EDTalksMN

In celebration of our 10th anniversary season of EDTalks, Achieve presented this special event where five past EDTalks speakers gathered in conversation around our 2022-23 season theme, “What’s Next? Where does education go from here?" Speakers reflected on their past EDTalks topics in light of the present day: What has or has not changed? What are they more or less concerned about? How has the pandemic or other recent events shifted the way(s) they see their topic? What do they think is in store for us?

Panelists included Dr. Keith Brooks, Former Student Services Director, Anoka-Hennepin School District; Jason Bucklin, LGTBQ Education Specialist at the Minnesota Dept of Education; Dave Eisenmann, Director of Technology, Minnehaha Academy; Salma Hussein, Principal, Gideon Pond Elementary; and Erin Walsh, Co-Founder, Spark and Stitch Institute.

EDTalks is co-presented by Achieve Twin Cities and Graves Ventures, a project of The Graves Foundation, in partnership with The Citizens League. Learn more at www.achievetwincities.org/edtalks or follow us on Twitter at #EDTalksMN​.

This special EDTalk event was live streamed from Icehouse in Minneapolis on March 8th, 2023.

This EDTalks is titled “Teacher-Powered Schools: Sharing Power with Educators, Students and Families” Our featured speaker is Amy Junge. Amy is the director of Teacher Powered School at Education Evolving, a Minnesota-based nonprofit working to improve public education. Amy supports educator teams across the country through teacher-powered governance, collaborative leadership and autonomous school models. A former California elementary and middle school assistant principal and teacher, she began working with teacher-powered schools in 2009.

In her EDTalk, Amy will explore the structures and cultural characteristics of teacher-powered schools, the many benefits of these learning environments for students and communities and the growing movement of 250+ teacher powered schools that are embracing this approach to educating and making change.

This virtual EDTalk was live streamed online on December 5th, 2022.

This EDTalks is titled “Supporting Our Educators in a Post-COVID World” Our featured speaker is Dr. Tim Brown. Dr. Brown is principal at the American Indian Magnet School in Saint Paul. A member of the White Earth Band of Ojibwe, Dr. Brown has spent 26 years working in Twin Cities public schools. He has also served on the board of regents for St. Mary’s University and taught courses at Augsburg University, Hamline University and Minneapolis College. A father of three, Dr. Brown is a musician and an accomplished visual artist who has always been driven to ask good questions.

In his EDTalk, Dr. Brown will share ideas on how to restructure professional development, committee work and student engagement to give teachers more voice and choice, help them feel more greatly valued and go beyond traditional self-care. He argues that if we aren’t intentional about meeting the needs of our teachers, we will continue to see large numbers leaving the profession.

This virtual EDTalk was live streamed online on December 5th, 2022.

EDTalks is a lively series of community conversations about public education and related issues that impact our young people.

Each EDTalks features two compelling, short presentations by cutting-edge educators, youth advocates, students, artists or community leaders.

EDTalks is supported by a generous grant from the Bush Foundation.

This EDTalks is titled “Strategies for Rediscovering Our Common Humanity” Our featured speaker is Dr. Jackie Vertigan. In our increasingly polarized cultural and political environment, where it has arguably become much harder to engage in civilized discussion with those we may oppose, Dr. Jackie Vertigan is holding on to optimism.

In her EDTalk, she will pull from personal experiences, research, and identifiable public trends to explore the contemporary experience of dissent and negative discourse. She will share her approach for looking beyond the statements, opinions, and personalities of those from whom we differ and, instead, find concrete ways to identify commonalities – at very least, our shared humanity. She will also provide reason for optimism and encourage personal action for spreading that optimism.

This virtual EDTalk was live streamed online on October 27th, 2022.

EDTalks is a lively series of community conversations about public education and related issues that impact our young people.

Each EDTalks features two compelling, short presentations by cutting-edge educators, youth advocates, students, artists or community leaders.

EDTalks is supported by a generous grant from the Bush Foundation.

This EDTalks is titled “Joy as Catalyst: Utilizing Healing Centered Practices for Adaptive Change” Our featured speakers include Faiza Bharmal, Jason Bucklin, Nikkia Hines, Matthew Myrold and Jewell Reichenberger. When considering the question "what's next in education?”, the founders of The Collaborative Affect agree that healing is the central through-line. These past years have been full of traumatic moments, and we cannot expect educators and students to "bounce back" by brushing past this collective pain. We heal in many ways, but the most accessible way is through intentional and radical joy.

In their EDTalk, Faiza Bharmal, Jason Bucklin, Nikkia Hines, Matthew Myrold and Jewell Reichenberger will offer an anecdotal exploration of joyful, relationship-centered schools where students, staff, families and community members can see and feel that they belong. This passionate group of educators will help lead the way down the path of learning, vulnerability and healing through radical joy.

