Social Justice Leadership by Nicole Ball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership Improving Life Outcomes for Urban Youth en-us 2019-03-20 23:20:22 UTC 2025-10-23 02:56:46 UTC hello@padlet.com https://padlet-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/icons/Hearts.png Conflict Management nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575635 Cooper (2010) mentions that the typical power structure in schools is administrators at the top, teachers in the middle, and students and families at the bottom. This is problematic in schools where the majority of the students are African American, while 80% of our nation's public school teachers are White females. I have worked in the urban setting for roughly 8 years in public schools in Buffalo that serve surrounding marginalized, urban communities. The city schools serve largely African American students, in segregated schools, where inequities beg for attention. Though the large majority of White teachers report that the conflict in our schools stems from lack of interest and support from families and unmotivated/disruptive students. Research points to a different issue. The conflict in urban schools festers in cultural dissonance and is rooted in our nation's racial history. The students and families are frequently viewed through deficits in our schools, not seen as resources for solutions. Resistance is revealed through widespread refusal to acknowledge research that points to race. School leaders must abandon deficit thinking and hold teaching staff to abandon the status quo. As a transformational leader, one must abandon the status quo and we cannot do that until we talk about race.]]> 2019-03-20 23:20:22 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575635 Critical Literacies, Technology, and the Arts nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575636 Local Non Profit Organization, BCAT, serves Buffalo youth by providing beautiful spaces for learning, healing, and progress through the arts and technology, inspiring young minds. ]]> 2019-03-20 23:20:22 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575636 Beautiful Spaces: Creating Sanctuaries to Enable Learning and Healing; nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575637 Bill Strickland, A Social Justice Leader who founded the Manchester Bidwell Corporation, values the power of beautiful spaces where inspiration can thrive. This link will take you on a tour of Strickland's vision of transformation in struggling communities. He believes that creating an innovative, welcoming environment shows respect for those who enter it. He reminds us that when we let people know we respect them, they will reciprocate--the first step involves building opportunities within spaces that inspire. The creation of beautiful sanctuaries results in the pure brilliance of our increasingly diverse youth. The raw energy becomes the catalyst of innovation.]]> 2019-03-20 23:20:22 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575637 Leadership and the Arts: Inspiring Communities to Rise nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575638 According to Dantley and Tillman (2010), “Schools [Museums, Field Trips, and Guest Speakers] can become the arenas of struggle among multiple points of view, ideologies, and teleology, and social justice leaders facilitate an environment where these perspectives are welcomed and given free course to be voice” (p. 22). World reknown artist, Edreys Wajed, from my home town of Buffalo, NY, is a transformational leader.  He inspires folks [many who do not frequent museums] to critically view art. Some consider Wajed to be the next Basquiat, taking a stand publicly for justice, amplifying the truth. On a Michigan Avenue 'wall', Wajed and three fellow artists, have painted their way into history with the creation of "the Freedom Wall." This giant art work sparked a transformation in a forgotten African American, redlined community. Wajed has made it clear, under no uncertain terms, that all voices will be lifted. As Sam Cook promised us decades ago, "It's been a long time comin', but a change gon' come real soon." The Wall will be remembered in Buffalo's history as a spark that set Buffalo ablaze with hope for the African American community, standing proudly-- in all its glory. Wajed believes that through art, communities can transform. Together, we know that there is NOTHING we cannot accomplish. The legacy of 28 local and national civil rights leaders, painted on the 300-foot concrete wall that stood unnoticed until now. These artists and social justice leaders have transformed the view for people within this community with this street gallery. ]]> 2019-03-20 23:20:22 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575638 Leadership and Staff Diversity nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575639 Dr. Tiffany Nyachae, social justice leader, advocates in Buffalo for more diversity in teaching staff in our public schools.]]> 2019-03-20 23:20:22 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575639 Healing from the Affects of Trauma of Racism and Violence nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575641 In order to lead for social justice, we are reminded by the Gooden article, "practitioners should first develop a working understanding of individual, institutional, and societal racism." The research around racism and trauma is broad and expansive. This video reminds us how important it is to begin to heal. ]]> 2019-03-20 23:20:22 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575641 The Urban Teacher Collaborative [UTC}: A Regional Community of Practice nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575643 When I first started teaching, armed with what I thought was all I needed to know to be successful. I quickly realized though that although I had studied beyond the curriculum, earning a Masters in Literacy, and graduating at the top of my class, I had a lot to learn if I was going to reach all of my students. As a new teacher, I was not effective and I could not manage my classroom with the policies, systems, and school wide expectations in place. Out of ignorance and desperation, I sent disruptive, disengaged, seemingly unmotivated students out of my room. [All too often] I turned to my veteran teacher peers and administrators for support. They directed me to punitive discipline protocols and many shared a disdain for teaching altogether. Out of ignorance, I believed then that the problem was the students who were disruptive and off-task. The negative culture was affecting the classroom learning outcomes. Classroom disengagement had erected a barrier to critical social, emotional, and literacy growth key to graduation and life long success. This barrier stood tall and strong like a 'wall' in front of my students. I wanted to understand the lack of student engagement, growth, and achievement and my desire to improve learning outcomes sent me to internet resources for answer. Eventually, this study led me to an urban education community of practice (CoP). This group of social justice educators was connected through Dr. Jevon Hunter, Urban Literacy and Curriculum Professor at Buffalo State College. Founded in 2015, Buffalo's Urban Teacher Collaborative provided the encouragement and space to gather regularly, sharing what works, stimulating transformation in our individual teaching practices across the city. In 2019, we continue to meet, and take risks, developing engaging curriculum, based on research, and support each other to improve our practice. We design curriculum around our community's needs and interests. We prioritize a responsive approach with our diverse students. This community of practice is an invaluable resource in the quest for equitable education in our public schools. The concept of CoP's [check out pg. 7 on this link] was first proposed by cognitive anthropologists Jean Lave and Etienne Wenger in 1991. The UTC [my CoP,] offers support and professional development of social justice leadership skills and teaching practice. Teamwork makes the dream work and we know now that we are stronger and more effective together.  ]]> 2019-03-20 23:20:22 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575643 Transformational Leadership for Social Justice and Change nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575644 In August of 2018, I was elected to join the 2018 Cohort of Emerging Leaders through Open Buffalo, to learn how to be an effective Social Justice Leader.

