity Institute, please contact Sara Brown at 510.208.0160 x315 or email sbrown@nationalequityproject.org or join our mailing list.