I like sitting in the front row of comedy shows. I've been told that’s a bold move–I tend to be someone who enjoys high engagement and even some high risk, high reward roles. At the AFL conference, though, I picked a nondescript seat towards the back of the room–ready to take notes, learn, observe, and step into my role as a local storyteller. As the 10th grade level lead at Arise High school, I was excited to share the details of the Bridge Defense that my sophomores participate in and especially excited to learn from the 10th graders that participate in a similar defense at Envision Academy.
For me, this was an opportunity to do for my school what the conference was doing for educators that showed up from around the country. Representatives from Kentucky, San Diego, Arizona, Chicago brought their specific experiences and challenges to a room where the purpose was to support young learners to create an authentic and rigorous representation of their learning and identity–a goal that not only placed students, but teachers under the microscope–for better or for worse–but actually for better.
While speaking to and learning of other educators' experiences in their school sites, the reality of each of their contexts rang loud–challenges were abundant and resources were scarce–the consistent reality of education for the last several decades. Despite the challenges, the educators in the Spinnaker Room at the Waterfront Hotel worked to guide Warrior Intellectuals–a term used at Arise High School to describe students who are not only socially conscious, but also assertive, prepared and equipped with the tools to challenge and ideally transform systems of oppression and act as agents of change for liberation.
Certain moments highlighted the reality of our struggle. Young teachers in Kentucky faced the closure of their all girls school that empowers young girls from elementary to be tiny warrior intellectuals. Goosebumps covered my body when I heard those young teachers speak–I had a visceral response listening to them describe how their tiny scholars exhibit evidence of their learning and share it publicly in student led conferences. My goosebumps were also a response to the anger, the sense of impotence, and ultimately, fear I felt for the future of these tiny scholars whose learning opportunities were very much in the hands of people who did not share the same priorities as the educators gathered that day.
I often ask my students to think of a takeaway–a lesson their audience should walk away with after reading their writing. The AFL conference was a productive whiplash experience for me. It reminded me how important it is for educators to become accomplices in each others’ fight. To not give in to cynicism despite failures of well-intentioned initiatives. The point is not to be perfect, but to be real–or as Dr. Michael DeSousa described–to take into account the situatedness of our work and recognize and celebrate the social, political, historical positionality that is particular to our local contexts. Mistakes will be made. Iterations are a necessary part of the process to secure the footholds in our communities. To be real–to begin by working within our locus of control in the service of our students and deeper learning. The fight is a David and Goliath, but in the end, the little guy won. We don’t need a miracle, we need consistent and upward progress. A nagging question remains–how do we get people who need to be, but aren’t actually present in these conferences, to buy into the importance of building systems in a human way that offers opportunities for authentic demonstrations of deep learning? How do we get the admin in Kentucky to buy in?
This is where I got stuck. We need to think big and act small. How can we make system changes if we can only control our classroom? And then the ed consultant from Chicago reminded me–oh yeah..my backburner. It was me who was supposed to become admin. It was me who had a fire that sometimes threatens to burn it all down in my spiral of impotence. Then I remembered that I am within my own locus of control. I’ve waited so long to go back to school, to get my admin credential and dust off my slingshot…
To the teachers I had the pleasure of meeting–Teresa S. from Tucson with the spirit of warrior–I swear I could almost hear her armor clank–thank you for matching my intensity I think you won and I am humbled. Keila D. from New Mexico who I was so happy to meet and welcome her to Oakland and into a room where she could stretch in the vibrancy of our diversity. And especially the two young women teachers from Kentucky who reminded me that an uphill battle, when won, offers incredible views.
Storyteller
Lili Trujillo
Educator
Lili Trujillo has been an East Bay educator in Richmond and East Oakland for about 14 years taking on roles both inside and out of the classroom. Her role has primarily been that of a Spanish teacher to both heritage speakers and English only students, but has also taught English 4 and an elective called Race, Class and Gender in the US. She has coached numerous teachers over the years, including some of my former students! This job offers incredible opportunities to engage with young people and watch the evolution of the youth over the years. What a long, strange trip it has been!
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