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At HiMama, Early Childhood Educators are at the center of everything we do. Join us for the 2nd Edition of the HiMama Early Learning Summit and LEVEL UP your learning, so our future leaders can thrive.

The event will be held virtually on Saturday, January 15, 2022 from 11am-6pm Eastern Time, with a full day of educational sessions, including specific breakout sessions for educators, directors and owners!

NEW! Join us for a special kickoff event Friday, January 14th from 6-8pm ESTfor networking opportunities, extended learning and some special giveaways!

All rights reserved Copyright © 2021 HiMama

Special Friday Kickoff Event

1. How much does it cost to attend?

4. How do I access the conference?
After you sign up, look out for an email with instruction to login to an easy-to-use event platform called Whova. We'll be using this for our conference on Friday, January 14 and Saturday, January 15.
This conference is completely FREE!

2. Can I attend even if I'm not a HiMama customer?
Yes! We love welcoming new members into our HiMama family, and already offer lots of free programming weekly - this conference is no different!

3. Can I register multiple people on my team for your conference?
The more the merrier! Just make sure each individual signs up separately above.

5. Can I use the certificate towards my professional development hours?
For live attendees, it is up to each individual to verify whether the certificates will be accepted in their region as part of their professional development hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. How much does it cost to attend?

4. How do I access the conference?
After you sign up, look out for an email with instruction to login to an easy-to-use event platform called Whova. We'll be using this for our conference on Friday, January 14 and Saturday, January 15.
This conference is completely FREE!

2. Can I attend even if I'm not a HiMama customer?
Yes! We love welcoming new members into our HiMama family, and already offer lots of free programming weekly - this conference is no different!

3. Can I register multiple people on my team for your conference?
The more the merrier! Just make sure each individual signs up separately above.

5. Can I use the certificate towards my professional development hours?
For live attendees, it is up to each individual to verify whether the certificates will be accepted in their region as part of their professional development hours.

Frequently Asked Questions

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At HiMama, Early Childhood Educators are at the center of everything we do. Join us for the 2nd Edition of the HiMama Early Learning Summit and LEVEL UP your learning, so our future leaders can thrive.

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24th annual pittsburgh racial justice summit

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24th annual pittsburgh racial justice summit tickets

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24th Annual Pittsburgh Racial Justice Summit

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Eventbrite - The Black and White Reunion presents 24th Annual Pittsburgh Racial Justice Summit - Friday, January 21, 2022 | Saturday, January 22, 2022 - Find event and ticket information.

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Feb 24, Promoting the Positive Racial Identity of Black Infants and Toddlers

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Feb 24, Promoting the Positive Racial Identity of Black Infants and Toddlers

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Jan 26 - Even Superheroes Need Support: The Power of Emotional Intelligence for Early Childhood Educators

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Jan 26 - Even Superheroes Need Support: The Power of Emotional Intelligence for Early Childhood Educators

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Feb 2 - Learn about PA's Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Project, for Stakeholders (virtual)

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Feb 2 - Learn about PA's Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Project, for Stakeholders (virtual)

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Welcome! You are invited to join a webinar: Pennsylvania's Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Project and Your Role as a Valued Stakeholder. After registering, you will receive a confirmation email about joining the webinar.

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Presenters: Christina Harris and Sadia Batool, they are the full-time Early Childhood Leads for the Early Childhood Comprehensive Systems Grant Pennsylvania has a wide variety of maternal child health and human services available to pregnant and parenting families of infants and toddlers.

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New! Jan 11, noon - Invitation to Change Approach - Evidence-Based Principles & Practices for Helping a Loved One Change

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New! Jan 11, noon - Invitation to Change Approach - Evidence-Based Principles & Practices for Helping a Loved One Change

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Better Together: Building Strong Parent-Teacher Relationships (webinar)

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Better Together: Building Strong Parent-Teacher Relationships (webinar)

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Mental Health: Mobilizing the Collective Power of Support

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Mental Health: Mobilizing the Collective Power of Support

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24-Hour Crisis Telephone Resources in PA

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24-Hour Crisis Telephone Resources in PA

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1-DHS_FSC Trustpoint Interpreting Presentation September 2021 (1)

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Want a training around this financial wellness framework? Let us know!

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Talking about money can be uncomfortable and intimidating. Money Powerup Packs create a supportive and non-judgmental environment for parents to share strategies about how their families save, spend, and talk with their children about money. Parents grow their belief that they are skillful savers who have valuable information to share and put into action.

