This conference is dedicated to celebrating, empowering and equipping Black, Indigenous and people of color (BIPOC) members and allies by providing a platform to share innovative ideas, best practices and experiences that drive meaningful change in education. With interactive workshops to choose from over three days, participants enhance their skills to advocate for students and educators, champion racial and social justice, build and strengthen relationships and more. This conference is an ISTA member-only event.
2026 Indiana Educators of Color Network Conference
DATES: JUNE 11 - 13
AGENDA
Thursday, June 11
5 - 6 p.m. | Registration
5 - 9 p.m. | Liberation Lobby
6 - 7:20 p.m. | Networking Reception
7:30 - 9:30 p.m. | Breakout Sessions - Block A
Friday, June 12
8 a.m. - 4 p.m. | Liberation Lobby
8 - 9 a.m. | Registration/Grab & Go Breakfast
9 - 10 a.m. | Welcome & Keynote Address, Dr. Tia Mills, NEA Executive Committee
10:10 - 11 a.m. | Breakout Sessions - Block B
11:15 - Noon | Panel Discussion, Unapologetically Leading: Centering Student Voice as Pathways for Change
12:10 - 1:30 p.m. | Lunch
1:30 - 2:20 p.m. | Breakout Sessions - Block C
2:30 - 3:30 p.m. | Discussion, ISTA Minority Educator of the Year
3:30 - 4 p.m. | Voice of the Labor Movement
4 - 6 p.m. | Break
6 - 9 p.m. | International Gala: Dinner Stations & Activities*
*Please wear cultural attire.
Saturday, June 13
8 - 9 a.m. | Grab & Go Breakfast
9 - 9:50 a.m. | Breakout Sessions - Block D
10 - 10:50 a.m. | Panel Discussion, Power, Partnership & Visibility
11 a.m. - Noon | Lunch
Noon - 12:50 p.m. | Breakout Sessions - Block E
1 - 2 p.m. | Closing Ceremony
BREAKOUT SESSIONS
Participate in sessions covering topics such as recognizing avoiding microaggressions, culturally responsive teaching, advocating for health equity and self care and harnessing power to advocate racial and social justice.
SPEAKERS
Come and join informative sessions with a team of experienced speakers and facilitators who are well-versed in a wide range of topics. The speakers come from diverse backgrounds, bringing with them a wealth of knowledge and expertise that is sure to captivate and inspire. No matter what topic interests you, the speakers and facilitators can provide valuable insights and perspectives.
CULTURAL CELEBRATION
Explore diverse cultures in a cultural celebration featuring music, food and interactive activities. Cultural garments are encouraged.
KEYNOTE SPEAKER
Dr. Tia Mills
Dr. Tia Trumaine Mills is a special education teacher from Baton Rouge, La., with more than 20 years of classroom experience. Dr. Mills was elected to the NEA Executive Committee in 2025 for a three-year term.
Dr. Mills is the immediate past president of the Louisiana Association of Educators (LAE) and the youngest person to serve as president in the association's history. In her capacity as president of LAE, she served as the official spokeswoman of LAE where her primary duties included leading the association's efforts at the Louisiana State Legislature and the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education meetings.
She also served as local president of the East Baton Rouge Parish Association of Educators (EBRPAE) for seven years. As president, Dr. Mills led the association's efforts in the fight to enhance the salaries of district employees by convincing the school board to unfreeze educators' pay schedules. She was also instrumental in helping increase membership in the local by 30 percent during her term as EBRPAE President and led the local association's push for fair standards for the state's Industrial Tax Exemption Program.
Dr. Mills' state-level activism includes her service on the LAE Board of Directors, as well as the Board of Trustees for the Teachers Retirement System of Louisiana. In 2017, LAE honored Dr. Mills with the association's top honor, the LAE Teacher Image Award.
A strong and fierce advocate for students and their educators, Dr. Mills has received numerous accolades, including the NAACP’s Benjamin Hooks Keeper of the Flame Award, the NEA Foundation’s Horace Mann Award, and recognition as one of Southern University’s “40 Under 40.”
Dr. Mills is affiliated with several professional and civic organizations, including the Southern University Alumni Federation, the NAACP, 100 Black Women of Metropolitan Baton Rouge, and is a proud member of the Tau Kappa Omega Chapter of Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Incorporated.
Dr. Mills believes that the fight for public education and labor is inseparable from the fight for equity and racial and social justice. As an adjunct professor at Southern University in Baton Rouge, she hopes to inspire a new generation of activist leaders to uphold the NEA’s rich legacy of fighting for great public schools for every student.
Dr. Mills earned her Bachelor of Arts in history, Master of Arts in social science with a concentration in history, and an alternative certification in special education, all from Southern University and A&M College. She received her EdD in higher education and organizational leadership from Nova Southeastern University.