OUR COMMITMENT – DCPS Equity

Hear from our
DCPS Community Members
about their personal Equity journey.

"Equity means that our students receive the best education, resources, and opportunities."

Jerry llar, DCPS Central Office Staff Member, 2021 Standing Ovation Award Winner
he / him / his

"Antiracism
means creating an environment equipped with the freedom and ability to tell one's truth."

Leilani Cabrera Spahle
DCPS Teacher
she / her / hers

Principal Shenora Plenty
2020 Standing Ovation Award Winner

Wheatley Education Campus
she / her / hers

Watch Video

"I aspire to see DC Public Schools become the top training-ground for antiracist education in the country."

Ashley Kearney
2020 DCPS Teacher of the Year
she / her / hers

Principal Maria Tukeva
2020 Standing Ovation Award Winner

Columbia Heights Education Campus
she / her / hers

Watch Video

"Equity means designing and co-creating solutions, and putting these solutions into action to work against the barriers of systemic racism."

JuDonn DeShields
Superintendent of Cluster IX
he / him / his

“Antiracism means helping my students succeed and learn in a way that I know is going to be fruitful for them but also give them ways to tackle the racism that exists within our curriculum, school settings, community and in our greater society.”

Derek Johnson
DCPS Teacher
he / him / his

"We must live in an understanding that being antiracist is not inherent, but a learned and applied practice."

Khristina Pullings
DCPS Teacher
she / her / hers

"What Equity means to me, as someone who works in the Central Office, is being able to talk about race explicitly and unapologetically."

Lizz Rene, DCPS Central Office Staff Member, 2020 Standing Ovation Award Winner
she / her / hers

“It’s up to us to ensure every student has access to teachers who they can see themselves in.”

Veronica Alvarado, DCPS
Central Office Staff Member
she / her / ella

"Equity is our priority and expectation and it’s apparent in how we choose to structure our time, our decisions, and how we engage with one another.”

Tamyka S. Morant, Ph.D Assistant Principal
Bruce-Monroe E.S.
she / her / hers

"One way to promote equity is to allow for authenticity."

Ross Cohen
DCPS Teacher
he / him / his

Principal Clinton Turner III
2020 Standing Ovation Award Winner

Walker-Jones Education Campus
he / him / his

Watch Video

"Being an
Antiracist Educator
requires proactive tactics
and measures against
non-inclusive curriculums."

Raphael Bonhomme
DCPS Teacher
he / him / his

"As a white, cisgender DCPS employee, I consider it my duty to use my voice and position in our agency to uncover systemic inequities and ensure improvements. It is incumbent upon us all...to create an equitable system that honors intersectionality. "

Tara Cheston
DCPS Central Office Staff
she / her / hers

"Antiracism is a lived experience. It is about systematically dismantling policies as well as mindsets."

Rian Reed
DCPS Teacher
she/ her / hers

"Together, our community elevated EQUITY from the buzzword of 2020 to an actionable practice. At DCPS, equity is a strategic priority that must be centered at all times.”

Lewis D. Ferebee Ed.D.
Chancellor, DCPS
he / him / his

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"Equity is our priority and expectation and it’s apparent in how we choose to structure our time, our decisions, and how we engage with one another.”

Tamyka S Morant Ph.D
Assistant Principal
Bruce-Monroe ES
she / her / hers

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"We all know that the achievement gap is more of an equity issue than a cognitive issue. All children can learn."

Principal Clinton Turner III
Walker-Jones Education Campus
2020 Standing Ovation
Award Winner
he / him / his

Watch Video

"Being an Antiracist Educator requires proactive tactics and measures against non-inclusive curriculums."

Raphael Bonhomme
DCPS Teacher
he / him / his

"We must live in an understanding that being antiracist is not inherent, but a learned and applied practice."

Khristina Pullings
DCPS Teacher
she / her / hers

“It’s up to us to ensure every student has access to teachers who they can see themselves in.”

Veronica Alvarado
DCPS Central Office Staff Member
she / her / ella

"I aspire to see DC Public Schools become the top training-ground for Anti-Racist Education in the country."

Ashley Kearney
2020 DCPS Teacher of the Year
she / her / hers

"Equity means working to ensure that not a minute, a second, or a school day is wasted."

Principal Shenora Plenty
Wheatley Education Campus
2020 Standing Ovation
Award Winner
she / her / hers

Watch Video

"As a school leader, I believe I must go beyond a commitment to equity and commit to building an antiracist school community."

Principal Maria Tukeva
Columbia Heights Education Campus
2020 Standing Ovation
Award Winner
she / her / hers

Watch Video

"Equity means designing and co-creating solutions, and putting these solutions into action to work against the barriers of systemic racism."

JuDonn DeShields
Superintendent of Cluster IX
he / him / his

"Antiracism is a lived experience. It is about systematically dismantling policies as well as mindsets."

Rian Reed
DCPS Teacher
she/ her / hers

"Antiracism means creating an environment equipped with the freedom and ability to tell one's truth."

