Equity Consulting Group

Liberation Through Celebration: Carnival as Resistance and Joy The essence of Carnival lies in its ability to offer profound liberation to participants ("feters"). Rooted in rebellion, Carnival traditions across Afro-Diasporic communities stand as powerful expressions of resistance against oppression. Rather than viewing resistance solely through the lens of conflict, Carnival demonstrates how choosing joy and celebration in environments that typically deny them becomes a radical act of defiance against systems designed to constrain and diminish. During j'ouvert, participants intentionally cover themselves in mud, paint, and oil—"getting dirty." At ECG, we see this as a metaphorical representation of willingness to engage in difficult but necessary conversations about systemic change. This symbolic "dirtiness" ultimately transforms into the beautiful masquerading celebrations that follow, mirroring how challenging work leads to transformative outcomes in schools. We, Colleen, Reshma and Jacobē, experienced this firsthand during our seven-year anniversary retreat at Trinidad and Tobago's Carnival. Our participation embodied parallels to ECG’s organizational mission: creating spaces where children and teachers can experience authentic liberation from constraining systems. By physically participating in these traditions, we reinforced our commitment to the "hard and dirty work" required to create truly liberated educational environments. Carnival represents more than festivity—it demonstrates the power of creating new spaces rather than seeking inclusion in existing ones. It's about actively constructing tables where the melanated global majority can rightfully claim space, rather than waiting for invitations to tables built by others. This philosophy of joyful resistance and space-making informs ECG's approach to transforming educational systems, ensuring another seven years of partnership in the critical work of building truly free schooling spaces.

Did you catch our recent educational webinar? If you missed it, don’t worry, you can now catch up on-demand at https://lnkd.in/eacyfzay. ? Key Theme: Keeping Education Equity at the Forefront in a Changing Political Climate ?? Here is a snapshot of what the webinar included: - Keeping Education Equity at the Forefront in a Changing Political Climate - Navigating the forthcoming educational shifts - "How to take Action" How can I make a change? If you're an educator, a policymaker, parent, community leader, or just someone who's passionate about improving education, we’d love to have your feedback on the conversation. It’s a chance to reflect, share ideas, and determine how to move forward together. ?? Follow and hear from our amazing panelist: Dr. Colleen Hinds-Rodgers, EdD , CEO of Equity Consulting Group Jacobē Bell, CSO of Equity Consulting Group Dr. Reshma Ramkellawan, Ed.D, COO of Equity Consulting Group Howard R. Jean, M.S. Ed ???? ????, CEO of Black Meta Agency ? Raisa Sterling, Parent/Educator/Freelance Writer- Miguel Suarez, District Leader at Brewster Central School District Thank you for being apart of the ECG family. For more information about our program and services visit www.equityconsulting.org Lets keep driving change and pushing boundaries in 2025!

As we bring in the New Year with the future of our educational climate on our minds, you do not want to miss this exciting roundtable discussion. In this webinar hosted by Equity Consulting Group, we will hear from all perspectives: system leaders, district leaders, parents, and community leaders. Panelist: Colleen Hinds-Rodgers, EdD, Jacobē Bell, Reshma Ramkellawan, Ed.D, Howard R. Jean, M.S. Ed ???? ????, Raisa Sterling, and Miguel Suarez Let's inspire the next generation to thrive by reimagining equity education together! #education #careerconnectedlearning #NYCDOE #webinar #DEI #Leadership #Inclusion #Equityinaction

We are just "3 days away" from our exceptional webinar hosted by ECG. You do not want to miss this round table discussion! Hear from district leaders, parents, and community leaders on how we continue?Advancing Education Equity in a New Presidential Era. Register now to reserve your virtual seat. Let's inspire the next generation to thrive by reimagining equity education together! Register Today at:?https://shorturl.at/15Lie #educationalwebinar #equityeducation

