1. Advancing Racial Equity in Early Learning March 12, 2013

2. Becoming Equity Leaders Building leadership from the inside out

3. “We can always make a difference if we muster the courage to think critically, to care for others, and to sustain hope, so we can organize and mobilize with one another to bring power and pressure to bear on the prevailing status quo.” - Cornell West WHY WORK TOGETHER?

4. A Question... What does it mean for us to lead using an ‘equity lens’?

6. “The only real voyage of discovery consists not in seeing new landscapes, but in having new eyes, in seeing the universe with the eyes of another, of hundreds of others, in seeing the hundreds of universes that each of them sees.” - Marcel Proust

7. Leading for Equity means taking responsibility for what matters to you. “When I dare to be powerful – to use my strength in the service of my vision, then it becomes less important whether I am afraid.” - Audre Lord

8. Morning Mixer Find someone and share... What is YOUR vision for racial equity in your work and community? Where does YOUR power come from?

9. About Today... We will... Get reconnected with each other and with our Racial Equity Theory of Change work Review RETOC map and use it to transition together to the next phase of our work Brainstorm communications and messaging support to advance racial equity Begin to design our ‘Community of Practice’ and get ourselves ready for action

10. Listening as a Leadership Strategy Turning to One Another simple conversations to restore hope to the future “Human conversation is the most ancient and easiest way to cultivate the conditions for change. If we can sit together and talk about what’s important to us, we begin to come alive. We share what we see, what we feel, and we listen to what others see and feel... The simplest way to begin finding each other again is to start talking about what we care about.” Wheatley, 2002

11. THE ART OF CONVERSATION Behaviors that help take conversation to a deeper realm  we acknowledge one another as equals  we try to stay curious about each other  we recognize that we need each other’s help to become better listeners  we slow down so we have time to think and reflect  we remember that conversation is the natural way humans think together  we expect it to be messy at times

12. Community Agreements An invitation Show up (or choose to be present) Pay attention (to heart and meaning) Tell the truth (without blame or judgment) Be open to outcome (not attached to outcome)

13. We are all caught up in an inescapable network of mutuality, tied in a single garment of destiny. Whatever affects one directly affects all indirectly. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Linked FATE

14. Linked Fates… Transformative Change Our fates are linked, yet our fates have been socially constructed as disconnected (especially through the categories of class, race, gender, etc.) We are the same and different. Because we are the same, dialogue is possible. Because we are different, dialogue is necessary.

15. Where have we been? (so far)

16. Thrive by Five Advancing Racial Equity in Early Learning in Washington

17. The Vision In Washington, we work together so that all children start life with a solid foundation for success, based on strong families and a world-class early learning system for all children prenatal through third grade. Accessible, accountable, and developmentally and culturally appropriate, our system partners with families to ensure that every child is healthy, capable and confident in school and in life. - Washington Early Learning Plan

18. The Challenge There have been a number of efforts to build bridges between existing programs, but Washington’s current early learning system is still duplicative, fragmented, confusing, and inaccessible to many of the children and families that most critically need these services. - Washington Early Learning Plan

20. ESSENTIAL QUESTION... How can we use a racial equity lens to help inform our approach in supporting the development of an early learning system at the local and state level?

21. Developing a Racial Equity Theory of Change

22. View from the Balcony A Complex Systems Lens

23. “While early childhood education has the proven potential to prevent educational inequity, if not dramatically improved, it will do the reverse and perpetuate it.” Sharon Lynn Kagan, “American Early Childhood Education: Preventing or Perpetuating Inequity?” Equity Matters: Research Review No. 3, April 2009

24. Two Related Efforts: Using a Racial Equity Lens Across Early Learning Systems AND AND Developing Racial Equity Theory of Change for a Particular Outcome Advancing Racial Equity Theory of Change 2012 Advancing Racial Equity Theory of Change 2012

25. A vision of… …what we want to accomplish …with logical sequence of steps for getting there …and Informed logic! – our assumptions relating to cause and effect are plausible and supported by good evidence …that are also informed and disciplined by a structural racism analytical framework

26. Racial Equity Theory of Change (RETOC) Step #1: What We Want – Defining our Racial Equity Outcome Step #2: What We Need – Identifying the Building Blocks for Change Step #3: What Helps or Stands in the Way – Identifying Policies, Practices, Cultural Representations Step #4: What We Must Know – Understanding the Politics of Change Step #5: What We Must Do – Gearing Up for Action

27. Desired Racial Equity Outcome Building Block P +/- R+/-P+/-R+/-P +/- R +/-P +/- Who has most power, influence to shape PPRs Possible sources of retrenchment Assess our organizational capacity realistically Building Block Building Block Building Block Building Block What we want Our priorities What helps, hinders What we must know What we must do How governance works in our context Given our capacities, decide role we can play, set strategic priorities, identify allies Take action!! 4 2 3 5 1 The RETOC—Five Steps Towards Racial Equity

