Dear educators for equality and justice,

I am part of the planning team for the 16th annual White Privilege Conference (www.whiteprivilegeconference.com). As another person working to improve schools in Jefferson County for all students, I'd like to urge you and your colleagues, students, and staff to join us in Louisville in March 2015 for this national gathering.

Have you heard about WPC ? WPC is an opportunity to connect and collaborate with-- and be challenged by-- folks committed to addressing/examining issues of white supremacy, white privilege and oppression. The more than 100 workshops also expand the discussion to all the intersections between privilege and its impacts--among race, gender, age, class, sexual identity, etc. Whether you are white or a person of color, student, parent, teacher or administrator, working in a diversity or multicultural office or in the streets as a community organizer or social worker, etc, WPC will have offerings of tremendous value for you. To get an idea of the real depth and breadth of offerings, look on the website for the past year's conference program to see descriptions of last year’s workshops, most of which will be updated and offered again in 2015.

There is a full Youth Action (high school) Program integrated into the full, three-day conference for those who can make that commitment of time and money. Students spend time in awareness training around unearned privilege and its negative impacts. They learn ways to positively address issues in their lives and schools.

The website also has descriptions of the nearly 20 specialized one-day "institutes” on Wednesday or Saturday. The institutes can be in addition to the regular conference, or stand alone if--like most-- you have schedule conflicts/time constraints with the main conference. Two of these one-day institutes are specifically designed for high school and middle school students. Many others deal with topics relevant to education--and more personally, to personal growth for teachers wanting to improve their self-awareness and communication/empathy with students who do not look like them. Students and teachers who are people of color will find the same opportunity to challenge their own levels of privilege and assumptions and to share with their peers how to work more effectively with often imperfect allies. This is about how to push through frustrations and misunderstandings to more respect, better work and better schools.

For teachers and students, this all starts with teachers talking about this with their principals. The one-day institute offerings are recognized by JCPS--and its superintendent--for professional development credit, group transportation, and student absences/field trips. Principals, though, would be responsible for providing the substitutes where necessary and--thus far-- have also provided some of the registration fees. If registration money is the final barrier, JCTA has a small amount of money for teacher support and other outside donors made provide some support.

Several student and/or teacher groups from JCPS, as well as local private schools, have already signed up.
You must register, and pay, on the WPC site by February 13 to receive the full early-bird discount for complete three-day conference. After February 13, three-day conference registration prices rise substantially. However, the separate institute registrations do not have early-bird discounts and therefore have no deadlines (other than when they are filled to their capacity).

If you have any questions, please go first to the website. If you have Louisville-specific questions or roadblocks, let us know at louisvillewpc@gmail.com and we will try to get them answered. Please share this info freely within your like-minded friends and networks--schools, students and parents.

With the events in Ferguson and across the nation this year, what could be a more timely and appropriate topic? The experience will move all of us to a greater awareness and provide practical tools to engage in changing our lives and our society.

For all of us on the local organizing team, we hope to see you--and build a network for collaborations long after the conference ends.

for justice, understanding and respect,

Chris Harmer
local WPC organizing committee