“A diverse group of social justice educators, activists, and community leaders worked together to build a stronger, more effective team of change makers,” said Nicole Ball, 2018 Emerging Leader. “ Our learning experience set the stage for new beginnings rooted in community and shared purpose.”]]> 2019-03-20 23:20:22 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/343575644 Prioritize Community Needs nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345429339 Buffalo, NY is a city where historically underserved, African American communities continue to endure complex trauma from endless and senseless violence rooted in systemic oppression and racism. Pictured below is Thapelo Hill, my brother and brilliant artist. Thapelo was a fixture on stage, in the arts community, and on the sidewalks of our city. He walked everywhere and always showed up with a contagious smile that could change the world. He was lost to gun violence following a shooting on December 14, 2017 in Buffalo, New York. I can still hear the beat of his drum and his unmistakable presence.
Thapelo passed away five days after this random act of violence, on December 19th. When he passed, educator colleagues asked if he was in a gang---he was not. Drowning in grief, mourning with my family and community members, I sank deeper. Thapelo Hill, musician, actor, son, brother, nephew, friend, and lover of life. Thapelo is missed and the community must remember that his peers remain, filling our classroom. In a classroom poll, we recently discovered that 9 out of 10 of the African American students in my classroom had lost at least one person close to them from gun violence. Read to deepen your understanding of complex trauma and how it affects learning.]]> 2019-03-26 19:06:21 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345429339 Social Justice Leaders are critical thinkers and [inspired by those who have blazed the path before them] change makers who spot inequities, mobilized and committed. nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345441586 Buffalo native and fellow activist, Susan Anglada Bartley, is a Social Justice Leader, educator, organizer, and author who prioritizes equity and justice, speaking truth to power in her classroom and oftentimes, taking to the streets. In this article Bartley interviews our friend in common, Edreys Wajed, local artist and innovator.]]> 2019-03-26 19:40:31 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345441586 Be Unafraid to Speak the Truth nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345447271 Social Justice Leadership pushes past fear and speaks the truth, simply to be heard, knowing that communities are only as sick as their secrets. McKenzie et al. (2008), reminds us of the importance of identifying the need for leaders to possess “a critical consciousness about social justice.” Through leadership, innovative people seek a better way by moving the dial forward, pressing on for equity. Writer and Social Justice Leader, activist Susan Anglada Bartley, aims to inspire readers to see  A Different Vision: A Revolution Against Racism in Public Education. From her perspective we learn about a journey she embarked upon with adolescents in the urban classroom. Anglada-Bartley offers a vision for the radical transformation of public education in the United States. She organizes and mobilizes, as a social justice leader, often quoted in local papers from the front lines of the fight for equity and justice. "The soul of public education is at stake," said Anglada-Bartley, while teaching at Grant High School, "the very concept of people in the United States having a right to free and equal education."]]> 2019-03-26 19:57:14 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345447271 Transformation Begins with a Deep Look at History nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345454137 Christopher Emdin, social justice leader and urban education scholar, reminds us that powerful terms like 'transformation' and 'culturally relevant curriculum' alone is not enough to make change. To effectively address the complex issues at the root of our country's racist history. With a focus on equity, we can learn and create opportunities to support all children in our classroom. Educating ourselves is one way to get past the barriers to justice and beyond the rhetoric.

