We are seeking educators, parents/caregivers, youth, community organizers, and technical assistance providers to submit your proposal to present!

Don't miss the EQUITY NOW conference on Friday, May 21, 2027!

This year’s Equity Now conference centers classrooms, schools and districts that are developing and implementing culturally responsive curriculum and instruction that foster belonging and engagement, life long learners and positive academic outcomes, position our children to see themselves through integrating their lived experiences and communities and cultivate problem solvers and critical thinkers that will transform our world. 

Join us for a full day of elevation, celebration,community building, networking, and collaborative learning. Hear from educators, parents/caregivers, youth, community organizers, and technical assistance providers who advocate daily to transform classrooms, schools, and districts—ensuring children feel welcomed, affirmed in their social identities, and supported toward belonging and academic success. Sessions will feature expertise curated by NYU Metro Center, alongside insights from leaders in districts, schools, classrooms, and organizations dedicated to equity and culturally responsive practices, policies, and procedures. You will gain actionable next steps to advance culturally responsive curriculum and instruction as the foundation for transformational education and liberatory learning environments.

We are excited to invite your proposal submission for the EQUITY NOW conference across the following core strands:

• Culturally Responsive Curriculum and Instruction 
• Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning Systems

Presenters are encouraged to showcase practical, research-backed strategies, tools, policies, and procedures for building sustainable, equity-focused, and culturally responsive practices through workshops or presentations:

• Workshops: Designed to provide participants with tangible resources, practical tools, and actionable materials.
• Training Sessions: Designed to deliver a structured process that develops target skills and practical knowledge.

Possible topics for each strand include, but are not limited to:

Culturally Responsive Curriculum and Instruction

• Fostering curricular and instructional designs that center the joy and brilliance of racially, culturally, and linguistically diverse students across subject areas (e.g., literacy, mathematics, science, social studies).
• Designing and modifying school and classroom curricula, units of study, or lessons to be culturally responsive.
• Parent/caregiver/family engagement, including parent/caregivers and families included as partners for activating school and classroom curriculum and instruction, families, local elders, and cultural liaisons are regularly invited into the school/classroom as co-educators 
• Co-designing learning with students, including co-designing curriculum, students help shape how they explore topics, write personal narratives reflecting their heritage, or connect to local community issues
• Examining district and school leadership roles and processes in adopting culturally responsive curricula.
• Providing professional development, training, and coaching for in-service teachers to implement culturally responsive instructional practices.
• Implementing liberatory curriculum and instructional methods.
• Parent/caregivers and/or youth driven leadership efforts for district, and schools to adapt, develop and implement culturally responsive curriculum 
• The impact of culturally responsive curriculum on student outcomes (e.g.,  belonging, academic engagement, academic performance and achievement). 

Culturally Responsive Teaching and Learning Systems 

• Elevating district and school policies, procedures and practices that have generated educational spaces that welcome and affirm historically marginalized students’ experiences and identities.
• Policies and processes that have led to developing culturally responsive and sustaining hiring practices - particularly those resulting in a pipeline of  administrators, teachers and staff that mirror the demographics of students and parents/caregivers in districts and schools  
• Development and implementation of equity center liberatory teaching and learning systems approaches
• Creating a culturally responsive culture and climate centering youth voice, in which youth are an integral and critical voice in district and school decision making processes
• Culturally responsive parent/caregiver and youth engagement teaching and learning policies, procedures, and practices
• Policies and practice that center curriculum explores history, science, and literature from global and elevates historically marginalized voices and  viewpoints, including literature circles centered on identity
• The adaptation of State Department of Education policies into practices in districts, schools, and classrooms that are culturally responsive (for example, Portrait of  Graduate, curriculum and instruction, etc.). 

Call for Proposals: NYU Metro Center’s 2027 Annual Conference

Are you fostering innovative, culturally responsive practices in your school or classroom? Consider leading a workshop at the Equity Now Conference! We welcome and strongly encourage proposal submissions from educators, school leaders, youth, parents/caregivers.

Submission Timeline & Details:

• Proposal Window: Monday, October 19, 2027 – Wednesday, November 25, 2026
• Notifications: Decision emails will be sent by early January 2027.

Presenter Fee: Please note that accepted presenters are required to pay a conference presenter fee.

We look forward to your SUBMISSION and attendance at the conference.