Ambient Collective的动态

Every year, Toni H. and I spend a week in Killington, Vermont presenting a week-long strand on becoming an equity-centered educator. Every year, during and after the event, we reflect on how hard it is to be often the ONLY Black people at a 500-person conference....in Vermont. Then every year, people share what a transformational experience it is for them. This year was no different. We showed up. We leaned in. And we changed lives - including our own. Despite having led racial equity work for nearly a decade now, I am always amazed at what these experiences do for me and mean to me as a Black woman, Black educator, and Black equity practitioner - and how deeply our work impacts others. In today's seemingly anti-DEI climate, please know that there are people whose hearts and minds are open to this work and who understand just how important it is for them to learn and grow so they can best serve all students - particularly those who have tragically, unjustly, and persistently been underserved in our schools. The comments below show just how much this work matters to people and how much people NEED and WANT high-quality learning experiences in racial equity and educational excellence. School and district leaders, please invest in this. They want it. They need it. And kids deserve it. Also, it feels appropriate to share that School Leadership for Social Justice is becoming School Excellence Solutions! We are so excited about this name shift, as it more accurately reflects our entire body of work, which is focused on achieving educational excellence through effective leadership, exemplary instruction, and equity-centered policies, programs, and practices. We'll share more as we work through the rebranding, but for now, learn more about our work at https://lnkd.in/dZT3UQQg.

Community! The last session of our 2023-2024 VISION | POWER | SOLUTIONS (VPS) series is happening Thursday, August 22, and is open for registration! VPS is designed to build capacity for community-driven planning among facilitators, organizers, leaders, and educators who are accountable to Black, Brown, Indigenous, and Asian/Pacific Islander (API) communities. The fourth and final session, Cultivating Community Governance: The Power of Planning for the Collective Good, will explore the vision behind community-driven planning to re-member and re-activate our capacity as communities to build the world and to collectively govern what we need to live and thrive. The practices of community-driven planning are the building blocks to community governance: Shared vision, consensus-building, priority-setting, deep participation, and making decisions for the common good. This session will explore questions about what we can learn from communities that have been able to do this and what some of the different models of community governance in practice are within our network. We encourage you to register for this final installment and join us and Facilitating Power for what is sure to be a great event! You will not want to miss it! https://ow.ly/wq5o50SKueP

The BACC recognizes one of its founding member organizations, Savills, and the co-chair of their AAERG, Marisha Clinton, for being named one of Crain’s New York’s 2024 Notable Black Leaders. Marisha has been instrumental in advancing Savills research strategy and improving client-facing insights. Since 2007, Marisha has served on the Board of Directors of the Bedford Stuyvesant Restoration Corporation, the nation’s first community development corporation, which enhances the quality of life for central Brooklyn residents and businesses. Featured in the New York Real Estate Journal’s 2020 Spotlight for Women in Real Estate, she has spoken at highly esteemed events such as the NYU Stern Center for Real Estate Finance Research Symposium, AICPA Construction & Real Estate Conference, and Urban Land Institute Fall Meetings. Currently at Savills, Marisha co-chairs the Black Excellence United employee resource group, where part of its mission focuses on attracting and retaining diverse talent in the commercial real estate industry and supporting sustainable communities. Beyond her work at Savills' New York headquarters, Marisha maintains strong connections to Atlanta, where she networks and spends time with her husband, Todd Pressley, MBA, who serves as Co-Principal & Executive Vice President at UJAMAA Construction. Most recently, Ujamaa partnered with Turner Construction on an impactful project at Tuskegee University—the development of a 146-bed student residential facility, demonstrating their shared commitment to educational infrastructure and community development. Through her dual engagement in New York's commercial real estate sector and Atlanta's construction industry, Marisha embodies the kind of leadership that builds bridges—both literal and figurative—strengthening communities and creating opportunities for the next generation of diverse talent in real estate and construction.

Teen suicide is a silent crisis affecting our communities, with alarming trends among Black youth. Did you know: ·????????Between 2018 and 2022, the suicide rate among Black youth rose by more than 50% ·????????Suicide is now the 2nd leading cause of death for Black children aged 10-14 ·????????Black children under 13 are nearly twice as likely to die by suicide compared to their white peers In Philadelphia, where many of our youth face unique challenges, programs like the Philadelphia Youth Leadership Council are crucial. These initiatives: ·????????Give teens a voice in addressing issues that affect them ·????????Provide peer support and mentorship ·????????Develop leadership skills and confidence ·????????Create a sense of belonging and purpose We can help combat feelings of hopelessness and isolation by empowering our youth, especially those at risk. Supporting programs like PYLC isn't just about developing leaders but saving lives. For more information email: [email protected] GO TO PHILA.GOV WEBSITE AT https://lnkd.in/ecTBRgrW

The first workshop has passed but for those who are transforming #funding check out the second