]]> 2019-03-26 20:21:37 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345454137 The Sidewalk nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345459221 Fighting Injustice: Social Justice and the Arts]]> 2019-03-26 20:39:12 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345459221 Culturally Relevant Curriculum nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345462922 Gloria Ladson-Billings is a Social Justice Leader who inspired me to transform my practice, starting with building cultural competencies and relevant curriculum.]]> 2019-03-26 20:53:00 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345462922 Amplifying the Voices of Youth through Music nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345464545 Conscious local artists, like Jeremy "Cochise" Ball,  Quiet as Kept Records, gives opportunities to young, brilliant artists in his North Buffalo recording studio. Here, their voices tell a story that is often difficult to hear. One Buffalo artist, Pistol Reef, is signed with Quiet as Kept Records, speaking the tale of a new generation of artists for whom Hiphop is life-or-death. Since its birth in the South Bronx, Hiphop has given power to the racially oppressed. Known to some only for the violent and explicit content, Ball believes HipHop has gotten a bad rap. No one can deny the power HipHop holds globally for activism and change, given its enormous popularity and diverse global following. ]]> 2019-03-26 20:58:43 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345464545 Leadership that Inspires Others to Join the Movement Towards Equity nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345472162 Social Justice Leadership has its sights on equity. In the US, throughout history, artists, educators, and grass-roots organizers have successfully affected change. Social Justice Leadership is embodied by influential leaders, Ella Baker and Angela Davis. Baker and Davis aligned their efforts with grass-roots organizing skills with the Civil Rights Movement, pressing for change in the fight for African American rights and the rights of all women. Over the years, many brilliant scholars have cultivated a following utilizing courage and notoriety to bring international awareness of injustice. The globalization of access to information and sharing ability has expanded exponentially, enabling leaders with a cause to reach and organize in large numbers. Beyond political figures, artists are activists by nature, leading masses of followers to join the movement towards equity.  These are social justice leaders.
Hiphop was born in the poverty stricken South Bronx and utilized as a tool of expression, embracing African American culture, while exposing the issues that African American communities continue to endure. HipHop giant, Sean 'Puffy' Combs, used his celebrity as a platform when he told us to Vote or Die! With power comes voice and with voice we are no longer silenced. Diddy's campaign inspired many to register and vote for the first time, aiming to motivate and mobilize, fighting for equity.
]]> 2019-03-26 21:30:18 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345472162 History Amplifies the Truth nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345482774 Open this group project from a course I took recently. This will give you an overview of African American schooling before and after emancipation. Justice begins with the truth. Unjust systems can be transformed through social justice leadership. But first, explore inclusive history to experience a paradigm shift. Embrace the hard truth.]]> 2019-03-26 22:24:42 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345482774 There is no change without action. nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345494267 Be an ally and lead with courage. ]]> 2019-03-26 23:30:48 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345494267 Leadership That Works nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345495979 2019-03-26 23:41:07 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345495979 Building Unity for Social Justice nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345517173 Colin Kaepernick will forever be remembered for his Social Justice Leadership. Kaepernick knelt during the anthem for the first time in 2016 to protest injustice. He sparked a movement that took the world by storm, forcing people around the world to take notice on issues around police brutality and senseless murders in the African American communty. It takes courage to stand for a cause even if it means loosing things that are important to in the process.]]> 2019-03-27 01:29:14 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345517173 Social Justice in in Education nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345522060 A Walk in my Shoes by K.State College of Education]]> 2019-03-27 01:53:09 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345522060 Story Telling nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345523409 Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie reminds us of the danger of a single story. Please keep in mind that this digital poster is a curation of resources built from my worldview--a perspective that is ever evolving as I continue to learn and grow. This critical work remains fueled by personal experiences of joy and pain. 

