brightbeam

Demanding a brighter future for every child.

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Leading Education Organizations Demand Education Secretary Miguel Cardona and the Biden Administration Prioritize Teacher Diversity

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JOINT LETTER FROM 50+ MAJOR EDUCATION ORGANIZATIONS AND 1,600+ INDIVIDUAL EDUCATORS AND ADVOCATES OUTLINES ACTIONABLE STEPS FOR SECRETARY OF EDUCATION MIGUEL CARDONA TO IMPROVE TEACHER DIVERSITY.

Philadelphia, PA and Rochester, MI  – Today, brightbeam, a nonprofit network of education activists and the Center for Black Educator Development, an organization dedicated to ensuring equity in the recruiting, training, hiring, and retention of Black educators, delivered a joint letter to Education Secretary Miguel Cardona, urging him and the Biden administration to prioritize teacher diversity.

The joint letter was delivered in partnership with over 50 leading education organizations and was signed by over 1,600 individuals on brightbeam’s Voice to Action platform. The letter is still collecting signatures and support at voicetoaction.org/BidenTeacherDiversity.

The letter acknowledges that even as Dr. Cardona and President Biden have named teacher diversity as a goal for the administration, action must be taken now to ensure states, districts and schools adopt effective policy as they rapidly hire new educators and staff in the scramble to reopen schools fully and meet academic benchmarks from the pandemic. The letter includes many practical and comprehensive policy recommendations that the Biden administration can implement to support these efforts at the local, state and national level.

Sharif El-Mekki, founder and CEO of the Center for Black Educator Development and principal ambassador for the U.S. Department of Education under the Obama administration:

Alice Walker once said that the most important question in the world is, “Why are the children crying?” Many Black and Brown children are crying because they can go through 13 years of school without seeing a single teacher that shares their cultural background, their shared sense of urgency and history. Setting teacher diversity as an immediate policy priority — especially as districts around the country are flooded with federal dollars to accelerate learning after the pandemic — will facilitate the positive transformation of the classroom that our students of color deserve.

Chris Stewart, brightbeam CEO, on the need to uplift the work of the Center for Black Educator Development and all of the activists calling for a more diverse teaching profession:

Teacher diversity is not a nice-to-have, it’s critical to improving education for all. Now is the time to make urgent, but informed policy to ensure that every single child is able to grow to their full potential in a classroom where they are culturally affirmed and are able to see professionals at the front of the classroom who look like them. Dr. Cardona and the Biden administration need look no further than educator experts like Sharif El-Mekki and the work of the Center for Black Educator Development for examples on how to make this a priority.

The version of the letter sent to the Department of Education also includes statements from the leadership of 26 organizations committed to building a diverse teacher pipeline, including Jonah Edelman of Stand for Children, Elisa Villanueva-Beard of Teach For America, Richard Barth of KIPP, and Kate Walsh of the National Council on Teacher Quality. Other organizations adding statements include Latinos for Education, National Center for Teacher Residencies, New Teacher Center, and Relay Graduate School of Education. 

About brightbeam

Brightbeam is a nonprofit network of education activists demanding a better education and a brighter future for every child. Using the power of communications, we shine a light on communities that challenge decision-makers to provide the learning opportunities all children need to thrive. We help strong voices tell powerful stories that unite and move their communities to action. Brightbeam amplifies these stories through a variety of digital platforms, including Education Post, Citizen Ed, Project Forever Free, and more than 20 local and regional sites that spotlight education issues nationally. We also sponsor on-the-ground initiatives, projects or organizations that align with our mission. To learn more, visit brightbeamnetwork.org.

About the Center for Black Educator DevelopmentLaunched in June 2019, the Center for Black Educator Development is revolutionizing education by dramatically increasing the number of Black educators so that low-income Black and other disenfranchised students can reap the full benefits of a quality public education.  The Center exists to ensure there will be equity in the recruiting, training, hiring, and retention of quality educators that reflect the cultural backgrounds and share common socio-political interests of the students they serve. To learn more and get involved in their efforts, visit thecenterblacked.org.

Brightbeam Welcomes Nancy Gutierrez To Our Board of Directors

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Brightbeam, a nonprofit network of child justice activists and umbrella organization for the platform known as Education Post, publically welcomes Nancy Gutierrez as a member of its board of directors. 

A true leader of leaders, Gutierrez serves as the president and CEO of the Leadership Academy, a nationally recognized nonprofit dedicated to building the capacity of education leaders from local school districts and state education departments to education organizations across the country and internationally. In February 2020, she was named among the 100 most powerful leaders in education in New York by “City & State New York.”

Gutierrez started out as a teacher in her hometown of East San Jose, California. She later became the founding principal of Renaissance Academy, the highest performing middle school in the district, and a California Distinguished School. She successfully turned around the district’s lowest performing middle school and was named the UC Davis Rising Star, among other distinctions. 

