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Friend, My name is Jalaya Liles Dunn, and I am delighted to introduce myself as the new director of Learning for Justice. You may know us by our original name, Teaching Tolerance. I was first introduced to Teaching Tolerance and the Southern Poverty Law Center 20 years ago while serving as an Ella Baker Trainer for the Children’s Defense Fund Freedom Schools® program. An organizer and human rights activist, Baker understood the work necessary to effect systems change. Her leadership in empowering ordinary people like you and me to confront injustice continues to call me to this work today. When our program was founded in 1991, its goal was clear: eradicating hate by fighting intolerance in schools. Focusing on the difference one teacher could make, Teaching Tolerance created resources to build classrooms where all children could thrive. We’re proud of the work we’ve done. But over 30 years, that work has evolved. And it’s time for a name that reflects the work we do now and the work we’ll carry forward. With educators, we’re teaching the hard history of American slavery. We’re promoting policies that ensure LGBTQ students are safe on campus. We’re navigating critical conversations with young people about race, gender, class and more. We’re advocating for sanctuary schools. We’re offering guidance on procedures and policies to interrupt a school-to-prison pipeline that disproportionately removes Black, Latinx and Indigenous students from their classrooms, their families and their communities. We know the health of our schools depends on the state of our communities, so we’re looking forward to including caregivers and community partners in our work. We know it's going to take as many people as possible to build the foundations for a multiracial and multicultural society where everyone is welcomed and valued. We know the health of our society largely depends on the health of the South, so we’re planning ways to be more intentional about our work and extend our partnerships in communities in Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, Florida and Georgia. We’re very grateful to all the members of our SPLC community who have supported us, encouraged us and pushed us to find a name that better reflects the work we do and the change we’re working toward. The truth is, justice is at the heart of what we want for all of our young people and for society at large. And learning from—and with—one another is the first step to making justice real. Visit us at learningforjustice.org to learn more about our work, and find the latest news from Learning for Justice in our weekly newsletter. We hope you’re as excited as we are about our new name and about the incredible work we know lies ahead as we continue learning for justice together. Thank you, Jalaya Liles Dunn
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