How We Work

The Race & Pedagogy Community Partners Forum is a coalition of individuals and organizations representing a broad spectrum of Puget Sound who has forged ways to partner with the university to discuss, plan. It executes strategic action on a range of issues. The Forum has met regularly in working sessions modeled on the participatory pedagogical process of adult and popular education. We think-through, learn more about, chart, and hone program priorities who live at the intersections of race, education, and social justice. Together we have built, worked to sustain, and learned from critical partnerships across students, staff, faculty in higher education; teachers, administrators, students, families, school district personnel in K-12 education; and differential community-based, civic, and state constituencies.

The Race & Pedagogy Leadership Team engages in strategic planning, coordination, and oversight of RPI activities. It includes Director Grace Livingston, LaToya Brackett, Nancy Bristow, Renee Simms, Jonathan Stockdale, Carolyn Weisz, and RPI Program Coordinator Aldrin Villahermosa II '21, MPH '23.

The Race & Pedagogy Institute provides opportunities for students to work as Program Assistants to support the operations and communications work of the Institute. In addition, Student Scholars have the opportunity to engage in research and scholarship through AFAM 399: Public Scholarship and through independent study projects such as providing assessment for the conference. Students also engage with RPI through planning and presenting at the conference, participating in other RPI events, and contributing as volunteers.

In past conference years, The Race & Pedagogy Campus Advisory Council meets 1-2 times per semester to engage in short- and long-term planning and assessment of activities of RPI. Members include 15-20 faculty and staff members. Council members participate in Race & Pedagogy program and conference working committees and serve as official liaisons to academic departments and/or other organizations.

Students have always been strong supporters and partners in RPI's work. For example, the Student Association of the Race & Pedagogy Institute (SARPI) launched in spring 2018 as an ASUPS club and was active through 2021, playing a key role in promoting RPI's programs and mission. They were an essential partner in planning and facilitating the 2018 Youth Summit. 

 

Conference Planning

The Conference Steering Committee regularly convenes in the two years leading up to the quadrennial National Conference. The Steering Committee includes campus and community members who are chairs of the Conference Working Subcommittees and representatives of the University and community who are keys to conference planning.

Conference Planning Subcommittees include individuals from the community and campus who engage in reviewing conference proposals, planning for arts, spotlight, and other conference events, logistical planning, promoting and fundraising, and preparing campus and community constituents for the conference.