EDUCATION LEADERS OF COLOR INC

NETWORK: EDLOC RECRUITS AND SELECTS LEADERS OF COLOR IN KEY DECISION-MAKING ROLES TO JOIN OUR MULTIRACIAL, MULTI-SECTOR NETWORK, BUILDING COLLECTIVE POWER AND EXPANDING MEMBERS' PROFESSIONAL NETWORKS AND SOCIAL CAPITAL. ONCE MEMBERS JOIN, EDLOC OFFERS YEAR-ROUND PROGRAMMING TO STRENGTHEN LEADERSHIP, FOSTER BELONGING, AND SUPPORT MEMBERS' IMPACT ACROSS SECTORS. OUR NATIONAL CONVENING, WHICH CONSISTENTLY SELLS OUT AND DREW OVER 500 PARTICIPANTS IN 2024, REMAINS A FLAGSHIP EXPERIENCE. IT BRINGS MEMBERS TOGETHER TO DEEPEN KNOWLEDGE OF OUR POLICY PLATFORM, ENGAGE IN PEER LEARNING, AND ALIGN AROUND SHARED VALUES AND PRIORITIES. THE CONVENING FILLS A CRITICAL GAP IN THE FIELD BY CREATING SPACE FOR VALUES-ALIGNED, DIVERSE LEADERS IN EDUCATION AND RELATED FIELDS. IN ADDITION, MEMBERS PARTICIPATE IN CURATED PROGRAMMING THROUGHOUT THE YEAR, INCLUDING BOOK TALK TALKS, REGIONAL GATHERINGS MEMBER-LED EVENTS AND POLICY-FOCUSED FORUMS THAT CENTER THE LEADERSHIP AND LIVED EXPERIENCE OF PEOPLE OF COLOR. THESE SPACES GROW AND CONNECT THE MEMBERSHIP, ELEVATE SHARED VALUES, BUILD SKILLS, BRIDGE RESEARCH AND PRACTICE, AND ALIGN ON OUR GOALS AND PRIORITIES.

IN 2024, EDLOC AWARDED $175,000 IN GRANTS TO CAMPAIGN FOR OUR SHARED FUTURE AND BECAME THE HOME OF THIS TIME-BOUND NATIONAL INITIATIVE, WHICH WORKS TO SHIFT THE PUBLIC NARRATIVE AND CENTER THE NEEDS OF CHILDREN BY BUILDING GRASSROOTS SUPPORT TO STOP HARMFUL POLICIES LIKE BOOK BANS AND CURRICULUM CENSORSHIP. THE SOCIAL STUDIES ACCELERATOR IS AN ONGOING INITIATIVE THAT ADVANCES THE ADOPTION AND IMPLEMENTATION OF HIGH-QUALITY, CULTURALLY RESPONSIVE SOCIAL STUDIES CURRICULA IN SCHOOLS AND DISTRICTS NATIONWIDE. THROUGH A CONTINUED PARTNERSHIP WITH RECONSTRUCTIONUS, EDLOC HELPS EXPAND ACCESS TO CULTURALLY AFFIRMING COURSES AND LEARNING EXPERIENCES FOR STUDENTS FROM LOW-INCOME COMMUNITIES, ENSURING THEY SEE THEMSELVES REFLECTED IN WHAT AND HOW THEY LEARN.