D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice and the African American Civil War Memorial and Museum invited D.C. area teachers and allies to a convening to decry the GOP legislation that would require teachers to lie to students about the role of racism, sexism, heterosexism, and oppression throughout U.S. history on Saturday, June 12. The rally was part of a national day of action to Teach the Truth organized by the Zinn Education Project and Black Lives Matter at School.

From February 1-5, 2021, Teaching for Change's D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice hosted the fourth annual D.C. Area Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. This local week of action is part of the National Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action and Year of Purpose campaign taking place in cities across the U.S. to promote a set of national demands based in the Black Lives Matter guiding principles that focus on improving the school experience for students of color.

Students in Sam Chiron’s Introduction to Law class at Thurgood Marshall Academy PCS discussed images and text related to the questions: What is Black Lives Matter? What are the 13 Guiding Principles? The lesson was an introduction to a month-long unit on the Black Lives Matter movement.

Students in grades 9/10 English Language Arts classes in the International Academy (newly arrived immigrant students) and a grade 11/12 elective course at Cardozo Education Campus (DCPS) collaborated throughout the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action. This followed a unit on the Civil Rights Movement.

Third graders at Concord Hill School learned about the principles of Restorative Justice and Loving Engagement by studying the role of young people in the Civil Rights Movement.

Fourth Grade students at Milton Gottesman Jewish Day School read and discuss Don’t Touch My Hair.

Using the Black Lives Matter guiding principles and the book Don't Touch My Hair to discuss consent with young children.

On February 15, 2021, 36 preservice teachers from Gallaudet University, Kendall Demonstration Elementary School, and the Maryland School for the Deaf, gathered for a virtual workshop presentation titled Teaching about the Black Lives Matter 13 Guiding Principles in Early Childhood Classrooms.

Students and staff from Lafayette ES gathered virtually for a special “Wellness Wednesday” during the Black Lives Matter at School Week featuring an introduction to the Black Lives Matter Movement 13 guiding principles and a lesson on the history of Lift Ev’ry Voice and Sing.

By Lila Chafe
On the warm Wednesday evening of March 3, 2021, early childhood educators joined the DCAESJ Anti Bias ECE Working Group’s monthly meeting. As they logged on, participants shared memories from years of collective joy and action, preparing for the departure of the working group’s coordinator, Rosalie Reyes.

On February 2nd, educators and school leaders at Two Rivers PCS organized an all school virtual community meeting celebrating the themes of Black excellence, joy, freedom, and culture. Members of the school community recorded and shared in a video their responses to the prompts: What does Black Lives Matter mean to you? and What is Black joy?

On January 30, 2021 Teaching for Change and the Howard University School of Education co-hosted an annual curriculum fair to help educators to learn more about the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action and Year of Purpose. More than 500 educators from 42 states and the District of Columbia deepened their practice as they learned from the keynote speakers and participated in workshops.

On the evening of Tuesday, February 2nd, nearly 70 participants attended a virtual town hall on racial justice held by Glen Haven Elementary School. This was the third Town Hall for Racial Justice held by the school since June 2021.

Middle school students from the class of Lia Bengtson and Tarja Lewis at Kendall Demonstration School in D.C. created a video to kick off Black Lives Matter Week of Action at Schools. They challenged viewers to think about why Black lives should matter to EVERYONE.

Early childhood students at School Within School @ Goding explore Black joy through the Afrofuturist art of Cyrus Kabiru, who creates glasses (he calls c-stunners) out of discarded materials.

Kindergarten students study the Black Lives Matter Principle “intergenerational” during the Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action, developing a deep understanding of the principles by reading and discussing multiple books.

Dr. Shani King, children’s rights lawyer, professor, and children’s book author, joined first grade students at Garrison ES for a virtual read-aloud of his new book, Have I Ever Told You Black Lives Matter.

By Lizzie McCord
Dr. Alana Murray and Tiferet Ani shared resources for teaching about Black women’s activism during the 2021 Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action Curriculum Fair. They began the session by sharing some historical context for Black women’s organizing, giving special consideration to the work of the Combahee River Collective and Marsha P. Johnson of STAR.

By Lizzie McCord
During the 2021 Black Lives Matter at School Week of Action Curriculum Fair, Jaimee A. Swift led a workshop building on her work at Black Women Radicals, the organization she founded to uplift the stories of Black women and gender expansive people’s activism.

By Lila Chafe
Almost one hundred participants attended Dr. Shari Berga’s workshop, co-facilitated by Akailah Jenkins McIntyre, titled “Teaching, Loving, and Believing Black Girls.” Both facilitators are part of the Wells Collective, a collaborative of diversity practitioners that focus their work on empowering women.