Tennessee Alliance for Equity in Education

Urban League Youth Employment Program: Employer Edition
2024-05-07 10:00 - 11:00 (America/Chicago) | Zoom
Urban League will host a virtual workshop for potential employers to learn about the Tennessee Youth Employment Program formerly known as Summer Youth Employment.

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Public School Strong TN: School Board 101 Training
2024-04-29 18:00 - 19:30 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
At SOCM, we believe that extraordinary change is rooted in the power of ordinary people. Join public school parents, educators, and community members across the state to learn:

the purpose of a school board + the landscape of public education in TN
how to be an effective observer at your local school board meetings
how to form a Public School Strong team in your county
ways to join a nationwide movement to protect and transform public schools that serve ALL children
how you can get active to make sure your county is represented in this growing movement

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TECA Paris: Enlighten & Engage Luncheon
2024-04-13 11:00 - 13:00 | Crown Meeting & Event Center (121 N Poplar St, Paris, Tn 38242, United States)
Join us in West TN, specifically Paris!This Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance luncheon is designed to connect educators of color in Paris, TN and surrounding areas to build a valuable network and community of support. You’re in a small area, but you make a big impact. Register for our afternoon event featuring lunch, group discussions, individual input, and the benefits & opportunities you’ll receive with a free TECA membership.
Got questions? Contact the event coordinator & TECA Ambassador Belinda Davis at belinda.davis@parisssd.org.
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2024 FUTURO Spring Leadership Conference
2024-04-13 09:30 - 18:00 | Greater Nashville Technology Council (500 Interstate Blvd S, Nashville, TN 37210, United States)
Calling all FUTURO Students and Alumni! Join us for the in-person FUTURO Spring Leadership Conference!
This full-day conference will feature an opportunity to network early in the day with employers, organizations, and companies who support our Employer Advisory Board, along with guest speakers, panel presentation, networking with other FUTURO chapters, and you will hear from distinguished FUTURO Alumni and community leaders. This will be a full-day conference event, please be sure to prepare for a day long of networking, learning, and being with our FUTURO familia.
Breakfast and lunch is included, please arrive between 9:00am-9:30am to allow time for parking and registration.
ALL PARTICIPANTS MUST REGISTER PRIOR TO ATTENDING. Dress in Business Professional attire.
WHERE: Nashville Technology Council Center – Tech Commons- Located at:
500 Interstate Blvd S, Nashville, TN 37210 – Free Parking is available in the front and back of building, detailed information will be provided at least 24 hours before the event.
WHEN: Saturday, April 13th (9:30am-6:00pm) Registration and breakfast begin at 9:00am, please arrive early for registration and breakfast. Programming begins with Networking event at 9:30am and program runs until 4:30pm. Reception and Social Hour is from 4:30pm-6:00pm. We will have music, food, drinks, and great company!
REGISTRATION CLOSES ON WEDNESDAY, APRIL 10TH AT 11:30PM.
Please note, this event is a one-day full-day conference. There will not be a virtual option this semester.
*In accordance with COVID Protocols, use caution and do not attend if you feel ill or have had a fever within the last 72 hours of the event.
*Please note that the event is free of cost, however, we accept donations.
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TECA Tri-Cities: Awareness to Action
2024-04-09 17:00 - 19:00 | Science Hill High School (251 Cotty Jones Dr, Johnson City, TN 37604, United States)
Join TECA for a gathering of Upper East Tennessee educators of color! Awareness to Action is curated to inspire and empower educators in the tri-cities area. Meet us in the Hillside Cafe of Science Hill High School.
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HOLA Lakeway College Fair
2024-04-08 17:00 - 19:30 | 1600 E Andrew Johnson Hwy, Morristown, Tennessee 37814, United States
Say HOLA to college. Elevate invites you to our College Fair where you will get help on the FAFSA application, meet college representatives, and hear from a student panel. Registration is not required.

