About this Event
Educators who register will participate in Inquiry to Action Groups linking social justice issues with classroom practice. Small groups will meet weekly virtually or in-person *(for a total of six, two-hour sessions plus a kick-off ) between January and March to share experiences, respond to readings, exchange ideas and develop action plans.
All ItAG registrants are invited to participate in a in-person kick off on January 24 from 5-7pm and closing celebration on March 21 from 5-7pm.
Read more about the ItAGs offered this year!
** NYCoRE strives to make ItAGs affordable with a registration fee of $35. If you are unable to pay the full fee, there are limited scholarship funds available. Please email [email protected] for more details. **
Rebel Diary: Cultivating Strength, Vulnerability, and Transformation through Art is an ItAG designed for educators seeking to sustain their vital work while nurturing their well-being. Through guidance of the radical writings of Audre Lorde, Gloria Anzaldua, Trisha Hersey (The Nap Ministry) and artist Arzu Mistry’s Unfolding Practice: Reflections on Learning and Teaching, this ItAG will offer a safe space to reconnect with the core of who we are and nurture our creative beings. In community, we will engage in journaling & bookmaking practices that will strive to support the unfolding of resilience, inner strength, and emotional awareness. Together, we’ll explore reclaiming our original ancestral wisdom- the origins of practicing humanity.
This ItAG emphasizes slow, intentional work focused on regulating the mind and body through healing techniques that promote balance, calm, and presence. We will co-create a common vocabulary of self-awareness and healing to understand and process the emotional currents within us. This is a chance to replenish and cultivate the strength and clarity needed to continue the important work of art education with renewed purpose and empowerment.
This ItAG is open specifically to and for women of color.
Brief description of facilitators:
Elizabeth Velazquez (she/her) is an artist, and a visual arts educator with 22 years of experience in public schools. Currently, she teaches visual art k-8 at a small dual-language public school in Brooklyn.
Janice Quiles-Reyes (she/they/ella) is a second-generation Nuyorican artist based in Queens, NYC. As an educator and parent, Janice thrives most in collaborative and community-based activism that works on developing more anti-ableist spaces. Her work centers on language justice, barrier-free access, non-violent communication, and decolonizing parenting and teaching practices. Drawing from her therapeutic and art education backgrounds, she works from a trauma-informed perspective. She currently works as an Art Teacher at a middle school in Brooklyn.
Dates: Wednesdays 1/29, 2/5, 2/12, 2/26, 2/5, *2/12 (last session will be person- place TBD)
Time: 6:30pm - 8:30pm
Location: Virtual via Zoom
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Political Education as Communal Practice– Reading about Race, Rights, and the Partitioning of Public Education (and taking action together)!
We will be reading Unsettling Choice: Race, Rights, and the Partitioning of Public Education by Ujju Aggarwal and using this space to put our learning and conversations into action! We’ll explore political education as a communal practice—not just for a community of individuals, but also a constellation of organizations. Many of us are educators, abolitionists, and community organizers, so we’ll utilize this group to think through and build ties across NYC struggles. We hope that this ItAG can develop our collective capacities for community defense, coalition-building, and other praxes needed to create abolitionist sanctuary in the face of our cop city’s fascist forces. NYCoRE reminds us that “the struggle for justice does not end when the school bell rings,” and we aim to bring together organizations working within and beyond schools to build solidarity and collectively analyze the role of education in struggles ranging from housing justice to Palestinian liberation.
Brief description of facilitators:
Imani Wilson (she/they) is a Black educator, organizer, and PhD candidate in Sociology of Education at NYU. She is interested in the historical and ongoing radical Black pursuits for liberation through educational and community-centered spaces outside of schools. As a youth worker, they are committed to building collective liberation through multifaceted intergenerational efforts.
Martina Meijer (she/her) is an educator activist in NYCDOE schools. She organizes with MORE-UFT for education justice and teacher autonomy, Teachers Unite to interrupt carceral approaches to school discipline, and TUF (Tenant Union Flatbush) to advocate for tenant rights.
Lucien Baskin (any pronouns) is a student in Urban Education at the CUNY Graduate Center where they write about student movements, abolition, the university, and education for liberation. Lucien is a rank-and-file member of PSC-CUNY and organizes with abolitionist and Palestine solidarity groups in the city.
Dates: Tuesdays, 01/28, 02/04, 02/18, 02/25, 03/04, 03/11, 03/18. Note: this ItAG is 7 sessions
Time: 6pm-8pm
Location: Hybrid, virtual and at NYU (exact address to be emailed)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Social Ecology in NYC Schools
In this ItAG, we will confront the ways in which domination and hierarchy in our schools are connected to the domination, hierarchies, and destruction outside of the classroom; in our streets, our cities, and environments. Rather than our schools supporting the status quo, we’ll question: Can urban schools be sites for new ways of relating to each other and our environments which support life and liberation for our communities and ecologies, now and in the future? To do so, our study group will 1] Explore the theory of social ecology 2] Look at local and international examples that bring non-hierarchy, community, creativity, and grassroots environmental education into schools 3] Discuss future possibilities to support this work, culminating with an action decided upon by the group.
Brief description of facilitators:
Celia Eydeland [She/They]: A public high school English and ENL teacher, with experience in both non-traditional, informal and traditional classroom settings, highly interested in pedagogies rooted in non-hierarchy, communitarianism, social anarchism, creative expression, and ecology.
Alesander [He/They]: An agroecologist studying and building sustainable agricultural models inspired by communitarian and Indigenous food systems. They also do work within labor organizing primarily around agricultural laborers in the North and South Eastern US.
