May 5, 2022 11:00am CT
Evanston Township High School is sponsoring two virtual Family Action Network events on May 9 and May 12. Both events are free and open to the public, suitable for ages 12 and up. Registration is required.
Luma Mufleh and Jose Antonio Vargas
(image from www.familyactionnetwork.net)
“Learning America: One Woman’s Fight for Educational Justice for Refugee Children,” a conversation between Luma Mufleh and Jose Antonio Vargas, will be held on Monday, May 9, beginning at 7:00pm via Zoom. Registration is required.
Luma Mufleh, founder of Fugees Family, Inc., tells her powerful personal story in Learning America: One Woman’s Fight for Educational Justice for Refugee Children, offering a blueprint for change that will inspire schools and communities across America. The daughter and granddaughter of Syrian refugees, Mufleh grew up in Amman, Jordan, where she was one of the only Arab students in her class at an American school, and one of the only girls who played on her soccer team. As a young adult in a country where being gay was considered a crime, she came out to her parents and was disowned.
Fugees Family is the only network of schools in the U.S. dedicated to refugee and immigrant education. Its education model meets the unique needs of English language learners and young people who have experienced traumatic events and displacement from their home countries. Fugees schools accept only those most in need; no student passes a grade without earning it; the failure of any student is the responsibility of all. Soccer as a part of every school day is a powerful catalyst to heal trauma, create belonging, and accelerate learning. In March 2022, billionaire philanthropist MacKenzie Scott donated $10 million to Fugees Family to expand its school model over the next 5 years.
In 2019, Mufleh was named an Emerson Collective Dial Fellow and a Manhattan Institute Civil Society Fellow. Her 2017 TED Talk, “Don’t feel sorry for refugees – believe in them,” has been viewed more than 1.8 million times.
Mufleh will be in conversation with Jose Antonio Vargas, a Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Emmy-nominated filmmaker, and Tony-nominated producer. A leading voice for the human rights of immigrants, Vargas founded the non-profit media advocacy organization Define American, named one of the World’s Most Innovative Companies by Fast Company. He is the author of the bestselling 2018 memoir Dear America: Notes of an Undocumented Citizen.
The event will be recorded and available later on FAN’s website and YouTube channel. For more information, visit www.familyactionnetwork.net.
Susie Wise, Ph.D., and Morgan Vien
(image from www.familyactionnetwork.net)
“Design for Belonging: How to Build Inclusion and Collaboration in Your Communities,” a conversation between Susie Wise, Ph.D., and Morgan Vien, will be held on Thursday, May 12, beginning at 7:00pm via Zoom. Registration is required.
Belonging brings out the best in everyone. Whether you’re a parent, teacher, community organizer, or leader of any sort, your group is unlikely to thrive if the individuals don’t feel welcomed, included, and valued for who they are. The good news is that you can use design to create feelings of inclusion in your organization: rituals that bring people together, spaces that promote calm, roles that create a sense of responsibility, systems that make people feel respected, and more. You can’t force feelings, but in Design for Belonging: How to Build Inclusion and Collaboration in Your Communities, author and educator Susie Wise, Ph.D. explains how to use simple levers of design to set the stage for belonging to emerge. For example, add moveable furniture to a meeting space to customize for your group size; switch up the role of group leader regularly to increase visibility for everyone; or create a special ritual for people joining or leaving your organization to welcome fresh perspectives and honor work well done.
Inspiration and stories from leaders and scholars are paired with frameworks, tools, and tips, providing an opportunity to try on different approaches. By the end of the book, you’ll be able to spot where a greater sense of belonging is needed and actively shape your world to cultivate it—whether it’s a party, a high-stakes meeting, or a new national organization.
Wise is a designer and teacher with experience in the education, tech, and social sectors. She coaches leaders in innovation practices, equity design, and storytelling for inclusion; is the founder and former director of the K12 Lab Network at the Stanford d.school; and is a co-creator of Liberatory Design.
Wise will be in conversation with Morgan Vien, MA, CEO of Design for Emergence, a Design Facilitator with the K12 Lab at the d.school at Stanford University, and Liberatory Design Faculty for the National Equity Project.
The event will be recorded and available later on FAN’s website and YouTube channel. For more information, visit www.familyactionnetwork.net.
