Bridging the Divide: Connecting Educators and Schools to Latinx Families.
English version
Durham, NC- April 5, 2021. For Immediate Release
Immersion for Spanish Language Acquisition (ISLA) is pleased to host its first Education Conference titled “Bridging the Divide: Connecting Educators and Schools to Latinx Families.” ISLA recognizes the many education inequities that have plagued our Brown, Black, Exceptional Children, and English Language Learner communities in the North Carolina Education System. This conference will be a space to uplift these and other voices that have not been heard or given the same opportunities as their peers for decades.
In the words of Jenice Ramirez, ISLA’s Executive Director: “We want to make sure that this conference is the place to bring parent voices, student voices, expert voices, and educator voices to better learn about the issues and struggles that our families and students face through the educational system. We want this to be the first of many conversations that help build and make systems change.”
This conference emerged from our mission to build community and leadership through educational Spanish language and cultural immersion programs and because we envision an equitable society strengthened by the power, knowledge, and value of Latin American languages and cultures. Latinx/Hispanic voices need to be centered on these issues as leaders continue to make decisions that impact our families and students. With this in mind, the following four sessions will discuss these issues virtually via Zoom:
Session 1. May 3, 4:30-6:30 PM: Understanding Learning Differences and the Latinx/Hispanic Student Experience
Session 2. May 10, 4:30-6:30 PM: Access to Higher Education & Post-Secondary Opportunities for Latinx/Hispanic Students
Session 3. May 17, 4:30-6:30 PM: Cultural Competence: Creating Welcoming and Inclusive Educational Environments for Latinx/Hispanic Students and Families
Session 4. May 24, 4:30-6:30 PM: Understanding the Importance of Culturally Relevant Instruction.
The COVID-19 Pandemic exacerbated many of the inequities that existed before this health crisis. To respond to these challenges, ISLA planned three goals in mind for this conference: (1) Serve as a forum for public discourse about promoting education equity for Hispanic/Latinx students and their families. (2) Elevate Hispanic/Latinx voices to advocate for educational opportunities. (3) Offer education recommendations for non-Hispanic/Latinx stakeholders to make informed decisions about Latinx/Hispanic family involvement during the COVID-19 Pandemic and beyond.
Purchase your tickets here: https://es.laislaschool.org/islaconference