Equity & Inclusion Institute

The Equity and Inclusion Institute was the best professional development training week I have participated in as an educator with 10+ years of international experience. The institute was conducted in a manner that made it possible for anyone to access the information regardless of their experience with these thought-provoking topics. I left with a tool kit ready to apply to my own teaching methods and infuse into our school's curriculum."

Megan Shelton
Middle School Teacher and Spanish Curriculum Coordinator at Spring Hill School

The Nueva Equity and Inclusion Institute was a unique experience that only lasted a few days, yet has left an ongoing impact in my Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) work. As part of a DEI committee at my school, I find myself often sharing in meetings or proposing new ideas with the starter sentence of, "We could try something I learned last summer at Nueva." The facilitation and tone of the entire institute was so welcoming and engaging, all while exploring hard topics such as the various systems of oppression and how we, as educators, can teach and live in more critically conscious ways. I value the time I had at the Institute and continue to use many of the resources, knowledge, network and language I received there."

Reyna Smith
Middle School Counselor at Francis W. Parker School

The Equity and Inclusion Institute gave me the opportunity to explore how systems of oppression can affect both my life and everyone else's lives in America. Through this exploration of the ways that we are divided, I found myself feeling incredibly connected to the other attendees – almost as if the semi-transparent curtains of our daily lived experiences were able to be drawn to the side after they had been so clearly identified. This connectedness, this feeling of spontaneous community – that's what makes me want to come back."

Sam Modest
Sxith-Grade Teacher, The Nueva School

As a white educator, this was the most informative, reflective, and empowering workshop on equity and inclusion I've ever been to!" 

Alice Jessup
Second-Grade Teacher, San Francisco Day School

Attending the Institute was life-changing for me and has led to some immediate programmatic shifts at my school. Although the institute was designed for educators, I believe any person would benefit from attending.”

Jenny Rinn
Director of Lower School, The Brandeis School of San Francisco

What a wonderful week! The Institute allowed us to delve deeply into a range of Social Justice issues and how they relate to our work as educators. It also provided opportunities for individual introspection, personal reflection, and the building of strong connections and relationships with fellow educators and fellow diversity practitioners across the country. From personal stories to specific classroom tools, it was truly an enriching experience to be able to learn from so many others."

Ben Sobol-Chang 
High School Spanish Teacher, The Nueva School

"The Equity and Inclusion Institute provided a great space for learning, reflection and action-planning focused in the areas of diversity, equity, and inclusion. The format of the institute is one that is non-judgemental, meeting participants where they are at and giving them tools to return confidently to their school communities with tangible skills. I still keep in touch with many of the participants that attended. That alone speaks to the safe environment that the Equity and Inclusion Institute provided."

Ralinda Watts
Director of Multiculturalism and Inclusion, Buckley School

I was so grateful for the space that Alegria, Sheri, and Alison created each day. From opening activities to closing conversations, I was consistently made to feel challenged, inspired, and thoughtful around deep questions of identity, race, class and gender. I loved connecting with the other participants and have continued working with them during the school year."

Tom McFadden
Middle School Science Teacher, The Nueva School

The Equity and Inclusion Institute is geared to beginners and experienced diversity practitioners and educators. The institute resonated for me because I appreciated the diversity within the facilitators and the topics presented. It was interesting, refreshing and reaffirming to hear various lenses of experiences presented at the conference while discussing the many layers of systemic racism and how best to dismantle. The practical exercises are wonderful takeaways I have incorporated in my work this year. The Equity and Inclusion Institute is a powerful week of learning and reflecting with a wonderful group of people."

Latoya Allen
Associate Director Lower School Admissions & Director of Community Engagement, Riverdale Country School

The Institute was life-changing for me. As a white woman who wanted very much to join the discussion about race and class, I didn’t know how and where to enter the conversation. Attending this institute gave me the language and understanding of systemic oppression to help me see the role I could play in affecting change.”

Tristen Strum
Second-Grade Teacher, San Francisco Day School

I learned so much in a safe, supportive environment. I feel empowered to start my school year with this important, necessary information to help create an even more inclusive classroom community!”

Diana Friedman
First-Grade Teacher, The Nueva School

"There is no such thing as a neutral education."

Renowned educator and philosopher Paulo Freire believed education either prepares citizens to conform to current systems of inequitable power and privilege—therefore perpetuating those systems—or, it can serve as “a practice of freedom,” preparing citizens to challenge systems of oppression and “participate in the transformation of their world.” 

With Freire’s work as our foundation, we propose an educator activist framework that includes seven "Principles of Critically Conscious Education." We believe that educator activists must actively confront the injustices of the past in order to reveal the inequities of the present and boldly envision and build a collective future together. 
 

Principles of Critically Conscious Education:

1. Approach issues of identity and equity with courage and curiosity.
2. Understand the ways that systemic oppression was historically created and is currently maintained, resulting in present societal inequities.
3. Recognize the ways your social positionality informs your educational practice including your methods, materials, perspectives, reactions, and interactions. 
4. Identify how current social inequities manifest within your classroom, school, community, and the lived experiences of your students and colleagues. 
5. Boldly move beyond what is; to radically re-envision what could be. 
6. Commit to critically conscious practices that intentionally and consistently uphold counter-narratives to systemic oppression. 
7. Understand that this work is grounded in radical joy, healing, dignity and love in the service of the Beloved Community. 

All program participation fees are due in advance to confirm your registration and participation. Any cancellation and refund requests must be submitted in writing via email to institutes@nuevaschool.org.

For further details about equity and social justice, the Nueva School, and/or our team, please visit our website or email us at socialjustice@nuevaschool.org.

While we do not provide shuttles or other forms of transportation to Nueva, our San Mateo campus is easily accessible by Caltrain and other public transportation systems; please refer to Google Maps or the Caltrain website for details. Uber and Lyft are also widely available in our area.  

If you will be joining us from out of town, we recommend looking into the following hotels for your accommodations:

• Crowne Plaza – Foster City Hotel
• Courtyard San Mateo Foster City
• TownePlace Suites by Marriott San Mateo Foster ​City

If you utilize sites such as expedia.com or hotwire.com, search for hotels in San Mateo, Foster City, or San Carlos.

All institutes will follow Nueva’s health and safety practices, in alignment with the state and county guidance. This currently includes sharing of vaccination status, providing results from a negative PCR test taken within 5 days of the first day of the institute, and masking while on campus.