Wendell Bass: Equity Champion

Growing up, Wendell Bass was often told by his parents, “You’re on this earth to serve other people so find you something that you can do that will allow you to serve others.” Coming from a long line of educators, he naturally found that thing in teaching and school administration.

A lifelong learner and educator, he finds joy in seeing the light come on for children when you tell them they are brilliant. His goals of helping children understand their value, their place in the world, and their capabilities to achieve are echoed in the stories he shares with Gabriela Delgado and Lisa Bass in this wide-ranging interview. Hear his unique perspective on building family centered schools, creating an environment where students are understood and appreciated, and how we create equitable and inclusive education.

The Creative Conversations series invites experts across a variety of disciplines to share their perspectives and how they hope to see our world evolve.

Watch Building Equitable Learning Environments with Wendell Bass – Creative Conversations.

Investing in the Future

How do we connect youth who are struggling to the possibility of a brighter future? We meet them where they are with opportunity and compassion. Youth advocates from the spheres of education, non-profit, and health come together in this engaging conversation to talk about how they implement programs, how they navigate challenges, and how they found their career paths.

This panel is part of the Global Empowerment Summit that aims to activates changemakers around collaborative solutions in the areas of empowerment, education, sustainability, diversity and inclusion, and social impact.

Watch Guiding Lost Youth to a Better Future – Global Empowerment Summit 2019.

To watch more, please visit https://uctv.tv/global-empowerment-summit/

Women in Leadership 2019

“Where on an imagined clock of equality do we now stand?” asks veteran journalist Lynn Sherr at the start of this year’s Women in Leadership panel.

Listen in as Sylvia Acevedo, Chelsea Clinton, Jedidah Isler answer that question and share their thoughts on the present and future of the role of women in America. Each panelist reflects on her road to leadership and details the support mechanisms and mindsets needed to get there when faced with adversity.

This is the second annual Women in Leadership panel – convened to celebrate and honor the legacy of Sally Ride, the first American woman to fly in space.

Watch — A Conversation with Sylvia Acevedo, Chelsea Clinton, Jedidah Isler, and Lynn Sherr

Why School Integration Works

They are some of the most ambitious education programs of the 20th century – school desegregation, school finance reform, and Head Start. Today, many view these initiatives as failures, but professor Rucker C. Johnson of UC Berkeley’s Goldman School of Public Policy disagrees. He and a team of researchers combed through data from over four decades to figure out the true impact of these programs. Their findings are detailed alongside compelling stories of real people in Johnson’s new book, Children of the Dream: Why School Integration Works. Recently, Johnson sat down with Goldman School Dean Henry E. Brady to discuss the book and his research.

Johnson and his colleagues used big data and new techniques to look at the wide-ranging impacts of school desegregation. They tracked everything from high school graduation rates, to employment, wages and health. Thanks to the uneven implementation of desegregation, Johnson was able to compare children who grew up in similar environments, but experienced different levels of desegregation. He found a big part of the positive impact came from how desegregation affected access to class resources, after school programs, quality teachers, and smaller class sizes. And, the longer a student spent in desegregated schools, the greater the impact. In fact, the achievement gap between white and black students closed faster following desegregation than at any other time in American history.

Unfortunately, the United States has moved away from integration. Today, many schools and classrooms are heavily divided along racial lines. Opponents of desegregation appear to have won. But, Johnson says there is still hope. He lays out the case for making integration a priority once again, using data to prove its effectiveness. He also delves into school finance reform and Head Start, showing how sustained investment in education is the surest way to change children’s lives for the better.

Watch The Success of Integrating Schools with Rucker Johnson — In the Living Room with Henry E. Brady

Engaging K-16 Students in Lifelong Learning

“Why does lifelong learning have to start at 25 when we can instill this at an earlier age?” asks Edward Abeyta, Associate Dean, Community Engagement and Pre-College Programs at UC San Diego Extension. Being engaged in learning no matter the educational or career path you choose is vital to obtaining the skills and mindset you need to succeed. Abeyta outlines the programs UC San Diego is driving to engage K-16 students in not only thinking about their futures but building a skillset that can take them there. Hear how communities, industries and universities are working together to pilot programs that prepare students for college and careers.

Watch Career Ready and College Ready: Helping K-16 Students Succeed with Ed Abeyta – Job Won