She graduated from the inaugural cohort of the Harvard Graduate School of Education’s Doctor of Education Leadership (Ed.L.D.) program and from the Association of Latino Administrators and Superintendents (ALAS) Aspiring Superintendents Academy. Gutierrez has served on the national board of the Coalition of Essential Schools for more than a decade, is an instructor at New York University and frequently teaches at the Harvard Principals’ Center institutes for School Turnaround Leaders, as well as Urban School Leaders and Race, Equity, Access and Leadership. Gutierrez is a member of the Education Leaders of Color (EdLoC) Board of Directors and serves on the Latinos for Education teaching team.

“Brightbeam is unbelievably fortunate to have Nancy Gutierrez sitting on our board of directors,” brightbeam CEO Chris Stewart said. “Her talent and experience as a leader and as an educator will deepen our capacity to win campaigns on behalf of children. She understands exactly what it takes to successfully run an organization like ours and we are so excited to have her as a steady and reliable resource as we work to make a difference for kids.”

Gutierrez was officially voted in as a board member during brightbeam’s March 2021 board meeting.

About brightbeam

Brightbeam is a nonprofit network of education activists demanding a better education and a brighter future for every child. Using the power of communications, we shine a light on communities that challenge decision-makers to provide the learning opportunities all children need to thrive. We help strong voices tell powerful stories that unite and move their communities to action. Brightbeam amplifies these stories through a variety of digital platforms, including Education Post, Citizen Ed, Project Forever Free and more than 20 local and regional sites that spotlight education issues nationally. We also sponsor on-the-ground initiatives, projects or organizations that align with our mission. To learn more, visit brightbeamnetwork.org.

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Brightbeam Welcomes Suneet Bedi as Director of Development Strategy

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Today, brightbeam, a nonprofit network of education activists and umbrella organization for the platform known as Education Post, officially welcomes Suneet Bedi as its Director of Development Strategy.

Fueled by her experiences as an elementary classroom educator, Suneet has dedicated her career to eliminating educational inequity at a systemic level. Previously, she has worked at The Education Trust-Midwest advocating for state accountability and equitable policies to better serve Michigan’s students. Prior to joining brightbeam, Suneet led all corporate and foundation partnerships for Teach For America Massachusetts. She is a graduate of The Ohio State University and holds a master’s degree in education from George Mason University.

In her role as Director of Development Strategy, she will lead our efforts to ensure brightbeam’s sustainability and identify opportunities to grow brightbeam’s footprint.  

“We are delighted to have Suneet join our team as Director of Development Strategy. Her demonstrated dedication to working on behalf of students and families is laudable and her experience across the education landscape will take our advocacy and sustainability efforts to an exciting new place,” said brightbeam CEO Chris Stewart.

About brightbeam

Brightbeam is a nonprofit network of education activists demanding a better education and a brighter future for every child. Using the power of communications, we shine a light on communities that challenge decision-makers to provide the learning opportunities all children need to thrive. We help strong voices tell powerful stories that unite and move their communities to action. Brightbeam amplifies these stories through a variety of digital platforms, including Education Post, Citizen Ed, Project Forever Free and more than 20 local and regional sites that spotlight education issues nationally. We also sponsor on-the-ground initiatives, projects or organizations that align with our mission. To learn more, visit brightbeamnetwork.org.

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Brightbeam Welcomes Nishita John as Activism Associate

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Today, brightbeam, a nonprofit network of education activists and umbrella organization for the platform known as Education Post, officially welcomes Nishita John as its Activism Associate. 

Nish is a first-generation South Asian immigrant who grew up in the Midwest. During her undergraduate education at the University of Iowa, she interned at the Center for Human Rights and organized around refugee and immigrant rights on campus. She is passionate about racial justice and building power in communities of color. She has been working in reproductive justice at NAPAWF for the past three years as the Finance & Operations Associate. Prior to that, she worked at the Mount Ararat Community Center overseeing development and communications work. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling and attempting to make Indian food that tastes as good as her mom’s and aunties’. 

In her role as Activism Associate, she will support in the efforts to take brightbeam’s activism work to cities across the country, demanding a better education and brighter future for all children.  

“We are immensely grateful to have Nish join our team. Her dedication to working on behalf of those whose voices are often silenced in this country is admirable and will bring increased focus and determination to our team,” said brightbeam CEO Chris Stewart. 

About brightbeam

Brightbeam is a nonprofit network of education activists demanding a better education and a brighter future for every child. Using the power of communications, we shine a light on communities that challenge decision-makers to provide the learning opportunities all children need to thrive. We help strong voices tell powerful stories that unite and move their communities to action. Brightbeam amplifies these stories through a variety of digital platforms, including Education Post, Citizen Ed, Project Forever Free and more than 20 local and regional sites that spotlight education issues nationally. We also sponsor on-the-ground initiatives, projects or organizations that align with our mission. To learn more, visit brightbeamnetwork.org.