As we bring in the New Year ? with the future of our educational climate on our minds, you do not want to miss this exciting roundtable discussion. In this webinar hosted by Equity Consulting Group, we will hear from all perspectives: system leaders, district leaders, parents, and community leaders. Let's inspire the next generation to thrive by reimagining equity education together! Register Today at: https://lnkd.in/e4_YTi8G #transformationaleducation #equityeducation #roundtablediscussion

As we enter 2025, it is a great time to unearth your true self and build an equitable classroom for all students. In this book, the authors, our founders here at Equity Consulting Group, serve as co-conspirators to help educators develop authentic, inclusive approaches. You’ll learn to strategically challenge the status quo, empower other educators, and make practical changes to ensure equitable learning environments for all students. K–12 teachers can use this book to: * Examine the complexity of identity to help them understand themselves and their students and avoid perpetuating harm * Take a journey from examining systemic inequities that affect schools to envisioning a future of equitable education * Identify unintentionally harmful practices and shift to culturally competent practices that ensure authenticity in the classroom * Ponder their individual journeys as educators respond to chapter-reflection prompts * Engage with interactive tools, activities, and reproducibles Get your pre-order now: https://shorturl.at/faJmq

Meet our Co-Founder and Coach Jacobē Bell ?? Jacobē is a change agent with over 15 years of experience as a National Board Certified Teacher, Instructional Coach, and Network Administrator in both the public and charter sectors.?Jacobē works directly with teachers, teacher leaders, and principals to build equity for all students. At the foundation of Jacobē’s work is the belief that schools must be places where cultural pluralism, high expectations, asset-based pedagogy, and student voices flourish. To cultivate change in schools, Jacobē believes we must stop the “spirit-murder” of students by humanizing every aspect of education. She is a graduate of Stanford University and a current doctoral student at Teachers College, Columbia University in the Department of Curriculum and Teaching. Her professional interests lie in humanizing pedagogies, student-centered teaching and learning, curriculum design, asset-based teacher mindsets, culturally responsive teaching, teacher preparation, and leadership development. #changemaker #equityeducation #professionaldevelopment #culturallyresponsive

Special Education Day is celebrated on December 2 to commemorate the signing of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) into law on this day in 1975. IDEA granted children with special needs access to free and quality public education. Equity Consulting Group (ECG) would like to recognize all of our educators who impact the lives of students with disabilities. Your hard work doesn't go unnoticed. #specialeducation #equityeducation #SPED

Equity Consulting Group spotlights our Co-Founder and coach, Dr. Reshma Ramkellawan, Ed.D. Reshma brings over 14 years of experience as an educator, school leader and instructional coach. She has supported at least a dozen schools within the greater New York, New Jersey and Connecticut region. While she specializes in English Language Arts and Humanities content areas, she has provided instructional support to STEM based subjects as well. At the core of her practice is the belief that students' voices should drive learning and instructional experiences. School is not a place where teachers “tell” students what to do, but rather act as “co-conspirators” in learning. Adhering to the ideas of Paulo Freire’s critical pedagogy, she believes that the only way to improve schools is to be disruptive in practice.? ? She obtained her Bachelor of Science degree in English Education from the University of Central Florida, Master of Arts in Curriculum and Instruction as well as her Doctorate of Education in English Education from Teachers College. To learn more about Dr, Ramkellawan and her team, visit www.equityconsulting.org. Connect today with experts who have done the work of successful implementation in schools and districts. For a free consultation on how to bring our experts to your school or district, contact us at [email protected]

In the wake of preparing for the new administration in our country, there may be shifts in federal funding priorities. Educators are navigating the "New" educational landscape and developing strategies as policies shift. The need for high-quality educational resources for teachers and students will always remain the same. Teachers will need educational leaders more than ever with all the political issues of book bans, disagreements over curriculum, DEI implementations, and much more. Schools already suffer from severe staff shortages, and political fragments may speed up teacher quitting decisions. Getting ahead of the game with open forums, professional development, and one-on-one teacher coaching can be a great way to keep morale on track. Equity Consulting can help you as we weather the storm of political engagement and what that means for the educational community. To learn more about our offerings, contact [email protected] for a free consultation. #equityeducation #professionaldevelopment #teachershortage #DEI