Wenimo Okoya, PhD
At the heart of every thriving school is a community grounded in healing, trust, and bold imagination. Healing must be preceded by hope—and hope by dreaming. My name is Wenimo Okoya. I am the Director of the institute for Healing and Belonging in Schools at NYU Metro Center I am a healing-centered educator, program developer, and researcher who has spent her career advocating for and partnering with communities of color.
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On Friday, May 30th, 2025, I had the privilege of moderating a powerful panel at NYU Metro Center’s Equity Now Conference. This foundational mainstage panel titled, What’s Our Role In Realizing Healing and Belonging in Schools, sought to determine how we facilitate culturally responsive and affirming classrooms for all of our children to thrive.
Why this panel?
I curated this panel with deep intention. I invited Dr. Meisha Porter, Chauncy Young, and Darnese Daniels because they are people I trust to tell the truth and speak from the heart. These are leaders who have remained grounded in communities, who carry with them a legacy of justice work, and who hold space for healing without losing sight of structural change.
The idea for the panel came out of real, lived urgency. This year, I’ve heard from educators and school leaders at their breaking point. People who are holding immense pressure while trying to stay committed to equity, care, and creativity. I wanted to create a space for dreaming. What do we owe each other in this moment? And how do we help each other keep going?
Why I went of script
I had prepared thoughtful, structured questions. But partway through, I felt the energy in the room shift. There wasn’t one moment—but a build-up of small cues: the tenderness in Dr. Porter’s voice when she spoke of holding space for children; the deep sigh from Chauncy and Darnese when we named the political backlash facing racial justice educators; the nods and teary eyes in the audience. We didn’t need polish—we needed presence.
So I let go of the script and followed what was unfolding. I asked the panelists to share not only their strategies, but their fears and dreams. I asked the audience to breathe with us. To soften. To imagine: What would it feel like if healing and belonging weren’t just ideals, but daily practices in our schools?
We named hard truths:
- That educators are burned out.
- That students and families are carrying more than ever.
- That some of us have stepped back. Some have stopped believing.
But we also named this: that dreaming can be an anchor when belief feels far away.
Three takeaways for educators who are suffering right now:
If you're reading this and feeling tired, here’s what we hope you take with you:
- You are not alone. One panelist said, “Healing is not something you do in isolation. We need each other.” If you're struggling, find one person who sees you—who reminds you that your worth is not measured in lesson plans or test scores.
Even when you can't feel hope, you can still dream. Dreaming is not naive—it’s a disciplined act of resistance. When systems try to strip you of imagination, reclaiming it is political and powerful.
- Your healing is part of the work. Justice isn’t just about changing structures—it’s about building systems that allow you to rest, feel, and thrive.
This is why we created the IHBS Summer Innovation Lab. After that panel, and after this long year, we knew: our educators need space to breathe, reconnect, and imagine again.
2025 Theme: Freedom Dreaming
If you are passionate about reimagining education—and committed to transforming learning spaces into sites of liberation—the 2025 Summer Innovation Lab is for you.
Offered in two formats—online and in person at NYU—this immersive experience invites visionary educators to step away from the ordinary and dream boldly into what’s possible.
Grounded in the practice of Freedom Dreaming—the radical act of envisioning a just and equitable future—the Lab is a high-energy, interactive space to explore liberatory curriculum design, healing-centered pedagogy, and strategies that foster student agency and educator well-being.
You’ll engage in:
- Dreaming on the Clock—centering imagination as a tool for educational transformation
- Strategy labs & hands-on workshops
- Peer collaboration & reflection circles
- Practical planning for the 2025–26 school year
- Research-informed tools to bring back to your classroom, school, or district
Two Ways to Attend:
In-Person at NYU
📍 Two full 8-hour days in NYC
☕ Includes time for meals, breaks, and community-building
Online Format
💻 Two consecutive 4.5-hour live Zoom sessions
📝 Plus 2 hours of pre-work before each session
Why Now?
As a new mom, this moment feels especially tender. Every morning, I look at my one-year-old daughter, Zariah, and wonder: What kind of schools will hold her? Who will see her brilliance, her softness, her imagination—and protect her right to thrive?
That question isn’t abstract. It’s urgent. And deeply personal.
This year has been heavy. For all of us. And we need spaces that help us remember why we began—and imagine what’s still possible.
The Summer Innovation Lab is your reset. A space to embolden your toolkit for the year ahead. A chance to be in community with others who are just as committed to healing, justice, and joy.
Whether you’re a principal navigating burnout, a classroom teacher dreaming of new ways to reach your students, or a parent leader building bridges between home and school—this space is for you.
Let’s move beyond survival.
Let’s move with imagination, with vision, and together.
