What does it look like for teachers to create inclusive and supportive spaces for the LGBTQ students and teachers in our communities? Join 3Ps co-hosts Donnie and Angelia in this week’s episode to hear from Nat Duran, the youth project manager for the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance.

Donnie and Angelia first talk with Duran about the work of the Illinois Safe Schools Alliance and Duran’s recent work with the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, & Medicine. 

Duran shares both about the importance of teachers supporting LGBTQ students and what creating safe environments for LGBTQ students looks like. First and foremost, Duran encourages teachers to listen to the students themselves. As Duran notes, students are the experts in their lived experience. Duran also mentions particular tips and strategies for how to review how welcoming and inclusive your classroom is for students of all identities.

Here are the linked resources Duran mentions in this episode:

• Learning for Justice (previously Teaching Tolerance): learningforjustice.org
• Welcoming Schools, a program from the Human Rights Campaign Foundation: welcomingschools.org
• GLSEN: glsen.org
• Illinois Safe Schools’ Curriculum Resources:  https://www.ilsafeschools.org/inclusive-curriculum-resources
• Illinois Safe Schools’ Legacy Project: icl.legacyprojectchicago.org

Learn more about the Arizona K12 Center at azk12.org.