This event was held on May 12th, 2022 from 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m. MT.
Almost all people working in education would say they do what they do in order to support all students, and that they would never target disenfranchised students. However, the persistent educational disparities for students of color, students of low socio-economic backgrounds, and other students with unique needs have been a persistent source of distress for schools and districts across the nation. The practice of mindfulness may be a bridge to help educators better understand how they think, assume, and act based on implicit biases and systemic oppression. Mindfulness is a state of awareness upon the present moment in a particular way and without judgment (Kabat-Zinn, 1994). An extensive body of evidence suggests that mindfulness promotes greater self-awareness and empathy (Chambers, Lo & Allen, 2008; Kabat‐Zinn, 2003; Siegel, 2007), which may be an access point to addressing the dissonance that exists among many educators in bridging their theoretical understanding and ideals of culturally responsive pedagogy (Ladson-Billings, 1995) with their praxis. This highly interactive workshop is designed for anyone working in the education field, and will cover the conceptual foundation as well as turnkey strategies for participants to unpack the layers in which we are affected by bias and the outcomes of systemic oppression, and how these factors can cause us to unintentionally act in ways that contradict our values of equity, inclusion, and belonging.
Build a foundational understanding of the ideological, interpersonal, and institutional facets of systemic oppression in education, and the negative outcomes churned out for historically marginalized and underserved communities
Empower participants through an examination of mindfulness as a highly effective tool in cultivating self-awareness and implementing culturally responsive practices that address patterns of inequity in education.
Provide participants with turnkey strategies they can implement beyond the session
Provide participants with resources to share their learning with their teams, schools, and communities
Dr. Rana Razzaque, Ed.D.
Dr. Rana Razzaque's mission is to ensure that youth and educators have an intentional focus on honoring diverse cultures and identities, utilizing challenges as opportunities to build resilience, and holistically supporting themselves and others to equitably reach their highest potential. Rana received her Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in English Literature from the University of Texas at Austin and Arizona State University, respectively, and focused her thesis research on the impact of literary influence on colonizing South Asia in the 17th century. In 2017, she earned her Doctorate in Educational Leadership and Policy Studies from the University of Denver while working for Denver Public Schools' Office of Social Emotional Learning. Her dissertation explored how mindfulness influences the culturally responsive practices of educators. After finishing her doctorate, Rana became the Program Development Coordinator with Sources of Strength and enjoyed supporting youth-led school climate initiatives focused on holistic resilience and belonging and grounds her current work as an Equity, Diversity and Inclusion Specialist at Jeffco Public Schools in the intersection of wellness, equity, and transformative leadership.
