In recent years, the word “equity'' has become a popular buzzword that has pushed for further examination of disproportionate inequities throughout multiple career industries. Specifically in education, TK-12 educators have begun to further their exploration of developing equity consciousness to ensure that children of diverse cultures experience an equitable and quality education. Gee (2009) asserts that culture extends beyond race and ethnicity, but is largely based on shared communities such as schools. Despite all the talk about equitable practices, there still remain large uncertainties about applying equitable practices when deciding about key issues such as curriculum, programming, budget, hiring, and other influencing factors that determine how children successfully navigate through public education. Providing equity-centered training to school principals may help schools productively develop, adopt, and sustain equitable structures that all members of the school community may benefit from. Using a mixed-methodology approach, the researchers aim to share the phenomenological perspectives of school administrators who attended a six-day DEI (diversity, equity, and inclusion) Workshop Series and the impact the training has made on their leadership trajectory. These workshops focused on 3 major strands: 1) identity, 2) equity, and 3) schooling which serve as an anchor to better support school leaders understand the interconnections of how one’s personal identities and school experiences shape the way in which they lead through the lens of equity.

Authors:
Qiana O'Leary, Texas A&M International University, United States
Ijeoma Ononuju, Touro University, United States

About the Presenter(s)
Dr. Qiana O’Leary is a CA native with experience in secondary teaching & transformational leadership. She's dedicated to coaching educators through the lens of equity-centered education. She recently published, Lead with Truth, on December 30, 2022.

Connect on Linkedin
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-qiana-o-04k81

Additional website of interest
https://www.minty-es.com/

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