Constructivist listening is an effective strategy for engaging in conversations that are both intellectually demanding and emotionally challenging. It is distinct from most forms of listening in that its purpose is for the benefit of the speaker, not the listener.

The National Equity Project is unapologetic about advancing equity from a place of love. This inspiring and thought-provoking conversation focused on a unique form of leadership that is called for in these times, what Francesca Gino calls “Rebel Leadership.” This kind of leadership invites us to stand firmly in the midst of persistent injustice and…

On this episode, we hear from students – two students who are youth advocates for the National Equity Project. What do they say young people need to be successful? How do they view the education system – who do they think it is designed for, and what critical pieces do they see as missing?

We hear a lot today about the importance of creating equitable learning environments for all young people – providing each child what they need to learn, develop healthily, and thrive, which means some might need more than others depending on their starting point. From classrooms to local school board meetings, the issue – if not…

The promise of social and emotional development as a lever for increasing educational equity rests on the capacity of educators to understand that all learning is social and emotional and all learning is mediated by relationships that sit in a sociopolitical, racialized context – for all children, not just those who are Black and brown.

Over the past two decades, many school districts across the United States have engaged in some form of ‘equity work’ in an effort to change persistent racialized patterns in student experience and achievement. Communities have engaged in a wide range of efforts to increase opportunity and expand educational excellence and equity. While the impacts of…

Students and student voices must lead our work in building equitable and liberatory schools. The Youth Liberation Symposium, an entirely youth-led virtual symposium featuring youth from across our network of 18 school districts connected to learn about the history of education liberation struggles and dive into questions around their own activist identity. The symposium culminated…

Negative experiences have a powerful impact on the human brain, which is wired to recognize threats more readily than rewards. Research in neuroscience has revealed that the brain responds to perceived social threats in the same manner as threats to survival. For marginalized students who are highly attuned to potential dangers, survival mechanisms can kick…

Each school has a “sphere of success,” a set of students for whom current practices are working to get on the path to college and career-readiness. Regardless of how successful a school is, not every child is within its sphere of success. In order to bring increasing numbers of young people into that sphere, educators…

Liberatory Design is an approach to addressing equity challenges and change efforts in complex systems. It is a process and practice to: Create designs that help interrupt inequity and increase opportunity for those most impacted by oppression Transform power by shifting the relationships between those who hold power to design and those impacted by these…