2020 GlobalMindED
The Future of Work is Diverse, Inclusive, Just and Equitable
GlobalMindED closes the equity gap by creating a capable, diverse talent pipeline through connections to role models, mentors, internships for low-income students, returning adults, First Gen to college and inclusive leaders who teach them, work with them and hire them.
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Jessica Willams on Leading the Every Learner Everywhere Network, Growing up in Atlanta and Student Speak.
Dr. Jessica Williams has been a trailblazer in many capacities, including as the First African American mom and First Gen at Princeton as she balanced all demanding priorities to attain her PhD. Now she is dedicated both personally and professionally to opening doors for others who are First Gen and low-income so that they can learn from her hard won lessons. Read more about Dr. Jessica Rowland Williams below. The report, Student Speak, can be found here.
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You lead the Every Learner Everywhere Network, a collaborator with GlobalMindEd on the Student Speak report. Tell us about your vision for Every Learner Everywhere and how your work will open doors for more students to succeed against the odds?
Educational opportunities have been long unjustly denied to Black, Latinx, and Indigenous students, low-income students, and first-generation students. Higher education must do better for these students moving forward, and I believe that digital learning can be a catalyst for that change. My vision for Every learner Everywhere, a network of 12 organizations that work collaboratively, is that our network will contribute to the development of equity-centered digital learning solutions and services, provide faculty and institutions with implementation best practices, and surface evidence of high quality, scaled digital learning experiences that allow students of color, low-income students and first generation students perform to their fullest potential. I believe that if we re-design the learning experience, with minoritized students at the center, then we can transform higher education into the vehicle for social justice that we have promised students for many years.
You live in Atlanta, which is a fulcrum for many historic and current events which show that our equity work is cut out for us. Tell us about this summer and what events like the protests and outcries for racial justice mean for your own bold goals?
Atlanta is a city that for decades has embodied two opposing visions-- it has been both the “black mecca” of the South-- serving as the home to many of the greatest Black politicians, religious leaders, institutions and businesses while simultaneously being the center of some of the most brutal racism and violence.
My family grew up in Atlanta and actually integrated their high school. They were among the first group of Black students that went to a school in downtown Atlanta that was white and have countless stories of what it was like to experience segregation here in Atlanta. Growing up with that backdrop and that history has always been something that I’ve been very aware of my entire life. I also attended Spelman College which is another historical pillar of the city of Atlanta.
I think it's been both encouraging to see the progress in all of the energy that's being put into dismantling systemic racism, while simultaneously disheartening to know we are still facing the same issues that my parents, grandparents, and great-grandparents faced decades and decades ago.
In terms of my own bold goals, one of the key motivating factors of my work is my own children. I feel like it’s very important for me as they prepare to engage in their own postsecondary experiences, that we recreate college environments so that my children will be able to have opportunities to reach their full potential. My grandfather wasn’t able to complete highschool and never learned to read because he had to work, however, he worked for MEAD (the school supply company) and ensured that we had school supplies every year. He didn’t have the opportunity to even finish high school yet he paved the way for me to go on to get my PhD. I want to be able to create those same opportunities for my children and grand-children.
I think that my personal connection to the city impacts my goals for the network, and ensuring all students have learning opportunities regardless of their backgrounds.
Why was it important to create a report focused on students and why is it a unique resource for the field?
Often when we do work in higher ed on behalf of students, we don’t always include our students voices and perspectives in the work. At Every Learner Everywhere, we felt it was important to center our students' voices, needs, and wants, alongside those of our faculty and institution leaders.
This report is unique because it reflects the insight that you get from a conversation as opposed to a survey. Students participated in 2-hour focus group conversations allowing them to share details of their lived experiences.
We also know that when studies focus on “all students”, this often only surfaces the voices of those in the majority. At Every Learner, we feel it is imperative to elevate the voices of Black, Latinx, Indigenous students, low-income students, first-generation students, and other marginalized populations of students so in our study we did that specifically and intentionally.
What actions do you foresee institutions and faculty taking after reading Student Speak?
I was personally impressed to see how direct and clear our students were when providing feedback to faculty and institutions. They know what they want and need to learn and I think we need to listen to them more often. I would push faculty and institutions to engage with students for direct feedback more often on their experiences both at the course and institutional level.
