We all have a role to play in creating an equitable and just environment for students, staff, and families. Educational equity work is complex. It is about creating the conditions to ensure students' zip code, income, race/ethnicity, ability, gender, sexual orientation, language, and other dimensions of their identity do not hinder their achievement but serve as the true assets they are. Educational equity is about learning how to identify and interrupt systems of oppression and replace them with more just and liberated systems. The work of New Generation Equity is for educators and leaders in other organizations to build their foundational skills in educational equity and systems work, deepen their learning, and implement powerful change.

At New Generation Equity, we believe that all students –– no matter their age, ethnicity, gender identity, ability, family income, or religion –– deserve access to a rigorous and challenging curriculum that incorporates the fundamentals of diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging. We support the facilitation of your students’ success by working with you to align your initiatives, curriculum, and pedagogy through a lens of equity.

Our behavior is informed by the environments we were raised in and influenced by society. When we know better, we can do better and over the course of your learning, you might experience discomfort around past practices, attitudes, or beliefs. That said, the environment is intentionally designed to be a safe space where everyone can reflect, learn, and explore. It is not a lecture about how you were a bad person and need to be a better person. It is about continuing to move toward educational excellence for all. That starts with you.

Show up and be willing to learn, listen and participate. You don’t need to be an expert or experienced. That’s what this is for, to build or expand your skills and knowledge base.

Educational equity strategies can grow with you and your team or organization. You don’t need hundreds of employees to start. A team of two or more is a good start. If you need to participate solo, that’s ok too.

The act of taking responsibility and action on what matters - disrupting systems of oppression, reimagining how we work, and transforming systems into places of opportunity. Equity is complex. Important topics such as implicit bias, racism, sexism, classism, homophobia, microaggressions, ageism, etc. are important to learn to better understand equity and disrupt systems of oppression.

Racial equity is a process of eliminating racial disparities and improving outcomes for everyone. It is the intentional and continual practice of changing policies, practices, systems, and structures by prioritizing measurable change in the lives of people of color. - Race Forward

Equity–conscious leaders have an enhanced awareness and moral imperative to notice, reflect, and act to interrupt inequities (i.e., educational, social, environmental, political). They inspire passion, purpose, and action in people to actively disrupt systemic inequities. In both formal and non-formal positions of leadership, they reflect on their own identities, assumptions, and worldviews as they explore equity gaps in their organizations. Every willing person can be an equity-conscious leader.

Systems Thinking is a way of understanding how institutions that affect opportunity are arranged, and to what result. In other words, Systems Thinking examines the order of structures that give or take opportunity from particular groups of people, the timing of the interaction between these Opportunity Structures, and the relationships that exist between them. With this multi-dimensional thinking, or ‘Systems Thinking,’ we can understand the context that produces consistently different housing, air quality, health, economic, and educational outcomes in different communities, and strategize on multiple fronts to change these outcomes.

— Menendian, S., & Watt., C. (2008) “Systems Thinking and Race Primer.”

Equity design takes what harms and excludes people and finds ways to transform it so people can heal and regain their power.

Belonging is the feeling of security and support when there is a sense of acceptance, inclusion, and identity for a member of a certain group. It is when an individual can bring their authentic self to work. Creating genuine feelings of belonging for all is a critical factor in improving engagement and performance. It also helps support business goals.

— Cornell University