San Francisco Human Rights Commission Convenes Education Equity Summit: “From Resolution to Revolution”

The San Francisco Human Rights Commission (SF-HRC) this week hosted a two-day summit calling for equity in education. The summit entitled “From Resolution to Revolution- Education Equity Summit”  brought together well over 400  stakeholders, civic & community leaders, law enforcement officers and justice system experts, educators, students and popular performance artists focusing on bringing greater awareness to existing inequities in the education system and identifying solutions  to bridge the equity gap.

Sheryl Davis, Executive Director with the San Francisco Human Rights Commission noted, “"Just an acknowledgment of the fact that all systems do not work the same way for all persons can be key," says Davis.  "Bringing together thought leaders in a variety of fields that touch this work - from 60 Aptos Middle School students and their teachers to dozens of City commissioners and agency directors, from university professors to direct service providers - made it so that we were able to have authentic, and sometimes even painful, conversations about how things really work, and what we can do to resolve these issues."

Davis has long advocated for the work of making equitable change, and moving forward from talk to action. 

One of the many highlights of the two-day summit was the local students who participated in the event ranging from middle school to  high school students who wowed the adults with their level of  aptitude and acumen  on the subject matter and what they saw as both the problems and possible solutions.

The summit also included a variety of panel discussions and breakout sessions facilitated by leaders from local service providers who witnessed firsthand the level of interest and support for events of this nature and how this grassroots effort can foster change and policy implementation.

Attendees were also enlightened and entertained by local performance artists and award winning actor, singer, writer and poet Daniel Beaty.

This summit was made possible in part by the support from Google, LinkedIn,  USF, SFUSD, Collective Impact, Young Gifted & Black, YCD, PolicyLink, The Education Trust-West, San Francisco Department of Public Health and Black to the Future Initiative to name a few.

By all accounts this summit on education equity proved to be quite a successful beginning in what is to become a series of similar events that focus on equity and inclusion.  SF-HRC Director Sheryl Davis and Shamann Walton, co-anchor for the Black to the Future Initiative and President of the San Francisco Board of Education expressed encouragement by the feedback from summit participants who have voiced overwhelming support for similar programming and the commitment to continuing the conversation and calling for greater efforts toward establishing a stronger foundation for equity and inclusion programming throughout the City.

 

 

 

 

 

Check back for more information on Summit follow-up!