Earlier this month, I joined a webinar hosted by the African American Policy Forum, where I had the opportunity to hear Dr. David Johns, IRT ‘03, share his work and how he stands up for the LGBTQ+ community through these times. It was helpful to hear and see how our alums continue to shape our world through listening, engagement, and advocacy. We know this isn’t easy, and we appreciate your dedication to your field, scholarship, and praxis. This newsletter showcases how our alumni make a difference in their communities through scholarship and capacity building.
Alums like Viviana Cordero-García, IRT ‘15, show the importance of establishing community and working to support students in meeting their goals at Esperanza Academy. Dr. Tiffany Joseph, Andover ‘00, IRT ‘03, research and timely text illustrate how immigration and health care policies impacted communities here in Boston. The newsletter has stories of the impact of alums shaping their fields through text, art, and engagement.
If you want to support IRT Scholars and alums, please consider joining our online IRT Alumni Community to support junior/budding scholars, as we have enabled our mentoring feature on the platform. This will allow you to connect with alumni to discuss research, job opportunities, and more in our private network. We aim to facilitate connections and conversations between our community members, giving you more support and opportunities.
Thank you to those in the community who referred prospective scholars to IRT! Our admissions committee is in the process of reviewing applications, and we find them incredibly inspiring during these times. Seeing the dedication and perseverance of students to teach, research, and dream provides an antidote to despair.
Please reach out if you are affected by changes in education and may need some resources.
Best,
LaShawnda Brooks
Executive Director, IRT
Institute for Recruitment of Teachers 