Every pack contains all the materials you need to advertise, facilitate, and evaluate an event including: flyers, welcome video, facilitator guides, group activities, take home activities to play with the whole family (in English and Spanish), and event surveys.

We've release the first of the full set of eight Money Powerup Pack event kits. Purchase Heart & Brain now and sign the waitlist to be the first to order the full set in Winter 2022.

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Money Powerup Packs - The Prosperity Agenda

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Talking about money can be uncomfortable and intimidating. Money Powerup Packs create a supportive and non-judgmental environment for parents to share strategies about how their families save, spend, and talk with their children about money. Parents grow their belief that they are skillful savers who have valuable information to share and put into action.

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Talking about money can be uncomfortable and intimidating. Money Powerup Packs create a supportive and non-judgmental environment for parents to share strategies about how their families save, spend, and talk with their children about money. Parents grow their belief that they are skillful savers who have valuable information to share and put into action.

Every pack contains all the materials you need to advertise, facilitate, and evaluate an event including: flyers, welcome video, facilitator guides, group activities, take home activities to play with the whole family (in English and Spanish), and event surveys.

We've release the first of the full set of eight Money Powerup Pack event kits. Purchase Heart & Brain now and sign the waitlist to be the first to order the full set in Winter 2022.

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Money Powerup Packs - The Prosperity Agenda

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Talking about money can be uncomfortable and intimidating. Money Powerup Packs create a supportive and non-judgmental environment for parents to share strategies about how their families save, spend, and talk with their children about money. Parents grow their belief that they are skillful savers who have valuable information to share and put into action.

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.readable_text
Talking about money can be uncomfortable and intimidating. Money Powerup Packs create a supportive and non-judgmental environment for parents to share strategies about how their families save, spend, and talk with their children about money. Parents grow their belief that they are skillful savers who have valuable information to share and put into action.

Every pack contains all the materials you need to advertise, facilitate, and evaluate an event including: flyers, welcome video, facilitator guides, group activities, take home activities to play with the whole family (in English and Spanish), and event surveys.

We've release the first of the full set of eight Money Powerup Pack event kits. Purchase Heart & Brain now and sign the waitlist to be the first to order the full set in Winter 2022.

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Money Powerup Packs - The Prosperity Agenda

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
Talking about money can be uncomfortable and intimidating. Money Powerup Packs create a supportive and non-judgmental environment for parents to share strategies about how their families save, spend, and talk with their children about money. Parents grow their belief that they are skillful savers who have valuable information to share and put into action.

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Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals

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The Institute offers Family Support Professionals everywhere the opportunity to learn new skills and grow their careers.

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Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals

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The Institute offers Family Support Professionals everywhere the opportunity to learn new skills and grow their careers.

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Institute for the Advancement of Family Support Professionals

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The Institute offers Family Support Professionals everywhere the opportunity to learn new skills and grow their careers.

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inSIGHT: Exploring Implicit Bias in Child Protection

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inSIGHT: Exploring Implicit Bias in Child Protection

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Introduction

Welcome to the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) and the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race & Ethnicity's Implicit Bias Module Series. At CSSP, we work to achieve a more racially, economically, and socially just society in which all children, youth, and families thrive. CSSP translates ideas into action, promotes public policies grounded in equity, and supports strong and inclusive communities. At the Kirwan Institute at The Ohio State University, we are committed to the creation of a just and inclusive society, where all people and communities have the opportunity to succeed. Our commitment to our missions are why we work so hard to understand and overcome barriers that prevent access to opportunity in our society, such as implicit bias and racial disparities in our child welfare system.

This online course on implicit bias will introduce you to insights about how our minds operate and help you understand the origins of implicit associations. You will also uncover some of your own biases and learn strategies for addressing them. Each module is divided into a short series of lessons, many taking less than 10 minutes to complete. That way, even if you're pressed for time, you can complete the lessons and modules at your convenience.

We are excited that you are starting this process to explore implicit bias and what its operation means for your decisions and actions. Thank you for joining us!

In addition to these online modules, CSSP offers an in-person training, which features customized content tailored to your child protection agency. Please read this brief for more information, or contact communications@cssp.org for specific questions.

For information on research and trainings, offered by the Kirwan Institute at The Ohio State University, contact Kelly Capatosto, Senior Research Associate, at capatosto.3@osu.edu.

About CSSP

The Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) is a national non-profit, and since its founding more than 40 years ago, has been at the forefront of our nation's most significant reforms in child welfare and family support services, combining rigorous standards for policy analysis and nurturing innovation in communities. We believe that our collective efforts will dramatically shift our nation toward a more fair, just, and equitable society, by focusing on several key priorities, including:

Developing a strong national anti-poverty policy that centers equity.

