Last year a National Center for Education Statistics report projected public schools in the United States would become majority-minority. This is a significant statistic for an association whose overall purpose is to make every child’s potential a reality by engaging and empowering families and communities to advocate for all children.
As the former outreach director for Washington State PTA, I was a member of a board that received the Jan Harp Domene Diversity and Inclusion Award. Now, as the Founder and CEO of Diverse Community Connectors, LLC, I teach organizations how to engage diverse communities. An essential component of this work is introducing Washington State’s passionate diversity engagement leaders and sharing their inspiring work.
HOW THIS BENEFITS YOU
The purpose of this blog is to encourage you to celebrate diversity by:
- Introducing you to engagement leaders and their work
- Acquainting you with a useful 7-step process
- Inspiring you to apply for the JHD Diversity and Inclusion Award
Why? I believe you will significantly increase your chances of accomplishing your PTA’s ultimate mission.
MODELS OF HOW
Simply click on the links below and you will be motivated as you read about:
- Washington State PTA’s Outreach Plan to create a state-wide strategy to engage all families
- A Nepalese innovator who empowers South Asian Women to transform their lives
- Two Latina moms who started a newspaper to serve Hispanic families
- A Mien community leader who united Southeast Asian and Asian American students, families and communities
- A Muslim woman who created a culturally-based academic program to serve girls of African descent
- The City of Bellevue’s plan to embrace diversity
- The inspiring way a library system serves diverse communities, and more…
AN ENGAGEMENT PROCESS
If you are facing a situation in which you need to engage diverse families, this 7-Step process can help.
- Assess the situation using data
- Determine who you’d like to engage
- Partner with all like-minded stakeholders
- Create a plan of engagement with stakeholders
- Engage – follow your plan
- Evaluate your results
- Improve and repeat
MY CHARGE TO YOU
Remember, there is no magic bullet for engaging all families. It takes dedication and time. It is so worth it! Apply for the Jan Harp Domene Diversity and Inclusion Award and feel free to contact me. I’d love to celebrate and share your how-to model. Cheers!
JMarie is a U.S. Marine Corps veteran, former school district administrator, social entrepreneur, and PTA mom. Her passion is to teach organizations to engage diverse communities so they both experience success.
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