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Brightbeam Welcomes Laura Waters as Senior Writer and Editor

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Lawrenceville, NJ – Today, brightbeam, a nonprofit network of education activists and umbrella organization for the platform known as Education Post, officially welcomes Laura Waters as Senior Writer and Editor. Many who’ve been following brightbeam will know Laura, who has worked closely with our team since 2015, editing and creating content for her own education platform, NJ Left Behind, and for the website New York School Talk.

Laura has become a go-to person in New Jersey for her education expertise and tireless advocacy for children and families underserved by the current education system. She has built a reputation for being a fearless truth teller, an excellent writer, and a clarion voice for exposing the hypocrisy and educational injustice in New Jersey and beyond.

In her role as senior writer and editor, she will continue her work on behalf of students and families in her home state of New Jersey as she continues to build out creates NJ Left Behind, but she’ll also step into a role where she’ll work behind-the-scenes to improve the quality and impact of content across brightbeam’s digital platforms, highlighting the voices and activism of families, students, and educators.  

“We are so lucky to have Laura on our team. She’s immensely talented and dedicated to this work,” said brightbeam CEO Chris Stewart. “We look forward to seeing her influence grow even greater in the coming months and years as our organization grows right along with it.” 

Prior to joining brightbeam, Laura served as a freelance writer and was president of her local school board for nine years. She’s the mother of four children, including a young man with Fragile X Syndrome who taught her what parent advocacy meant in the most intimate way. 

“I’ve always felt like part of the brightbeam family — I’ve never encountered a team where our values are so aligned. I’m so happy to take on this new role full-time.” said Waters.

You can find more of Laura’s work at NJ Left Behind, Education Post, and New York School Talk.

About brightbeam

Brightbeam is a nonprofit network of education activists demanding a better education and a brighter future for every child. Using the power of communications, we shine a light on communities that challenge decision-makers to provide the learning opportunities all children need to thrive. We help strong voices tell powerful stories that unite and move their communities to action. Brightbeam amplifies these stories through a variety of digital platforms, including Education Post, Citizen Ed, Project Forever Free, and more than 20 local and regional sites that spotlight education issues nationally. We also sponsor on-the-ground initiatives, projects or organizations that align with our mission.

Brightbeam Welcomes Zakiya Sankara-Jabar as National Director of Activism

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CHICAGO, IL – Today, brightbeam, a nonprofit network of education activists and umbrella organization for the platform known as Education Post, named Zakiya Sankara-Jabar as national director of activism. Sankara-Jabar will grow and lead brightbeam’s grassroots activism efforts on a local and national scale. She will oversee the development of place-based action campaigns designed to help families and communities put pressure on local decision makers, in an effort to hold them accountable for improving the educational outcomes of all children in their care.

“We are thrilled to welcome Zakiya into our growing network of activists who are unapologetic in their demand for a better education and a brighter future for every child,” said brightbeam CEO Chris Stewart. “With more than a decade of experience uniting and moving communities to action, Zakiya has the strategic vision and creativity to lead the kind of movement that forces the political class to improve the educational opportunities available to the children living at the margins of their cities.”

Prior to joining brightbeam, Sankara-Jabar served as national field organizer at Dignity in Schools Campaign where she cemented herself as a leading expert in parent organizing and advocacy. She also co-founded Racial Justice NOW!, an organization dedicated to dismantling the structural and institutional racism facing black families and students. 

“I am delighted to join the brightbeam team to support the growth and leadership of parents, families and communities in holding institutions accountable to educating all children equitably,” said Sankara-Jabar.

Sankara-Jabar’s first exposure to organizing, advocacy, and policy work came organically as a parent pushing back on harmful school discipline policies that disproportionately impact black students and their families. Since then she has worked to support communities around the country, sharing tools, strategies, and skills for parents and families to exercise their power and influence. Over the years her organizing and advocacy acumen has led to significant policy changes at the local and state level.

As national director of activism, Sankara-Jabar will be immediately tasked with growing brightbeam’s network of activists around the country, leveraging data and analytics, creative thinking, and messaging to launch campaigns that motivate local communities to take action. She will then lead the development of scalable strategies aimed at helping activists hone their personal brand and communications to impact the education issues most important to them and the children in their local communities. 

Zakiya’s work has been featured on Democracy NOW, Wyatt Cenac’s Problem Areas by HBO and TruTV’s Adam Ruins Everything. Zakiya is a preeminent thought leader in racial and educational justice and has received numerous awards.

About brightbeam

Brightbeam is a nonprofit network of education activists demanding a better education and a brighter future for every child. Using the power of communications, we shine a light on communities that challenge decision-makers to provide the learning opportunities all children need to thrive. We help strong voices tell powerful stories that unite and move their communities to action. Brightbeam amplifies these stories through a variety of digital platforms, including Education Post, Citizen Ed, Project Forever Free, and more than 20 local and regional sites that spotlight education issues nationally. We also sponsor on-the-ground initiatives, projects or organizations that align with our mission. To learn more, visit brightbeamnetwork.org.