Leilani Cabrera-Spahle M.Ed
DCPS Teacher
she / her / hers

"One way to promote equity is to allow for authenticity."

Ross Cohen
DCPS Teacher
he / him / his

READ MORE

"Equity means that our students receive the best education, resources, and opportunities."

Jerry llar
DCPS Central Office Staff Member
2021 Standing Ovation
Award Winner
he / him / his

"What Equity means to me, as someone who works in the Central Office, is being able to talk about race explicitly and unapologetically."

Lizz Rene, Manager
DCPS Central Office Staff Member
2020 Standing Ovation
Award Winner
she / her / hers

“Antiracism means helping my students succeed and learn in a way that I know is going to be fruitful for them but also give them ways to tackle the racism that exists within our curriculum, school settings, community and in our greater society.”

Derek Johnson
DCPS Teacher
he / him / his

Tara Cheston
DCPS Central Office Staff Member
she / her / hers

"Together, our community elevated EQUITY from the buzzword of 2020 to an actionable practice. At DCPS, equity is a strategic priority that must be centered at all times.”

"Equity is our priority and expectation and it’s apparent in how we choose to structure our time, our decisions, and how we engage with one another.”

"We all know that the achievement gap is more of an equity issue than a cognitive issue. All children can learn."

"Being an Antiracist Educator requires proactive tactics and measures against non-inclusive curriculums."

"We must live in an understanding that being antiracist is not inherent, but a learned and applied practice."

“It’s up to us to ensure every student has access to teachers who they can see themselves in.”

"I aspire to see DC Public Schools become the top training-ground for Anti-Racist Education in the country."

"Equity means working to ensure that not a minute, a second, or a school day is wasted."

"As a school leader, I believe I must go beyond a commitment to equity and commit to building an antiracist school community."

"Equity means designing and co-creating solutions, and putting these solutions into action to work against the barriers of systemic racism."

"Antiracism is a lived experience. It is about systematically dismantling policies as well as mindsets."

"Antiracism means creating an environment equipped with the freedom and ability to tell one's truth."

"One way to promote equity is to allow for authenticity."

"Equity means that our students receive the best education, resources, and opportunities."

"What Equity means to me, as someone who works in the Central Office, is being able to talk about race explicitly and unapologetically."

“Antiracism means helping my students succeed and learn in a way that I know is going to be fruitful for them but also give them ways to tackle the racism that exists within our curriculum, school settings, community and in our greater society.”

"As a white, cisgender DCPS employee, I consider it my duty to use my voice and position in our agency to uncover systemic inequities and ensure improvements. It is incumbent upon us all...to create an equitable system that honors intersectionality. "

Principal Shenora Plenty
2020 Standing Ovation Award Winner

Principal Maria Tukeva
2020 Standing Ovation Award Winner

Principal Clinton Turner III
2020 Standing Ovation Award Winner

Principal Shenora Plenty2020 Standing Ovation Award Winner

Principal Maria Tukeva2020 Standing Ovation Award Winner

Principal Clinton Turner III2020 Standing Ovation Award Winner

"Together, our community elevated EQUITY from the buzzword of 2020 to an actionable practice. At DCPS, equity is a strategic priority that must be centered at all times.”

"Equity is our priority and expectation and it’s apparent in how we choose to structure our time, our decisions, and how we engage with one another.”

"We all know that the achievement gap is more of an equity issue than a cognitive issue. All children can learn."

"Being an Antiracist Educator requires proactive tactics and measures against non-inclusive curriculums."

"We must live in an understanding that being antiracist is not inherent, but a learned and applied practice."

“It’s up to us to ensure every student has access to teachers who they can see themselves in.”

"I aspire to see DC Public Schools become the top training-ground for Anti-Racist Education in the country."

"Equity means working to ensure that not a minute, a second, or a school day is wasted."

"As a school leader, I believe I must go beyond a commitment to equity and commit to building an antiracist school community."

"Equity means designing and co-creating solutions, and putting these solutions into action to work against the barriers of systemic racism."

"Antiracism is a lived experience. It is about systematically dismantling policies as well as mindsets."

"Antiracism means creating an environment equipped with the freedom and ability to tell one's truth."

"One way to promote equity is to allow for authenticity."

"Equity means that our students receive the best education, resources, and opportunities."

"What Equity means to me, as someone who works in the Central Office, is being able to talk about race explicitly and unapologetically."

“Antiracism means helping my students succeed and learn in a way that I know is going to be fruitful for them but also give them ways to tackle the racism that exists within our curriculum, school settings, community and in our greater society.”

"As a white, cisgender DCPS employee, I consider it my duty to use my voice and position in our agency to uncover systemic inequities and ensure improvements. It is incumbent upon us all...to create an equitable system that honors intersectionality. "

Principal Shenora Plenty
2020 Standing Ovation Award Winner

Principal Maria Tukeva
2020 Standing Ovation Award Winner

Principal Clinton Turner III
2020 Standing Ovation Award Winner