A Reflection on Change

As I settle back into my routine and begin to reflect after another amazing People of Color Conference, it is only now that I can see what at times was a seriousness to the conference that clearly matches the mood for many since the election in November; and still there were these amazing moments of joyous celebration throughout the three-day conference.

Despite this, there was a clear thread from featured speakers to peer workshops to student performances – our schools must continue to foster meaningful conversations, remain open-minded, and model equity and justice. While this is not surprising, I find myself thinking about how we go about doing these things in transparent and age appropriate ways.

Dr. Bryan Stevenson, this year’s opening keynote speaker, really gave me something to think about as he challenged conference participants to remember change is not easy but it is necessary in our country. The powerful hour-long presentation to a room full of teachers and students was hopeful in spite of the often sad reminders of how broken the world can be. Dr. Stevenson challenged conference participates to think about change and our role as change agents in meaningful ways. He believes:

Being proximate can make an impact on the quality of person’s existence
Proximity is necessary in order to make real change in the parts of our communities that suffer the most
You can’t make change from on high … that there is power in proximity
In order to change, we must change the narrative of fear and anger
In order to create change, we must remain hopeful
In order to create change, we have to decide to do uncomfortable things

Ultimately, Dr. Stevenson’s talk resonated with me because I, too, believe change is not only important but it is essential to the work that takes place in our schools each day. I’ve included a powerful Ted Talk from Dr. Stevenson where he talks about the importance of having conversations about injustice. tlb

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