Connecting the Dots: Mental Health and Student Success in Tennessee
2024-04-03 10:00 - 11:00 | George Shinn Event Center (3906 Belmont Blvd, Nashville, TN, United States)
Join the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE) and NashvilleHealth, as we bring together state and national partners to better understand youth mental health and the ways in which it affects education outcomes. We’ll highlight data, research and lived experience, while spotlighting innovative ways Tennessee is working to strengthen student well-being.
We look forward to sharing the final agenda soon, which will include featured speakers from the following organizations:

The Belmont Data Collaborative
BRIDGES USA
Communities in Schools
Harvard University
The Jed Foundation
Lipscomb University
Sandy Hook Promise
State Higher Education Executive Officers Association
The Sycamore Institute
Tennessee Department of Education
Tennessee Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse
Vanderbilt University

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Momentum Memphis - April 2024
2024-04-02 17:30 - 19:30 | MEF Training Room (Crosstown Concourse), 1350 Concourse Ave Ste 434, Memphis, TN 38104
Passionate about making sure every student has what they need to succeed and thrive in school? Then Momentum Memphis is the place for you! Whether you want to break the school-to-prison pipeline, ensure our public schools get fully funded, or advocate for our students to get the supports they need, we’ve got you covered. All are welcome, including people who have never joined a meeting before. See you on Tuesday, April 2nd!
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Racial Justice Challenge
2024-04-01
The Racial Justice Challenge is a 21-day virtual learning tool designed to create dedicated time and space to build more effective social justice habits, particularly those dealing with issues of race, power, privilege, and leadership. Discover how racial justice and social injustice impact your communities, connect with one another, and identify ways to dismantle racism and other forms of discrimination in our daily Challenge emails. Topics this year include:
* Body Justice
* Financial Empowerment
* Gun Violence
* Transportation
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Stand Against Injustice - Frontline Activists Against Gun Violence
2024-03-29 12:00 - 13:00
During this Women’s History Month, YWCA is lifting up the leaders in the fight against gun violence in our city, state, and nation. With the one-year anniversary of The Covenant School shooting happening later this month, we’ll gather activists – many of whom have dedicated decades to this mission- to update us on the efforts to end gun violence. You’ll learn from the women leaders who are driving change and how you can join them to keep our communities safe from violence.
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Diverse Books Matter
2024-03-25 17:00 - 18:30 | John P Holt Brentwood Library (8109 Concord Rd, Brentwood, TN 37027, United States)
Join us for a deeper understanding of representational balance in books as we examine books to provide realistic understanding of others.
This event is for librarians, educators, students and parents!
We will discuss what representation looks like in children’s books and how to recognize valuable aspects of diverse curricula.
You will leave with a knowledge of how inclusive materials engage students in critical thinking and with the tools for change.
There will be an overview of findings and recommendations based off of the Tool for Representational Balance in Books from Ed Trust. We will walk through examples and discussions together. This session aims to offer a deeper understanding of what high-quality and culturally relevant curriculum should look like.
Refreshments will be served.
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AWAKE Day on the Hill 2024
2024-03-05 09:00 - 12:00
Join AWAKE’s Day on the Hill for a morning of advocacy and lobbying for a state in which all Tennesseans can thrive.
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Telling Your Story: Effective Communication & Media Strategies in Legislative Advocacy
2024-03-04 16:00 - 17:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Join The Education Trust – Tennessee for a Gearing Up Advocacy Training on how to meaningfully tell your story when engaging with elected officials and integrating your stories into advocacy campaigns that mobilizes your community to act. We will be joined by RALLY, a national advocacy organization, who will provide an overview of the importance of storytelling in communication and key media narrative strategies to leverage in your campaigns.
We will also be joined by the TN Immigrant & Refugee Rights Coalition (TIRRC) who is a statewide, immigrant and refugee-led collaboration organization. They will share about how TIRRC has intentionally uplifted the stories of their community and utilized communications strategies in their work.
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Public School Strong TN: School Board 101 Training
2024-03-02 10:00 - 11:30 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
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Making it Plain: The Key to Advancing Black Student Success in Tennessee
2024-03-01 13:00 - 14:00
This Black History Month, we want to better understand how to advance Black student success in Tennessee with community-driven policy solutions. Join The Education Trust–Tennessee for an important conversation to explore national and state trends related to Black student success, the important role for education advocates, and considerations for policymakers and leaders about how to ensure we are equipping Black students in Tennessee to succeed in school and beyond.
Our distinguished speaker is Dr. Ivory A. Toldson, the national director of Education Innovation and Research for the NAACP and best-selling author of No BS (Bad Stats): Black People Need People Who Believe in Black People Enough Not to Believe Every Bad Thing they Hear About Black People.
Dr. Melissa Collins, the 2023 Teacher of the year from Memphis will join Dr. Toldson to provide insights about Black student success in her community. This conversation will be moderated by Ameshia Cross, Director of Communications at The Education Trust.
This event is part of The Education Trust-Tennessee Policy and Community Speaker Series and is co-hosted by the following organizations of the TN Alliance for Equity in Education: My Brother’s Keeper, TN NAACP, The Memphis Education Fund, Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance, Urban League of Greater Chattanooga, Urban League of Middle Tennessee, Knoxville Area Urban League and Whole Child Strategies.
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TECA ConnectED: Williamson County
2024-02-29 17:30 - 21:00
Register to join TECA and One WillCo for a casual evening of networking, educator support, and food & beverages. Educators who live and/or work in Williamson County are encouraged to attend. Educators outside of Williamson County are also welcome.
We’ll have a presentation at 6:30 p.m. Come as your schedule allows and stay for as long as you’d like.
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Stand Against Injustice - Is DEI Dead?
2024-02-28 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
After a video of George Floyd’s murder by a police officer in Summer 2020 went viral, spontaneous protests spread across the globe. The protests brought attention to the urgent need to address systemic racism. Organizations across industries announced significant investments in diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) staff and anti-racism efforts. Nearly four years later, a wave of local legislation and political activism has targeted Civil Rights legislation, equity policies like affirmative action, and DEI industry leaders.