Please view this project as a symbol or culmination of my learning around the topic of of Social Justice Leadership. Through my own adverse childhood experiences and shared stories from my classroom, family, and community, I have experienced the ultimate paradigm shift in the context of educational equity and rapidly growing diversity around me. The story I tell here reveals my present understanding and is in constant transformation as I hear the stories of a diverse group of leaders committed to equity and social justice. 

Story telling, whether the story of "us" or the sharing of personal narratives fosters empathy and deepens understanding.

In Carolyn Shields article,  "Transformative Leadership," we are reminded that "having the courage to address, head-on, situations that are unjust and marginalizing is not easy." Social Justice Leadership is anything but easy and transformational change starts with courage to speak truth to power. 
]]> 2019-03-27 02:01:45 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/345523409 References nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/346972469 Cooper, C.W. (2010). Educational leaders as cultural workers: Engaging families and school communities through transformative leadership. In S.D. Horsford (Ed.), New Perspective in Educational Leadership: Exploring Social, Political, and Community Contexts and Meaning (pp. 173-195). New York, NY: Peter Lang.  (chapter 9 in required text)

Dantley, M. E. (2010). Leadership and a Critical Spirit of Resistance. Culture, Curriculum, and Identity in Education,143-159. doi:10.1057/9780230105669_7

Gooden, M. A., & Gonzales, R. (2012). Chapter 5 A Rigorous Recruitment and Selection Process of the University of Texas at Austin Principalship Program. Advances in Educational Administration Successful School Leadership Preparation and Development, 97-112. doi:10.1108/s1479-3660(2012)0000017008

McKenzie, K. B., Christman, D., Hernandez, F., Fierro, E., Capper, C. A.,
Dantley, M., ... Scheurich, J. J. (2008). From the field: A proposal for educating
leaders for social justice. Educational Administration Quarterly, 44(1), 111–138.


]]> 2019-03-31 23:40:21 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/346972469 Angela Davis: Social Justice Leader and Feminist nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/348297042 2019-04-03 21:59:35 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/348297042 Mamie Till Moved the World nicolejmball https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/348309810 Women of color have not been recognized for their contributions to Social Justice Leadership. Powerful women of great courage and strength that led masses to action for justice include Mamie Till, Rosa Parks, and Nina Simone. ]]> 2019-04-03 23:10:53 UTC https://padlet.com/nicolejmball/social_justice_leadership/wish/348309810