Interacting with students and colleagues has always been a strong area of focus for the IRT. These past few months have kept our team busy on the road as many regional events begin to expand their formats to include in-person sessions. The IRT has taken these opportunities to connect and further the discussion of shared experiences and mutual goals with educational and community partners across the country.
IRT Alumni on the Move at the UNCF/Mellon Programs Conference
Answering the Call to Transform the Academy
UNCF/Mellon Programs Conference: October 6-8, 2022
Atlanta, GA
IRT Education Programs Specialist Leislie Godo-Solo, IRT ’91 attended the UNCF/Mellon Programs Conference in October, where she also gave a presentation about IRT programs to new Mellon Coordinators and caught up with IRT alumni who were guest panelists during the two-day event.
Renee Johnson-Thornton, IRT ’05
Senior Program Associate and Associate Director of MMUF at the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation was one of the guest speakers during the Conference Opening titled “Answering the Call to Transform the Academy.”
George Pratt, IRT ’22
A current senior at Morehouse College, Pratt participated on the Mentee/Mentor Relationship panel during the UNCF/Mellon Programs Conference in Atlanta. George accepted the Marshall Scholarship while working with the IRT this fall and will pursue his MPhil at the University of Oxford.
Julius B. Fleming, Jr., IRT ’08
Julius was an attendee at the conference and signed his recently published book, Black Patience: Performance, Civil Rights, and the Unfinished Project of Emancipation for conference participants.
Brittney Yancy, IRT ’03
An assistant professor of History and African American Studies at Illinois College, Brittney was a speaker on the Scholars Transforming the Academy: PhD Panel.
12th International Education & Justice Conference
hosted by Kevin Kumashiro, October 6-8, 2022
A Massachusetts Collective for Social Justice & Equity from Graduate School through the Career Lifespan
LaShawnda Brooks, IRT Executive Director and Catherine Wong, IRT Associate Director and Manager of Programs presented with fellow colleagues Renee Wilmot, IRT ’12, ’17, Derrick Young, Executive Director, Leadership Brainery and Devin Morris, Executive Director, The Teacher’s Lounge.
Yale University and Writing Symposium, October 29, 2022
Leislie Godo-Solo, IRT ’91 attended the Symposium alongside colleagues from the Leadership Alliance and Princeton University, Leislie served as one of the three panelists and spoke about IRT’s initiatives.
People of Color Conference (PoCC), San Antonio TX, November 30 – December 3, 2022
Leislie Godo-Solo, IRT ’91 networked at the PoCC where she shared information about IRT. Leislie caught up with Cherrel Miller Dyce, IRT ’04 who was sharing information about the Master’s program in higher education at Elon University with participants. Miller Dyce is the associate professor of education and executive director of diversity, equity and inclusion at Elon University.
NCORE Virtual Connections, November 2-4, 2022
Catherine Wong, IRT Associate Director and Manager of Programs was invited to lead a session entitled ‘Coffee & Conversation with a Community Leader’.
2022 SE Regional Conference, November 4th to 6, 2022
Leislie Godo-Solo, IRT ’91 attended the conference held at Howard University and met with RW Poole, IRT ’22 who presented “Power Cedes Nothing: Studies in Afro-pessimism and Revolutionary Futures.”
1st Generation Student Presentation, University of Pennsylvania
November 8, 2022
Sasha Mejia, IRT ’19 invited IRT Executive Director LaShawnda Brooks to speak to students in collaboration with Professor of Urban Education and Africana Studies and the Director, Racial Empowerment Collaborative Dr. Howard C. Stevenson at the University of Pennsylvania.
SEL Resource Virtual Showcase hosted by SEL4MA
November 15, 2022
Catherine Wong, IRT Associate Director and Manager of Programs and Marcus Penny, IRT ’11, Science Instructional Coach, B.E.E.S. Initiative (Building Excellent Educators of Science), Boston Public Schools keynoted the Opening Plenary Session entitled “The Intersection Between SEL, Social Justice and Equity.”
UPCOMING EVENTS FOR THE IRT TEAM
New York Coalition Annual Conference – March 2023
IRT Executive Director LaShawnda Brooks and IRT Associate Director and Manager of Programs Catherine Wong will co-present a session entitled, Epistemologies or Apologies; An Analysis of the Gaps of Ways of Knowing. Melissa Oliver, IRT ’02 facilitated the connection between IRT and the Coalition. Melissa is an educator and facilitator of adult learning working with the NYCDOE and the NYC Coalition for Teacher Preparation.
NCORE – June 2023
Brittany Zorn, IRT ’13 and Leislie Godo-Solo, IRT ’91 have submitted a proposal with the working title: Cultivating Community Amongst BIPOC Students Through a Pandemic. Fingers crossed that their proposal is accepted.
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Institute for Recruitment of Teachers 