“We have to be visible. We should not be ashamed of who we are.”
-- Sylvia Rivera
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Student Voice: Day of Silence |
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Dear Team DPS,
Today is Day of Silence. The GLSEN Day of Silence commenced in the mid 90’s by students who initiated a vow of silence to highlight the injustices aimed towards folks in the LGBTQIA+ community. Since then, hundreds of communities and schools have participated and gathered together in this event to raise awareness, whilst remaining silent in honor of our LGBTQIA+ members. (Learn more here.)
We unite in a profound sense of solidarity and support for our community. Our hixtory has been a long and strenuous journey that is enrooted in severe trauma. However, through these ominous depths, we have risen every time.
Today, we honor and acknowledge the lives of our LGBTQIA+ community members who have been silenced and confined in a world of hate, discrimination, harassment, and inequality. These injustices have undeniably been constructed by unethical ideologies and tragically, continue to leave many in the dark. This is not acceptable. Though we will remain silent in observance to this day, please know that however you may choose to express the power that you hold within, that too, is honored.
May we continue to be thunderous with our voices, mindful of our actions, and soar with mighty liberation with our words. May we also continue to be cognizant of these disheartening experiences that are shaping the livelihoods of our students and staff members.
Take a moment to breathe and gently reaffirm yourself:
“I belong, I am important, my presence matters, and my intersectionality is what will positively change the world.”
With this unification and acknowledgement, it is testament to our efforts and the fight for inclusivity.
Sincerely,
Rosine Niyoyishura
Senior at Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Early College High School
Gay, Straight Alliance (GSA) Club
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Our DPS Equity Statement
Racial and Educational Equity is our collective responsibility. We will achieve equity when we dismantle deeply rooted systems of oppression that have historically resulted in inequitable access and distribution of opportunities and resources for those who represent marginalized identities, including race, ethnicity, gender identity, sexual orientation, language and ability. We will create conditions where we all belong, are included, have clear purpose (why) and have the autonomy to lead in our respective areas. By creating these conditions, we will eliminate the predictability of success or failure for our students and team members.
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Spotlight on: Justin Barney
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Each month, we will highlight an equity champion and their story of how they came to DPS, what resources they've used to succeed and how they're making a difference.
“Teacher as activist is something I’m becoming more comfortable with because DPS holds a space for us to talk about colonization, white supremacy and how these things still exist in our institutions today.”
Read more about Denver Green School Northfield Spanish teacher Justin Barney, aka Señor Barney, and his role as a social-justice advocate.
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Each month, we'll showcase celebrations big and small, and the work being done to create more equity for students and team members throughout DPS. Share what you and your team have been doing to make a change for a more equitable DPS here.
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Sharing Stories: Julián Is A Mermaid |
Colleen Magorian, a kindergarten teacher at Force Elementary, taught the book “Julián Is A Mermaid” to her class as part of the Imagination At Play literacy unit. The enduring understanding is “we should love and support others for whoever they choose to be.”
In the story, Julián is fascinated by women dressed as mermaids. He goes home and creatively uses items around the house to dress as a mermaid. When Abuela “catches” him, she lovingly takes him in his homemade costume to interact with the mermaids in another part of the city.
Colleen described how her kindergarteners noticed the book demonstrates that kids can dress in different ways. She stated that “based on their personal experience, some kids were surprised that Julián didn’t get in trouble.” Colleen’s students related to the love that Abuela showed when Julián affirmed him, and she noticed that the lingering takeaway for students was the unconditional love in the story. For more LGBTQ+ reads, check out this collection.
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Increased Internet Access through Outdoor Hotspots Helps Students Get Online Any Time |
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The DPS Department of Technology Services is adding outdoor internet access to all schools and has begun this work in the Far Northeast. They are working with the DPS Facilities team to add outdoor seating, making this resource more accessible.
DPS recently received approval from the E-Rate program to install outdoor WiFi at all schools. Depending on the size of the school, we will be installing three to eight hotspots that will provide internet access outside all schools. This will allow students without home internet access to connect any time of day and on weekends using their Chromebooks. While this project is still in early stages, over 30 schools have already been completed.
Lastly, as an opportunity to create outdoor classroom spaces for our students, DPS recently applied for Federal Stimulus funds to install outdoor seating and shaded areas at each school. Our hope is to focus first on schools that do not have air conditioning, so that the outdoor classrooms can be utilized as the weather gets warmer.
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Oakland Elementary Raises Money to Add LGBTQ+ Literature |
Oakland strives to be an inclusive community where all voices are heard and all people are represented. Currently, their classrooms do not have LGBTQ+ representation in the literature that students interact with, unless the teachers buy them out of their own pockets. The school would like to provide grade-level classroom sets of inclusive LGBTQ+ books for each of our classrooms, and are fundraising to make this happen. Their vision with these books is to incorporate them into our current literacy curriculum and substitute LGBTQ+ books with some of their current books. This will provide a valuable educational experience for our students that will focus on inclusion and diversity. Learn more.
