Month: April 2012

Are you a Latino/a, Black, Asian/Asian-American, Native American, or multiracial educator committed to building racial justice in our schools, classrooms and society?

One of NYCoRE’s Points of Unity is a commitment to maintaining majority women and people of color in our collective. We are committed to providing a safe and welcoming space for educators of color and addressing the systemic and institutional factors that have contributed to the silencing of people of color and the disappearance of teachers of color in the New York City education system.

As a group we are also in the process of developing ways for educators of color to be a strong and passionate voice for social justice within NYCoRE and the broader struggles in education and society. One of the ways we have begun to do this has been through our monthly “educators of color potlucks”.

We are excited to invite fellow educators of color committed to social justice to our first ever Educators of Color Summer Retreat, Saturday June 30th to Sunday July 2nd, at the World Fellowship Center in New Hampshire!

NYCORE Summer Retreat Flyer

Below are details regarding the trip as well as preparation for the journey. Please read and, if interested, respond as soon as possible (by May 5th!) to sign-up. Feel free to share it with other educators of color who might want to be a part of this experience.

When: We will aim to leave early in the morning (8 am) Saturday, June 30th to take advantage of the day at the Center. We will have dinner at the Center and lunch on the way. We will depart the Center on Monday, July 2nd at 10 am to arrive in NYC by 5/6 pm.

How: Driving is about 6.5 hours. If you have a car that you are willing to take, please let us know. Otherwise, we will pool $$ to rent cars or a van.

Accommodations: We will be staying in bunks in “rustic cabins” that have a half bath (“a shower house is a stone’s throw from the cabin”). If you wish to have a private room or are with a family, please let me know ASAP so we can make arrangements with the Center.

Kiddos/babies/young people: There are definitely activities for young people of all ages at the Center. If you are interested in bringing your family, take a look at the website (www.worldfellowship.org) and see what is offered. Please email me (Rita) ASAP if you are planning on bring more than just yourself, I can put you in touch with staff at the Center to further discuss.

What We Gotta Do: We will be presenting a 1-2 hr long workshop/presentation on “Understanding the Disappearance of Teachers of Color in Our Schools” for guests/visitors to the World Fellowship Center. This allows us to stay one night free! The last NYCoRE member meeting in June will be a “test run” of our presentation. One or two meetings ahead of time will be necessary to plan.

What We Get to Do: Nature trails, ping pong, canoes, rowboats, library, soccer field, crafts, swimming, bicycles, explore, love, embrace nature!

Cost: We will be staying two nights but only pay for one. 3 meals/day are included! (not including lunch on Saturday or on Monday since we will arrive too late Sat and leave too early Mon). If you stay in rustic group cabins, cost will be about $45/person. Plus shared cost of car rental/gas. NYCoRE is offering $500 for our group, so depending on how many go, part of the cost will be covered!

Who: Anyone who identifies as an educator of color and who is committed to social justice education is welcome to join us.  Even if you haven’t been  involved in NYCoRE or haven’t been able to make it to the potlucks, we would love to have you! This is an opportunity for us to get to know each other, build community, celebrate the end of the year, share stories and heal. We would love for this to be a multi-generational space that serves to honor and learn from the multiple experiences we have had as educators of color.

If you would like to attend the retreat, please sign-up by MAY 5th at 10 pm. To register, e-mail Rita (rita.kamani@gmail.com) and include the following info:

1) Name
2) Phone #, E-mail, and Address
3) Will you be bringing a partner/spouse/child? How many? (Please include names) If so, what kind of accommodations would you like? (Private room, camping, shared rustic/economy cabins).
4) Do you have a car? Do you have a Drivers License? Are you willing/able to drive part of the way?

5) Can you attend our next potluck on Sunday, May 6th from 2-4 pm?

6) Will you be at the last NYCoRE member meeting on June 15th?
7) Any additional information you think we should know?

Questions? Concerns? More information? E-mail Rita

REGISTER NOW for the BEYOND TOLERANCE YOUTH CONFERENCE!

Friday, May 4th, 2012, 4:30-8:30 p.m.

Vanguard High School 317 East 67th Street (btwn 1st and 2nd Ave.)

Support provided by the Union Square Award, a project of the Tides Center

What is the BEYOND TOLERANCE YOUTH CONFERENCE?

It’s annual conference focused on issues related to gender and sexuality organized specifically for middle and high school age youth and the adults who work with them.  Youth, community and school educators, and allies gather on a Friday afternoon from 4:30- 8:30 at Vanguard high school to give and attend workshops, visit tables from community organizations, and network with one another.  Pizza is served as an afternoon snack and the day closes with an open mic.

Here is our current list of workshops:

Session 1 (5:30- 6:25)

Playing the Roles: (de)Constructing Gender Identity & Expression

Through creative processes, participants will discuss and unpack how gender, gender role, identity and gender expression play out in their lives. Participants will engage in hands-on small group activities.