This virtual EDTalk was live streamed online on October 27th, 2022.

In 2007, Dr. Jon Peterson began the long and long-awaited journey back to his homeland of Samoa to reconnect with his roots, his homeland, his family and himself. Through this process, he discovered what it means to both love and live leadership, both as an educator and as a human, and developed a theoretical model for Indigenous Leadership that can be applied to work in education and beyond. In his EDTalk, Dr. Peterson will discuss his life’s work, “The Alofa Movement” (the Love Movement) and address the critical importance of honoring our ancestry and our roots as educators and leaders in these challenging times.

Presenters: Kyra, Jamya and Octivious, Young Leaders, St. Paul Youth Services’ YouthPowerMN Leadership Institute

As a young person, if you were handed the mic, what would you say to the adults in your life? In their EDTalks, young leaders Kyra, Jamya and Octivious of the St. Paul Youth Services’ YouthPowerMN Leadership Institute will join us to describe their lived experiences with adults in educational institutions and how those experiences have impacted their wellbeing, safety, and ability to achieve their goals as Black youth. They will also address the barriers to youth providing input in designing education systems and offer tools and insights for adults who are committed to including young people in the creation of youth-centric, equitable education.

EDTalks is presented by Achieve Twin Cities in partnership with the Citizens League, with generous support from the Bush Foundation. Learn more at www.achievetwincities.org/edtalks or follow us on Twitter at #EDTalksMN​.

This virtual EDTalk was live streamed online on April 26, 2022. It was emceed by Amanda Koonjbeharry.

Presenter: Walter Cortina, President and Co-founder, Bridgemakers

By the time Bridgemakers co-founder and president Walter Cortina reached the age of 13, he had experienced poverty, trauma, homelessness, the murder of his best friend, and the deportation of both of his parents. In his EDTalks, Walter will draw on his personal and professional experience to speak to how schools, community leaders and policy-makers must engage with the experiences and leadership of young people when reimagining schools and systems, particularly youth who have faced trauma in their young lives. Walter will also discuss the transformative power of developmental, mentoring relationships, and the importance of centering BIPOC young people in these discussions and giving them a head seat at the table.

EDTalks is presented by Achieve Twin Cities in partnership with the Citizens League, with generous support from the Bush Foundation. Learn more at www.achievetwincities.org/edtalks or follow us on Twitter at #EDTalksMN​.

This virtual EDTalk was live streamed online on April 26, 2022. It was emceed by Amanda Koonjbeharry.

Presenter: Jeannine Erickson, Writer's Room Manager, 826 MSP

Jeannine Erickson from the arts education nonprofit 826 MSP discusses the importance of creating anti-racist and anti-oppressionist “third spaces” to support students in the classroom and other settings, such as the organization’s Writer’s Room at South High School. The creation of “third space” is rooted in abolitionist teaching practices and requires loving accountability, de-stigmatization of mental health, and de-centering of whiteness to truly support youth people in life and education. In her EDTalk, Jeannine shares how third space that is rooted in community-building, Afro-futurist theories and teachings, and decolonizing the lives, minds, and dreamscape of historically marginalized folks, can reshape and provide opportunities for rebirth for all young people, regardless of race or racial identity.

EDTalks is presented by AchieveMpls in partnership with the Citizens League, with generous support from the Bush Foundation. Learn more at www.achievempls.org/edtalks or follow us on Twitter at #EDTalksMN​.

This virtual EDTalk was live streamed online on March 28, 2022. It was emceed by Adia Morris.

Presenter: Hannah Planalp, Program Manager, Foster Advocates

People who have experienced foster care face a unique set of education challenges for both K-12 and postsecondary school. Even though only 41% of Minnesota Fosters are able to graduate from high school, over 80% still want to go to college. For Fosters who are moving out of the child welfare system, postsecondary education is especially critical for their transition to adulthood. In this EDTalk, Hannah Planalp from Foster Advocates shares her personal stories of being a Foster and the mentor who supported her journey to college and a full scholarship. She also introduces Minnesota’s new Fostering Independence Higher Education Grants Program, which covers the full cost of attendance for Fosters at accredited schools. Throughout her talk, she shares data and insights from Foster leaders that broaden the conversation around foster care and education.

EDTalks is presented by AchieveMpls in partnership with the Citizens League, with generous support from the Bush Foundation. Learn more at www.achievempls.org/edtalks or follow us on Twitter at #EDTalksMN​.

This virtual EDTalk was live streamed online on March 28, 2022. It was emceed by Adia Morris.