What Happens When Students Lead Uncomfortable Conversations?

November 11, 2016, Diversity Talks received an opportunity to publish an article about their new social venture on Edsurge.com.

"Change within the education system begins to take form once a level of discomfort is reached. But in order for this change to take place, it is the responsibility of the educator and student to start a conversation that includes all voices within the classroom. Educators must be willing to relinquish their power by allowing students to have a voice in their learning, an opportunity to have conversations as it pertains to diversity, and ultimately, a seat at the table.

On Sept. 23, 2016, Startup Weekend Education Providence provided an opportunity for educators and students to share ideas and come up with solutions that address educational disparities. Two students, Taiwo Demola and Taliq Tillman, joined forces with two educators, Kiara Butler and Chiquita Adams, to develop a platform that would give students of color a voice that has been silenced for centuries.

The team spent 54 hours brainstorming ways to address a major elephant in the room that has gone unattended for generations: The 21st century education system does not mirror or include modern real-world experiences for students from diverse backgrounds, which leads to the marginalization and oppression of student voices, specifically those of color.

Instead of creating a business pitch for a nonprofit or for-profit organization, the team took a different approach by creating a policy mandate that would address the lack of conversations around diversity (race, sexual orientation and identity, socioeconomic status and learning styles) and how it impacts the social and emotional learning environment."

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