LGBTQ Youth Organizing!

Come learn about Make the Road NY’s Safe Schools Campaign! We will focus on the importance of recruitment and creating campaigns that will make your GSA stronger and ensure that your school is a safe space for everyone.

Trevor’s Lifeguard Workshop

The Lifeguard Workshop is a structured conversation with middle school, high school and college age youth regarding mental health, suicide and healthy ways to cope with stress and anxiety. The workshop informs youth of the various services offered by The Trevor Project and guides them in a conversation of how to recognize the warning signs of suicide and how to get help for themselves or a peer who may be feeling suicidal. The workshop ends by helping the participants identify ways that they will seek to deal with stress and anxiety in a healthy way and how to identify supportive adults in their own environment.

Safe, Fun and Sexy! Putting the Pleasure Back into Safe Sex

Not your science teacher’s sex ed! The CHAT peer educators will lead you through how to put the pleasure back into safe sex. We will walk you through how to use condoms and dental dams in a way that maximizes pleasure. And we’ll also break the ice around how to talk about safer sex with your partner. Join us for a fun and informative workshop with CHAT.

 

Session 2 (6:30- 7:25)

The Door – An Integrated Model for LGBT Youth Services  

This presentation will introduce participants to The Door – a youth development agency serving over 11,000 young people in New York City. The Door has over 40 years of experience integrating LGBT populations in with general programming and services safely and effectively.

A Year in the Life of a GSA  

Does your Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA) need a little pep in it’s step? How about a pick-me-up? All out of fresh ideas? Or maybe you’re thinking of starting a GSA and want to know more about how others run theirs? Everyone is invited to be part of this interactive and information-sharing session to create a calendar of engaging and powerful menu of programs and discussions for their GSA or similar student group.

The Voice of Performance: What are you saying? How are you saying it?

The art of performing is a complex form. You have to make what you’re saying show through how you’re saying it. The performance has to do the message justice. Learn how to exercise both art forms whether you’re talking about love, social justice, family, or anything on your heart.

Whose Eyes Are You Looking Through?

Join bklyn boihood in a facilitated discussion that will break down the negative and/or problematic stereotypical portrayals of Black masculinity in contemporary media. We’ll consider how these images/portrayals inform our understanding of what it means to identify as trans and female-bodied masculine-of-center people and most importantly, how to consistently push back against those stereotypes and create strong, healthy self-identity.

Human Sexuality Alphabet Soup

Have you ever wondered what all those letters—LGBTQ—actually mean? Are you interested in learning more about things like sexual orientation and gender? This workshop is for everyone, whether you are questioning your sexuality or you have it all figured out. We will explore myths and stereotypes of all of these labels, and talk to people who have gone through different experiences figuring out their sexuality or gender identity. Make sure to bring an open mind!

LGBTQ In The Back Of The Room: A Forum For Pre-Service Teachers
An open forum for pre-service teachers to discuss how LGBTQ issues have impacted their student-teaching experiences. We will also discuss our hopes and concerns about tackling LGBTQ issues in the teaching profession.

 

Interested?  Come find out more!

You can REGISTER HERE for this event.

How can I get involved with NYQueer or volunteer to help at this event?

When you register you can indicate on the form that you would like to volunteer on the day of the event.  If you would like to get more involved with the group, write to us at nyqueer@nycore.org and let us know!

Please help us spread the word by passing this information along to anyone who works with young people!

TEACHERS FOR TRAYVON!

Thursday April 5th

Trayvon Martin’s tragic killing has brought thousands into the street to demand justice for his family. Justice for Trayvon Martin means justice for all who are targeted because of the color of their skin.

In New York City schools, our students know racial profiling all too well. Many of our students, just by being Black or Latin@, are treated like criminals every single day – in stores, on the street and increasingly in our schools.

We must stand up against racism before it’s too late.

This Thursday, New York City teachers are calling on educators to:

• wear hoodies to work this Thursday,

• wear stickers that stand up to injustice; and/or

• speak with co-workers and students about Trayvon Martin and the larger issues surrounding his tragic story.

Encourage members of your school community to do the same.

OUR STUDENTS,

OUR TRAYVON!

Facebook Event Page: http://www.facebook.com/events/423739430973858/

Resources:

Click on the following links for slogans for your stickers that you can use:

TeachersforTrayvonStickers (pdf)

 

Teaching about Trayvon:

http://nycore-teaching.wikispaces.com/Trayvon+Martin

NYCoRE opened up a wiki page on its teaching and learning page specifically for addressing these issues. We are seeking out more examples from the community. If you want to add a lesson, resources, or description of what you did in your own communities please become a member of the wiki page, or email info@nycore.org