RACIAL EQUITY PROGRAMS & RESOURCES

racial equity banner

The Leadership Center for Excellence (LCE) is committed to community-based leadership training, and we are on a journey of building a more diverse, equitable, and inclusive organization and society where everyone belongs.

Please use this resources page to learn more about how we can all more effectively lead our communities by listening, learning, and acting. 

To help us learn more about racial equity programs across the Commonwealth of Virginia, please complete this form.

 

SHARE A RACIAL EQUITY PROGRAM

RACIAL EQUITY INITIATIVES

2023 Racial Equity Summit

Wednesday, November 8, 2023
8:45 - 10:45 a.m. ET
Virtual

While the path to racial equity depends on several factors, a quality education is critical. Education is largely seen as vital to success in the United States, and our school systems prepare millions of students to be productive members of society. Our schools are essential to ensuring a strong workforce, as well as building youth leadership and future community leaders. Throughout our nation’s history, we have struggled to ensure equitable access to a quality education. Disparities in tax bases, low teacher pay, the “school to prison pipeline,” educational standards, student loans, early childhood education, and racial segregation are just a few of the factors that impact our ability to educate our students.

Join our 3rd Annual Racial Equity Summit to hear from experts and explore the evolution of Virginia’s educational system, how to create a racially equitable system, and our individual and community roles in ensuring our school system prepares all students for a lifetime of success. Together, with education at the center, we can move toward achieving racial equity in Virginia.

REGISTER

SPEAKERS

Francisco Duran

Francisco Durán, PhD

Superintendent
Arlington Public Schools (APS)

READ BIO
On May 7, 2020, the Arlington School Board named Dr. Francisco Durán as the new Superintendent of Arlington Public Schools (APS). Dr. Durán has a diverse background in education spanning 29 years, including top-level leadership and superintendent experience in a variety of large urban school divisions with culturally diverse populations. He has served in various roles as a teacher, director, principal, administrator and superintendent. In 2018, Dr. Durán was appointed to the Virginia State Board of Education where he played a key role in the adoption of the new Standards of Quality for Virginia. Dr. Durán has a bachelor’s degree in education from the University of New Mexico, a master’s degree in educational administration from San Francisco State University, and a master’s degree and doctorate in organization and leadership from Columbia University. Dr. Durán is a bilingual educator who began his career as a special education assistant in Albuquerque Public Schools, and he also served for five years as a middle school language arts and social studies teacher in Albuquerque and California. He went on to hold administrative and leadership positions in the San Francisco Unified School District and Philadelphia City Schools. Prior to joining Fairfax County Public Schools in 2015, Dr. Durán was superintendent of Trenton Public Schools in New Jersey, where he was unanimously appointed for a second five-year term. In Fairfax County, Dr. Durán’s work as an equity leader is driven by his background and commitment to support all students. He helped develop, initiate and implement the “One Fairfax” policy to close opportunity, access and achievement gaps, a joint social and racial equity policy with Fairfax County.
Fabiana Parker

Fabiana Parker

 Virginia’s 2023 Teacher of the Year
English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher
Manassas City Public Schools

READ BIO
Fabiana Parker is an experienced English as a Second Language (ESL) teacher who teaches students in grades nine through twelve in Manassas, Virginia. Having grown up as an English-language-learner herself, she understands the challenges and triumphs that come with learning a new language. Her passion for education began during her childhood when she taught her grandmother to read. Mrs. Parker's educational journey spans across vast geographical regions. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in Modern Foreign Language and Education from King's College London in 2001 and her Master of Arts degree in Education, Curriculum, and Instruction from Boise State University in 2005. She has also completed coursework at various universities, including the University of Virginia, The University of Phoenix, University of Granada, and Oxford and Cambridge Universities. As a global-minded educator, Mrs. Parker is committed to civic and community involvement. In 2015, she received a Congressional Record for serving the adult literacy needs of the Northern Virginia community. In 2021, she was recognized by the Virginia Department of Health with a Certificate of Appreciation for her outstanding commitment and translation services during the Coronavirus disease 2019 pandemic response efforts. She is the 2023 Virginia Teacher of the Year and a staunch advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion in the classroom and beyond. Mrs. Parker's greatest accomplishment is seeing her students achieve their educational goals and become productive members of society. She uses her personal and professional experiences to promote cultural diversity, build bridges of trust, respect, and understanding across cultures.
Christopher Quin

