EdEquity Collective

At KNEA, our core values help guide our work. Two of those core values are equitable opportunity and a just society. We believe all students have the human and civil right to a quality public education that develops their potential, independence and character. We also believe education is vital to building respect for the worth, dignity and belonging of every individual in our diverse and multicultural society.

Discrimination against anyone, including those who are LGBTQ+, violates our values. Educators, parents, students and communities are uniting across race, genders and place to demand safe and affirming schools where all students can learn, grow and thrive.

Join us in celebrating Pride Month during the month of June to celebrate the culture, achievements and resilience of the LGBTQ+ community. It serves as a celebration of equality and a continuation of taking action for marginalized people.

Pride Month also honors the 1969 Stonewall Riots in Manhattan, a pivotal turning point for the modern gay rights movement. On June 28, 1969, police raided the Stonewall Inn, a gay bar in Greenwich Village, Manhattan. Patrons and locals didn’t quietly disperse. Instead, the protested, sparking a multi-day uprising against harassment.

The first Prade pride took place on June 28, 1970, one year after the Stonewall Riots. It went from Greenwich Village to Central Park.

Check out these resources and tools:
NEA EdJustice - LGBTQ+ Support and Education: https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/racial-social-justice/tools-justice/lgbtq-support-protection
NEA Action Center - LGBTQ+ Rights: https://www.nea.org/advocating-for-change/racial-social-justice/tools-justice/lgbtq-support-protection

Join educators from across Kansas to gain tools and knowledge for safer, more supportive classrooms and healthier working environments. Register today for the KNEA Educator Safety and Rights Summer Summit. You have two options - July 20-21 in Topeka or July 27-28 in McPherson. Registration: bit.ly/kneasummersummit26. See flyer for more details.

It’s pretty easy to feel burned out these days, but that doesn’t mean we can’t step back and reassess and connect with people who are feeling the same way. Join SURJ’s Erin Heaney in conversation with strategist Ash-Lee Woodard Henderson and political thinker Scot Nakagawa to get into conversation about what it means to be in the fight for the long-haul and how we can do it together.

📅 Wed 5/20
⏰ 8pm ET/5pm PT

Register for the call here: https://www.mobilize.us/surj/event/950889/?utm_source=20260513_comms_soc_social_v2

In the founding era, "the new United States shredded treaties and treated Indigenous communities as obstacles that we needed to have erased. Today, officials target curricula that name genocide because they know that if you ban the words, you can bless the myth."

Professor Kimberlé W. Crenshaw, founder and director of the African American Policy Forum, explains why she supports the Zinn Education Project Teach Truth About the American Revolution campaign.

This three and a half minute video clip offers a valuable lesson on the dangers of the mis-representation of the American Revolution. The clip can serve as a prompt for discussion in high school and college courses: https://www.zinnedproject.org/news/kimberle-crenshaw-american-revolution/



Also, check out Dr. Crenshaw's new book "Backtalker: An American Memoir," https://www.zinnedproject.org/materials/backtalker-an-american-memoir/

Look for a book talk near you https://kimberlecrenshaw.com/events-media

Walk-in assessments are happening today from 4-6pm, no appointment required. If you're unhoused, bring any form of ID and let us help you move toward security and stability. Learn more: ourspotkc.org/programs