Susan Naimark will explore the history of education in Boston through the lens of race, disability, and trauma. By understanding this history, we can better understand and address the systemic challenges and bias that continue to occur in the virtual or in-person classroom.

Dr. Keneisha Sinclair-McBride and Dr. Rose Ashraf will focus on understanding the current needs of our students. The drastic changes that have taken place in their learning environments due to COVID-19, disability discrimination, racial injustices, and the subsequent national social justice awakening have resulted in prolonged isolation, grief, loss, frustration, and fear for many of our students. We will explore Trauma-informed approaches to better understand and meet the social and emotional needs of our students in person and online.

Tanya Nixon-Silberg and Zahirah Nur Truth will cover how to specifically use the arts to process the experiences of prolonged isolation, loss, fear, and racial injustice in classrooms, community spaces and after school programs, as well as how to be an ally and co-conspirator for our students living these experiences.

Zahirah Nur Truth and Corey DePina will demonstrate how the different art modalities can put the prior teachings into practice by guiding us through inclusive and accessible abbreviated lessons in visual and performing arts