Ensuring that all young children get a great start in life by advancing local early childhood systems and parental leadership.

Building public systems that empower all youth and link them to opportunities.

Creating a national child welfare system that is fair, equitable, and effective.

Generating evidence about the power of communities and marginalized people to lead and achieve lasting change.

Many CSSP staff contributed to the development of these online modules and the in-person training, and we would like to thank them for their efforts.

The development of inSIGHT: Exploring Implicit Bias in Child Protection was funded in part by the Annie E. Casey Foundation. We thank them for their support but acknowledge that the findings and conclusions presented in this curriculum are those of CSSP alone, and do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the Foundation.

About Kirwan

The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity is an interdisciplinary engaged research institute at The Ohio State University established in May 2003. As a racial equity research institute, our goal is to connect individuals and communities with opportunities needed for thriving by educating the public, building the capacity of allied social justice organizations, and investing in efforts that support racial equity and inclusion. Here at the Kirwan Institute, we do this through research, engagement, and communication.

The Race and Cognition team at the Kirwan Institute would like to give thanks to all of those involved in the process of creating and launching the Online Implicit Bias training. Countless hours have been dedicated to the creation of the modules and we do not take that for granted. There are several people we would like to show an additional level of gratitude to:

Special thanks to the entire staff at The Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race and Ethnicity-thank you so much for your dedication to this work and your everyday efforts to make the world a more just and inclusive society. We appreciate you!

Frequently Asked Questions
Why focus on implicit rather than explicit bias?
Although our modules focus primarily on implicit bias, Kirwan and CSSP acknowledge that inclusion and equity efforts must also address explicit bias and discrimination in order to create real change. Our explicit and implicit attitudes are related constructs, and many times peoples' implicit and explicit attitudes are in alignment.

However, even though concepts are related, they are distinct. Someone can act in a biased manner based on their implicit associations, even if they do not indicate an explicit preference for certain individuals or groups. Learning about implicit bias provides a lens to help examine the causes of racial, gender, or other social disparities, even in the absence of explicit intent to discriminate or cause harm.
How long will it take me to complete these modules?
While everyone works at a different pace, these modules should take participants roughly 45 minutes to 1.5 hours to complete, depending on the time spent on activities and supplemental exercises.
Are these modules supported by research?
Yes. The methods and research shared in these modules is supported in part by Kirwan's annual flagship publication, the State of the Science Implicit Bias Review. Each year, Kirwan researchers compile studies on the subject of implicit bias into an interdisciplinary literature review in a format that is accessible and easy to understand from a wide range of academic and professional backgrounds.

Additionally, the child welfare historical content is supported by and adapted from "A Historical Overview: Timeline of Child Welfare and Youth Justice Systems-Racial and Ethnic Focus" from The W. Haywood Burns Institute for Justice Fairness and Equity. National data on racial disparity and disproportionality is based on 2017 Census Data and data reported by states through the Adoption and Foster Care Analysis Reporting System (AFCARS) and represents point in time data as of the last day of the fiscal year (September 30, 2017). Additional child welfare content is provided by child welfare experts from the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) and can be found in publications from CSSP, including: Achieving Racial Equity: Child Welfare Strategies to Improve Outcomes for Children of Color and Prevent, Protect, & Provide: How child welfare can better support low-income families.
Does implicit bias reflect my beliefs about equity or inclusion?
We will get more into this during Module 1, but our implicit preferences do not necessarily align with our explicit beliefs. For example, one can believe in equality of all people and still hold a pro-self-identity bias. Importantly, some people possess implicit attitudes that do not align with their own held identities.
If I didn't intend to be biased in the first place, how will learning about implicit bias help?
Becoming aware of what biases you possess and the decisions that are most likely to be influenced by our unconscious processing can help you build interventions and strategies to prevent the expression of bias and unwanted outcomes. Our training also includes information about empirically based interventions to both reduce the expression of bias and alter the associations we possess.
What is the connection between implicit bias and how people act?
Implicit bias has been shown to impact decision-making across a wide array of sectors, including employment, medicine, and education. However, there are limitations to the extent to which unconscious biases can predict individual behavior. People with an implicit preference for one identity may not act on this bias or make biased decisions, much of this depends on the circumstance.
Does this training apply to me if I don't have implicit bias?
We will touch on this during the modules, but because biases can be activated across a wide range of identities, we all hold some implicit preferences. Even people without an implicit preference can still act in ways that produce discriminatory behavior, such as not speaking up when they see bias in their environment. This need to translate knowledge into action is why Kirwan and CSSP also emphasize the importance of being an active bystander.
Will these modules eliminate bias?
These modules are not designed to eliminate bias. Rather, we hope that an awareness of implicit bias and how it operates will help participants engage in more equitable decision-making practices and behaviors. These strategies to reduce the expression of bias are only one piece of the puzzle and should be complemented by policies and strategies to address institutional and explicit discrimination.
I'm not in a child welfare profession, are these modules for me?
This module series includes examples and activities that are uniquely tailored to the experience of those who work in a child welfare setting or a closely related field. However, much of the content in Modules 1, 3, and 4 are generalizable enough to apply to most audiences.

