Surge Institute Quarterly Newsletter
Spring 2020
We don't pretend.

From day one, Surge has been a space for real talk and real growth, encouraging all who entered our space to live as their full authentic selves. It has been written into the core of our work and if that ever stopped being true, this space would stop being Surge.

So we continue with the realness.

COVID-19, and all that has stemmed from it, has brought pain to our people. An endless stream of statistics show the disproportionate effect this pandemic is having on communities of color. Right now, in many ways, we are down.

But we are not out.

Not even close. Leaders of color all over the nation are going hard for our people—and make no mistake, that's while our people are going hard for themselves . Surge Fellows and Alums, who are brilliant bold leaders of color in Oakland, Chicago, Kansas City, Texas, Washington D.C., Indianapolis and plenty of other spaces. They are right in the middle of this, serving the needs of the underserved. We have started a fund to specifically to support these efforts and to get much-needed resources directly into the hands of those who require them most.

I've never been more proud of my Surge family.

As you read through this newsletter and reflect on all that is happening within Surge and our broader landscape, consider what your role might be in fostering a new sense of connection and community in this uncertain time. It could be becoming a Surge Fellow in Oakland, Chicago, or Indianapolis, or recommending it to someone who may benefit. It could be partnering with us as we model new ways of leading, being, and revolutionizing systems post-COVID. It could also be contributing to our relief fund that provides direct support to students and communities in immediate need.

No matter what your role, please understand... this is real. This movement. This work. Your role in it.

In community,
Carmita Semaan
Founder and President
Surge Institute
NEWS & ANNOUNCEMENTS
Response to COVID-19
The Surge Relief Fund is an opportunity to provide support to the Surge community members serving youth and communities over the United States who have been impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Please take a moment to give what you can. No investment is too small.
Surge Academy expands to Indianapolis
Thanks to the partnership with The Mind Trust , an education focused non-profit organization, the Surge Academy is coming to Indianapolis. In service of our mission, the Academy explores an innovative and far-reaching approach to transforming urban education for our youth and communities. Learn more and apply for the 2021 cohort today!
Become a Surge Fellow:
The 2021 Fellowship
We are seeking emerging leaders of color in Chicago and Oakland for our 2021 Surge Fellowship. The fellowship space is one of healing, guidance and personal growth for education and youth-serving leaders of color, and now more than ever, our communities need leaders who understand them and lead with head and heart.
Welcome Rodney Thomas as VP of National Programs
We warmly welcome Rodney Thomas to the National Leadership team! With a unique blend of enthusiasm, deep expertise, humility, and unwavering commitment to the elevation and excellence of people of color, Rodney is an ideal formal addition to our team.
SURGE STORIES
Following the release of our short film, Shades of Leadership , we asked our community to share a story about a trailblazer who had an impact on them, setting them on a path, either because of what they’ve done or because of who they were in a critical moment.
For this year's Black History Month, 2020 Surge Fellows from each of our cities shared their stories, lived experiences, and thought leadership on the month and how we can continue to fruitfully celebrate and learn Black History everyday.
The 2020 Kansas City Surge Academy Journey
By the time you read our next newsletter, our 2020 cohort of the Surge Academy in Kansas City will have graduated! See photos from their transformative journey so far.
FELLOW & ALUMNI RECOGNITION
Surge Fellows and Alumni are achieving goals, serving their communities and impacting the future of education. 

Darryl McDavid , 2020 Surge Oakland Fellow was recently featured in LADYGUNN magazine’s piece, “ Life After Foster Care.

Edgar Palacios , 2019 Surge Academy Kansas City Alum, and the Latinx Education Collaborative worked with Scuola Vita Nuova sixth-grade students on a Shark Tank-style design thinking project .

2019 Surge Chicago Alumni Terrence Pruitt and Steven Rosado are collaborating together to facilitate the “ Communities of Praxis ” gatherings, a virtual space to process, collaborate and radically re-imagine the future of the work of, including but not limited to, educators, counselors, health care workers, youth development workers, and community based organizers.
We are the preeminent pipeline addressing the dearth of leadership of color at the decision-making tables within education reform. Surge educates, empowers and energizes educational leaders of color who will create transformative change in the communities they serve.