Enhancing the Education Experience of People of Color
by Beverly Breton Carroll
"Growth, Strength, and Action: Honoring Our Commitment to Individuals and Communities of Color" was the theme for the fourth Alumni of Color Conference (AOCC), held March 3–5 at HGSE. Organized by current students, the annual event brings together the voices and achievements of alumni of color in a supportive and intellectual community. Celebrating the work of African, Latino and Latina, Asian, and Native American alumni, the 2006 conference explored how individual commitment, community-based collaboration, and institutional responsibility can collectively enhance the educational experiences of people of color.
"A goal of this year's conference was to include youth," says Shannon T. Hodge, a third-year doctoral student at HGSE and one of the conference trichairs. One of the first panel sessions consisted of Boston public school students from Brighton High School presenting participatory action research. The students, enrolled in a for-credit elective course that creates opportunities for youth engagement in school reform, spoke about the issues of school climate and the degree of support for the transition from high school to college. Another panel, "Youth Perspectives on Learning," gathered Boston Day and Evening Academy (BDEA) faculty and students to talk about why the BDEA competency-based curriculum works well for over-age (ages 16–23) urban middle and high school students.
In a political climate where English and math are center stage and art somewhere in the wings, the panel "Learning and Identity Development Through the Arts" discussed research and projects in which art serves as the vehicle for social change, while "Activism in the Academy" gathered faculty of color to critically analyze and refl ect upon their experiences as activists in higher education.
Several recent graduates presented workshops and served on panels. Chenelle Boatswain, Ed.M.'05, and Katia Canenguez, Ed.M.'05, provided an overview of how certain interventions can promote the social development of former street children in the process of rehabilitating after years of living on the street in La Paz, Bolivia. Tammy Dowley-Blackman, Ed.M.'96, shared the work of a group of mostly African-American philanthropists and foundation executives based in San Francisco who want to make philanthropy relevant to a wider audience. Tara Brown, Ed.M.'02, Ed.D.'05, examined some of the effects of disciplinary exclusion on the school experiences of adolescents attending an urban alternative public high school. Heang Ly, Ed.M.'04, gave an interactive workshop designed for participants to experience and debate five types of interactive methods that can be used in the classroom.
During the event, conference attendees gathered for an Askwith Education Forum, "Education and Catastrophe: Communities of Color Responding and Moving Forward," and a plenary session entitled "Developing Committed and Caring Teachers" to discuss such topics as the shortage of teachers in communities of color. "The plenary session represented a cross-section of the community," says trichair Debby Saintil, a third-year doctoral student at HGSE, "including a recent HGSE TEP (Teacher Education Program) graduate, a current classroom teacher, a parent organizer, an educational researcher, and an instructional leader, for a thoughtprovoking and passionate discussion."
The awards ceremony was a conference highlight. Four recipients--two recent and two seasoned graduates--were recognized for significant contributions in the field of education. This year's recipients were Archie Beauvais, Ed.D.'82; Chester Hedgepeth, Ed.D.'77; Tarajean Yazzie-Mintz, Ed.D.'02; and Antonio Cediel, Ed.M.'01, Ed.D.'04. Keynote speaker John H. Jackson, Ed.D.'00, NAACP chief policy officer, gave the closing address. Prior to his current position, Jackson served as the NAACP's national director of education, during which time the NAACP developed and implemented a National Call for Action in Education requesting that governors nationwide develop a plan to reduce education-related racial disparities by 50 percent over the next fi ve years. Jackson is also chairman of the National Equity Center, a national nonprofit established to promote diversity and democratic values by training youth in leadership, academics, research, and advocacy.
With each conference, the student-management team continues to innovate. "This year we added a network lunch [in which participants are seated] by tables of professional interest," says Hodge. "We want to provide an opportunity to facilitate reflection, action, and change."
About the Article
A version of this article originally appeared in the Summer 2006 issue
of Ed., the magazine of the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