At an institutional level, I would like to see an investment in professional development for faculty with a focus on evidence-based, equity-first and culturally-responsive teaching.
Lastly, I would hope this report encourages faculty, course designers, administrators and other institutional leaders to leverage resources like those hosted on our Solve library and resources page to continue to incorporate best practices in the implementation of online and digital learning experiences for students.
What do you want to ask of your fellow academics around the country who can most impact our most vulnerable First Gen students and students of color at this crucial time in history as we all prepare for Fall in this unprecedented time?
Be bold. As we respond to the current COVID crisis and look toward the future of learning in the digital age, we need to do more than just bring the traditional classroom environment online. We need to engage our students with new and innovative ways of teaching and learning that hold their needs at the center.
Put aside your own comfort. To create equal and fair learning opportunities for all students we will need to interrogate and challenge the systems of privilege and power that have made them inequitable for so long. This work will be hard and uncomfortable but it is necessary to realize our vision of equity for every learner.
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Click to view the first recent webinars: |
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Hispanic Language Heritage: Retention of Heritage Culture and Language(s) US Department of Education, Office of English Language Acquisition (OELA) and GlobalMindED, and panelists celegrate National Hispanic Heritage Month. Lorena Orozco and Supreet Anand of OELA, Cristina Alfaro; San Diego State University, Luis Benitez; VF Corporation, Clotilde Dedecker; Circle of Women, Joe Garcia; Ohkay OwinghTribe, and Dr.Joel Comez; Center for Applied Logistics
Get Comfortable Being Uncomfortable: A Conversation on Race, Isms, Justice, Moving Forward and the Role White People Need to Play: Ryan Ross; Associate Vice Chancellor: Student Affairs, Equity, and Inclusion, Colorado Community College System leads the conversation with Clifton Taulbert; President and CEO, Freemount Corporation and Roots Java Coffee, Javon Brame; Dean of Students, Arapahoe Community College, Chelsea Williams; Founder & CEO, College Code LLC, and Representative Leslie Herod; Legislator, Colorado General Assembly
Equity in Engineering Programs: Priming the STEM Pipeline During and After COVID-19: Dr. Dora Renaud, Sr. Director of Academic Programs & Professional Development, SHPE: Leading Hispanics in STEM, Melanie Suarez, Student, University of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Mechanical Engineering, Nicolas Valencia Diaz, Student, Florida International University, Biomedical Engineering, Sophia Plata, PhD Student, University of Southern California, Environmental Engineering
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To view the recent Rural sessions, please see our YouTube channel:
Native American Business Opportunities, Tribal Economic Development and Post-secondary Education/Workforce Participation: J.C. Whorton, Jr.; Consultant, Lecturer, Author and Adjunct Faculty, University of Colorado Boulder, Don Kelin; President, Fox Professional Services, Rocky Mountain Indian Chamber of Commerce, Matt Rantanen; Director of Technology, Southern California Tribal Chairmen’s Association, Tribal Digital Village Network Initiative, and Melvin Monette; CEO, Indigenous Education, Inc.
Fortifying Native Students, Faculty and Communities During and After COVID-19: Ron Lessard (Mohawk); Acting Exec. Director, White House Initiative on American Indian and Alaska Native Education leads panel including Diana Cournoyer; Oglala Sioux Tribe, Executive Director, National Indian Education Association, Michael Chamberlain; Special Assistant for Rural Outreach, US Department of Education, Carrie L. Billy; President & CEO, American Indian Higher Education Consortium, and features a performance by Ava Rose Johnson; Student and Musician, Native American Music Awards Winner
Rural Innovations in Education During COVID-19: Anne Trujillo; Anchor 7News, Denver moderates the panel which includes Tina Goar; Executive Director, San Luis Valley BOCES, Dr. Robert Mitchell; Asst. Professor of Leadership, Research, and Foundations, UCCS, Luis Murillo; Principal, Skoglund Middle School, and Samantha Yocam; Superintendent and Principal, Kim School District
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THE FLYOVER NATION
Energy's Role in a Troubled Heartland
By J.C. Whorton
A unique and timely discussion of the challenging issues facing the country’s troubled Heartland.
