Listening to Love: Center for Racial Justice Teach-in Event Inspires Area High School Youth

Attendees of the event pose for a photo with Bettina Love (far right).

Students and educators from local high schools and youth organizations came together May 3 in the College of Education's Furcolo Hall and outdoors on the college campus for an inspiration-filled day with workshops, activities, discussion and music, as the Center of Racial Justice (CRJ) and Youth Engaged Research hosted the third annual Youth Board Teach-in, featuring New York Times bestselling author and public speaker Bettina Love.<_o3a_p>

The CRJ was founded in 2020 originally as an initiative by Jamila Lyiscott, assistant professor of social justice education, and Keisha Green, assistant professor of teacher education and school improvement in the College of Education, to highlight the voices and experiences of BIPOC youth, and to put them at the center of educational transformation, educational research and teacher education.<_o3a_p>

Attendees of the event pose with copies of Bettina Love's book "Punished for Dreaming."

The focus on youth perspectives led to the creation of the Youth Board, which engages in youth-participatory research to help inform and carry out the center's vision for racial equity and educational justice. This year's Youth Board comprised 11 students from area high schools who co-designed and organized the teach-in's events, which was attended included by students from schools including the Springfield Honors Academy, the Springfield Renaissance School, Pioneer Valley Performing Arts and Holyoke High School.<_o3a_p>

Among the many highlights of the day co-organized by the CRJ's Youth Board included the afternoon talk and question-and-answer session by Love, the William F. Russell Professor at Teachers College, Columbia University, and author of the books "Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal" and "We Want to Do More Than Survive."<_o3a_p>

In 2022, The Kennedy Center named Love as "One of the Next 50 Leaders" who are making the world more inspired, inclusive and compassionate. Love is also a co-founder of the Abolitionist Teaching Network. <_o3a_p>

Workshops included, "Freedom Dreaming," "Discussing and Understanding Current Events," "Identity Collaging," "Racial Justice Playlist," "Intro to Ethnic Studies" and "Wellness and Selfcare as Revolutionary Acts," and activities included a nature walk with talking/connecting time and games.<_o3a_p>

More information about the CRJ can be found at https://www.umass.edu/education/organizations/center-racial-justice.<_o3a_p>

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