Now, in its triumphant third year, NYU Metro Center has been overjoyed at the prospect of hosting an annual convening that offers a full day of community building, networking, and learning for youth, educators, parents and caregivers, community organizers, and technical assistance providers who aim to transform their classrooms, schools, and districts.
The Metropolitan Center for Research on Equity and the Transformation of Schools’ aptly named Equity Now: Welcoming, Affirming, and Healing Schools Conference has reliably become a phenomenal “pedagogical laboratory” where proven, equity-driven best practices, research, and strategies are shared with attendees. In addition to supporting teachers and school leaders in achieving greater academic achievement and socioemotional development amongst their students, this year’s NYU Metro Center Conference was also tasked with specifically addressing the anxiety and distress of this education cohort.
The apprehension currently felt amongst education practitioners, scholars, and observers extends well beyond an individual classroom, singular school, or regional school district. This collective anxiousness comes in an academic year in which educators witnessed: unprecedented steps to unravel the federal Department of Education; the implementation of national border enforcement policies that intimidate immigrant students and families; as well as the creation of “choice” programs that irrevocably undermine public school funding.
As these dedicated educators filed into NYU’s Kimmel Center for this day-long education justice event, the very first Equity Now: Welcoming, Affirming, and Healing Schools Conference speaker they heard was Metro Center Executive Director, Dr. Fabienne Doucet. This Professor of Early Childhood Education and Urban Education skillfully resolved the prevailing concern of the Conference attendees, while simultaneously issuing a call to action for this group of devoted educators and community members.
Dr. Doucet’s Welcome Remarks lent purpose and clarity to the teachers, school leaders, and community members in the space. She announced, “[t]his year's [Equity Now: Welcoming, Affirming, and Healing Schools] conference is a call to action on developing schooling experiences that are welcoming, affirming and healing for our children who exist furthest on the margins. In this moment, when there is an assault on BIPOC children, families and communities, immigrant children and families of color, LGBTQIA+ students, gender-non conforming students, English Learners, children with an IEP, what will you do and how do we stand together as a community to support our most harmed and vulnerable children, and families?”
NYU Metro Center’s Executive Director followed this probing question with a clear and unwavering appeal to the Equity Now: Welcoming, Affirming, and Healing Schools Conference audience. Dr. Doucet urged the conference audience to push themselves …
“to meet educators, parents, young people, and trainers/technical assistance providers who you do not know. Through meeting others who you did not know prior to arriving today, we support one another, find strength to resist, and dream/act on possibilities.”
Sentiments of support and hope continued echoing from the conference mainstage, especially once the keynote speaker of the Equity Now: Welcoming, Affirming, and Healing Schools Conference took to the podium. Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings, a leading pedagogical theorist, has impacted the field of education with her work on the adverse and destructive effects of systemic racism and economic inequality on educational opportunities. Dr. Ladson-Billings findings in the areas of culturally relevant pedagogy have proven to be monumental and prodigious. This former editor of the American Education Research Journal was more than ready to share an empowering word with the educators in attendance.
This former editor of the American Education Research Journal was more than ready to share an empowering word with the educators in attendance. After acknowledging the new and existing torrent of attacks on public education, ranging from curriculum censorship, book bans, as well as restrictions of classroom discussions of race and gender, Dr. Ladson-Billings then shifted to talk about the genius of our children. Typified by the excellence, beauty, and joy expressed in the creativity of our youth. This education luminary concluded her awe-inspiring speech by leaving the Equity Now: Welcoming, Affirming and Healing Schools Conference audience with clear steps to withstand the tumult public education currently endures. In response to the turbulent disruption experienced by so many students, families, and educators this year,
Dr. Gloria Ladson-Billings implored conference attendees to follow three critical steps to persevere during these challenging times:
- Rest and heal from attacks on schools.
- Revive and refresh classrooms so that they are attuned to the students they serve.
- Respond to the unnerving chaos with hope and affirming love that empowers our children to thrive.
![The snapshot captures Dr. Wenimo Okoya hosting the afternoon panel at the 2025 Equity Now Conference. Dr. Okoya wears black a]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]]](/sites/default/files/styles/16x9_1000_x_562/public/2025-06/EquityConference.Wenimo.AfternoonPanel.A.webp?h=29be18d1&itok=a62cjQjb)
Dr. Wenimo Okoya moderates NYU Metro Center's 2025 Equity Conference panel discussion.
In addition to the masterfully produced morning and afternoon workshop sessions, another highlight of NYU Metro Center’s Equity Now: Welcoming, Affirming, and Healing Schools Conference was a mainstage panel discussion seeking to determine how we facilitate healing and belonging in schools. Dr. Wenimo Okoya, Director of the Institute for Healing and Belonging in Schools (IHBS) at NYU Metro Center, led a foundational conversation on student well-being, educational equity, and school transformation.
This rich and instructive dialogue included key insights from panelists, including Dr. Meisha Porter, Visiting Senior Fellow at the Center for Educational Innovation (CEI) and former Chancellor, NYC Public Schools; Chauncy Young, Director, New Settlement Parent Action Committee; and Darnese Daniels, Executive Director of Strategic Partnerships for Advancing Collective Equity, Office of Diversity, Equity, inclusion and Belonging, NYC Public Schools. These community and education leaders outlined a host of applicable equity-driven and belonging-focused practices that communities navigating systemic inequalities could successfully employ.
Along with successfully sharing educational best practices and innovative tools for learning environments, the Equity Now Conference also connotes support, engagement, and solidarity. The resulting community of practice fosters open communication, the disbursement of diverse perspectives, and valuable knowledge sharing. The Equity Now: Welcoming, Affirming, and Healing Schools Conference offers youth, educators, and community members an opportunity to address common challenges and expand their knowledge base.
NYU Metro Center invites you to attend their 4th annual conference next year.