The true heart of parenting extends from doing right for one’s own child to looking out for the best interests of all children. It involves understanding what that means and recognizing that the world is not always receptive. This can often be confusing and frustrating for parents. This discussion will emphasize our collective experiences in facilitating a mindful approach to parenting children and youth, and in organizing parents to be advocates for their children’s education. We will explore various transformative approaches intended to assist parents in managing some of these parenting, family, and community systems challenges. We will discuss myriad ways in which this is happening in diverse communities across the country, and consider how these approaches complement each other in promoting better academic and social outcomes for children and their families.

Zakiyah Ansari

New York State Alliance for Quality Education (AQE)

Zakiyah Ansari is the Advocacy Director of the New York State Alliance for Quality Education (AQE), a leading statewide organization that has fought for educational equity for the last decade. … MORE

Doug Coatsworth

Colorado State University

Doug Coatsworth, PhD, is professor of human development and family studies at Colorado State University, and the director of the Colorado State University Prevention Research Center. He earned his AB … MORE