Today, I’m walking into something special.
The Educators Summit, hosted by the CSU Center to Close the Opportunity Gap, is happening at Cal State Long Beach and I’m honored to be presenting alongside an incredible community of educators, students, and advocates. The theme, “Rooted in Resilience: Cultivating Educator Courage and Care,” couldn’t feel more timely or more personal.
In just a few hours, I’ll be leading a breakout session called “From the Classroom Up: Elevating Educator Voice in Policy Decisions.” This session was born out of a belief I carry with me every day: that teachers are not just implementers of policy, we are authors of it. We have lived experience, data, stories, and solutions that decision-makers need to hear.
During the session, we’ll roll up our sleeves for a hands-on Policy Design Lab where teachers will collaborate to identify a pressing issue in their schools, whether it’s teacher-led professional development, bilingual support, or teacher planning time and work through the process of crafting real, classroom-informed policy ideas. It’s interactive, messy, meaningful work, just like teaching.
I’m also deeply looking forward to joining the Teacher Panel later in the day, where I’ll be sharing reflections on self-care, sustainability, and the boundaries that help me stay rooted in the classroom while serving on the State Board of Education. I’ll be in good company, Bridgette Donald-Blue, Marine Karapetyan, and Tino Gutierrez will also be sharing their powerful perspectives. It promises to be honest, energizing, and deeply human.
What I love most about this summit is that it centers care as the foundation of everything else. It reminds us that resilience isn’t about doing more, it’s about doing what matters, together.
If you’re here today, I hope you’ll stop by the session or say hello in the hallway. And if you’re following along from afar, I’ll be sharing reflections soon here on the blog.
Let’s keep showing up, speaking up, and designing systems that reflect what we know to be true: Educators are the heartbeat of equity.
See you in the room.