Module 1: Introduction

In this first module, you will be introduced to the basics of implicit bias:

What is meant by "implicit" or "unconscious" associations or biases?

How are implicit biases different from explicit biases?

What does it look and/or feel like when implicit associations operate?

How do our biases form?

Why does all of this matter?

You are encouraged to complete each lesson in order and at your pace. Each lesson is followed by a quick check-in question that will help us gauge your understanding thus far.

We hope you enjoy this first module!

Module 1: Recap

Implicit bias operates outside of our conscious awareness.

Implicit bias is unconscious, automatic, and relies on associations that we form over time.

We can form bias toward groups of people based on what we see in the media, our background, and experiences.

Our biases reflect how we internalize messages about our society rather than our intent. Nevertheless, we can still act on our biases in ways that can harm others.

Module 1: Check-In

Test what you know!

Take the Module 1 Quiz

Module 2: Recap

Implicit bias can turn even our best intentions into unwanted outcomes.

The racial disparities and disproportionalities that exist today are a result of not only racist attitudes and policies in the past-such as slavery, attempted genocide and violent assimilation of Native American people, or the War on Drugs-but also because of the ways racism persists and is perpetuated in the present. Implicit bias, which can be mitigated, also contributes to these disparities and disproportionalities.

Implicit bias plays out in our actions and behaviors, which is important for child protection workers to be aware of since they are making life-long decisions regarding the lives of children and families.

If child protection workers aren't aware of their biases it can impact the delivery of services and the implementation of policies and practices.

Module 2: Check-In

Test what you know!

Take the Module 2 Quiz

Take the IAT!

You can find out your own biases by taking an implicit association test at: https://implicit.harvard.edu/

All tests are free and take roughly 5 minutes

Try taking 2-3 tests and reflect on your results

Module 3: Recap

There are two main ways in which we measure implicit bias. We can understand our biases through examinations of our behavior and by looking at how our brain is activated through the use of imaging technology.

One of the most utilized behavioral assessments of implicit bias is the Implicit Association Test (IAT), which measures if there are positive or negative attitudes toward a particular concept or social group.

You can better understand your own biases by taking the IAT, available at https://implicit.harvard.edu/

It is important to reflect on your results. Consider how your background and personal experiences may have impacted your results.

Module 3: Check-In

Test what you know!

Take the Module 3 Quiz

Our Brains are Malleable

In this process of understanding what implicit bias is and getting to learn about our own biases, it is normal to start to feel like they are too deeply ingrained in our thoughts and actions to be able to combat their effects. However, as more research comes to light, we are able to find more and more ways to either lessen the effects of bias, or change the biases themselves. Although the latter is certainly a larger undertaking, it is very possible to do so. In the same way that our implicit biases were learned over time, we can disrupt this process with intention, attention and time.

This is because the neural connections between our associations get stronger as we take in more information that confirms our stereotypes or biases. By paying better attention to what we are exposed to and making the intentional choice to seek out experiences that go against our biases, we are able to disrupt this automatic chain of events, and those physical connection in our mind can be weakened. Two interventions we will be talking about later-mindfulness and intergroup contact, have shown the ability to not only stop the manifestation of these biases, but alter the implicit biases we possess.

Module 4: Recap

There are long term strategies and changes that we can engage in to reduce our unwanted biases, such as mindfulness and intergroup contact.

One of the best ways to prevent and intervene against bias, is by knowing when you are more susceptible to acting on it, such as moments of high ambiguity, subjectivity, or stress.

Knowledge about the operation of implicit bias can help inform the individual and institutional approaches you take to address inequitable outcomes in your classroom or school.

Learning about implicit bias provides a lens to help examine causes of racial, gender, or other social disparities, even in the absence of explicit intent to discriminate.

Module 4: Check-In

Test what you know!

Take the Module 4 Quiz

Additional Resources

Downloads

Website Resources

Exit Survey

Let us know your feedback!