Data shows that the DEI industry has been battered by mass layoffs and shuttered programs, suggesting that backlash has caused organizations’ commitment to DEI efforts to waver. Join YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee on February 28th 2023 as we gather community and industry leaders together to discuss the current state of anti-racism in America and whether DEI can survive.
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Disability Day on the Hill
2024-02-28 09:00 - 14:00
Disability Day on the Hill is our chance to gather as a community and take part in the legislative process. Events will be held in-person at the capitol in Nashville, and we’ll also have plenty of opportunities to participate, advocate, and celebrate virtually!
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Understanding Tennessee’s Education Budget with The Sycamore Institute
2024-02-26 14:00 - 15:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
In early February, Governor Lee will deliver his annual State of the State address and unveil his priorities for the year and his recommendations for the 2024 – 2025 budget. Tennessee’s budget is one of the most significant pieces of public policy our governor and the Tennessee General Assembly tackle each year. Yet understanding what’s in it, why it matters, and how it works can be a challenge. Join The Education Trust – Tennessee to reflect on Governor Lee’s budget and the important education implications it has for our students and schools communities.
This session will be led by policy expert Mandy Spears, Deputy Director of The Sycamore Institute, an independent nonpartisan Public Policy Research Center that works to help Tennesseans understand the complex issues impacting our state by providing accessible, reliable data and research. Each year, the Sycamore Institute conducts a thorough analysis of Tennessee’s budget, seeking to support stakeholders to understand where money comes from, where it goes, and what factors influence its flow through the state. Advocates will leave this session with resources and a better understanding of Tennessee’s budget content, how the budget process works, and how the budget will impact our education system this upcoming year.
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Engaging Youth in Legislative Advocacy
2024-02-12 16:00 - 17:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Join The Education Trust – Tennessee for a Gearing Up Advocacy Training to learn how to engage youth in legislative advocacy. This training will discuss best practices on engaging youth in advocacy, how to address barriers organizations face when trying to integrate youth voice into advocacy efforts, and hear directly from students and organizations on the ground in Tennessee who have been leading youth advocacy campaigns effectively. Attendees will leave feeling inspired to take what they learned back to their own programs, implement recommendations shared, and amplify youth leadership in their community.
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Effective Legislator Engagement
2024-02-05 16:00 - 17:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Join The Education Trust – Tennessee for a Gearing Up Advocacy Training on how to identify key legislators for advocacy efforts, effectively schedule and plan legislative meetings, and build meaningful relationships with legislators. Attendees will learn how to “power map”, meaning identify who has power to influence a specific issue, at the local & state level in Tennessee. Lastly, Kelli Nowers, Executive Director of our Alliance partner AWAKE (Advocates for Women’s & Kids’ Equality) will share best practices and example scenarios of engaging with legislators at the TN General Assembly based on her expertise and AWAKE’s advocacy experiences navigating Tennessee’s political context.
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Stand Against Injustice - Redrawing Democracy
2024-01-31 12:00 - 13:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
YWCA Nashville & Middle Tennessee works to educate our community on social and racial justice issues, including the importance of voting rights and civic engagement. Gerrymandering is an age-old political tool. Many don’t understand this tool’s concepts and consequences, especially for communities of color. Gerrymandering has garnered national headlines and lawsuits by civil rights groups around the country who allege that voter’s voices are being silenced. Join us on January 31, 2024, when we gather a panel of local and national experts to discuss gerrymandering, racism, and voting rights in Tennessee.
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Vouchers and Education Savings Accounts: The Right Choice for Tennessee?
2024-01-24 16:00 - 17:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Join The Education Trust – Tennessee to learn about Governor Lee’s effort to expand vouchers across Tennessee. Our panelists will break down the differences between vouchers and education savings accounts, review the proposed voucher legislation in TN, and explore the fiscal implications for districts and for the state.
We will also feature a panel moderated by Qubilah Huddleston (The Education Trust National) with Beth Lewis (Save Our Schools Arizona) and Stephen Owens (Georgia Budget and Policy Institute) where they will discuss the fiscal and educational impact of vouchers in their states.
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Gearing Up for the 113th Tennessee General Assembly & 2024 Alliance Policy Agenda Release
2024-01-08 15:30 - 17:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Join The Education Trust – Tennessee to prepare and stay in the know for this upcoming legislative session.
Attendees will get the inside scoop on the 113th Tennessee General Assembly, education committees and leaders, and hear directly from state legislators on the potential issues that will arise this session. We’ll share helpful advocacy tools, review upcoming training opportunities, and explore the TN Alliance for Equity in Education’s new 2024 Policy Agenda. Additionally, advocacy and non-profit leaders will share projects they are activating our shared policy agenda in 2024.
Participants will leave with a fuller understanding of the key education equity issues we are sure to encounter during the 113th TN General Assembly.
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TN School Meals for All Campaign Webinar
2023-12-14 13:00 - 14:00 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
Free school meal programs for all students improves health, reduce obesity rates and improve education outcomes among children. Tennessee has the power to provide school meals to all children in the state free of charge, and state legislation has been introduced twice before to do exactly that.
Leading up to the TN legislative session in January 2024, join TJC to learn about the Healthy Free School Meals For All campaign and why it is important for Tennessee students and schools. Let’s support this important initiative together. They will discuss how it can be done. When kids are happy, healthy, and full, everyone wins.
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2024 State of Education in Tennessee — Chattanooga
2023-12-14 10:00 - 12:00 | Construction Career Center, 2225 Roanoke Ave, Chattanooga, TN 37406, 450 Mulberry St, Memphis, TN, 38103, United States
SCORE invites you to join education leaders, policymakers, and advocates from across Tennessee as we share their 2024 education priorities at the release of their annual report, 2024 State Of Education In Tennessee: Building A Brighter Future. These priorities focus on expanding the state’s strategic vision for our education system to ensure all students have the opportunity to succeed in school and to be prepared for a career that enables economic independence.
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2024 State of Education in Tennessee — Memphis
2023-12-12 10:00 - 12:00 | National Civil Rights Museum, 450 Mulberry St, Memphis, TN, 38103, United States