Since the beginning of westward expansion into the Heartland’s vast regions, natural resource development has played a historic role in shaping its communities. Today, domestic oil and gas development offers one of the strongest prospects for the Heartland’s present and future prosperity as well as the nation’s re-emergence as a dominant player in the global energy economy.
The U.S. is now the world’s largest producer of crude oil and natural gas, two circumstances that are universally disrupting international geopolitical order. The earth has a finite supply of natural resources and a rapidly growing and over consuming population.
As America positions itself for a very uncertain and constantly evolving global marketplace, will the Heartland become America’s “great connector” or “great divide”?
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J.C. Whorton is a senior level energy and financial professional with over forty years of essential experience. Having a ranching and Native American heritage, Mr. Whorton is a strong advocate for rural education and economic development initiatives.
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Links to read about Inclusive Leaders, many of whom are African American and people of color:
Curated sessions from GlobalMindED 2020 YouTube channel:
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From the Center for Positive Organizations:
From the Economist:
From Forbes:
From Harvard Business Review:
From the World Academy of Art & Science and UN; Geneva Global Leadership in the 21st Century econference:
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Listen here for an interview with Pam Newkirk, GlobalMindED speaker and author of Diversity Inc.: The Failed Promise of a Billion- Dollar Business.
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Responding to Crisis
The 30-Day Justice Plan
As the reset of America is underway, understanding the role you can play in a system of change can be difficult, but we encourage you to listen, learn and be active. To start, instead of, say, a juice cleanse, feed your brain and move yourself with this practical plan over the next month. Here's our guide of what to read, watch, listen to and do in order to be part of the solution.
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Your copy should address 3 key questions: Who am I writing for? (Audience) Why should they care? (Benefit) What do I want them to do here? (Call-to-Action)
Create a great offer by adding words like "free" "personalized" "complimentary" or "customized." A sense of urgency often helps readers take an action, so think about inserting phrases like "for a limited time only" or "only 7 remaining!"
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GlobalMindED and the SDG Impact Fund are delighted to announce GlobalMindED's Donor Advised Fund. 2020 is the 75th Anniversary of the United Nations and the 25th Anniversary of the Beijing Women's Declaration and Action Platform. Many from around the world are thinking of 2020 as the gateway to our most vital decade for delivering equity, the Sustainable Development Goals, and a world where all can thrive. Our key time for these outcomes is 2020-2030.
GlobalMindED DAF and the SDG Impact Fund are a powerful combined force for good as the 2019 year comes to a close and we reflect on the gratitude and the commitments we make to the causes we care most about. The DAF offers immense power and flexibility for giving prior to the year's end as you plant seeds of generous intention for 2020 and the decade ahead.
When you contribute to GlobalMindED, you support First Gen students. We have served more than 400 students by connecting them to role models, mentors, internships and jobs. Your generous support will allow us to take our work 10x and reach these talented students at scale who lack the resources and support we provide. Your support also helps teachers who can't afford the conference fees, faculty at colleges which are under resourced and students who persist at those universities despite food insecurity and/or housing insecurity.
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Meet GlobalMindED Founder, Carol Carter as interviewed by Tim Moore on his podcast Success Made to Last: From Success to Significance
Listen to Part 1 of Carol's interview
Listen to Part 2 of Carol's interview
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Recent GlobalMindED Newsletter Profiles:
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Since 2006 when the flagship TGR Learning Lab opened its doors in Anaheim, CA, TGR Foundation has had a lot to celebrate, including its most recent milestone of one million students impacted by TGR EDU: Explore, alone.
Developed in partnership with Discovery Education, TGR EDU: Explore is a free digital resource library that offers interactive web experiences, lesson plans, training videos and tools for educators, students and families to explore new disciplines and gain skills for a modern and expanding workforce.
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As you start the New Year, are you looking for ways to re-engineer your classroom culture? Check out Designing the Future: How Engineering Builds Creative Critical Thinking in the Classroom. The associated website has lots of activities, projects, and resources you can implement immediately. Our fall workshops using the book as a roadmap for change have been highly successful. Start designing the future today - try using the customized Study Guide for a book study in your PLC. Or contact ProjectEngin or Solution Tree to learn how you can bring professional development based on Ann's book to your school, district, or conference.
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