Take the Exit Survey

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Implicit Racial Bias 101: Exploring Implicit Bias in Child Protection

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Welcome to the Center for the Study of Social Policy (CSSP) and the Kirwan Institute for the Study of Race & Ethnicity's Implicit Bias Module Series. At CSSP, we work to achieve a more racially, economically, and socially just society in which all children, youth, and families thrive.

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Paper - Assistant Teachers in Head Start: Important Drivers of a Diverse and Competent Workforce

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Paper - Assistant Teachers in Head Start: Important Drivers of a Diverse and Competent Workforce

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Assistant Teachers in Head Start: Important Drivers of a Diverse and Competent Workforce

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Assistant teachers play an important role in Head Start and other early care and education (ECE) programs. This study found that assistant teachers contribute to classroom quality in the program's day-to-day implementation. Thirty-eight assistant-lead teaching teams from Head Start preschool classrooms across 14 Head Start centers within the larger agency participated in this study.

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Advancing Equity Conducting Strengths-Based Research in Early Care & Education Webinar

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Protecting Mother-Infant Contact & Breastfeeding During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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Protecting Mother-Infant Contact & Breastfeeding During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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https://learning.ilca.org/products/webinar-protecting-mother-infant-contact-and-breastfeeding-during-the-covid-19-pandemic

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Protecting Mother-infant Contact and Breastfeeding During the COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an enormous global challenge with significant implications for maternal, neonatal and child health. Lactation professionals face numerous barriers to supporting breastfeeding and the use of human milk due to rapidly evolving scientific knowledge, public health and governmental measures attempting to control the epidemic, and additional threats to health systems that struggle to limit infection and supply protections to health care workers. This presentation brings together knowledge from public health and the social sciences to provide key insights and resources for protecting mother-infant contact and breastfeeding during the pandemic.
Credit: 1.50 L CERP and 1.50 Contact Hours

Source: ILCA Webinar 23 November 2020

Presented by: Cecilia Tomori, PhD, MA

Upon completion, the learner will be able to:
1. Describe core tenets of WHO guidance on COVID-19 in relation to lactation

2. Discuss the harmful effects of guidance that does not follow WHO for breastfeeding

3. Identify underlying cultural assumptions that are reflected in diversity of COVID-19 guidance in different settings

4. Translate this knowledge into action in advising policy makers and supporting lactating families in your practice

Learning Level: Intermediate, Advanced

Disclosures: ILCA accepts no commercial support for continuing education activities. The activity planners have no conflicts of interest to declare. The presenter has no significant financial interest or other relationship with the manufacturer(s) of any product(s) or provider(s) of any services relating to the subject matter of this presentation unless otherwise stated below.

CERPs: ILCA is an approved provider of Continuing Education Recognition Points (CERPs) with the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE). (CLT-108-7).

ANCC: ILCA is accredited as a provider of nursing continuing professional development by the American Nurses Credentialing Center's Commission on Accreditation. Approval Number ILCA-P0286. Accepted for BRN credit by the Board of Registered Nursing.

ILCA education is provided as a service to our members for continuing education, knowledge, and awareness. We believe in fostering an inclusive environment that supports diversity and removes barriers. The views and opinions expressed in this education, including the choice of vocabulary, expressions, and use of supporting evidence-based research belong to the presenter. ILCA is steadfast in our commitment to present, learn, and discuss any information in a safe, respectful, and supportive environment.

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ILCA Learning: WEBINAR - Protecting Mother-infant Contact and Breastfeeding During the COVID-19 Pandemic

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The COVID-19 pandemic has presented an enormous global challenge with significant implications for maternal, neonatal and child health. Lactation professionals face numerous barriers to supporting breastfeeding and the use of human milk due to rapidly evolving scientific knowledge, public health and governmental measures attempting to control the epidemic, and additional threats to health systems that struggle to limit infection and supply protections to health care workers.

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"We Can Be" Podcast, from Heinz Endowments

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"We Can Be" Podcast, from Heinz Endowments

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Grant Oliphant, president of The Heinz Endowments and host of "We Can Be." Photo by Joshua Franzos

Listen to The Heinz Endowments' "We Can Be" podcast and experience intimate, candid conversations about the big issues of the day with some of the most accomplished, caring and action-oriented individuals in the social change arena. Hosted by Endowments President Grant Oliphant, "We Can Be" explores the often moving, sometimes funny and always inspiring accounts of how these leaders came to believe that together we can be a more just region, state, country and world.