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Learn About LGBTQ+ Supports and Why They Benefit All Students
Watch the DPS Prevention Services team and Levi Arithson, LGBTQ+ Program Manager at DPS, share a high-level review of LGBTQ+ policies in DPS, including why LGBTQ+-inclusive schools create more equitable schools for all students, and what you can do in your home and community to support LGBTQ+ youth.
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Call for Submissions: Start the School Year with Healing through the Arts
As we reflect on the year full of trauma -- the pandemic, a racial reckoning, mass shootings, and political unrest -- we are all impacted, students, staff and families alike. As we approach the 2021-22 school year, consider releasing this trauma through artistic expression. All members of Team DPS are invited to join a collective spirit of healing by making a contribution through the arts.
Submit a video that highlights your art form of dance, poetry, vocal or spoken word, instrumental music, or visual art that demonstrates rejuvenation and healing through the arts. All submissions need to be sent to DPSEquity@dpsk12.org no later than Friday, June 4. For submission instructions, click here. Chosen submissions will be shared in a celebration at the beginning of the school year.
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Educator Institute for Equity and Justice
Join A Queer Endeavor’s annual Educator Institute for Equity and Justice in Education (EIEJ) on July 29-30 for a two-day professional learning experience aimed to support K-12 educators and youth-serving adults to learn and enact equity and justice-focused practices. Sessions will focus on anti-racism, abolitionist teaching, gender and sexual diversity, bi/multilingualism, equity in rural communities, supporting first-generation and undocumented students, critical dis/ability studies, trauma, and healing -- among others topics. Register here.
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Asian Education Advisory Council Nominations and Awards
The Asian Education Advisory Council (AEAC) is presenting awards to honor our Asian students, families and community members during their virtual awards breakfast on May 2. Join the virtual event on the AEAC website or Facebook page.
The AEAC was established, under court order, in 1985 by the DPS Board of Education. AEAC seeks to improve educational opportunities and to provide quality education for all students, particularly students of Asian/Pacific Island (AA/PI) heritage.
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Call For Submissions: Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month
Throughout the month of May, we will be joining in local and national celebrations of Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month. We want to feature how our students are learning about, connecting with, interpreting and celebrating this cultural moment through their writing, artwork, music, photos and videos. We’ll share submissions on our website and social media channels at the end of the month. Submitted content may be screened for a focus on highlighting the moment and grounding in our vision of equity, inclusion and belonging for all students and community. Please email your submissions to DPSEquity@dpsk12.org by May 21 for consideration.
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Resources to Support Educators of Color |
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Educator of Color Chat: Succeeding in Our DPS Journey
Join us from 5:30-7 p.m. Tuesday, April 27, to celebrate, share and reflect on our school year with Reach One Mentoring participants and the network of Educators of Color in DPS! Let’s chat about how we can make a difference for Black, Indigenous and People of Color. Join on Zoom.
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All Black Lives Matter: Supporting Black LGBTQ+ Students
Black LGBTQ+ youth’s identification with multiple-marginalized identities might make them more susceptible to negative experiences and impact mental health. Both LGBTQ+ youth and Black youth report higher rates of poor mental health due to chronic stress stemming from the marginalized social status they have in U.S. society. However, very little research has quantitatively explored outcomes specific to Black LGBTQ+ youth. This report utilizes an intersectional lens to contribute to our understanding of the Black LGBTQ+ youth experience among a national sample of over 2,500 Black LGBTQ+ youth by highlighting and building upon many of the findings released from The Trevor Project’s National Survey on LGBTQ Youth Mental Health 2020 as they relate to Black LGBTQ youth.
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Resources for Gay, Straight Alliance Student Groups
Share these resources with the Gay, Straight Alliance (GSA) student groups at your school:
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Spring Professional Learning Opportunity: Foundations of CRE
El equipo de Educación Culturalmente Sensible (CRE) los quiere invitar a unirse a un desarrollo profesional enfocado en los fundamentos de una Educación Culturalmente Sensible. El desarrollo profesional tendrá lugar el 29 de abril de 3:30 a 5:00 pm. Para registrase haga click aquí.
The Culturally Responsive Education (CRE) team invites you to join a professional development focused on the Foundations of CRE on April 29 from 3:30-5 p.m. To register, click here. Note: This session will be offered in Spanish only.
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Gregoria Rivera
Food Service Manager, Sabin World School
Equity
“It is universally known that Ms. Gloria is the kindest and best human on the planet. However, this pandemic has really shown Sabin World School what an asset she is to our community. She has galvanized her staff to provide curbside lunches for students during remote learning. She has boxed up lunches so they can be delivered to students' homes. In the building, Gloria always has a smile and says, ‘Buenos dias’ to staff, families, and students. She is compassionate and responsive to food aversions and will often drop everything to deliver food to a classroom. Her ability to communicate in English and Spanish makes her irreplaceable to our building and our community. Feeding an elementary school of over 600 students is enough to make anyone nervous but Gloria always has a kind word, a smile, and a heart for our Sabin Community. ¡Muchas gracias por todo lo que hacen por nuestra familia Sabin!”
-- Janine Logar, fourth-grade teacher
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Calendar of Upcoming Events |
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JUN 27 | Denver Pride Parade 2021 (virtual event)
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JUN | Rainbow Storytime with Library Services (virtual event) - date TBD |
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