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Past Conferences

2018 Amplify

Friday, March 2, 2018

The second Amplify conference began with a kickoff reception. 

Saturday, March 3, 2018

On Saturday, Amplify attendees were welcomed by Mayor Sly James. 

Christopher Emdin was the opening keynote speaker.  

Trabian Shorters leads “Asset-based Thinking for Educators” for Amplify 2018 attendees.

Breakout I 

  • Leading across Generations with Richard Nyankori, Founder and CEO, SPEDx 
  • Asset-based Thinking for Educators with Trabian Shorters, CEO, BMe Community 
  • Showing Up as your Authentic Self with Erin Trent Johnson, CEO, Trent Johnson Advisors, LLC 
  • Latino Affinity Group with Amanda Fernandez, CEO, Latinos for Education 
  • Men of Color in Education: What is the role and the opportunity? with Jovan Weaver, Principal, New Wister Elementary, Vincent Cobb, CEO & Co-Founder, BMEC, Sharif El-Mekki, Principal, Mastery Charter School- Shoemaker Campus 
  • Culturally Relevant Curriculum with Afrika Afeni Mills, K-12 Instructional Coach, BetterLesson and Monica Washington, Coach, BetterLesson 
Rito Martinez leads his “Solidarity: Making it a verb for Black and Latinx leaders” breakout session during Amplify 2018.

Breakout II 

  • Power and Privilege with Kiara Butler, CEO & Co-Founder, Diversity Talks & Taiwo Demola, Student 
  • How to Have a More Diverse, Equitable and Inclusive Organization with Deborah McGriff, Managing Partner, NewSchools Venture Fund 
  • Solidarity: Making it a verb for Black and Latinx leaders with Rito Martinez, Vice President- National Programs, Surge Institute & Dawn Hicks, School Leadership Coach, UChicago Impact 
  • Harnessing Your Superpower with Carmita Semaan, Founder and President, Surge Institute 
  • The Quickest Way to Lose your Power is to Think You Don’t Have Any with Michelle Molitor, Founder and CEO, Fellowship for Race & Equity in Education (FREE) 
  • Creating Affinity Groups with Cornell Ellis, Educator, Ewing Marion Kauffman School 
  • Unconscious Bias with Leniece Brissett, Founder & CEO, Compass Talent Group 
Amplify 2018 attendees participate in one of the two breakout sessions offered during Amplify.

Breakout III 

  • Try a Little Tenderness: The scientific imperative for kindness in the classroom with Hilary Beard, Highly Esteemed Author & Speaker 
  • Redesigning the American Relationship with Caroline Hill, Chief, School Creation and Transformation, Citybridge 
  • Infusing Social Justice into Middle School Curriculum with Sharif El-Mekki, Principal, Mastery Charter School- Shoemaker Campus 
  • When Did You First Know that You Belonged? with Rhonda Broussard, Founder & CEO, Beloved Community 
  • Using Arts to Transform Schools with Winston Cox, Implementation Director- Turnaround Arts, John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts 
  • I Am Not Your Superwoman: Exploring work-life balance for woman educators of color with Laina Cox, Principal, Capital City Public Charter School