The Watts of Power Foundation, a dedicated Charting the Course to Equity Coalition (#CCEC) partner, is teaming up with the National Board Certification program to support the California Black Educator Initiative! This groundbreaking effort is designed to support Black educators—both men and women—across California in achieving National Board Certification. It marks a significant step in the mission to uplift and support Black educators, ensuring they receive the recognition, resources, and opportunities they deserve. Feel free to reach out to [email protected] with any questions! #Opportunity #BlackEducators #NationalBoardCertification #CaliforniaTeachers #TeacherLeadership #CCEC #ChartingTheCourseToEquityCoalition

There's two reasons you'd need a KHA in your corner. 1?? Many mission-driven organizations keep a fairly lean staff. When you have a big project or urgent need, you may need "staff extenders" to provide:? - research and evaluation - project management - change management and organizational development - convening support and facilitation … so that you can put the wheels on your work! 2?? In other cases, something has happened. Either harm has been done to Black, Brown or Indigenous communities ... or there is a pressing, timely, and critical opportunity to flow money and resources to their leadership. Either way, you need a partner in helping make everyone whole. To transform an existing system for infinitely good possibilities. Next week, our email newsletter highlights an example of our work: reauthenticating Black leadership in the Reproductive Justice ecosystem while fostering accountability and responsiveness among funders. Don’t miss it—join our email list today to get insights, strategies, and stories that can inspire your own work. ?? https://lnkd.in/ed8kuPBX??? #RacialEquity #SystemsChange #Philanthropy #ConsultingFirm

One of the highlights of my day: Soaking up the Black genius and wisdom from such a dynamic panel of Black Leaders, and some of my favorite Sheroes–Panelist, Maia Blankenship and?Moderator, Karla Monterroso Thank you to Common Future for hosting this powerful event, Accelerating Justice: Spotlighting The Economic Future We Deserve.? There were SO many powerful nuggets from this group around well-being, philanthropy, power, and leadership— I couldn’t keep track! But here are a few of my favorite moments: ? “If those adults in those school environments are not whole, free, and do not prioritize their wellness, it falls apart. A big part of system change in education is that Leaders who are doing this work are sustained, abundant, and can REST…. We have to redesign how we work in the classroom”...? “As Brown and Black Leaders, we need to do the healing work ourselves and also prioritize our overall well being.” —Maia Blankenship, Co-CEO of Black Wildflowers Fund ? “If we don’t understand who we are and our roots, we miss out on opportunity.”... “How can we take philanthropic investments so that they are not just one-off gifts, but take into account our own philanthropic system and do this collectively as an ecosystem.” —Fay Horwitt,President &C EO of Forward Cities. ? “If you don’t bring someone with that innate understanding to the table you will never get to the root solution—one that is not just a bandaid and rather, solves it from the begging.” —Leah Patterson, CIO ReMix Ideas #educatorwellbeing #blackleaders #blackwildflowersfund #workplacewellbeing #commonfuture

In preparation for National Black Business Month, I wanted to share an article I wrote in 2021 addressing inequity in Atlanta’s philanthropic community; particularly during the pandemic. The data at the time revealed that 74% of funding went?to white-led organizations, while only 10% went to organizations founded by Black women. We have made headway since I first wrote this piece; the conversation has expanded and informs how we support our black women executives through our Legacy Leadership program currently hosted at the Lola.??However, the data continues to illustrate?the inequity in funding allocation towards Black women-led organizations. I am honored to have led this close examination of Atlanta’s giving practices. Collaborating with local powerhouses: Sagirah Jones, Kate Little, Wande Okunoren-Meadows, Cicely Garrett, Malaika Wells, and Yonina Gray, MBA to address these deep-rooted biases and broken processes was a dream come true. Check out our recommendations on the link below for?better operational strategies as we move forward. ?? https://lnkd.in/g2ERE7nx

???As my birthday week reflections continue, and thanks to EVERYONE who has given me recommendations on their favorite history books, today I focus on another transformative event in our nation's history. I want us to remember the brave actions of the Little Rock Nine, a group of young Black students who integrated Central High School in Little Rock, Arkansas amidst severe racial tensions in 1957. In fact, the crisis at Little Rock escalated to such an extent that on September 24, 1957, President Dwight D. Eisenhower found it necessary to deploy the National Guard to enforce the Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision from 1954. This marked the first time a sitting president had deployed federal troops to enforce civil rights since Reconstruction. I encourage you to dig deeper into this chapter of our history— I bet you’ll find TONS of relevance to today’s landscape. [https://lnkd.in/gaF9ZCGk] The Little Rock Nine faced unimaginable challenges with a dignity that inspires us all. They were not merely students; they were pioneers of justice. This story is a poignant reminder of the crucial role of education in shaping a just society. At The CAFE Group, through our?1954 Project, we draw inspiration from such historical milestones to fuel our commitment to advancing educational equity through more equitable philanthropic practices. We work to ensure that future generations are empowered to pursue justice and innovation without facing the barriers that once seemed insurmountable. ???Continuing with my birthday week theme, I ask each of you to share stories or books about other events or figures that have deepened your understanding of history. If you didn’t get a chance to name one yesterday, please take a moment to do so now. Let’s draw inspiration from our past to build a better future…for ALL of us. #TheCAFEGroup #CivilRights #LittleRockNine #EducationEquality #HistoryLessons #SocialJustice #BirthdayReflections #LoveIsMySuperpower