EDTalksMN EDTalksMN

These four young speakers from the Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI) believe in a youth-centered world where young people are excited to learn, be themselves and transform their communities. They will share how creating a youth-centered space through an equity lens requires three things: first, a shift in framework from youth as recipients of services to youth as partners; second, a dismantling of the hierarchical power structures that exist between youth and those in power; and third, a commitment to constant redefining and improvement. By reimagining the ways that we adults think about and work with youth, we can create more equitable spaces where young people can grow their self-confidence, better understand their peers and the world around them, and feel more empowered to effectively change their communities.

EDTalks is a lively series of community conversations about public education and related issues that impact our young people.

Each EDTalks features two compelling, short presentations by cutting-edge educators, youth advocates, students, artists or community leaders.

EDTalks is supported by a generous grant from the Bush Foundation.

Mikisha Nation carries a deep cultural understanding of the wisdom of youth voice that's influenced both by her personal experience of migrating from Jamaica to the U.S. as well as her role in leading youth development programs for low-income students, BIPOC and Indigenous students, and students from immigrant, multilingual and first-generation backgrounds. Elevating these diverse voices is often not prioritized in American culture: adults make decisions about the lives of young people all the time without their input and with far-reaching implications. Mikisha will explore five essential leadership lessons she’s gained from listening to young people and will also discuss how youth can have a powerful impact on adult leadership as they work to change power dynamics in education. She’ll draw from her personal experiences as a young immigrant, as a mother of young children who is navigating K-12 and postsecondary education systems, and as a dedicated professional working in the field of youth development for 20+ years.

EDTalks is a lively series of community conversations about public education and related issues that impact our young people.

Each EDTalks features two compelling, short presentations by cutting-edge educators, youth advocates, students, artists or community leaders.

EDTalks is supported by a generous grant from the Bush Foundation.

Presenter: Ini Augustine, Founder, Project Nandi | May 4, 2021.

Technology was designed by and for white people to the detriment of BIPOC people and experiences in all areas of life. Ini Augustine will discuss white supremacy in the technology field and how it impacts education, particularly for children of color. She’ll share her lived experiences as a Black woman in hostile educational and workplace environments, and her work as founder of Project Nandi, which is restoring educational access to children of color during the COVID-19 pandemic. She will also map the ways that the digital divide harms children of color by criminalizing them, keeping them in poverty, and excluding them from education – traumas that all carry into adulthood.

EDTalks is co-sponsored by AchieveMpls and The Citizens League, with generous support from the Bush Foundation. Video editing by Jeff Achen at http://www.callsign51.com​. Learn more at www.achievempls.org/edtalks or follow us on Twitter at #EDTalksMN​.

This event was emceed by Adia Morris.

Presenter: Chastity Lord, President & CEO, Jeremiah Program | May 4, 2021.

Generational poverty is perpetuated by an ecosystem of unjust policies and correlating structures that disproportionately impact communities of color. Chastity Lord will share her insights on the connections between generational poverty and systemic racism, and how communities that experience poverty have far less access to quality education and other basic services. She will also demonstrate how education can disrupt the cycle of generational poverty through a focus on career-track college education, high-quality early childhood education, empowerment and life skills training, and supportive communities.

EDTalks is co-sponsored by AchieveMpls and The Citizens League, with generous support from the Bush Foundation. Learn more at www.achievempls.org/edtalks or follow us on Twitter at #EDTalksMN​.

This event was emceed by Adia Morris.

Dr. Courtney Bell-Duncan, a passionate educator, education consultant and founder of Courtney S. Bell Consulting LLC, works to co-create educational equity solutions with PreK-12 educational institutions. While serving as a classroom teacher, she witnessed the power of caring relationships and high expectations for children. She later went on to become an educational leader and consultant with the goal of spreading her love of education more broadly. A proud graduate of North High Community High School, Courtney attended the University of Minnesota, where she completed her BA in Sociology, her M.Ed in Curriculum and Instruction and Ph.D. In Education Policy and Leadership. In 2018 she was a finalist for the 2018 Minnesota Teacher of the Year Award. In this talk, Courtney will discuss how culturally responsive pedagogy has the power to counter and actively disarm epistemic violence against K-12 schools. She will also lay a foundation for transformational shifts in thinking about culture in schools and the broader society. This virtual EDTalk was live streamed online on Feb. 8, 2021.

EDTalks is a lively series of community conversations about public education and related issues that impact our young people.

Each EDTalks features two compelling, short presentations by cutting-edge educators, youth advocates, students, artists or community leaders.

EDTalks is supported by a generous grant from the Bush Foundation.

This EDTalks is titled “Let’s Talk About Race in School” Our featured speaker is Derek Francis. Derek Francis is a passionate and experienced school counselor who approaches his work from a proactive and equity-based space.  He currently serves as the manager of counseling services for Minneapolis Public Schools, where he specializes in helping students and staff build trusting cross-cultural relationships. He has presented at conferences throughout the country including the American School Counselors Association, Minnesota School Counselors Association, Texas School Counselors Association and Wisconsin School Counselors Association. He recently led a webinar for over 20,000 U.S. counselors and educators on “Proactive School Counseling After a Major Racial Incident.” Derek’s published work includes contributions to Contemporary Case Studies in School Counseling, a recent blog entitled “This Is Not A Fire Drill – Supporting students after George Floyd” and articles for the American School Counselors Association and American School Board Journal. In this EDTalk, Minneapolis Public Schools counseling services manager Derek Francis will talk about the critical importance of talking about race in our classrooms, and offer some strategies on how to do it right. This virtual EDTalk was live streamed online on Feb. 8, 2021.

EDTalks is a lively series of community conversations about public education and related issues that impact our young people.

Each EDTalks features two compelling, short presentations by cutting-edge educators, youth advocates, students, artists or community leaders.

EDTalks is supported by a generous grant from the Bush Foundation.