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  • Past Offerings

Finding an Equity Focus with ForgedEd

Who: School/district leader teams 

When & Where:

      • Sept. 26 from 8:30 a.m.-1:30 p.m. in person
        • West End Educational Service Center 
          8265 Aspen St. 
          Rancho Cucamonga, CA 91730 

      • Virtual Oct. 3 from 3-5 p.m. 

      • Virtual Oct. 12 from 3-5 p.m.

      • Oct. 26 from 8:30-11:30 a.m. in person

        • San Bernardino County Superintendent of Schools
          601 North E Street 
          San Bernardino, CA 92415 

    What: Want more time to clarify or identify your equity focus with your team?  This professional learning is for you!  Identify a specific equity issue, as a team, that we will continue working with throughout this learning journey by exploring our identities, deeply listening to students on the margins, and analyzing the characteristics of white supremacy culture. 

    In person during session 1, you will: 

        • Feel connected to each other and to a shared purpose by sharing our stories. 

        • Critically analyze White Supremacy Culture’s effects on our internal state of being, and how this affects our work with each other and our youth. 

        • Learn and use a shared language to understand systemic oppression, specifically racism, through relevant examples. 

      Virtually in session 2, you will: 

          • Complete and share an Epistemology map that will help us explore our own experiences with identity, mastery, belonging, and efficacy. 

          • Learn the differences between Satellite Data, Map Data, and Street Data and reflect on how data drives decisions we make as leaders.  

          • Plan for ways to collect a variety of street data between now and our next session 

        Virtually in session 3, you will: 

            • Share our street data with one another, analyzing what students shared, and reflecting on what we heard and did not hear. 

            • Learn about and analyze the Agency Framework in Street Data. 

            • Learn about, participate in, and prepare for empathy interviews with our students on the margins. 

          Back in person for session 4, you will: 

              • Examine what we have learned by listening to our students through empathy interviews. 

              • Name and commit to exploring a specific equity issue for our team throughout our LAEP learning journey.  

              • Reflect on our team learning, our experiences, and how we can utilize our learnings in an ongoing way. 

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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.