Recap: MSEA’s Racial Social Justice Summit
The theme of this year’s Racial Social Justice Summit, From Unity to Action: Building a Future Rooted in Equity and Belonging, reminds us that unity is more than shared values—it’s about shared responsibility. Equity and belonging require an intentional commitment in our decisions, our practices, and the experiences we create for students, families, and one another across our schools and communities.
The summit, held on May 16, was a full day of powerful conversations and interactive sessions focused on driving meaningful change. Session topics included mutual aid, equitable pay for support staff, using literature to bridge differences, understanding structural racism in schools, and building inclusive union structures. Workshops were presented by experienced MSEA members.
New York City-based sociologist, educator, and author José Luis Vilson was the keynote speaker at the summit. He is the executive director and co-founder of EduColor, an organization dedicated to building and supporting communities of educators of color. He works as a postdoctoral research associate at Bank Street College of Education and is an adjunct associate professor at Teachers College, Columbia University.
One member noted that they are most eager to take back to their schools “partnering with local agencies about literacy initiatives that include culturally responsive and diverse texts and topics to get literature in students’ hands.” Another mentioned “searching for mutual aid opportunities for our families and school.”