Jessica Hamlin [She/Her]: An artist educator who co-directs the graduate Art+Education program at NYU. She brings along past experience working in non-profit arts and education and interests in critical pedagogy, critical whiteness studies in education, and ecology and the arts/in schools.
Dates: Sundays 2/2-3/9 [2/2, 2/9, 2/16, 2/23, 3/2, 3/9]
Time: 3:00 PM-5:00 PM
Location: Hybrid, In-Person in Central or North Brooklyn [Location TBA Shortly]+Zoom option
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
When “The Math isn’t Mathing”: Reimagining Math Learning
How do we move towards a "rehumanizing", liberating and politicized approach to math education? How can we as educators interrogate our own stories and biases around math in order to challenge how math is used as a tool for power and gatekeeping in schools? This ItAG will support educators in reflection, community building, and study, while also experiencing math in relatable and culturally sustaining ways. Using a social justice lens, together we will explore how to make math more legible in our everyday lives and in our teaching practices.
Genesis (she/her/ella) is a middle school math teacher in an all-girls public school in Manhattan. She was born and raised in NYC (Harlem!) and enjoys running and reading books by herself and with other people. Genesis believes in the importance of building math literacy for everyone, and continues to explore ways to make math more responsive and accessible to her students.
Lorena (she/her/ella) is an artist, facilitator and social designer. She believes in the power of design to heal and build power with communities. Lorena brings her experience from the education, youth development and non-profit space to imagine new and old ways of being and building beloved community.
Dates: Thursdays (2/6, 2/13, 2/27, 3/6, 3/13) with the exception of the first session which will be held Tuesday, Jan. 28th
Time: 5:30pm - 7:30pm
Location: In person, CUNY Grad Center
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Ella Baker: Democracy, Education, and the Long Freedom Struggle
What can we learn from the life and work of Ella Baker? Ms. Baker dedicated her life to the struggle for a world free of racism, sexism, imperialism, and capitalist exploitation. She was also deeply committed to popular democractic pedagogy and helped shape a generation of young people engaged in the struggle for a better world. She also struggled in NYC for quality education for black and brown and working class communities. In this ItAG, we'll have the opportunity to explore Ella Baker's life and legacy and to work together to create an action that reflects the lessons we learn together.
Brief description of facilitators:
Taz Azad had been an educator for 13 years and currently teaches first grade at the Ella Baker School. During that time, she has been a student and teacher of progressive education. With her students and in her private life, she enjoys running, drawing, scientific literacy, and board games. She lives in Brooklyn with her partner and dog.
Carlos Quintana is a parent of two Ella Baker School students (4th and 7th grade). Beyond his role as a parent, he loves to read biographies, revoutionary histories, play and watch sports (mostly soccer), and engage in conversations about these topics with others. He lives in Queens and is a lifelong New Yorker.
Dates: Tuesdays, 1/28, 02/04, 02/11, 02/25, 03/04, 03/11, 03/21
Time: 4:30pm-6:30pm
Location: Ella Baker School and virtual, via Zoom
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Restore Our Worlds
The Circle Keepers invite you to this youth-facilitated itag! For youth, by youth and because of youth! In this ItAG, we will center the role of youth Restorative Justice leadership in the fight to dismantle the school-to-Pr*son pipeline while envisioning how youth-led RJ can become a central framework for shaping our world through a political, social, and environmental lens. We have 8 youth spots and 8 adult spots open. Come learn in intergenerational community! All youth will be paid at least a $50 stipend for participating upon completion of the 6 week ItAG.
Brief description of facilitators:
The Circle Keepers / Circle Up! Restorative Justice Youth Arts dismantle the school-to-Pr*son pipeline by training & empowering youth as restorative justice practitioners, community organizing activists and socially conscious artists who bring healing, restoration and transformation into their communities in ways that center the voices, lived experiences and yearnings of young people in their pursuit of peace, safety, healing, and justice.
Amber is a 19 year old culinary student, bartender, and a passionate social justice advocate. Amber is the director of youth experience of The Circle Keepers. In that role Amber is always making sure a fun and engaging space is made for everyone, curating playlists and making homemade food as well as mentoring younger researchers and restorative justice practicioners. Amber is passionate on promoting the importance of youth voice, accountability, healing, and the power of community! Amber believes that change must start with youth and education them on social justice and the importance of being heard.
Jania is a passionate social justice advocate currently pursuing a Master’s in Social Work. As the co-founder of an organization focused on restorative justice, Jania is committed to promoting healing, accountability, and transformative practices within communities. At just 22, Jania has receibed citations from the public advocate for the City of New York, in recognition for her work inn restorative justice and mental health. She works to ensure that the voices of marginalized communities are heard and uplifted. A fierce advocate for women's rights and social justice, Jania is dedicated to creating equitable systems and fostering positive change in both personal and professional spaces.
Martin (pronounced mar-TEEN) Urbach is a Latine Immigrant, student of abolition, musician, educator, activist and youth organizer. He deeply believes that an education for liberation facilitates brave spaces for young people to (re)discover who they are, how they are and why they are, as they engage in joyful arts-based, restorative justice practices that both, dismantle the school-to-Pr*son pipeline and that birth schools that youth deserve; full of peace, justice, safety & belonging for all.
Dates: Mondays, 01/27, 02/03, 2/10, 02/24, 03/03, 03/10
Time: 5:30pm-7:00pm
Location: Hybrid. Virtual, via Zoom and location TBD (in Manhattan)
Event Venue & Nearby Stays
CUNY, CUNY Graduate Center, New York, United States
USD 0.00 to USD 35.00
