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Friend, Our Learning for Justice program recently released the inaugural issue of Learning for Justice magazine. It could not have come at a more critical moment. It’s a time of poignancy, great promise and hope. But it’s also a time of pain and sorrow stemming from a global pandemic that exacerbated economic and racial injustices. We recognize the reported and unreported state-sanctioned police violence against Black lives and the increase in hate crimes against members of the Asian American community. We also bear witness to the rapid upspring of laws and policies set forth to undermine the voting rights of Black and Brown people and those experiencing poverty, and to eliminate the gender rights of our students and the right for all students to have an inclusive, honest and meaningful learning experience.
Despite the poignancy of this time, the urgency of now also calls for hope and promise — and action. Educators, students, their families and communities are joining together to demand truth-telling in schools and to counter decisions that censor dialogue around race and injustice in the classroom. People are applying collective pressure to ensure enforcement of the law through Plyler v. Doe, affirming undocumented children’s rights to enroll and participate fully in public schools. All over the nation, people are working together for a stronger democracy. These actions are necessary. How we respond to this urgent moment will determine how we shape the meaning of justice. This time requires a unified base of advocates committed to a multiracial, multiethnic democracy. We’ve collectively learned lessons from this past year. Following them will get us closer to the world we hope for ourselves and for the generations to come. I am proud that this first issue of Learning for Justice magazine speaks to these lessons. As you flip through this issue, I hope you will internalize the call to learn from these lessons and advance justice in your school community. This school year, let us all commit to working in solidarity to champion the needs of our children, first and foremost. And let’s allow our shared lessons to inform and inspire us to keep moving toward a more just and equitable education for all young people. Sincerely, Jalaya Liles Dunn Director, Learning for Justice
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