Racial Social Justice Summit 2025
Join us for the 2025 MSEA Racial Social Justice Summit.
This year’s theme, United for Justice: Building Community, Power and Change, highlights how real change happens when we come together. By uniting our struggles and standing in solidary, we build collective power and drive action for justice in our schools and communities.
The summit will be a day of powerful conversations and interactive sessions designed to equip educators and community leaders with the tools to drive meaningful change. Expect sessions that center on building belonging, fostering collective action, and the shared struggles that unite us.
This conference is for MSEA members only. If you are not yet a member and wish to become one, please complete the MSEA membership application form at this link. Sign it, follow form instructions, and forward a copy to [email protected] with subject line RSJS.
Cost of Attendance: $15
Registration Deadline: Tuesday, April 8, 2025
Questions: [email protected]
Workshop Descriptions
Workshop Session I
10:55 a.m. – 11:55 a.m.
The Power is Yours!: Harness the Power Within Your Learning Community
In this interactive workshop, participants will learn to identify and activate the hidden strengths within their learning communities to drive meaningful change. We will use a collaborative framework to develop a ‘power plan’—a strategic action plan that outlines specific steps for community engagement, advocacy, and leadership, with a focus on dismantling racial inequities. Participants will engage in activities and will leave with a personalized ‘power plan’ that can be used to facilitate dialogue, organize community events, and advocate for equitable policies.
Presenter(s): Edwin Perez, Spanish Teacher, Perry Hall High School, Baltimore County
Confronting Anti-Black Racism
“Confronting Anti-Black Racism” will focus on approaches to combat and disrupt racial discrimination within the African American Community. Participants will be specifically trained to address biased comments and anti-blackness in various environments including schools and non-school based settings.
Presenter: Robert Barnes, Rocky Hill Middle School (Montgomery County Public Schools)
Building a Community of Solidarity through an Attitude of Gratitude
It is a proven fact that people want to be in an environment where they feel appreciated. It is also true that gratitude can positively affect one’s health. Join us to learn how gratitude can improve our health and the health of those around us by building an attitude of gratitude into your community to build a stronger bond among members in your organization. We will also discuss some community building gratitude strategies in order to strengthen relationships amongst team members and form closer connections. This will also create a sense of belonging within the group and inspire others to want to be a part of something bigger than themselves.
Presenter: Jodi Favazza, Teacher, Prince George’s County Educators’ Association
Invisible Chains: The Criminalization of Black Girls and the School-to-Prison Pipeline
Black girls are often overlooked in discussions about the school-to-prison pipeline, despite facing unique and disproportionate disciplinary actions that funnel them into the criminal justice system. This session will explore how stereotypes, racial biases, and zero-tolerance policies contribute to the criminalization of Black girls in educational settings. Participants will examine the historical and social contexts that shape these experiences, including the intersections of race and gender status.
Presenter(s): Aaron Dorsey, NEA Human and Civil Rights & Robin McLean, NEA Human and Civil Rights
DEI + Unions: Labor’s Complicated Connection to Movements for Racial + Social Justice, Then and Now
Session participants will learn about the highs and lows of the American labor movement’s history with liberation movements, understand the importance of building a diverse union at this moment in history, and be able to identify what barriers and challenges exist to harnessing the full power and potential of their locals. Through the application of a helpful framework for assessing where their locals are on the path to being a more equitable and just union, they will be able to identify where they can break through some of those barriers to progress. Attendees will also be able to articulate why DEI work is even more important in the current political climate and develop a strategy for advocating for and advancing this work in the face of threat. By looking at the history of organized labor’s response to the emergence of new movements that address racial, social, and economic inequality, we stand to learn a great deal about what to do and what not to do today.
Presenter: Tamara Robinson, MSEA Managing Director/ Center for Organizing and Advocacy
Workshop Session II
1:25 p.m. – 2:25 p.m.
Read Them Before They Ban Them: The Power of Picture Books in Creating Inclusive Classrooms
In an era where diverse voices in literature are increasingly challenged, educators play a crucial role in ensuring all students feel seen, valued, and represented in the classroom. This session will explore the power of culturally rich picture books in fostering a sense of belonging and promoting racial and social justice through literacy. Attendees will engage with books that reflect a variety of backgrounds, lifestyles, and perspectives, providing students with mirrors to see themselves and windows to understand others. The session will provide educators with practical strategies for incorporating these books into their curriculum, navigating book bans and challenges, and using literature to spark meaningful conversations about identity, equity, and justice. Participants will leave with a curated list of books and lesson templates to implement immediately in their classrooms.
Presenter: Senetria Blocker, Coordinator of the Prince George’s County Public Schools National Board Certified Teacher Program
Empower Your Engagement — Sneak Peak to MSEA’s MLT and WLT
Have you ever wanted to get a little more involved with MSEA and advocate for the professional educators of Maryland? Are you looking to expand your leadership expertise? Or, would you like to step out of your Quiet Zone and stand with leaders across the state and country on behalf of education professionals?
Presenter: La Stelshia Speaks, MTSS Resource Support Educator, Baltimore County Schools
Navigating the Landscape of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in U.S. Public Schools: Challenges and Opportunities
In an increasingly diverse society, public schools play a crucial role in fostering inclusive environments that celebrate differences and ensure equitable opportunities for all students. This session explores the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) in U.S. public schools, highlighting how culturally responsive education benefits student engagement, academic achievement, and social development. However, the path to inclusivity is not without obstacles. Across the country, DEI initiatives have faced growing backlash, with debates over curriculum content, book bans, and legislative restrictions intensifying. These challenges raise critical questions about how schools can balance diverse perspectives while maintaining commitments to equity and justice.
Presenter(s): Aaron Dorsey, NEA Human and Civil Rights & Donald Washington, NEA Human and Civil Rights
Mutual Aid, Political & Community Organizing
We can’t have education justice without engaging with our community, and we can’t only engage with our community when we’re asking for their help. This training will review the longer-term planning and strategies to help the people (and members!) in your community who need it. Schools are microcosms of our society, and we change the world by changing both the power structures within them and communities that compose them. Come learn to be the change we all want to see in the world.
Presenter: Kayla Moore, MSEA Organizer, Political and Legislative Affairs
Undocu-Ally Training
We are still working on gathering the information for this session. Come back to this page later to learn more about this great workshop.