Racial and Educational Justice Newsletter “To love all children, we must struggle together to create schools we are taught to believe are impossible: Schools built on justice, love, joy, and anti-racism.” ~ Dr. Bettina Love Team Northshore, Welcome to the June edition of our Racial and Educational Justice Newsletter. This issue will highlight Pride Month, Pride community panel, Juneteenth and upcoming cultural and religious observances. Pride Month The Northshore School District is committed to creating a safe, caring, and respectful environment for all students, families, and staff. During the month of June, the District celebrates and recognizes Pride to commemorate the Stonewall riots, recognize the global impact that the LGBTQIA2S+* community has had, and advocate for actionable steps to affirm and amplify the voices of our own LGBTQIA2S+ community. The LGBTQIA2S+ community is made of many races, ethnicities, abilities, faiths and beliefs. Intersectionality should remain at the forefront of the conversations that we have around and beyond Pride Month. In our continued commitment to affirming our LGBTQIA2S+ community, the Racial and Educational Justice Department has taken a series of actionable steps since the 2019-2020 academic year. These include: Fall 2019: The Racial and Educational Justice Department added the Gender and Sexuality Subcommittee (GSS) to our Racial and Educational Justice Committee. Winter 2019: In collaboration with community members, an all gender restroom was established at the Administrative Center. Spring 2020 – present: The Racial and Educational Justice Department, in partnership with GSS, is developing a Pride Coalition for staff across the District that will launch in late fall 2021. Winter 2021 – present: The Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment Department and the Racial and Educational Justice Department, in collaboration with students, families, community members, and educators, are developing an Ethnic Studies framework, with grade-banded iterations, that provide increasing opportunities for windows and mirrors to flourish in Northshore’s classrooms. The Racial and Educational Justice Department will continue to expand its partnerships with Northshore’s LGBTQIA2S+ community and maintain a growing set of initiatives. In recognizing LGBTQIA2S+ Pride, Northshore School District strives to ensure that every student feels a sense of safety and belonging. It is important for each student to see their school and district-community as vibrant, inclusive, and equitable. It is the District’s commitment that all Northshore students are seen and heard. This commitment aligns with Goal 2 of the District’s Strategic Plan,, which aims to shape responsible, resilient, empathetic learners who value diverse cultures and perspectives. * LGBTQIA2S+ includes Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and/or Questioning, Intersex, Asexual, Two-Spirit, and the countless affirmative ways that people choose to self-identify. Pride Community Panel The Racial and Educational Justice Department is hosting a Pride Week of Engagement during the week of June 7, 2021. Resources and elementary read-alouds were sent to all Northshore educators at the beginning of the week. A community panel will be facilitated with Northshore students, educators and community members from 4:00 - 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, June 10, 2021. You can click below to register: REGISTER FOR THE COMMUNITY PANEL Juneteenth Juneteenth is an annual observance that commemorates the ending of chattel slavery in the United States. On June 19, 1865, two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was signed, enslaved African Americans were freed in the state of Texas. This was the last state to adhere to the Proclamation, and a local Freedom Day celebration the next year has since turned into an annual day of observance in 47 states and the District of Columbia. It has yet to be recognized as a national holiday. Today, Juneteenth celebrates African American freedom, independence, advancements, and culture; yet we must also recognize that although there have been many strides forward, the deep struggle for Black liberation still remains. The Northshore School District values each member of our community, and is committed to building a better now and a better future, together. Resources on Juneteenth: Kids Books to Celebrate Juneteenth Teaching Juneteenth Juneteenth: All About Holidays Upcoming Religious and Cultural Observances June 3: Corpus Christi (Christian) June 16: Martyrdom of Guru Arjan Dev Sahib (Sikh) July 9: Martyrdom of the Bab (Bah'i) July 17: Hajj (Islam) July 18: Day of Arafah (Islam) July 19: Eid al-Adha (Islam) Upcoming Holiday Observances June 19: Juneteenth (African American- Culture) June 21: Summer Solstice (Neo Pagan) July 4: Fourth of July (U.S.)