On Saturday, August 23, D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice (DCAESJ) hosted the fourth annual Social Justice Curriculum Fair at Inspired Teaching Demonstration School. Educators from all over the D.C. area — and a few from Philadelphia, New York City, and New Jersey — gathered to participate in powerful educator-led workshops, connect with local organizations supporting social justice education, and learn more about DCAESJ in preparation for the 2025–2026 school year.

In the wake of a newly emboldened authoritarian regime, educators across the country — and especially in the D.C. area — have faced many challenges to truth-telling and public education itself. And yet, D.C. Area Educators for Social Justice continued to show up, and create spaces for resistance, reflection, and collective care.

Educators, students, families, and community members gathered in Washington, D.C., to take part in the national #TeachTruth Day of Action on June 7, 2025. Starting at the National Museum of African American History and Culture, the event featured powerful speeches, Dream City Brass Band, and a march to four other Smithsonian museums.

Our deepest condolences to the family of Vincent Henry Coleman (January 18, 1962–June 16, 2025). The family requested that donations in honor of Vincent Coleman be made to Teaching for Change's Teach the Beat project.

A #TeachTruth event was held at Pike Kitchen Food Hall with a range of interactive activities including a non-fiction book swap (bring a book, take a book), photo booth, art station, and interactive Teach Truth pop-up display.

Since it launched three years ago, Teaching for Change has hosted a table at the annual "A Day of Action," hosted by the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery in the museum's beautiful atrium which is shared with the Smithsonian American Art Museum.

We are deeply grateful for all that Vanessa has done to build a robust network of educators and to help shape the growing initiatives that have become cornerstones of Teaching for Change’s work.

DCAESJ’s early childhood working group facilitator, Makai Kellogg, co-wrote a new book, Reflection, Perspective-Taking, and Social Justice: Stories of Empathy and Kindness in the Early Childhood Classroom.

Teaching for Change’s Teach the Beat is honored to be a Capital City Go-Go (the NBA G-League affiliate of the Washington Wizards) partner for the 2023–2024 season. As a Go-Go partner, Teach the Beat is a featured host in the Capital City Go-Go’s Education Day Games on February 8 and March 5. Go-Go Education Day fuses a basketball game with the distinctive sound of go-go music. 

By Makai Kellogg and Sara Beshawred
On Saturday, November 18th, the Anti-Bias Early Childhood Working Group met at the Teaching for Change office. The group focused on addressing holidays in the classroom with an anti-bias lens.

Kimberly Ellis is a force, and we were thrilled to host her part-time as the Education Anew Fellow at Teaching for Change, in partnership with Communities for Just Schools Fund (CJSF), for the last two years.

On Saturday, August 19, more than 100 D.C. area teachers prepared for the new school year at the annual Social Justice Curriculum Fair. There were curriculum workshops, a chance to meet representatives from community based organizations, and free resources.   

The anti-bias early childhood working group gathered virtually for their May meeting. After their standard land acknowledgement, the group dove into the meeting centered on gender identity in early childhood classrooms.

In lieu of a formal meeting during the month of March, all working group members were encouraged to attend and/or participate in annual events from a few of our partner organizations. 

Teaching for Change is partnering with Filmfest DC: The Washington, D.C. International Film Festival for a twelfth year (April 19-30) to spread the word about the international film festival and to bring films and filmmakers for several films into D.C. virtual classrooms.

The middle/high school People’s History working group came together for their May meeting on Saturday, May 14, 2022. Alison Rice led the group in an activity reflecting on the words of James Baldwin in A Talk To Teachers.

The Elementary working group began their February meeting by selecting an item from their space that reflected their current emotions and discussed why they connected to it. Participants shared items that sparked confidence, strength, and joy, including a Post-It note from their mom and a puzzle that their students are collaborating on.

Teaching for Change is partnering with Filmfest DC: The Washington, D.C. International Film Festival (June 4-13) for a tenth year to spread the word about the international film festival and to bring films and filmmakers for several films into D.C. virtual classrooms.

The library at Claremont Immersion, a bilingual Spanish-English elementary school in Arlington, Virginia, hosted two special literature events this November to celebrate Indigenous cultures and languages with the school community.

The people of D.C. are in collective grief and mourning on the death of Washington Teacher Union president Elizabeth “Liz” A. Davis in a car accident on April 4, 2021. She has been a powerful presence in the lives thousands of students, teachers, and families through her unwavering dedication to radical teaching, righteous activism, and grassroots organizing.