Don C. Locke Multiculturalism and Social Justice Symposium

By acting compassionately, by helping to restore justice and to encourage peace, we acknowledging that we are all part of one another.

- Rahm Dass 

On March 24th, 2021, I attended the Don C. Locke Multiculturalism and Social Justice Symposium featuring Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, the president of the National Academy of Education. Dr. Ladson-Billings spoke of equity and advocated for justice as a constitutional right. She mentioned that now is the perfect time for us to reform educational systems so that they include justice because of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dr. Ladson-Billings talk was of special interest to me because I see myself working in an elementary school with a high population of students who are racial and/or ethnic minorities. She gave so many tips for future educators, and I plan to carry some of those with me into the classroom when I am a teacher. One thing that stood out to me was when Dr. Ladson-Billings talked about encouraging students to be agents of change within their own communities and within society as a whole. Teachers should be one of their students' greatest advocates, but I think teachers should also equip students with the tools they need to advocate for themselves. We are raising the next generation of leaders who will have the power to really make a difference in the world and fight for the things they truly believe in. As a teacher, I want to empower my students to be these leaders and discover the issues that they are passionate about tackling.