"We Can Be" is produced by the Endowments and Treehouse Media, with theme music by Josh Slifkin. Guest and host photos by Josh Franzos.

How to listen:
Visit this page each week for new episodes.
Visit iTunes, Podbean, Google Play, Stitcher, Spotify, or other major podcast sites to download an episode, or subscribe so new episodes are automatically in your feed each week. Use search term: heinz we can be.
To listen to "Stronger than This," the special podcast series of candid conversations about COVID-19 by those on the front lines of the coronavirus pandemic as they shared first-hand experiences, challenges, victories, and what they see for the long road ahead, please click HERE.

Illah Nourbakhsh, Director of CMU's CREATE Lab, and Raqueeb Bey, Exec. Director of Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers of Pittsburgh

Bridging gap between university & community: The Center for Shared Prosperity

One of the great anomalies of modern American society is the disconnect between the intellectual capital, innovation, and wealth creation associated with its leading research universities and the persistent challenges and inequality confronting the communities in which those centers of innovation reside.

There is a better way - one in which universities focus their research and problem-solving expertise on those challenges that surrounding communities identify as most urgent. It's a way that includes deep and long-term partnerships between community representatives, unversities and philanthropy.

Funded by The Heinz Endowments with its largest-ever single grant and guided by a committee of trusted community leaders, the newly launched Center for Shared Prosperity at Carnegie Mellon University is creating a template for that better way.

In this episode of "We Can Be," host Grant Oliphant welcomes Carnegie Mellon University's CREATE Lab leader Illah Nourbakhsh, and Raqueeb Bey, executive director of Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers of Pittsburgh and one of the trusted regional leaders helping guide the focus of the center.

Illah is the K&L Gates Professor of Ethics and Computational Technologies at Carnegie Mellon's Robotics Institute, the author of "Robot Futures," and co-author of "AI and Humanity," both from MIT Press.

In addition to heading Black Urban Gardeners and Farmers of Pittsburgh, Raqueeb also leads Mama Africa's Green Scouts, a grassroots organization that works with black youth in underserved communities to encourage awareness of green education, environmental sustainability and social justice.

Illah and Raqueeb share what they believe the Center for Shared Prosperity could mean for both the university and surrounding communities, and how other cities across the nation with major research institutions may use the initiative as a guide for systemic change.

"I see this as the opportunity for all of us to come together in a genuine, long-term way to make permanent change in the structure of the system," says Raqueeb.

Illah agrees: "I believe that we can be pioneers for justice together."

Read the press release by Carnegie Mellon University about the Center for Shared Prosperity.

Incidental music by Giuseppe Capolupa.

Toni Griffin, Founder, Just City Lab, Harvard Graduate School of Design

Designing cities for justice

Toni Griffin, head of the Harvard Graduate School of Design's Just City Lab and co-editor of " Patterned Justice," joins host Grant Oliphant for this episode of "We Can Be."

Our country has perpetuated structural race and class inequities for more than two centuries. But what if we could design cities - their structures, infrastructures and public spaces - in ways that lessen that inequity and foster a more just community?

Toni Griffin has been studying, teaching and putting into action this concept of "just cities" for the past decade, most notably with the Just City Lab, a research platform for developing community-informed and values-based planning methodologies and tools.

Toni is the co-editor of the 2020 book "Patterned Justice," a fascinating look at the process communities can take in identifying the unique values, assets and opportunities that they can enlist in making their neighborhoods more just. Through her New York City-based UrbanAC consulting firm, she has led trans-disciplinary planning and urban design projects for clients in cities with long histories of spatial and social injustice.

In 2016, President Barack Obama appointed Toni to the United States Commission of Fine Arts, and she is a trusted advisor of mayors and civic leaders in several cities, including Washington, D.C., Memphis, St. Louis and Pittsburgh.

Toni shares how she came to recognize patterns of injustice common in cities around the United States; what Pittsburgh's porches, stairs and playgrounds can tell us about inequity; the importance of a common "patterned language"; and why we must consider how spaces affect our mind, body and soul when creating equity-centered city and neighborhood design.

"Thoughtful, community-informed design," Toni says, "can have a role in dismantling - and facilitating - solutions to the physical, social, economic or environmental systems and structures that are at play in making our cities unjust."

Trabian Shorters, BMe co-founder, author

"Reach" author & BMe co-founder Trabian Shorters on the astounding power of asset framing

Trabian Shorters, international expert on the cognitive structure of "asset framing" and co-founder and CEO of the Miami, Florida-based BMe, joins host Grant Oliphant for this episode of "We Can Be."

