On October 25, 2023 around 100 local residents filled a conference room in the Newtown Community Center. Some of the women wore head coverings while many of the men wore Kippahs. Black, white and Latinx neighbors; clergy of various religions; elected officials (along with current candidates) and law enforcement officers all gathered together with one… Continue reading United Against Hate Event
Tag: DEI
To Move Forward, Reflect then Vote
Two recent NAFC Blog articles highlighted the importance of remembering our past. In July, Carrie Grummons wrote about her family’s trip to Germany. She reflected upon how the United States deals with the ugly parts of our history in a vastly different way from how the Germans have dealt with theirs (Why Remembering Is Important… Continue reading To Move Forward, Reflect then Vote
Remembering Indigenous Families on the First Day of School
I am an empty nester who loves seeing first day of school pictures each year on social media. I love everything about it: The fresh new haircuts, cute new outfits, and the range of faces reflecting excitement, nervousness, annoyance, and everything in between. The emotions are often mixed, but the first day of school, perhaps… Continue reading Remembering Indigenous Families on the First Day of School
Announcing the 2023 NAFC Allies in Education Award
NAFC is pleased to award four local educators with the 2nd annual Allies in Education Award. This award is given to local educators who are nominated by members of the NAFC Education Committee. These educators are recognized for the ways in which they have gone above and beyond to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in the… Continue reading Announcing the 2023 NAFC Allies in Education Award
Watching the Playbook Play Out
Well, here we are again. Another late-night Board of Education meeting in Newtown with more parents in attendance and more passionate speeches about the protection of First Amendment rights, the importance of representation in literature, and the ability to handle more mature material by high school aged students. I went into this meeting incredibly jaded,… Continue reading Watching the Playbook Play Out
What is “Woke”?
The term ‘woke’ has been used a lot in political discourse lately. What is your reaction when you hear ‘woke’? Is it something you aspire to, or do you dismiss the idea as something not worth consideration? The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines ‘woke’ as “aware of and actively attentive to important societal facts and issues… Continue reading What is “Woke”?
Examining the Fear of DEI
Well that didn’t take long. Misinformed Newtowners started sounding alarms about Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) along with the first school bells of the new academic year. School has been in session for two and a half short weeks and already accusations of DEI being tantamount to “indoctrination” and the “sexualization of children” have been… Continue reading Examining the Fear of DEI
Disrupting Ignorance
The following post was written by Konrad Miller, a member of NAFC. June 19th, 1865 (Juneteenth) is the date that the last slaves in Galveston, Texas were declared free by General Gordon Grainger. The signing of the Emancipation Proclamation was not regarded as consequential in Galveston in January of 1863. Black people were kept as… Continue reading Disrupting Ignorance