racial equity Archives | League of Education Voters

Washington Game Changers Podcast – Olgy Diaz of the National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington

June 14, 2022 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 interviews Olgy Diaz, a longtime lobbyist and advocate who is President of the National Women’s Political Caucus of Washington. Olgy talks about getting women of color trained and elected, working as a lobbyist during the pandemic, and how to still have hope in a challenging time.

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Washington Game Changers Podcast – Joe Hunter, Jr. and Tony Allison, founders of RARE (Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity)

May 13, 2022 by Arik Korman

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Lauri Hennessey talks with Joe Hunter, Jr. and Tony Allison. They were classmates at Roosevelt High School fifty years ago. But looking back all of these years later, they and many of their peers realized we have not progressed in truly creating schools that are equitable. They created RARE (Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity) to give parents and community members everywhere – not just at Roosevelt – a chance to face these difficult issues together, creating a documentary and participating in discussions such as this one.

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Washington Game Changers Podcast – Regina Malveaux of the Washington State Women’s Commission

February 24, 2022 by Arik Korman

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Lauri Hennessey talks with Regina Malveaux, Director of the Washington State Women’s Commission. Lauri and Regina discuss the Women’s Commission, childhood poverty, early learning for kids, and International Women’s Day on March 8th.

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Washington Game Changers Podcast – Frank Abe on the Day of Remembrance

January 28, 2022 by Arik Korman

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Lauri Hennessey talks with Frank Abe, author of the graphic novel We Hereby Refuse and longtime advocate for Japanese-Americans. He shares about the upcoming Day of Remembrance and a presentation he will be giving February 19, 2022 at 4pm on Vashon Island about the day President Roosevelt directed the internment of Japanese-Americans during World War II.

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Washington Game Changers Podcast – Angela Griffin, Executive Director of Launch

December 14, 2021 by Arik Korman

In this episode, League of Education Voters CEO Lauri Hennessey talks with Angela Griffin, Executive Director of Launch and new member of the Washington state Board of Education. Angela talks about the critical role early learning plays in a child’s life, her own passion for racial equity, and how organizations can better support people of color in leadership roles.

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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

Washington Game Changers Podcast – Dr. Ben Danielson

January 26, 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, Dr. Ben Danielson, formerly the Director of the Odessa Brown Clinic at Seattle Children’s and now with UW Medicine, talks about his personal and career journey, and his work to advance racial equity.

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The Time for Action on Racial Equity Is Now

October 9, 2020 by Arik Korman

By Raymond Fenton
Guest Blogger

Across Washington state, most students have already completed little over a month of remote learning. As some adjust to this new normal and begin to settle, others are faced with adjusting to a little more than virtual classrooms and limited social interactions with peers. While we endure COVID-19, we are also witnessing, perhaps, the largest civil rights movement in America’s history.

As protests for Black lives intensify our focus on race and racism, and the pandemic increases strain on our economy and healthcare system, social inequalities across the nation could not be more visible. So where does that leave our most vulnerable in the education system?

That was the topic of Thursday’s virtual event: Racial Equity in Education, where the uniqueness, opportunity, and gravity of this pivotal moment was distinguished. “Now is the time.” That was the charge from Brooke Brown, 2021 WA state Teacher of the Year, as she addressed the audience yesterday. Read More

Watch our LEVinar on Fostering First Steps Toward Racial Healing

August 3, 2020 by Arik Korman

Historically, the race conversation and topic are treacherous waters to navigate and the ‘colorblind’ approach has robbed us of the framework, language, and power to effectively address and dismantle it.

In this webinar, TED speaker and Brownicity.com creator Dr. Lucretia Berry, author of What LIES Between Us: Fostering First Steps Towards Racial Healing, describes how parents and teachers can talk to their children and students about race and race-related trauma. She also answers your questions.

Moderated by League of Education Voters Communications Director Arik Korman.

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Community Members Discuss Equity in an Online Rally for Educational Justice

July 30, 2020 by Arik Korman

By Andre Lawes Menchavez, Engagement Intern

Student speaker Amanda Chamba of the Bellevue College Black Student Union

As the national movement continues for Black lives, it proceeds to expose various facets of society that are impacted by the lack of equity for marginalized communities.

One area, in particular, is education.

The intersection of equity and education has become more evident in the recent climate of our world.

Black folx dying at the hands of the police intersect with the conversation on school resource officers (SRO’s) and the need to uphold restorative justice programs for discipline in schools. Pipelines to prison for BIPOC intersect with the conversations on diversifying the workforce in schools for more visibility of BIPOC teachers, counselors, and mentors for students. As COVID-19 ravages throughout the country and eliminates access, it intersects with the conversations on alleviating these same issues for students who are low-income and/or live with special needs.

Back to School: An Equity Centered Conversation with Parents, Providers, Teachers, Educators, and Students was a virtual event aimed to tackle these equity issues in education. Community members came together to discuss why and how we should use racial equity and social justice lenses to reimagine how schools can support every learner. Read More