Trabian is a former vice president of the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation, retired tech entrepreneur, New York Times best-selling author of " Reach: 40 Black Men Speak on Living, Leading and Succeeding," and - in his words - "a doting father of two brilliant, Black twin girls who will live in a better world that we are making together for them."

Throughout his impressive career, Trabian has considered how the assessments we make of others are often built on the inherently biased negative attributes that we perceive them to have, missing their positive traits and ignoring their enormous potential.

Since 2013, he has guided BMe's network of innovators, leaders and champions who invest in the promise of their communities. The success of BMe's leadership fellowship program for Black men and women is proving the transformational power of asset framing, and has in the process helped more than 2 million families secure educational, economic, human rights, and health and wellness opportunities.

Trabian shares with Grant the ways asset framing can inform the national dialogue on police violence against people of color, how John Legend's contribution to "Reach" inspired him, and why he believes we can truly be a land of liberty and justice for all.

"I sincerely believe that we can embody and exemplify fully realized liberty and justice," Trabian says. "We have a duty and responsibility to model the type of behavior that we want to see in the world."

D.S. Kinsel, Co-founder of BOOM Concepts, multidisciplinary artist and cultural agitator

Artist & cultural agitator D.S. Kinsel protests w/art & leads w/heart

D.S. Kinsel is - in his own words - a "multidisciplinary artist and cultural agitator" who in 2014 co-founded BOOM Concep ts, an art collective "dedicated to the advancement of Black and brown artists from marginalized communities across America."

D.S.'s art - and his work in mentoring and promoting other artists - is more vital now than ever. It is no secret that COVID-19 has hit the creative community with particular force, causing canceled exhibits and fundraisers, closing venues, and putting many arts education programs in jeopardy.

This, of course, is happening at the exact time when we need the unflinching honesty and beauty of art more than ever, and as the Black Lives Matter movement gains momentum and makes crystal-clear the inequities faced by Black and brown communities.

D.S. is the curator of #ACTIVISTprint, a collaborative public art program of The Andy Warhol Museum, and presents an ongoing digital assemblage of his own work through his #KINSELCOLLECTION on Instagram.

He brings a deep devotion to family and equity to his art, concentrating in the mediums of painting, public installations, and performance. A book about his work, " Totems, Shrines, & Sacraments: Street Sculptures by D.S. Kinsel," was published earlier this year.

In this podcast episode, D.S. shares with host Grant Oliphant about whether he considers his work to be protest art, his connection to his hometown's considerable art legacy, and why agitating with art is a vital part of society's progression.

"How can people evolve," D.S. asks, "without a bit of agitation?"

Angela Glover Blackwell, Founder in Residence at PolicyLink and author

The radical imagination of PolicyLink founder Angela Glover Blackwell is building a more equitable world

The very fact that our country is having a conversation about equity now is due in no small part to the groundbreaking work of Angela Glover Blackwel l, who founded PolicyLink 20 years ago with a simple but profound aim: to advance racial and economic equity for all.

Doing just that has been her life's work, first as a lawyer who founded Oakland, California's Urban Strategies Council, where she pioneered new approaches to neighborhood revitalization, and later as senior vice president at The Rockefeller Foundation, where she headed its domestic and cultural programs.

She currently serves as Founder in Residence at PolicyLink, which has become one of the nation's most respected policy and research entities. PolicyLink has been instrumental in building a potent broad-based movement for equity, engaging hundreds of partners in cities, suburbs, rural communities, and tribal lands across America.

Angela is co-author of " Uncommon Common Ground: Race and America's Future," and is an in-demand commentator for some of the nation's top news organizations, including The New York Times, The Washington Post, Salon and CNN. She is no stranger to podcasts either, having recently launched her own podcast, " Radical Imagination."

Angela joins host Grant Oliphant to discuss The New York Times " Banks Should Face History and Pay Reparations" op-ed she co-authored; her upbringing in racially segregated St. Louis, Missouri; the lasting influence of PolicyLink's Equity Atlas; and what the concept of "radical imagination" means to her.

"Radical imagination is fueling change," Angela says. "And when we embrace it, true and transformational solidarity is possible."

Jacqueline Patterson, Senior Director, NAACP's Environmental and Climate Justice Program

The fight against environmental racism w/ NAACP Environmental Justice program dir. Jacqueline Patterson

Communities of color breathe in nearly 40 percent more polluted air than white communities, and African-American children are three times as likely to suffer an asthma attack. And that's just the tip of the environmental racism iceberg.