28. How We Made Choices About our RETOC for Early Learning Plan for Who and How to Make Choices About this RETOC Stakeholder Group Start conversation Envision outcomes Capture conversation to inform: Whole puzzle All steps of RETOC for one racial equity outcome Thrive with Working Group and Management Team Take in the work from each meeting Make decisions/proposals about choosing a focus Work on steps for developing RETOC Plan for next Stakeholder Group Stakeholder Group Continue to identify and articulate all five steps of the RETOC process Thrive with Working Group and Management Team Take work of Stakeholder Group, continue to develop RETOC Map to be “good enough” to get started Stakeholder Group (3/12/2013) Review and respond to RETOC Map Get Ready for the next phase of work

29. A system, any system, produces what it is designed to produce. from “Bridges, Tunnels, and School Reform: It’s the System Stupid: by Thomas Kelly Phi Delta Kappan, October 2007 A Systems Truism

30. Using a Lens of Racial Equity Individual Institutiona l Structural …allows us to uncover the policies practices and behaviors that sustains unequal outcomes for children Forms of Racism Individual Institutional Structural

31. How did we do it? A refresh of core concepts and understandings...  Listening and discourse  Community  Opportunity structures  Structural racialization  Targeted universalism

32. This approach supports the needs of the particular while reminding us that we are all part of the same social fabric universal, yet captures how people are differently situated inclusive, yet targets those who are most marginalized Targeted Universalism

33. Towards Targeted Universalism Universal Programs Targeted Programs Targeted Universalism

35. STRETCH BREAK

36. Core Competencies of a Leader for Equity © 2012 National Equity Project Equity Imperative Design Leadership Social Emotional Leadership Instructional Leadership Facilitative Leadership Instructional Leadership

37. Developing an Equity Imperative  You champion a vision for equity and enroll others to participate.  You guide data collection and analysis to reflect the complexity of equity challenges to surface root causes and foster insight.  You publicly commit to a specific equity result.  You understand and acknowledge power, privilege, and oppression as factors shaping inequitable outcomes.  You have the courage to respectfully interrupt conversations and behaviors laden with unconscious bias. Some indicators...

38. WILL Courage to accept responsibility. Commitment exceeds fear. SKILL Practiced and ready. Anticipate responses. Achieve predictable results. KNOWLEDGE Content knowledge of theory, practice with research to back it up. CAPACITY Necessary time and material support systems in place. EMOTIONAL INTELLIGENCE Build alliances. Effectively work in diverse groups and settings. Self-aware of one’s own triggers. Effective Leaders Support the Development of …

39. COMMUNITY OF PRACTICE

40. Aligned Contributions is about people taking actions to “tip” the odds that good things will happen can be generated by a small group of people with a common purpose, connected relationships and a sense of urgency. Theory of Aligned Contributions - Jolie Pillsbury, Ph.D.

41. What are the skills, practice, language, materials and support that will help me be a leader for equity?

42. Taking Leadership for Equity “Those who practice leadership for equity must confront, disappoint, and dismantle and at the same time energize, inspire, and empower.” Sharon Daloz Parks, Leadership Can Be Taught

43. When have you been…? What caused you to be this way? What can you do to overcome it? When have you been…? How was this encouraged? How can you be sure to remain this way? Passive Distrustful Pretending Insecure and Powerless Fearful of emotions Active Trustful Authentic Confident and powerful Accepting of emotions Getting Ready to Lead for Equity

44. Think about... A moment or interaction in your work - after which you thought (something like)… “Yes! That’s why I do this work…” Now turn to a partner and share...

45. What do I believe about working with adults?

46. People have the capacity to solve their own problems … positive change is supported by mutually respectful and trusting relationships. A National Equity Project Belief Taking a Coaching Stance

47. LUNCH!

48. Protocols A protocol is a structured process or set of guidelines to promote meaningful and efficient communication and learning. Micro Lab Protocol To address a specific sequence of questions in a structured format with small groups, using active listening skills. Micro Lab

49. 1. What are you noticing as you do your own work (in your organization and/or community) about what needs to happen to achieve racial equity? Micro Lab

50. 2. In your role, how do you think you are being experienced by others? How do you want to be experienced in this role? Micro Lab

51. 3. What are you learning about what it means for you to lead for equity in this role? Micro Lab

52. Areas of possible support going forward 1.Communications support – telling the story 2.Planning for and leading critical conversations 3.Shifting the discourse 4.Holistic meeting design 5.Managing group dynamic

53. A tool is only as good as its user. You are the greatest tool in your toolbox.

54. Taking it Forward “There’s never any guarantee of victory in history. Nevertheless, if we can commit to loving, serving, and understanding each other – recognizing that we are far more alike than we are different – we have a chance.” Cornel West