May 2023 Newsletter
Visit the Cultural Celebration Page for upcoming events, professional development panels, academic resources, and more!
May is Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month & Jewish American Heritage Month!
With a rise in anti-semitism and and Asian American hate, this is an important time to recognize and uplift these cultures and the value they bring to our community at large.
In our own community the people of Chinatown are fighting to maintain their space as developers attempt to build a stadium in this community.
Recently Mural Arts unveiled their mural dedicated to Chinatown called“The Past Supporting the Future”. It is a a 6,000-square-foot mural on the side of the new mixed-use Crane Building. You can read more on the story at WHYY.
You can also read the blog post written by Debbie Wei last year in honor of AAPI Heritage Month HERE.
Also look for sign up details below for our next Equity in Practice series with the Anti-Defamation League.
May Events & Happenings
Other Recognitions in May: ALS Awareness Month, Borderline Personality Disorder Awareness Month, Neurodiversity Celebration Week, Mental Health Awareness Week, Teacher Appreciation Week, Mental Health Awareness Week
Day of Solidarity: Global Call to Action for Iran
Tuesday, May 9th, 2023
Philly Iran invites schools around the world to join us for a global day of solidarity to raise awareness around the ongoing chemical attacks on girls’ schools in Iran.
The request is fairly simple, we are calling on educators to join us on Tuesday, May 9th, to hold a moment of silence in their classrooms. Let us honor these brave schoolgirls as they navigate fighting for basic human rights amidst the world’s largest, progressive, feminist movement while being violently silenced by the Islamic Republic.
Equity in Practice: The Anti- Defamation League
Wednesday, May 17th, 2023, 12pm – 1pm, Virtual on Zoom, FREE
Join us at our next Equity in Practice session on Wednesday, May 17th 2023 where the ADL will outline its organizational connection to social justice, discuss ways to challenge antisemitism and bigotry towards members of other marginalized communities, and provide best practices on how to support Jewish students and colleagues within the School District community.
The ADL is a global leader in combating antisemitism, countering extremism and battling bigotry wherever and whenever it happens. ADL works to protect democracy and ensure a just and inclusive society for all.
Visit the DEI YouTube Page to watch our past lunch and learn sessions.
Celebrate Pride Month! Free Concert with the Philadelphia Orchestra
Saturday, June 3rd, 2023, 7pm, Kimmel Center, FREE
This June, legendary conductor Marin Alsop leads the Orchestra and special guests in our second annual Pride Concert! The concert celebrates music by LGBTQ+ composers and allies and will include works such as the world premiere of Laura Karpman’s The Marvels Suite in advance of the film release and a diverse range of choral works, including Lady Gaga’s “Born This Way.”
May Spotlights
We’ve been partnering with Communications to highlight members of the SDP community for the SDP social media. Last month we put the spotlight on people like, Maria Lajara, a counselor at Edward T. Steel who says that:
My Hispanic Heritage is important to me because it encompasses culture, ethnicity, and identity. My identity is rooted in values, traditions, and beliefs. I am proud to be Hispanic because of the resourcefulness that has been ingrained in me.
As always, make sure to submit your nominations for folks you think work to make our diverse district a more equitable place.
DEI Office Updates
Have a person, program, or idea about what should be featured on the Equity Is podcast? Fill out the form below!
Podcast Updates
Listen to our latest Podcast Episodes From this Month:
- Episode 14: Equity Snapshots- The Intersection of Disability and RaceIn this episode we will be talking about intersectionality and how that related to equity work, specifically around the intersection of disability and race. Equity Training Specialist (ETS) Dylan Van Duyne joins us for this episode.
Emphasizing Equity within School Climate by Jason Benfield
The Office of School Climate and Culture (OSCC) & the Office of Diversity Equity and Inclusion (DEI) have come together to collaborate on a 4-part Equity Data Training Series for school Leadership Teams and Climate Coaches. Both offices have partnered with Dr. Ivory Toldson & Dr. Natasha McClendon in order to better understand how to position our quantitative and qualitative data to produce the best educational outcomes for students using a humanizing framework to promote educational Equity. This framework focuses on school teams looking at data holistically, using thoughtful humanizing analysis and compassionate understanding……
Read the full post HERE.
Gender and Sexual Health Summit
Our Gender and Sexual Health Summit happened on Wednesday April 26th and it was a huge success! Students from GSAs across the district joined us for a day of community and learning. Grounded in the theme “Learning. Creating. Advocating.” students engaged in learning sessions and opportunities to meet others in their community.
Thank you to our partners at the Office of Student Rights and Responsibilities, Promoting Adolescent Student Health (PASH), as well as our GSH leadership team, vendors, facilitators and attendees. We could not have done this without you.
We look forward to our next summit as well as many other opportunities to uplift our LGBTQIA+ students, staff, and district community.
ETS Corner: Spotlighting Schools & Programs Picked by our Team!
Jason Benfield’s School Shoutout: Solis-Cohen Elementary School
I am nominating Solis-Cohen Elementary School as they recently held a multicultural fair that was intended to celebrate the diversity that their community brings to their school. While planning for the fair, the Equity Team was intentional in ensuring that students were at the center of the planning. As a result, the theme of Cultural Games was decided. By having the event be about Cultural Games, the students, their families, and the staff were able to come together and share their childhood memories and see that many of the games were similar in design, but with their own cultural flair. Solis-Cohen was also intentional in holding it during parent conferences to increase access to the school community for all to participate and encouraged bringing students to remove the barrier of childcare. The school continues to look for ways to build trusting relationships with their students and families to be more inclusive as a whole.
In Case You Missed It!
April Equity in Practice Lunch & Learn: Al Bustan Seeds of Culture
For the month of April and in celebration of Arab-American Heritage month, we welcomed Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture to explore best practices around the integration and celebration of SDP students, families, and community members who have Arab heritage and shared experiences with Arab cultures in schools and beyond. Rooted in Arab arts and language, Al-Bustan Seeds of Culture offers artistic and educational programming that enriches understanding and celebrates diversity, while supporting the pursuit and affirmation of Arab American cultural identity and playing a constructive civic role within broader American society.
To learn more visit their website: https://www.albustanseeds.org/
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