The protests that followed the killings of members of our Black communities in spring 2020 served to wake many people up to the realities of racism in America—realities to which the Waldorf movement has not been immune. Accepting the fact that racism exists within Waldorf education and taking on the work of recognizing and eradicating it from our classrooms is a goal to which we must commit ourselves if we are to truly educate our children (and ourselves) toward freedom.

Calling It Like It Is: Uncovering and Dismantling Racism in the Waldorf Movement was first presented by Sunbridge in September 2020. The need for and interest in the event proved to be so widespread, it has been repeated to new audiences several times since. This workshop is an encore presentation of that original event.

Description 

Over the course of three one-and-a-half-hour sessions taking place virtually in real-time on Friday evening and Saturday morning and afternoon, this workshop will:

• Define and articulate the ways many Waldorf school curricula center whiteness and set it up as an ideal, to the detriment of all;
• Use the frameworks of racial identity formation and biography work to better understand how we become who we are in a racialized society and how that impacts our engagement with the children in our care;
• Share practical tools, resources, and success stories with the goal of dismantling racism in Waldorf schools and communities.

Registrants will be sent advanced reading material.

Facilitators

Keelah Helwig is currently an early childhood educator and chair of the Early Childhood program at The Waldorf School of Garden City (her alma mater). Keelah has served as chair of WSGS’s College of Teachers and is a founding member and chair of its Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Committee. She is proud to be a founding member of the Sunbridge Diversity Fund Scholarship Committee and is also a Board trustee of Sunbridge, AWSNA, and WECAN. A skilled facilitator, mentor, evaluator, and shepherd, Keelah is passionate about motivating school communities and inspiring lasting and meaningful change. Following her WSGS graduation, Keelah earned a BA in theatre from Spelman College and her masters in early childhood education from Sunbridge College.

Vicki Larson served as director of communications and marketing at Green Meadow Waldorf School from 2011-2021 and is a founding member of Sunbridge’s Diversity Fund Scholarship Committee. Vicki, who has been involved in anti-racism initiatives and community organizing for social justice for more than 20 years, has been a consultant to Waldorf schools across the US since 2014; she has also held positions in publishing, resource development, translation and interpretation (English/Spanish), international women’s human rights, and diversity, equity, and inclusion. She graduated with honors from the University of Florida in Gainesville with a major in English and minors in religion and women’s studies.

Heather Scott is currently a core faculty member of Sunbridge’s Waldorf High School Teacher Education program and pedagogical director of the Waldorf School of Lexington. Prior to moving east to join the Lexington faculty in 2023, Heather worked at The Waldorf School of San Diego for 17 years, where she taught high school humanities and graduated two eighth grade classes. She also spent time teaching at The Community School for Creative Education, a public, Waldorf-inspired charter in Oakland, CA. Heather’s interests are in diversifying Waldorf middle- and high-school curricula. She is passionate about supporting anti-racism through a grounding in history and biography and has a decades’ long interest in African-American culture and literature, especially attuned to Black women writers. Heather earned her BA from Sarah Lawrence College and her MA from The University of New Hampshire, Durham.

All three presenters are members of Alma Partners.

Schedule

This workshop takes place in live Zoom sessions. Sessions will not be recorded.

Sessions
Friday evening, October 27: 7:00pm-8:30pm ET
Saturday, October 28: 10:30am-12:00pm and 1:00-2:30pm ET

All times are US EASTERN

NOTE ON ATTENDANCE: Due to the sensitive nature of these discussions and because each builds on the next, we strongly encourage registrants be able to attend all three Zoom sessions. In order to receive a Certificate of Attendance, you must attend all three sessions. 

Cost

$175 includes $25 non-refundable registration fee

Discount options 

15% off for

• Schools sending more than one participant. NOTE: In order to equitably serve as many schools as possible, this event is limited to ten (10) attendees from the same school. Should you wish to exceed this cap, please contact Admissions Coordinator Barbara Vitale (info below)
• Sunbridge teacher education program graduates
• Payments made in Canadian dollars

Discounts may not be combined

• Free for current Sunbridge program students in good standing (plus a $25 non-refundable registration fee)

Questions?
Please contact Barbara Vitale, admissions and summer coordinator, at [email protected] or 845-425-0055 x20

We reserve the right to make faculty substitutions when necessary. See registration form for refund policy.

Sunbridge is a New York State Education Department Approved Sponsor of Continuing Teacher and Leader Education (NYSED CTLE), enabling teachers of any background to choose Sunbridge for their CLTE/CEU professional development credits. Check to see if your state honors our status.