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235 Hill Street, Santa Monica

Built on a progressive past, forging a just and inclusive future. Hosted by the United Methodist Church
Committee for Racial Justice Presents:
How Committed is SMMUSD to Its Black Students?
Sunday 02 April 2023
6:00pm - 8:30pm PT (refreshments at 6pm & program at 6:30pm)
Location: Virginia Avenue Park
Thelma Terry Building
2200 Virginia Ave.
Santa Monica CA 90404
Free Hybrid Workshop
Register Here: https://us06web.zoom.us/meeting/register/tZAvcu-qpjwpE9fy5_MY78ENZiHjouCAKYQT
(Click on this link to be sent the Zoom link for admission to the event on April 02)
Committee For Racial Justice (CRJ) will have an April 2nd workshop entitled HOW COMMITTED IS SMMUSD TO ITS BLACK STUDENTS? What programs have been shown to be beneficial to the achievement of students who have been marginalized historically in educational systems?
Joining us will be Dr. Ben Drati, former District Superintendent of the SMMUSD, who brought new ideas into the Santa Monica/Malibu United School District. Through his own experience as an immigrant child from Uganda, he learned that “hidden assumptions'' can either hurt or hinder students’ accomplishments. Dr. Drati’s introduction of social justice standards to undergird every educational discipline has moved SMMUSD toward more equity. He is now the newly appointed Superintendent of Bellflower United School District.
Another panelist, Dr. Joseph Eure, Assistant Principal at John Adams Middle School for the past nine years, will be able to share some of the programs at his school that are positively impacting Black students there. He has worked since 2001 as an educator, first as a teacher with Los Angeles USD. He has also worked as an Adjunct professor at the USC Rossier School of Education. In addition, Dr. Eure has co-authored a book - Courage to Change: The Parents’ Playbook – with Melvyn Miller, a native of Inglewood and former professional football player who is also the founder of Sudden Impact, a non-profit educational advocacy and sports development organization. Mr. Miller will be joining this panel also.
Come share in this important discussion and meet with us in person again if you are able – at 6pm for refreshments and the program starting at 6:30pm.
Email us by 5pm on Thursday March 30th at committee4racialjustice@gmail.com if you need child care.
For more information, call Joanne at 310-422-5431

Thanks to Louise Dobbs, CRJ now has its own YouTube channel. This is the link to finding a number of our workshop videos:
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKOe7rh75Y38rYQgvPwTUUw
Follow us on Instagram at @committee_for_racial_justice
for updates, events, and more!