TIRRC Transformative Conversations: How to effectively engage with others on issues of immigration
2023-12-07 - 2023-12-08 | Zoom Virtual Meeting
This training will seek to equip community leaders to better engage with others on topics of immigration.
Transformative Conversations will present on TIRRC’s findings from a cutting edge public opinion and messaging study conducted in 2018, that utilized deep canvassing to identify what moves conflicted individuals towards favorable and supportive views of immigration. In collaboration with UCLA and Berkley, we surveyed voters to measure the effects deep canvassing has on both people’s opinion on immigration policy and implicit bias. The results showed overwhelmingly that deep canvassing not only moves voters at their door towards more supportive views of immigrants, but also that this movement is lasting.
Even if you’re not canvassing door to door, you can learn to be a deep canvasser in your own life and everyday interactions. Join us to learn how to better navigate difficult conversations with others in a more productive and effective manner.
There are two upcoming opportunities to join: December 7 @ 6 PM CST and December 8 @ 12 PM CST.
If you are unable to attend this date, but are interested in future trainings, please reach out to deepcanvassing@tnimmigrant.org directly.
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PEF Chattanooga Open House
2023-12-05 16:30 - 18:30 | 1651 South Holtzclaw Avenue, Chattanooga, TN, USA, 450 Mulberry St, Memphis, TN, 38103, United States
Come see them at their Open House and check out their awesome new space, connect with their team, and enjoy light hors d’oeuvres. All are welcome!

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Issue Night: Immigrant Community Meeting
2023-11-30 17:30 - 19:30 | Memphis Wesley at University of Memphis, 3625 Midland Ave, Memphis, TN 38111
The monthly MICAH Issues Night will be an Immigrant Community Meeting on Thursday, November 30th, 2023, beginning at 5:30 p.m. at Wesley on the University of Memphis campus. We will learn about national campaigns centered around immigrant rights, and we will also get a chance to hear from local organizations on how to address the current needs for our immigrant communities. Interpretation services will be offered, and food will be provided.
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