While these are undeniably stark statistics, they are being addressed head on by Jacqueline Patterson, the senior director of the NAACP's Environmental and Climate Justice Program., and coordinator & co-founder of Women of Color United. Jacqui joins host Grant Oliphant for this new episode of "We Can Be."

As a nationally-respected expert in the field of environmental justice for black and brown people who heads the NAACP's largest program, Jacqui brings attention and a demand for action to the intersection of human rights and the environment. Before joining the national office of the NAACP in 2009, she lent her considerable energy to advocacy work for women's rights, those affected by HIV & AIDS, and racial and economic justice.

In this episode, she shares why poor environmental conditions adversely affect the basic civil and human rights of communities of color, including education, health, and housing, and create an endless loop of challenges - and opportunities for what she believes can be "transformational solutions."

"The earth was designed divinely to give us all we need to live in great abundance," Jacqui says. "If we do it right."

"Decolonizing Wealth" author Edgar Villanueva on using Indigenous wisdom to heal inequities

Lumbee Indian tribe member Edgar Villanueva, author of "Decolonizing Wealth: Indigenous Wisdom to Heal Divides and Restore Balance," shares with host Grant Oliphant why "listening in color" may be a key in addressing our nation's systemic racial and ethnic equity disparities.

"Putting judgments and preconceived conclusions aside, and being open to listening through the space of the other person or group's lived experience can lead to a better sense of understanding," Edgar says.

He is president of the board of directors for Native Americans in Philanthropy, serves as vice president of programs and advocacy at the Schott Foundation for Public Education, and heads the consulting group Leverage Philanthropic Partners.

Edgar describes his experience growing up as a member of the Lumbee tribe in North Carolina; the systemic trauma his family and community have faced; the love he has for his mother, who set an indelible example about caring for others and our planet; and the key role the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe's stand-off against the Dakota Access Pipeline had on sharpening his dedication to justice.

He is not afraid to ask difficult questions of business, philanthropy, individuals and communities, and holds great hope for what we can become. "Once we un-learn messages that white is better and white is always right," Edgar says, "we can begin to see that we are all related."

Tony Norman, Columnist, Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (Photo by Kurt Weber)

Acclaimed Post-Gazette columnist Tony Norman's writing is trying to help fuel a revolution toward justice

For the past 24 years, renowned Pittsburgh Post-Gazette columnist and book review editor Tony Norman has written about the most pressing issues of the day, proving to be an important and eloquent voice of truth.

Tony began his journalism career covering pop culture, eventually serving as the Post-Gazette's Pop Music and Culture Editor. He is a former editorial board member at the Post-Gazette, and is the current vice president of the board of the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.

He has modestly described himself as "a distracted former political science major," but he is so much more than that.

Tony shares stories of his early days as a pop culture writer in the '90s, including the David Bowie/Nine Inch Nails show that changed his career; his reception as the Post-Gazette's first Black columnist; and the column he wrote that most moved him - and cemented his decision to "always be on the side of the underdogs."

The era we are living in "feels different than any other I've lived through, like positive change is possible," says Tony to host Grant Oliphant. "We are seeing a revolution in attitudes."

He is writer in a time when there is no shortage of things to write about, and his words are trying to help fuel the revolution toward justice.

Mikael Owunna, artist and author

Artist Mikael Owunna reveals inherent beauty, power & dignity of Black & LGBTQ+ bodies

Mikael Chukwuma Owunna has described himself as a "queer Nigerian-Swedish American photographer, Fulbright Scholar and engineer" who "imagines new universes and realities for marginalized communities around the globe."

" Infinite Essence," Mikael's exhibition of large-scale photographs presenting glittering Black bodies as gorgeously ethereal universes, has moved audiences at every stop.

His recent book, " Limitless Africans," featuring portraits of 50 LGBTQ+ individuals of African descent who are thriving around the world, is a best seller that has garnered rave reviews from NPR, VICE Media, and The New York Times.

Mikael tells "We Can Be" host Grant Oliphant that when taking photographs, he aims to create a "space of freedom" between himself and the models, and hopes those viewing the finished images "both see and feel that freedom."

As the Black Lives Matter movement turns into a powerful and visible global movement, Mikael's art has taken on an even more profound significance, challenging old narratives about both Black and LGBTQ+ bodies, and making clear their power, dignity, and inherent beauty.

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Grant Oliphant, president of The Heinz Endowments and host of "We Can Be." Photo by Joshua Franzos Listen to The Heinz Endowments' "We Can Be" podcast and experience intimate, candid conversations about the big issues of the day with some of the most accomplished, caring and action-oriented individuals in the social change arena.