Feb. 10, 2023 ¾ The 12th Social Justice in Education Conference at CSU Channel Islands (CSUCI) will examine how everything from picture books to nursing curriculum are being used in local schools to help build a more equitable world.

With a theme of “Si Se Puede: Advocating for Justice Through Education,” the event will be held Saturday, March 4, from 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. The event will begin in the Grand Salon, followed by breakout sessions beginning at 9:15 a.m. in Del Norte Hall.

CSUCI offers the conference free to the public in hopes of drawing a diverse audience.

“We want to bring a wide range of people from Ventura and Santa Barbara counties to the table to have these critical conversations about equity and justice – students and teachers, parents and grandparents, policy makers and community members,” said School of Education Dean Elizabeth Orozco Reilly. “This is a way to celebrate diversity and encourage organization and action that will bring change.”

Presidential Medal of Freedom recipient Dolores Huerta will be the keynote speaker. The civil rights activist co-founded the United Farm Workers Union in 1962. Twenty years ago, she launched the Dolores Huerta Foundation to connect community, state and national movements to advocate for education reform and other goals tied to equity

The sessions will highlight many local examples of social justice work. Jenna Janzen, the program manager for Patagonia’s child care center, will provide guidance for choosing and using storybooks to prompt discussions that can advance anti-bias education.

“We will explore the guidelines for answering challenging questions about identity and difference in a developmentally appropriate format while creating a safe space for all children,” Janzen said.

Annie White, an Associate Professor of Early Childhood Studies at CSUCI, will discuss concerns about the increasing use of standardized tools to assess young students and an alternative called Learning Stories. These are narrative, rather than data-based, assessments.

Jennie Luna, an Associate Professor of Chicana/o Studies and member of the Ethnic Studies Council at CSUCI, will lead a roundtable discussion with three Oxnard Union High School District teachers who teach Ethnic Studies, a class that will become a graduation requirement in seven years. They will share what is challenging and promising about teaching the course.

Holly Smith, a clinical nurse educator who earned a master’s degree in Nursing with a Nurse Educator concentration from CSUCI in 2022, will discuss how nurses can be taught to provide gender-affirming care so they can lessen the health disparities faced by the LGBTQ population.

Parking and lunch are also provided at no cost. Advanced registration is required. To RSVP or get more information, visit education.csuci.edu/about/justice-conference.