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This year’s theme is Resistance and Resilience: La Lucha Sigue. Join us for three half days of insights and networking with California’s champions of equity, ethnicity studies, and PK-12 education.  At CLSBA’s  Annual Unity  Conference, we’ll bring together school board members from across the state for candid discussions about what  education leaders and elected officials are doing to remain resilient and thrive in this challenging environment.

DAY 1 – RESILIENCE

OPENING REMARKS

 

 

FIRESIDE CHAT WITH EDWARD JAMES OLMOS

Edward James Olmos has achieved extraordinary success as an actor, producer and humanitarian. His career in entertainment spans over 50 years of working in the business. In that time, he created a signature style and aesthetic that he applies to every artist endeavor, often grounding his characters in reality and gravitas. His dedication to his craft has brought him attention across the industry, and with audiences worldwide. In 1988, the actor was nominated for an Academy Award® and won the Golden Globe for his portrayal of Jaime Escalante in Stand and Deliver.  He directed and starred in his first motion picture, American Me, in 1992.

 

 

PANEL DISCUSSION

Building Resilient Leaders and Students

Veteran and newly elected school board members will share strategies and approaches to empower  all school leaders to advance equity for BIPOC and Latino/a/x students in partnership with  their districts, families and governance teams. 

Moderator  - Martha Martinez, Co-Executive Director, CALSA

  • Jorge Pacheco Jr, Vice President, Oak Grove School District 
  • Haydee Rodriguez, SBE Member,  CA State Board of Education 
  • Jose Lara, Assistant Principal, Anaheim Union High School District
  • Gwendolyn Rodgers, President, San Bernardino City Unified School District

DAY 2 – RESISTANCE

OPENING REMARKS 

 

 

KEYNOTE SESSION 

 Improving Education for At-Promise Students through an Equity and Justice Framework

VICTOR RIOS 

How can policy makers, administrators, and educators implement policies and practices for students related to Justice, Equity, Anti-Racism, and Inclusion?  Dr. Rios provides policy makers, administrators, and educators practical strategies for being reflexive about anti-racism and for having courageous conversations with colleagues and constituents.  Research on students who overcome adversity to successfully navigate the higher education pipeline has demonstrated that resilience and prosperity are often actuated by an emotionally-relevant, anti-racist educator.  Dr. Rios will discuss how educators can play a powerful role in guiding students that have been left behind.  He will provide examples of practical strategies that work in helping these at-promise students succeed in education.  Dr. Rios presents insights from his research on cultural responsiveness, emotional support, anti-racism and resilience. This talk provides the audience with an overall picture of the importance of emotional support in the lives of marginalized students and demonstrates practical strategies for implementing this support in everyday school practices.

 

 

PANEL DISCUSSION

Achieving Educational Justice: Approaches and Solutions

Are you interested in a deeper understanding of issues affecting BIPOC and Latinx students? If you answered yes, then we hope you'll join us for an in-depth conversation with experts, district leaders, and teachers to build your knowledge  about these issues so your district stakeholders feel respected, engaged, and welcomed. Topics addressed include distance learning, teacher diversity, and equitable budget. 

Moderator  - Dr. Irene Sanchez, Educator, Poet, Writer, & Public Scholar 

Panelists: 

  • Mary Hernández, Equity Partner and Founder, Garcia Hernández Sawhney, LLP
  • Dr. Miguel Zavala, Associate Professor and Director, Urban Learning Program, Cal State LA
  • Ivan Chaidez, President, CALSA 
  • José Magaña, Board Member, San Jose Unified School District 

DAY 3 – LA LUCHA SIGUE

OPENING REMARKS 

 

 

KEYNOTE SESSION 

UPLIFTING COMMUNITIES THROUGH CIVIC ENGAGEMENT 

ASSEMBLYMEMBER DR. SHIRLEY WEBER 

 

 

PANEL DISCUSSION

California’s Commitment to Equity

How can school board members create equity driven solutions with cross-governmental collaboration? Join us for a dialogue as we tackle questions on how school board leaders can collaborate with city, county, and state officials to create new realities for all of our constituents.

 

Moderator  - Ash Kalra, Assembly Member, CA District 27 

Panelists: 

  • Xilonin Cruz-Gonzalez, President, CSBA
  • Luis Alejo, Supervisor, District 1, Monterey County
  • Dr. Mary Ann Dewan, Superintendent of Schools, Santa Clara County Office of Education 
  • Rob Bonta, Assembly Member, CA District 18 

Unity Conference 2020 is made possible by a grant from

Sustaining Sponsors

SUPPORTING Sponsors

Garcia Hernandez Sawhney, LLP

Contributing Sponsors

Lozano SmithSports for Learning Acosta Educations Partnership twigScience