Organizations share ways diverse partnership
will amplify collective impact
NEW
YORK, April 30, 2024 /PRNewswire/ -- LEE
(Leadership for Educational Equity) is excited to announce new
partnerships and renewed partnership commitments working towards
creating more equitable communities. With regional and local focus,
LEE and its partners are determined to propel values-driven leaders
across the country who will represent every member of their
community.
"There are roughly 500,000 elected seats and hundreds of
thousands of leadership roles in policy, advocacy and organizing,"
said Sarah McLean, Senior Vice
President, Partnerships & Infrastructure at LEE. "Growing our
diverse, values-forward partnership base is essential to changing
the face of civic leadership in America."
LEE has long supported its members on their civic leadership
journey with the shared goal of making schools and communities a
place where everyone can thrive through equity-minded policies and
laws. Our members hold over 1,600 senior policy, advocacy, or
organizing positions and over 850 members served or are serving in
elected office. Now, with 16 partners resulting in over 50,000
members, LEE is committed to expanding impact by inviting more
equity-driven leaders and organizations to join us.
New Partners in New York,
Arizona, and South Dakota
DREAM, a new partner this year, provides youth with
opportunities to play, learn and grow. Their mission is to level
the playing field by empowering all children to recognize their
potential and realize their dreams. "At DREAM, we believe
generational impact is made when you invest in young people for the
long term—not only to get them into college, but to support them
through college, into their careers, and beyond," said DREAM
co-Chief Executive Officer Richard
Berlin. "Partnering with LEE helps us provide DREAM alumni,
known as Legends, with the resources they need to develop
professionally, advocate for themselves and others, and become
transformative leaders in their communities."
ALL in Education, another new partner, seeks to build an
Arizona where no child is at risk
of falling behind, where parents feel valued and supported and most
importantly where ALL kids feel loved and honored in their
classrooms. "Arizona is at a
critical crossroads where strong, values-based leadership is
necessary to improve outcomes for all students and families," said
Stephanie Parra, ALL In Education
Executive Director and LEE Member. "Our partnership with LEE will
ensure that our community of values-based leaders are prepared to
take on decision-making roles that will improve the lives of
families across the state. We are confident that members will
benefit greatly from this partnership in expanding their networks
and growing as the leaders who our students and families need to
close opportunity gaps in the education system."
In South Dakota, LEE announces
two new partnerships tied to their deep commitment in the region,
especially among the Indigenous population. South Dakota Education
Equity Coalition (S-DEEC) is a community-based initiative to
support Native students through the creation of schools grounded in
the cultural and academic needs of the students it serves. "SDEEC
chose to partner with LEE because of the amazing work and LEE
ambassadorship of Dr. Nora Antoine,
Director of Regional Impact for South
Dakota," said SDEEC Executive Director Sarah White. "As a Sicangu matriarch, Nora's
fierce advocacy, nurturing spirit and strategic lens has helped
many communities in South Dakota
to more effectively organize and advocate for our children. We hope
our partnership with LEE will expand upon the opportunities that
Dr. Antoine has created for SDEEC members to access resources and
training to strengthen our impact."
Siċaŋġu Co is working towards Wicozani, or "the good way of
life" for the Siċaŋġu Oyate – holistic health, economic
self-sufficiency, cultural revitalization, sustainable housing,
food sovereignty, climate resilience, and shared, lasting
prosperity. "Siċaŋġu Co is committed to supporting Siċaŋġu
leadership, period," said Michael Prate, Managing Director of
Community Development with Siċaŋġu Co. "We know that investing in
our employees at every level, both personally and professionally,
is a win-win for them and the company, and ultimately for the
community as a whole. We are excited to be able to partner with LEE
to bring more support and growth opportunities to our employees and
the greater community, all in pursuit of bringing the 7Gen vision
to life."
Renewed Partnership Commitments
Public Allies, a partner since 2021, accounts for 984 LEE
members who started their journey as a Public Ally and now continue
their work by utilizing the support, training, and resources
provided by LEE. "In renewing our partnership with LEE, Public
Allies reaffirms our commitment to the sustained leadership
development of our alumni and the broader impact on the communities
we serve," says Jenise Terrell,
Public Allies CEO. "LEE has been a powerful partner in our efforts
to extend the investment in our leaders while strengthening the
capacity of our alumni to collaboratively advocate for more just
and equitable communities."
Latinos for Education, a partner since 2022, accounts for 219
LEE members. Latinos for Education is committed to develop, place,
and connect essential Latino leaders in the education sector.
"Latinos for Education and LEE understand that our partnership is
stronger because we have leveraged each other's core capabilities,"
says Dr. Karen Maldonado, Latinos
for Education Chief Program & Innovation Officer. "As we
continue to work together, we are grounded in our shared values and
trust, and guided by the belief that our partnership is a key
strategy to the advancement of Latinos on boards and political
spaces—we are equally committed to bringing our work to scale."
If you are interested in learning more about partnership with
LEE, please contact Sarah
Sandoval-Mohapatra at
sarah.sandoval-mohapatra@educationalequity.org.
For media inquiries, please contact Kristina Rosario at
kristina.rosario@educationalequity.org.
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SOURCE Leadership for Educational Equity