Taking Action Against Racial Violence: Resources for Educators

by the Rocketship Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion National Leadership Team

As communities of color are being hit disproportionately hard by COVID-19, the recent murders of George Floyd, Ahmaud Aubrey, and Breonna Taylor have highlighted for many how deep injustice runs through our health, income, housing, education and policing systems. As educators, we are used to doing everything in our power to make the world a better place for our students and through our students. We acknowledge that this can be an overwhelming task while also living with the consequences fo these systems, as well as being exposed to daily headlines on violence, inequity, and police brutality.

Our partners at LiberatED, compiled these resources for educators on how to prioritize self-care, continue to learn about the issues at hand, and take action:

Prioritize Self-Care

• • How Black Americans Can Practice Self-Care During These Trying Times. And How Everyone Else Can Help.
  • Radical Self-Care in the Face of Mounting Racial Stress
  • Journal Prompts
  • 44 Mental Health Resources for Black People Trying to Survive in This Country
  • 14 Free Mental Health Resources for Protesters

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Learn & Keep Learning

• • The Police Shooting Death of Breonna Taylor, explained and No Police Officers Charged With Killing Breonna Taylor
  • George Floyd, Racism, and Law Enforcement
  • Louisville Bans ‘No Knock Warrants’ After Police Killing of Breonna Taylor in Her Home
  • The Violent State: Black Women’s Invisible Struggle Against Police Violence
  • Black People More Than 3 Times as Likely as White People to Be Killed During a Police Encounter

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Act with Urgency

• • 7 Ways You Can Take Action for Racial Justice Right Now
  • Actions Against Police Brutality (#1-#7)
  • Use Your Positional Power to Push For/Create a Racial Equity Action Plan ALSO HERE (p. 80)
  • Restructure Your Organization to Actually Advance Racial Justice
  • Rewrite the Racial Rules (All, but specifically pg. 70 and on)

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LiberatED is an organization that partners with schools like ours to consult on equity, culturally relevant pedagogy, and social justice. Learn more on their website.

You can find more resources like this on the racial justice section of our Distance Learning Launchpad.  Teachers 4 Social Justice is another source for webinars and virtual training for teachers interested in teaching for equity and justice.

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The Rocketship Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) National Leadership Team: Our vision is to unleash the full potential of our incredible team and communities by purposefully pursuing representation in our communities and breaking down barriers to power. At Rocketship, we work to create a safe, collaborative environment that celebrates our differences and strengthens our community. Our pursuit of diversity, equity, and inclusion recognizes the systemic inequality of opportunity in our society, and we seek to address these disparities.

LiberatED is dedicated to building the critical consciousness of leaders, particularly those serving historically marginalized communities. In order for leaders to catalyze social change and improve life outcomes in their community, it is necessary to engage in constant learning about race, class, power, and privilege. LiberatED has been partnering with K-12 schools, universities, and non-profit organizations for over 4 years, joining leaders and their teams on a journey of transformative learning. The result: more conscious, culturally competent leaders and improved organizational outcomes.

Published on October 6, 2020