Classnotes Podcast (August 30, 2023). Decisions about education made by state-level lawmakers impact millions of students. But few people have input into those decisions, especially those in communities of color. IDRA’s groundbreaking Education Policy Fellows Program set out to change that dynamic. With this program, IDRA trains advocates with a commitment to and experience with communities of color to influence state laws and lead a powerful network of impacted communities.

As we closed our second cycle of the program, we sat down with our five fellows to reflect on their experiences. Morgan Craven, J.D., IDRA National Director of Policy, Advocacy and Community Engagement, led the conversation with fellows: Steve Kemgang, Diana Long, Jonathan Peraza Campos, M.S., Alisha “Tuff” Tuff, and Ruth M. Youn. In the second of three episodes, they describe the challenges of being advocates of color working in policymaking spaces and the changes they would make to make the policy process more accessible for communities.

The IDRA Education Policy Fellows Program that operated from November 2022 through July 2023 was generously supported by The William and Flora Hewlett Foundation and the Kresge Foundation.

Show length: 31:44 min.

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Resources

IDRA 2022-23 Fellows – Bios and writings

IDRA Education Policy Fellows Program

Post-fellowship evaluation report of the program’s first cycle

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The post Advocates of Color and Community Power – Podcast Episode 236 appeared first on IDRA.