Leadership for Educational Liberation: Bridging Peace Practices with Youth

In 2023, two nonprofit organizations based in New Jersey implemented the second iteration of the “Leadership for Educational Liberation,” a paid virtual program with 19 primarily BBIPOC students across the state to learn strategies and cultivate dialogue about meaningful school integration. This presentation will provide an overview of the collaborative, participatory nature of the LEL program as a unique model to empower students from both urban and rural areas to learn, engage, and build relationships across space in the context of building more inclusive and equitable schools for all.