A Call to Philanthropy: Support Honest Education and Multiracial Democracy

The controversy over critical race theory roiling school boards and state legislatures across the country is, at its root, an attack on democracy and truth-telling. Sadly, this is playing out in our public schools and our children’s education is the collateral damage.

The NYU Metro Center, the Schott Foundation for Public Education, and Race Forward’s H.E.A.L. Together Initiative are providing rapid response financial and technical assistance to parent, youth and community organizing groups facing aggressive attacks against public education and equitable curriculum. In this briefing, you will learn about this movement advancing education justice and democracy.

Now is the time for philanthropy to act – it is our moment to support grassroots organizing to challenge these threats and turn up the fight for equitable and anti-racist schools and communities. Public education and democracy need our protection.

This important conversation will feature:

• Dr. Gislaine N. Ngounou, Interim President & CEO, Nellie Mae Education Foundation
• Dr. Kent McGuire, Program Director, Education, William & Flora Hewlett Foundation
• Zakiyah Shaakir-Ansari, Advocacy Director, New York State Alliance for Quality Education
• Michael S. Wotorson, Director of Opportunity to Learn Network, Schott Foundation for Public Education
• Letha Muhammad, Director, Education Justice Alliance
• Megan Hester, Education Justice Research and Organizing Collaborative, NYU Metro Center
• James Haslam, Senior Fellow, Race Forward

During this briefing, you will learn from:

• Grassroots parent leaders sharing what it truly takes to support education justice in this political moment;
• Organizational partners sharing insights about the political and educational landscape, project plans, and progress to date; and,
• Philanthropy peers sharing why their organizations are investing in this work now.

There will be an opportunity for attendees to ask questions during the briefing.

This is a briefing for funders only.