LA Upstander: Equity & Justice Team
Group Members: Annette M., Arelis V., Grace O., Hala D., Janet F., Jennifer M., Marisa P., Rebecca W., Tina P., Tony S., and William S.
After the murder of George Floyd, Marisa Del Pino and Jennifer Macon knew that more had to be done to combat systemic racism. Together, they pitched the idea of creating an Equity and Justice Initiative with the goal of understanding and confronting issues of systemic racism so that all students on campus can thrive in a learning environment where equity and justice prevail. Grover Cleveland Charter High School's principal, Cindy Duong supported the plan and established a team in August 2020 to carry out a three-year plan of action.
Members of the Equity & Justice team meeting on Zoom.
By the end of this year, the Equity & Justice Team will have facilitated eight professional development sessions on issues of equity and justice in preparation for the second year of the initiative. The racial literacy of Cleveland's staff is increasing, and despite distance learning, courageous conversations are happening amongst faculty members.
Grover Cleveland Charter High School has a history of upstander behavior, so the Equity & Justice Team hails proudly from that legacy. The team brings the entire school community together to engage in difficult learning around issues that continue to haunt the nation and has the potential to be a model for schools across the country.