Chris Quinn

 President and CEO
Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce

READ BIO
Chris Quinn is currently the President & CEO of the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Chamber of Commerce. Prior to arriving in the Valley, he held several leadership roles for various organizations in Florida such as Vice President of International Affairs for Wexford Strategies, a public affairs and business develop firm, where he led the company’s activities in global business growth and advocacy strategies. He also spent several years as Vice President of Industry and Government Affairs for the JAX Chamber, where he was their head lobbyist. In addition to the above roles, Chris also worked in Washington, DC for groups such as the Association for Advanced Life Underwriting, where he was responsible for their industry coalition and then led the DMA Nonprofit Federation, a trade association representing nonprofits and the fundraising community. Earlier in his career he spent time working in the Massachusetts State Senate. Chris has an undergraduate degree in Political Science from the University of South Carolina and a master’s degree in Political Science from Suffolk University in Boston.
Ashley Ramey

Ashley R. Craig

 Community Engagement and Partnership Specialist
Library of Virginia

READ BIO
Ashley R. Craig is the Community Engagement & Partnership Specialist for the Library of Virginia, where she focuses on relationship building with underrepresented communities throughout the Commonwealth of Virginia. Ashley graduated from Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) with a bachelor's degree in History with a concentration in Early Modern British History and colonial Virginia. She also received a master's degree from VCU in public history with a concentration in early and colonial Virginia, African and Indigenous slavery, and 19th and 20th century race relations in Virginia.

MODERATORS

Kate Bates

Kate Bates

 President and CEO
Arlington Chamber of Commerce

Krysta Jones

Krysta Jones

 Racial Equity Advisor
Leadership Center for Excellence

2022 Racial Equity Summit

Thank you to everyone who joined us on December 7, 2022, (see full agenda) for this free virtual summit to hear stories that illustrate racial equity programming at work and network with attendees.

Watch the Recording

Watch the recording on YouTube

2021 Virginia Statewide Summit on Racial Equity

We hosted a virtual Virginia Statewide Summit on Racial Equity on Tuesday, December 7 from 9:00 – 10:30 a.m. ET (view agenda). The event celebrated and elevated racial equity work across the Commonwealth of Virginia. The summit was a unique opportunity to learn from leaders who are creatively inspiring their communities to listen, learn, and act. Together, we are striving to reach racial equity.

 

Watch the Recording

Watch the recording on YouTube

2021 Racial Equity Listening Sessions

Sponsored by Amazon

In October 2021, we hosted four, separate, regional listening sessions across the Commonwealth of Virginia to discuss diversity, inclusion, and racial equity.

The listening sessions brought together elected officials, economic development and chamber leaders, statewide leadership programs, volunteer centers, and civic engagement leaders.

The regional session goals were to create a brave space for local leaders to hear about statewide programming while at the same time, listen to one another’s hopes, realities, and challenges around achieving racial equity in their local communities.

These events were by invitation only.

Janice Underwood

Special remarks were made by Dr. Janice Underwood, Chief Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Officer for the Commonwealth of Virginia

SPONSOR

Thank you to our sponsor for supporting our racial equity initiatives.

Amazon

RESOURCES

ALL Alexandria-Achieving Racial and Social Equity

Learn more about ALL Alexandria’s Vision and Goals on achieving racial and social equity.

 

Brandeis University & [Health] Equity Strategies, LLC

Explore a resource guide for organizational assessment tools for diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

 

National Urban League

The National Urban League is a historic civil rights organization dedicated to economic empowerment in order to elevate the standard of living in historically underserved urban communities.

Network2Work

Learn more about how Network2Work matches quality job-seekers with available jobs that pay a decent wage and lead to a career.

 

ONE Virginia

Learn more about the ONE Virginia Plan to position the state as a national leader in building a statewide strategy to advance DE&I.

 

Points of Light

Listen. Learn. Act to End Racism is a Points of Light initiative in partnership with Morehouse College that is designed to empower businesses, nonprofits, and individuals to use their influence to fight against systemic racism.

Realizing Arlington's Commitment to Equity

Learn more about Arlington County’s Vision, where an equitable Arlington is one where all are valued, educated, healthy, and safe regardless of race.

 

Richmond Racial Equity Essays

Explore the collection of 24 essays, 7 video interviews, and 8-episode podcast series focused on racial equity in Richmond. The goal of the Richmond Racial Equity Essays project is to explore what an equitable Richmond looks like, especially as it relates to racial equity and highlight the strategies that will help us get there.