ISTA wants to hear from members of color on how their union and professional association can better meet their needs. Tell ISTA leaders how your experience in the union can be broadened to bring a diversity of voices to our work.

Special guest NEA Vice President Princess Moss will share her leadership journey with members. Learn how she became engaged in union organizing work to rise to her current position.

Join Us

Join ISTA and the Minority Affairs Committee for the Racial Justice Book Club. Our first book is from ISTA member Dawn Knight. Knight’s Race and Football in America: The Life and Legacy of George Taliaferro profiles Taliaferro, the first African American football player drafted by the NFL and the first to play quarterback.

REGISTER

As educators, we are community leaders. It is our responsibility to ensure every kid, regardless of ZIP code, has access to a quality public education. This means we support the needs of students from every background and represent and incorporate diversity into our classrooms and schools.

ISTA Response

ISTA President Keith Gambill issued a statement in response to recent protests against police violence:

"Today, young black people grow up witnessing and experiencing systemic violence, oppression and racism across the state, in their communities and sometimes in their schools," said Gambill. "We cannot be silent. Educators are in this fight. We stand in solidarity with the Black community, with our union brothers and sisters in states and cities across the country, and with everyone fighting for equality, inclusion and against the plague of systemic racism."

ISTA Advocacy

ISTA continues to look inward at what we, as educators and an association, can do to improve representation of persons of color as teachers, educators and school leaders.

Our Minority Affairs Committee reviewed and revised ISTA's Minority Improvement Plan. The committee updated the plan to reflect today's struggles, challenges and realities that face both educators and students of color. The plan looks to increase outreach to educators of color by building and strengthening relationships, implement racial justice training, improve the professional development opportunities for educators of color and advance efforts to recruit and retain more educators of color.

The Minority Affairs Committee and the Greater Indianapolis Branch of the NAACP hosted a Voter Education Forum to help voters navigate how, where and when to vote.

The Minority Affairs Committee hosted Kelly Waller from the Indiana Department of Education to discuss how to talk about race in the classroom.

The Minority Affairs Committee recently hosted a conversation with education leaders and ISTA members on Race & Unity: How Can I Be an Advocate for Racial Equity. Watch it here.

If you have comments or suggestions for the work of the Minority Affairs Committee, contact ISTA UniServ Organizer LaQuita Maxey at lmaxey@ista-in.org.

Take Action

There are numerous national and state organizations working toward equity for all. Take action by joining, supporting and sharing these organizations that are leading the fight nationally and in our communities.