Anti-racism Archives | League of Education Voters

Washington Game Changers Podcast – Critical Race Theory Scholar Edwin Lindo

July 12, 2021 by Arik Korman

Washington Game Changers with Lauri Hennessey features leaders who give back to our community, drive innovative solutions, and inspire others in making our state more equitable and just. This podcast is a one-on-one conversation with these powerful leaders in a time when we need to hear about more good in the world.

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Lauri Hennessey talks with Edwin Lindo, a Critical Race Theory scholar at the University of Washington. Professor Lindo addresses the controversy around Critical Race Theory, clarifying what it is and also how incredibly important it is that students learn about our true history. You can find more about him on Twitter @edwinlindo.

Book recommendations from Estelita’s Library:

Richard Delgado and Jean Stefancic – Critical Race Theory: An Introduction
Paulo Freire – Pedagogy of the Oppressed
Howard Zinn – The People’s History of the United States

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Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Spreaker.

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Recap: The Role of K-12 Schools in Addressing Racially Motivated Violence

April 21, 2021 by Arik Korman

By Lizzeth Mancilla
Engagement and Policy Intern

From police violence around the country to the marked increase in attacks on members of the Asian American Pacific Islander community, we are continuing to see disturbing examples of racially motivated violence in the news. Over the past year, social movements have been thrust into the national spotlight, with youth at the forefront of the conversation. Recent incidents are impacting them in multiple ways, but how should K-12 schools respond?

In this webinar, we assembled a statewide panel of students, educators, and a community organizer to discuss the impacts of racially motivated violence and how schools can best support students on a daily basis. They also answered your questions.

Our panelists included:

Yubi, a junior at Shorewood High School, Shoreline School District, and the Director of Community Outreach with the Washington state Legislative Youth Advisory Council
Lily, a junior at Mabton High School, Mabton School District, and a Second Year Councilmember with the Washington state Legislative Youth Advisory Council
Ivy, a junior at North Central High School, Spokane Public Schools, and a First-Year Councilmember with the Washington state Legislative Youth Advisory Council
Zana, a junior at Bethel High School, Bethel School District, and a member of Root of Our Youth
Rena, a junior at Cleveland High School, Seattle Public Schools, and a member of the NAACP Youth Council
Marlo, a freshman at the University of Washington and a member of Root of Our Youth
Denisha Saucedo, a 6th-grade teacher at Kent Elementary School, Kent School District, and the 2018 Regional Teacher of the Year from the Puget Sound Educational Service District
Jasmine Linane-Booey, a kindergarten through 8th grade World Languages teacher at Spokane Public Montessori, Spokane Public Schools
Tina Van, the Community Engagement Coordinator from the Hilltop Peace and Community Center in Tacoma

Resources to Support the Asian American and Pacific Islander Community

March 26, 2021 by Arik Korman

By Lizzeth Mancilla
Engagement and Policy Intern

Asian Counseling and Referral Service

League of Education Voters is committed to taking action and rejecting any form of racism or hate against students, families, and communities. We support the Asian American and Pacific Islander community and communities of color across Washington state and everywhere.

Excerpt from the Southern Poverty Law Center’s Ten Ways to Fight Hate: A Community Response Guide:

Look inside yourself for biases and stereotypes.

Commit to disrupting hate and intolerance at home, at school, in the workplace, and in faith communities. Acceptance, fundamentally, is a personal decision. It comes from an attitude that is learnable and embraceable: a belief that every voice matters, that all people are valuable, that no one is “less than.”

We all grow up with prejudices. Acknowledging them — and working through them — can be a scary and difficult process. It’s also one of the most important steps toward breaking down the walls of silence that allow intolerance to grow. Luckily, we all possess the power to overcome our ignorance and fear and to influence our children, peers, and communities. Read More

Podcast – Ibram X. Kendi on How to Be an Antiracist

July 15, 2020 by Arik Korman

In our Putting Students First podcast, we interview policymakers, partners, and thought leaders to spotlight education policies, research, and practices so that together we can create a brighter future for every Washington student.

Listen on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or Spreaker.

In this episode, League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman asks Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, #1 New York Times bestselling author of How to Be an Antiracist, the Andrew W. Mellon Professor in the Humanities and Founding Director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research, contributing writer at The Atlantic, and CBS News correspondent, how we can be anti-racist ourselves, how, in Dr. Kendi’s words, he evolved from internalizing racist thoughts to being an anti-racist, and what we can do to create a more equitable, anti-racist society.

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Ways to Take Action to Support the Black Community

June 12, 2020 by Arik Korman

By Lauri Hennessey, League of Education Voters CEO

Students at South Shore PreK-8 in Seattle

Today, our offices are closed in solidarity with the Statewide Silent March and General Strike led by Black Lives Matter Seattle-King County. Our closure today will provide a dedicated opportunity for everyone at League of Education Voters (LEV) to focus on the inward and outward work of dismantling racism, ending police brutality, and supporting Black lives. Everyone will engage in different ways, whether that is through reading books, watching documentaries, or participating in the statewide protest. For some, it may just mean thinking deeply or talking to friends and family. For others, it may be taking time for quiet reflection. No matter what, today is only part of a longer and deeper journey, as we dedicate ourselves to learning from our collective racist history and taking action.

One way you can take action is to help organizations making a profound difference in the Black community. Here are just a few: Read More