June 2023 Newsletter
Visit the Cultural Celebration Page for upcoming events, professional development panels, academic resources, and more!
June is Pride Month!
Here is the message: Each year, we acknowledge Pride Month to affirm and uplift the LGBTQIA+ community throughout the United States. Initially celebrated in June in honor of the 1969 Stonewall Riots,, Pride began as a protest, While strides have been made toward mitigating oppression for the LGBTQIA+ community, there is still much to protest. Anti-LGBTQ legislation is harming this community all over the country. It is a time not only to celebrate the many contributions that the LGBTQIA+ community have contributed to society, but to also speak out as allies against the bills and legislation that harm one of our most vulnerable populations. Whether you support LGBTQIA+ businesses, engage in Pride events and parades, donate to organizations that support this community, or speak up and engage in political action, this is a time to come together and show that love is stronger than hate. There are a number of resources for students, and adults alike, to engage in this month. You can begin with GLSEN’s Guide for Educators who are looking to celebrate this month within the classroom. To learn more about Pride Month and upcoming events throughout the district, visit our Cultural Celebrations Website.
This year’s Pride march and celebration is June 4th. More information can be found HERE. Disability Pride Week is June 5th to June 11th. This week is full of events that are accessible for those who need it. You can find more details HERE.
For a detailed list of all the ways to celebrate this month in Philadelphia visit Visitphilly.com
June Events & Happenings
Other Recognitions in June: LGBTQ+ Pride Month, PTSD Awareness Month, Gun Violence Awareness Month, Alzheimer’s & Brain Awareness Month, and Immigrant Heritage Month, Learning Disability Week, Juneteenth (6/19), World Refugee Day (6/20), LGBTQ+ Equality Day (6/26)
Pride Celebration at the Please Touch Museum
Saturday, June 10, 2023 | 9 a.m.
Saturday, June 10th 9am- 7pm, 4231 Avenue of the Republic, Philadelphia, PA 19131
This family-friendly Pride celebration features a disco dance party for the kiddos, music lessons from teaching artist Miles Crabtree, a collaborative Pride mural, and other activities such as puppet-making and face painting. All events are included in regular museum admission.
No Longer Bound: Juneteenth Griot
Monday, June 10th 10am- 12pm- Allen M. Stearne School, 1655 Unity St, Philadelphia, PA 19124
On Monday, June 19, 2023, we will honor and celebrate Juneteenth, the day that enslaved African Americans in Galveston, Texas received the news that slavery had ended. This historic news came two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed. June 19th has been known as “Juneteenth” ever since.
Juneteenth commemorates and celebrates the abolishment of slavery, and reminds us all of the importance of knowing our history as well as the importance of civil liberties, justice, and freedom for all people. Although district schools and offices will be closed on Monday June 19, 2023, we will honor and celebrate this historic day. In collaboration with the Allen M. Stearne School and The Philadelphia Juneteenth Family Inc.
PrideTeenth- A Juneteenth Festival Centering Black LGBTQ+ Families
Saturday, June 17th 12pm- 4pm- 6945 Germantown Ave, Philadelphia, PA
All are welcome at this tobacco-free event centering Black LGBTQ+ families. We aim to create a space to celebrate Family, Freedom, and Pride.
The festival will take place at the Lovett Park next to the library on Saturday, June 17th between 12pm and 4pm.
We’ll have free food, entertainment, resource tables, vendors, lots of free raffle prizes and more!
Thank you to Bradbury-Sullivan Center and the Philadelphia Department of Public Health for sponsoring this as a tobacco-free pride event. This is a critical health and social justice issue for the LGBTQ and Black communities, which have been targeted by the tobacco industry.
We are excited to offer this space free from secondhand smoke for our community to safely celebrate, in addition to offering free resources to support anyone interested in quitting tobacco.
June 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, Nat Williams, a 2nd Grade Teacher at Horatio B. Hackett Elementary who says that:
My identity is important to me because knowing and expressing my true self has allowed me to become stronger and more confident. I wouldn’t be the teacher I am today without the love and support I have received since coming out.
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 Model Minority Myth- Is Episode Ep. 15
- In honor of AAPI Heritage Month we focused on the Model Minority Myth. Equity Training Specialist (ETS) Dylan Van Duyne (he/him) joins the podcast to discuss this issue more deeply.
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.
ETS Corner: Spotlighting Schools & Programs Picked by our Team!
Paul L. Dunbar School
On Friday June 9th, Dunbar is hosting its first “sensory celebration.” Here is a quote from Dunbar’s Principal, Daniel Mina speaking to the importance off this event:
“Dunbar’s Sensory Celebration is an opportunity for our students to learn about and celebrate the diversity of sensory needs that exist within our school community and to better understand neurodivergence in a fun way. We hope this event supports our larger goals around creating a more inclusive school community where everyone feels a deep sense of belonging”
John F. Hartranft School
On May 17th, the Hartranft School welcomed in a host of volunteers from the Greater Philadelphia Chamber of Commerce as part of Junior Achievement of Southeastern Pennsylvania’s “JA in a Day” program. Junior Achievement’s stated purpose is to build a future where young people are financially confident, prepared for work, and entrepreneurially minded. At Hartranft, we welcome every opportunity to bridge the equity gap by putting positive examples in front of our scholars. It’s one thing for us to tell them it is possible but if they can actually see it, then they know for sure that yes, they can achieve it!
The Workshop School
At the Workshop School, it is each and every member of the community’s belief that students should work on solving real world problems. As students move from 10th grade into “Upper House” (11th and 12th grade), Workshop believes students should have more choice in shaping that experience. In 11th grade, ALL students will either do an internship or work with external clients in the auto shop. Each June, 10th grade students complete their year by completing “Gateway,” an opportunity for students to make a case for the amazing things THEY want to do in their final 2 years of high school aND demonstrate they’re ready for greater freedom and responsibility in their own question.
In Case You Missed It!
Equity in Practice Lunch & Learn: The Anti Defamation League
May was Jewish American Heritage Month, in honor of this our monthly Equity in Practice series focused on one organization challenging antisemitism and bigotry towards members of marginalized populations. We are joined by Randi Boyette (she/her) Senior Associate Regional Director, Education, ADL Philadelphia
In this session, the ADL outlines its organizational connection to social justice, discusses ways to challenge antisemitism and bigotry towards members of marginalized communities, and provides best practices on how to support Jewish students and colleagues within the School District community.
The ADL’s mission is: To stop the defamation of the Jewish people and to secure justice and fair treatment to all.
To learn more about their work visit: https://www.adl.org/
To Report an incident: https://www.adl.org/report-incident
To learn more visit their website: https://www.albustanseeds.org/
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