EDTalksMN

Almost every area of the human brain is required to engage in music-making. Student musicians do better in school, have higher attendance, graduation and test rates, and learn key 21st century workplace skills. It’s time to stop treating music education as optional and understand its critical importance in every child’s development, especially those from historically under-resourced communities. Musician, evaluator and educator Sara Zara Zanussi presents research on how integrating music from the beginning of every child’s development can actually rewire neurological pathways, increase student engagement and performance, and help close our education opportunity gaps.

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 February 23, 2022. It was emceed by Amanda Koonjbeharry.

Presenter: Laichia Vang, High School Student and Activist, Roseville Area High School

Our cultural identity is strongly intertwined with our native language. So what happens when that language gets lost or diminished? High school activist Laichia Vang (she/they) is a native Hmong speaker who experienced the erasure of her native Hmong language while participating in English Language Learners (ELL) classes. In her talk, she explores this common experience that is shared by many students of color and others for whom English is not their first language. They also identify ways that our education systems must support and advocate for multilingual students and families by understanding what is at stake when language is lost.

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 February 23, 2022. It was emceed by Amanda Koonjbeharry.

This EDTalks is titled “PSEO As a Bridge from High School to College” Our featured speaker is Maria Wright. Maria is director of dual enrollment at St. Cloud State University.

Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) – also known as dual enrollment – provides an affordable way for high school students to experience college and earn college credit by completing courses at eligible postsecondary institutions. PSEO has grown rapidly in Minnesota over the past twenty years, but there are wide gaps in participation between white students and students of color, English language learners and low-income students.

A former PSEO participant at South High School, she’s passionate about increasing postsecondary education access for students of color, students from lower socioeconomic status and first-generation college students. Maria has also worked as assistant registrar at Troy University in Alabama and in various roles at the University of Minnesota’s College in the Schools concurrent enrollment program. She earned her MBA at Augsburg University and is currently completing a doctoral program in higher education at St. Cloud State University. Maria will draw on her experience as a PSEO participant and higher education leader to discuss the great benefits of PSEO and how it can help close education equity gaps by providing a bridge between high school and postsecondary education. As an advocate for young scholars, she argues that we must challenge current paradigms around PSEO, particularly the way it is funded.

This virtual EDTalk was live streamed online on January 20th, 2022.

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 EDTalks is titled “How PSEO is a Game-Changer for High School Students” Our featured speakers are Asiya Browne and Zeke Jackson. Asiya Browne is a sophomore at the University of Minnesota, where she’s studying sociology of law, criminology and deviance, and Asian and Middle Eastern studies with a focus in Arabic. She serves on the board of People for PSEO, where she works to connect more students to PSEO through outreach and policy work.

Zeke Jackson is a junior at the University of Minnesota, majoring in finance and political science. He serves as executive director of People for PSEO, working hard to inform families about PSEO, lower barriers to PSEO enrollment, advocate for strong PSEO policies and build a statewide PSEO community.

As high school students, Asiya and Zeke participated in PSEO, taking college classes and earning credit at no cost. Now both are University of Minnesota students and leaders in People for PSEO, a nonprofit that works to increase visibility about the many benefits of PSEO and increase participation, particularly by students of color. Asiya and Zeke believe that PSEO is a powerful tool that can help break cycles of poverty, close education disparity gaps and reduce student debt. They will share their personal experiences of PSEO, how the program helped them find their voice and become more confident advocates, and the importance of lowering barriers to access PSEO and ensure that students succeed while they are in the program.

This virtual EDTalk was live streamed online on January 20th, 2022.

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​.

Presenter: Amal Karim, Impact Officer, The Constellation Fund | December 8, 2021

Philanthropy and education is a complicated mix that has a tremendous impact on education equity and access. More than a quarter of charitable giving by wealthy donors goes to education causes, from childhood to postsecondary, and education is very popular among all donors. As a Constellation Fund impact officer, Amal Karim sees first-hand the interesting dynamics between philanthropy and education and the effects on communities. In her talk, she provides a brief overview of philanthropic giving in education and explore current conversations surrounding education funding, race and equity.

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 event was emceed by Adia Morris.

Presenter: Sara Spafford Freeman, Consultant, SFF Strategies and community organizer | December 8, 2021

Sara Spafford Freeman is a community organizer, parent and author of "Apartheid in Minneapolis: Racial Disparities in Five Local Systems." Sara has extensively studied PTAs and parent fundraising within Minneapolis Public Schools and argues that current systems perpetuate vast racial disparities. In this talk, she shared insight and data on how antiquated state funding models, school choice and segregation have resulted in stark inequities within districts like MPS, and the myriad ways parent fundraising contributes to widening these gaps.

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 event was emceed by Adia Morris.

These four young speakers from the Youth Leadership Initiative (YLI) believe in a youth-centered world where young people are excited to learn, be themselves and transform their communities. They will share how creating a youth-centered space through an equity lens requires three things: first, a shift in framework from youth as recipients of services to youth as partners; second, a dismantling of the hierarchical power structures that exist between youth and those in power; and third, a commitment to constant redefining and improvement. By reimagining the ways that we adults think about and work with youth, we can create more equitable spaces where young people can grow their self-confidence, better understand their peers and the world around them, and feel more empowered to effectively change their communities.

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.

Mikisha Nation carries a deep cultural understanding of the wisdom of youth voice that's influenced both by her personal experience of migrating from Jamaica to the U.S. as well as her role in leading youth development programs for low-income students, BIPOC and Indigenous students, and students from immigrant, multilingual and first-generation backgrounds. Elevating these diverse voices is often not prioritized in American culture: adults make decisions about the lives of young people all the time without their input and with far-reaching implications. Mikisha will explore five essential leadership lessons she’s gained from listening to young people and will also discuss how youth can have a powerful impact on adult leadership as they work to change power dynamics in education. She’ll draw from her personal experiences as a young immigrant, as a mother of young children who is navigating K-12 and postsecondary education systems, and as a dedicated professional working in the field of youth development for 20+ years.

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.

Presenter: Ini Augustine, Founder, Project Nandi | May 4, 2021.

Technology was designed by and for white people to the detriment of BIPOC people and experiences in all areas of life. Ini Augustine will discuss white supremacy in the technology field and how it impacts education, particularly for children of color. She’ll share her lived experiences as a Black woman in hostile educational and workplace environments, and her work as founder of Project Nandi, which is restoring educational access to children of color during the COVID-19 pandemic. She will also map the ways that the digital divide harms children of color by criminalizing them, keeping them in poverty, and excluding them from education – traumas that all carry into adulthood.

EDTalks is co-sponsored by AchieveMpls and The Citizens League, with generous support from the Bush Foundation. Video editing by Jeff Achen at http://www.callsign51.com​. Learn more at www.achievempls.org/edtalks or follow us on Twitter at #EDTalksMN​.

This event was emceed by Adia Morris.

Presenter: Chastity Lord, President & CEO, Jeremiah Program | May 4, 2021.

Generational poverty is perpetuated by an ecosystem of unjust policies and correlating structures that disproportionately impact communities of color. Chastity Lord will share her insights on the connections between generational poverty and systemic racism, and how communities that experience poverty have far less access to quality education and other basic services. She will also demonstrate how education can disrupt the cycle of generational poverty through a focus on career-track college education, high-quality early childhood education, empowerment and life skills training, and supportive communities.

EDTalks is co-sponsored by AchieveMpls and 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 event was emceed by Adia Morris.