Two-day "Teaching for Justice" conference hosted by CFEP, UCI Teacher Academy
Attendees learned how to integrate Asian American studies into the K-12 classroom.
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The UCI Center for Educational Partnerships and the UCI Teacher Academy, in partnership with the UCI Humanities Center and UCI Libraries Southeast Asian Archive, hosted the two-day "Teaching for Justice: A Spotlight On Teaching Asian American Studies Across the Curriculum" conference, geared towards K-12 educators and community members interested in integrating the principles of Asian American studies into their professional work, as well as establishing, strengthening and expanding Asian American classroom instruction. More than 300 educators attended the conference.
Teaching for Justice was developed after nearly a year of conversations and collaborations between K-12 educators in Orange County, faculty and staff at UCI, and education experts across California. |
Teaching for Justice participants
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"In the wake of the increase in anti-Asian violence, community members, including Thuy Vo Dang, and our colleagues, Stacy Yung and Virginia Nguyen convened at an Irvine City Town Hall to discuss how to take action to stop Asian hate," said Nicole Gilbertson, director of the UCI Teacher Academy, site director of the UCI History Project, and member of the conference planning committee.
"Thuy, at around the same time, partnered with Jeff Kim on a conference exploring how to educators and archivists can work together to connect communities for learning," Gilbertson said. "These two moments transformed into our committee that has continued to grow and come together with a shared vision of creating a conference for educators to share and learn what teaching Asian American studies looks like in the classroom.
"It is our hope that all students can learn about the moments and people that make up our shared history and use this understanding of Asian American studies to foster agency and solidarity that is essential for our thriving as a community and a democracy."
"Thuy, at around the same time, partnered with Jeff Kim on a conference exploring how to educators and archivists can work together to connect communities for learning," Gilbertson said. "These two moments transformed into our committee that has continued to grow and come together with a shared vision of creating a conference for educators to share and learn what teaching Asian American studies looks like in the classroom.
"It is our hope that all students can learn about the moments and people that make up our shared history and use this understanding of Asian American studies to foster agency and solidarity that is essential for our thriving as a community and a democracy."
Guiding conference questions included:
"It is absolutely imperative and necessary to celebrate the joys and triumphs of the AAPI community in the texts we teach and read with our students," a teacher attendee said.
"I will definitely use the information I learned in the sessions with students and colleagues," said another conference attendee.
State Senator Dave Min (37th District) and Michael Matsuda, superintendent of the Anaheim Union High School District, were among the speakers at the conference. A complete list of speakers and other details are available here.
- What does teaching Asian American studies look like in practice?
- Who and what community will support my work in this area?
- What resources (curricular, pedagogical) are available to me as I leave this conference?
"It is absolutely imperative and necessary to celebrate the joys and triumphs of the AAPI community in the texts we teach and read with our students," a teacher attendee said.
"I will definitely use the information I learned in the sessions with students and colleagues," said another conference attendee.
State Senator Dave Min (37th District) and Michael Matsuda, superintendent of the Anaheim Union High School District, were among the speakers at the conference. A complete list of speakers and other details are available here.
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Conference partners from UCI included:
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Community partners that center AAPI activism included:
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