RARE to Present at Annual Convening Event: Bringing Racial Equity to the Forefront

RARE is honored and excited to host a break-out session at the 2024 Technology Access Foundation’s Network for EdWork Annual Convening: Journey Towards Liberation!  RARE’s Co-founder and Board Chair Joe Hunter (RHS 1971) accompanies co-presenters current Board member Jessamyn Reichmann (RHS 2016) and RARE scholarship recipient and current UW student Leah Scott (RHS 2021) a featured student in RARE’s 2021 documentary, Roosevelt High School: Beyond Black & White.

Presenters appreciate the opportunity to spotlight RARE’s documentary that chronicles Seattle’s efforts towards desegregation in the 1970’s, the accompanying Curriculum Toolkit for Educators as well as post-film discussion questions.  The film and all materials are available for free and public use on RARE’s website.  Importantly, RARE encourages individuals, groups, and classrooms to identify their own “What’s next?” steps in response to the film.

“A well-crafted and powerful film that provides an excellent starting point for family and classroom discussions about race relations.”
– David Shulman, President & Founder, Seattle Film Institute

The Convening is open to BIPOC educators and all leaders in education.  This year’s focus during the two full days is to imagine, heal, and build.  The Convening will be held February 23-24, 2024 at UW Seattle’s Husky Union Building (HUB).  Click here for more information and to register.

Bringing Racial Equity to the Forefront: It’s Time to Walk the Walk!
This session is a comprehensive strategy to bring racial equity discussions into the classroom, small groups and families. Watch the acclaimed documentary about busing in the 1970s and 1980s at Roosevelt High school, followed by a film Q&A session. Participants will have access to a Teacher’s Guide for using the documentary in the classroom and a curriculum guide for use in the Middle Schools and High Schools.

• Joe Hunter is the Chairperson of RARE (Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity); he works towards meeting our mission to advocate for racial equity for students furthest from educational justice.
• Jessamyn Reichmann is not only a RARE Board member, she is a sociologist with experience in working with the National Education Strategy team, and with student groups at Loyola University, New Orleans.
• Leah Scott received the James Davis Scholarship Award sponsored by RARE and is featured in the documentary “RHS: Beyond Black and White”. Leah is now a Senior at the University of Washington majoring in Political Science and Law, Societies, & Justice, pursuing a career in law after graduation.

Roosevelt High School: Beyond Black and White  This 30-minute documentary film, produced by Roosevelt Alumni for Racial Equity (RARE), has been widely viewed and discussed in local schools and other organizations, and aired on KCTS-PBS five times in the past two years. The film delves into the history of racial segregation and attempts at integration through the lens of one school, Roosevelt High School in Seattle, WA but applies to many schools throughout Washington state and the country.  The film concludes with a focus on the future, posing essential questions for the current generation of students, teachers, administrators, and parents, as well as our society at large.