Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Conference 2023

Agenda and speakers

9–10 a.m. Keynote Speaker

Keynote Presentation: Educational Safe Spaces: Integrating Diversity Without Trauma

Speaker: Carla Estes
Principal, Lochburn Middle School, Clover Park School District

As educators are tasked with integrating diverse voices, it is imperative to incorporate voices, perspectives, and experiences without highlighting trauma as a focal point. Intentional examination of diverse voices through a trauma lens will ensure safe spaces for all learners.

10–10:15 a.m.  Break

10:15–11:30 a.m.  Concurrent Session 1

Session: Supporting Asian American Students During the Rise in Anti-Asian Hate Crimes

Speaker: Joan King
Recovery Support Specialist at Green River College 

This presentation will identify how racial trauma and racial fatigue have impacted the AAPI students during the rise in anti-Asian hate crimes. The presentation will assist educators in understanding how cultural implications and the Model Minority Myth affect how students engage with mental health resources or even engage with their teachers. It will also identify implicit biases and how they have been weaponized against Asian American students to discount their experiences as people of color.

Session: The Intersection of Trauma Informed Care (TIC), Culturally Responsive Practices and Evidenced Based Supports in Our Schools

Speaker: Dr. Lori Lynass
Executive Director, Sound Supports

Speaker: Dr. Lewis
Executive Director, David Lewis, INC

Enhancing culturally responsiveness and trauma-informed care in our schools is essential to improving the standard of practices used for building protective factors and positively supporting those in need. A review of the growing body of “neuroscience” research infused with culturally responsive evidenced based practices in schools will be discussed.

Session: Community Partnerships for Anti-Racist Leadership

Speaker: Dr. Heather Lechner
Executive Director of Education

Speaker: Lindsey Kaiser
University of Washington PhD Candidate, Community partner, and TAF Ally Engagement Facilitator

To take action intentionally and build solidarity in an equitable partnership among community organizers and educational leaders, one must commit to anti-racism, individually and institutionally. We’ve co-designed an anti-racist workshop to support school leaders in making ideological shifts and taking institutional action. Creating life-affirming partnerships seeks to disrupt performative approaches to anti-racism in education and build relationships to foster sustainable anti-racist practices.

Session: Supporting Queer Students in Public Schools

Speaker: Dr. Christopher Hanson
Assistant Professor of Music; Director of Music Education and Orchestral Activities

Dr. Hanson offers practical strategies for supporting queer students in public schools, based on personal and professional testimonies, SEL standards, state and federal antidiscrimination laws, and educational theory and practice. Dr. Hanson will provide published resources and facilitate dialog on queer issues for students, teachers, and public schools promoting equity and advocacy for all students.

Also presenting during Concurrent Session 2 (12:00-1:15)

11:30 a.m.–12 p.m. Lunch

12–1:15 p.m. Concurrent Session 2

Session: Intracultural Bullying Among Latinx High School Students

Speaker: Dr. Jesús Angulo
K–12 Educator; San Francisco Bay Area, California

Dr. Angulo conducted interviews with Latinx high school students in Northern California and one Southern California high school and engaged in conversations focusing on students’ experiences with intra-cultural bullying and social exclusion. The students noted name-calling and physical intimidation based upon various elements of identity — linguistic, racial, country of origin, gender, and sexuality. In addition, the students retold incidents of bullying and harassment that went unnoticed by their schools’ educators and leaders, and they instead found solace and support with their friends.

Session: How to Recognize and Support Dyscalculic Students in the Classroom

Speaker: Laura Jackson
Founder, Discovering Dyscalculia

Between 5% and 8% of all students cannot successfully access our math instruction because they have a learning disability in math. This neurological difference, also known as dyscalculia, is neither well recognized nor understood. Author and advocate, Laura M. Jackson will discuss the signs of dyscalculia, its impact, and inclusive teaching methods to support dyscalculic learners.

Session: Everybody eats: Using food in the classroom to promote mutual understanding

Speaker: Nina Vizcarrondo
Coordinator of Multi-Ethnic Programs, Seattle Pacific University

Speaker: Dr. David W. Denton
Associate Professor of Education, Seattle Pacific University

Food really matters. Of course, we all need it, but food is more than just necessary. Food is how we grow our young; food tells about culture, history, geography, and values. Food is often part of the spiritual life of people, plus it’s fun, interesting, and hands-on. In this breakout session, participants explore how food can be used as subject matter for all kinds of valuable learning. We begin with a short survey of research for inspiration about how food is used in schools, followed by group generated anecdotes and ideas for how we can use food in our specific situations for promoting reciprocity, cooperation, and mutual understanding.

1:15–1:30 p.m. Break

1:30–2:45 p.m. Concurrent Session 3

Session: Impacted by Generational Trauma

Speaker: Conrado Julian
Conrado Julian is a Dean of Students at Lochburn Middle School in the Cloverpark School District, where he is responsible for discipline and student support. He earned his MEd from Seattle Pacific University. He has led adult development around equity, diversity, and inclusion throughout his professional career. Currently, Conrado is a doctoral student at SPU focusing his work on generational trauma and educational leadership in administration.

The presentation is a snapshot of his dissertation on a phenomenological study of how schools are impacted by generational trauma. The survival behaviors that the ancestors used to survive colonization, enslavement, and oppression have transcended generations and permeated our schools for years. This phenomenon has ignited the focus on student-to-teacher relationships. But do we as a community really know what relationships really look like in schools? This presentation will examine relational pitfalls in our school system.

Session: Adopting Radical Healing Into School Counselor Education

Speaker: Jordan Shannon, PhD
Assistant Professor of Counselor Education, Seattle Pacific University

Radical healing is the process of becoming well in the face of identity-based wounds (French et al., 2019). It focused on identifying causes of these wounds and foster resilience and agency of marginalized communities. This presentation is designed to teach educators about applying radical healing to school-counselor training.

Session: An Action Research: Kindergarten Level Pronunciation Teaching Using Augmented Reality Aligned with Universal Design for Learning

Speaker: Gizem Yolcu
Graduate student at Seattle Pacific University: Digital Education Leadership Program

Pronunciation teaching is an essential component of language learning, yet it can be challenging for both teachers and students, especially in kindergarten level. Augmented Reality (AR) can provide a solution by offering a multi-modal approach to pronunciation instruction that aligns with the principles of Universal Design for Learning (UDL). AR can create a dynamic learning environment where students can see and hear the target language in context and interact with it in real-time. Additionally, AR can offer personalized feedback on pronunciation, allowing students to track their progress, self-reflect and identify areas for improvement. This presentation will explore the potential of AR in pronunciation teaching, showcase examples of the action research we conducted in a kindergarten classroom in Turkey, and discuss the opportunities and challenges for integrating AR into language classrooms how they align with UDL principles.

2:45 p.m. Closing remarks

Dr. Julie Antilla
Associate Professor of Educational Leadership, Seattle Pacific University

Past conferences