Initiative for Racial Equity and Justice
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month!
As educators we are charged with the responsibility to help students learn about the important history that has shaped the world we live in today, build their capacity for critical thinking and encourage them to participate in civic engagement to help make their communities safer, more just, and prosperous. It is essential that we prioritize equity in our schools and communities by embracing courageous conversations about race so that we can collectively transform our schools and communities into places of love, safety, accountability and equitable opportunities. This is an opportunity to embrace our individual responsibility and inspire our youth to exercise their civic voice to transform the world they will inherit and lead.
- Dr. Faris Sabbah, Santa Cruz County Superintendent of Schools
The purpose of this initiative is to provide a dynamic hub for educators engaging in courageous conversations about race and equity with each other and their students by providing both links to online resources and an ongoing community of practice on racial justice for local educators. See opportunities and resources below.
Healing from hate
Learning Opportunities
Visit our Professional Learning Plan website for these offerings:
- Racial Equity & Justice Community of Practice
- Santa Cruz County Ethnic Studies Lecture Series
- Race & Equity Affinity Action Groups
- Coaching for Culturally Responsive Pedagogy
- Santa Cruz County Grading Inquiry Project
- Intro to Ethnic Studies (10/5/21) (Passcode: 0w#VzpW.)
- African American History (12/7/21) (Passcode: 4@L.5.$c)
- Native American History (2/1/22) (Passcode: GjG*j7YL)
- The Chicanx/Latinx Imperative in Ethnic Studies (No Passcode needed)
Click on the buttons below to access resources.
Note on language: We recognize that when talking about injustice and the denial of opportunities against people of color, the language we use matters. Engaging in this work requires us to make choices about about key terms. We have consulted with community members in making these choices and we continue to welcome feedback, recognizing that no one individual can represent the experiences and viewpoints of others. Please use the feedback forms at the bottom of each page to share your perspective or to suggest resources.