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  • Past Offerings

Culturally Responsive Leadership with Dr. Sharroky Hollie & Dr. Daniel Russell

Who: School/district leader teams 

Where:

Riverside Convention Center
3637 5th St,
Riverside, CA 92501

When: Sept. 27, Oct. 18, Nov. 8 from 9 a.m. – Noon

Day 1: Focus on Culture LITE and Its Instructional Benefits – facilitated by Dr. Hollie

This session defines, concretely, what is cultural responsiveness and why it is necessary in our schools today. It builds knowledge and creates the context for addressing the needs of underserved students in terms of their socio-political and socio-linguistic relativity in the American educational system. This work promotes the focus on effective instructional strategies utilization in a way that validates and affirms underserved students across content areas and grade levels.

Day 2: Culturally Responsive Classroom Management Workshop – facilitated by Dr. Hollie

In order to have a positive classroom management system, teachers have to separate out cultural behaviors from disruptive behaviors. In many cases, the two are confused due to biases, misperceptions, and miscommunications. This workshop works participants through a process of reflecting upon their unconscious biases, learning about cultural behaviors according to research, and practicing management strategies for building on the cultural behaviors.

Day 3: CLR and PBIS Workshop – facilitated by Dr. Russell

Though schools implementing PBIS have demonstrated improvement in creating positive and welcoming school environments, as well as reducing the usage of office disciplinary referrals (ODRs), suspensions, and expulsions, this achievement has not been equitably distributed amongst different ethnic and racial groups. For example, despite the implementation of PBIS with fidelity, Black students are still overrepresented in exclusionary discipline at three times the rate of White students. To mitigate this racial disparity and, most importantly, transform school environments so that they are truly positive and welcoming to ALL students, PBIS must be aligned with CLR. This workshop will examine how PBIS is not inherently CLR but share how it could be made CLR.

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LaCora Stephens

Marketing and Communications

LaCora is a seasoned communications professional with a passion for using multimedia storytelling to empower movements for social justice and equality. For over 13 years, she has honed her skills as a versatile multimedia director, overseeing media operations across diverse organizations, including the NAACP Beverly Hills-Hollywood Branch and The Shirley Chisholm Education Foundation. Her deep understanding of the education and equity landscape fuels her creative vision, allowing her to craft impactful narratives that resonate with audiences.

With strategic communication​ and collaboration, LaCora excels in developing and executing compelling​ multimedia campaigns that not only raise​ awareness of critical issues but also​ inspire action and drive meaningful change. Her proficiency in concept​ development, production execution, and​ team leadership ensures projects are​ delivered with exceptional quality. Furthermore, LaCora fosters strong​ relationships with internal and external​ stakeholders, cultivating partnerships​ that maximize campaign reach and impact.

LaCora's educational foundation began with a Bachelor of Science in Theatre Education from Florida A&M University. She then pursued a master’s degree in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from Alliant University of San Diego. This passion for storytelling, fueled by her background in education, translates to her belief in the power of shared narratives. Her work in this area was recognized through her selection as a Women in Film Mentee and film director for Viola Davis’ sponsored film showcase, Diversity in Cannes. Now, LaCora leverages her love of storytelling and commitment to educational equity in her role leading marketing and communications for Los Angeles Education Partnership, while also serving on the board of the Pasadena African American Film Foundation.

Eric Barela, Ph.D.

Senior Consultant, Raya Cooper Impact Consulting

Dr. Eric Barela has worked as a measurement & evaluation professional for over 2 decades, helping organizations to better understand and act on their social impact. He’s currently a Senior Consultant with Raya Cooper Impact Consulting and previously worked at Salesforce, where he led efforts to measure the social impact of the company’s work with nonprofits and educational institutions across the globe. He began his career working with the Los Angeles Unified School District and with the nonprofit, Partners in School Innovation. Eric previously served on the Board of the American Evaluation Association and currently serves on the Editorial Advisory Board of the American Journal of Evaluation.

Eric grew up in East LA and was educated in the Montebello Unified School District. He holds a Ph.D. in education from UCLA. He loves a good road trip, with his husband serving as trusty navigator.