DIVERSITY, EQUITY & INCLUSION COMMITTEE
The mission of the PTA Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee (DEI) is to promote an enriching and supporting climate with a racial, gender and social equity lens that allows all members of the Lowell school community to thrive and succeed.
Educate - Appreciate - Celebrate
In order to promote PTA values of diversity and inclusion with an equity lens, the DEI Committee goals are to:
-
Representation: Make every effort to foster a PTA board and membership that are inclusive and reflective of its community;
-
Inclusivity: Encourage PTA activities and communications at the school that are representative and inclusive of all Lowell families;
-
Advocacy: Support and advocate for activities and practices that eliminate bias, prejudice, and inequities within our school community;
-
Community: Encourage families to build relationships with their teachers and school leadership and share opportunities to broaden students’ exposure to various histories and cultures not currently represented in school activities.
Our committee includes parents/guardians from TK-5th grade (general and special education) and teachers from lower and upper grades.
Our focus is integrating more DEI into school and PTA activities, primarily through remote collaboration rather than in-person meetings.
What is DEI and How Does It Fit in PTA?
Committee Activities
Cultural Calendar
The DEI Committee created this calendar as a guide for families, teachers, and PTA to prioritize books, student work, and communications (newsletters and social media) that increase learning about these cultural holidays and events. This is a living calendar that will be updated as needed to better represent all families and communities globally.
Increase DEI in PTA Communications
DEI Committee reps collaborate with the PTA Communications Chair regularly to include information about cultural holidays and heritage days in all PTA communications (Lowell Calendar, Lowell Log, and social media feeds) to increase representation and awareness of our diverse Lowell and global community.
DEI Wall Space
This shared wall space (in the 1st/2nd grade hallway) showcases promotional materials and student work related to the Cultural Calendar events, the schoolwide Second Step social-emotional curriculum, and enrichment programs to highlight how these diverse topics are being explored with students.
Advocate for More Diverse Classroom Libraries
Stories serve as “windows and mirrors” to explore new ideas and cultures, challenge norms and stereotypes, and foster empathy and understanding. Students have classroom reading time, Super Readers (starting in 1st grade where students bring in books to read aloud), and weekly trips to the library so these are opportunities to infuse more inclusion and diversity by highlighting Cultural Calendar events and texts with more diverse protagonists.
Our committee is excited to support LBUSD efforts to diversify classroom libraries through the FAIR Act Book Collection and Rising Voices Library in all LBUSD TK-5 classrooms. We will continue to advocate for more of these diverse books for our Lowell classrooms and library.
Learn more about The FAIR Education Act: Implementation of Fair,. Accurate, Inclusive, and. Respectful Curriculum.
DEI Resources for Families (from LBUSD & LBCPTA)
1. Voices of LBUSD - committee of LBUSD administrators, teachers, classified staff, and parents. They are looking to involve all stakeholders (students, staff, parents, and community members) to participate in planning and celebrating our diverse, historically marginalized communities.
2. Ms. Hecht’s Cultural Libraries (created by LBUSD teacher): https://linktr.ee/misshecht
3. Black Lives Matter Curriculum Resource Guide: BlackLivesMatteratSchool.com
4. Black Lives Matter Long Beach - https://www.blmlbc.org
5. Black Lives Matter Resources at CSULB
6. Chicano Mother Social Justice Curriculum
7. Longfellow Elementary Diversity and Inclusion page: http://lblongfellowpta.org/Page/Program/DiversityandInclusion
8. The National Conscious Kid Social Justice Library: www.theconsciouskid.org
9. Read Like a Rockstar: www.readlikearockstarteaching.com
10. Education with an Apron: www.laneshatabb.com
11. Instagram Pages: @lbcptadeic, @longbeachusd, #voicesoflbusd, @teachersforblacklives, @diversifyournarrativelbusd
12. The BIPOC Project - https://www.thebipocproject.org/
13. 100 Black Men, Long Beach - https://www.100blackmenlbc.com/mentoring-growth-mindset-grits.html
14. The Center Long Beach (LGBTQIA+ Community) - https://www.thecenterlb.org/about-us/
15. Long Beach PFLAG (LBGTQIA+ students and families) - http://www.lbpflag.org
16. Special Needs Network Inc. - https://snnla.org
17. Veterans & Youth Collaborative - http://www.vycareer.org/
18. Khmer Girls in Action - http://kgalb.org/what-we-do/campaigns/
19. Oh Freedom History Curriculum
20. Scaffolded Anti-Racist Resources
21. Anti-Racist Book List for Students
22. The 1619 Project - New York Times American history curriculum that centers Black voices and the Black experience of resilience, perseverance, and the struggle for equal rights:
23. Diverse Book Finder - https://diversebookfinder.org/books/collections/skin-tone/
24. Multicultural vs Social Justice books video
25. Color-blind vs color-brave TedX with Mellody Hobson video
26. Long Beach Immigrants Rights Coalition - www.lbirc.org/
27. Centro CHA - https://www.centrocha.org/
28. Latinos in Action California - https://m.facebook.com/latinosinactioncalifornia
29. Hispanas Organized for Political Equality (HOPE) - www.latinas.org
Interested to Join or Learn More?
We need more diverse voices. All Lowell families and teachers welcome.
Aarti Harper (pronounced Aarthi)
DEI Committee Chair