Dear Friends,You’ll notice significant changes in this issue of the College’s flagship publication — starting with its name. This is the right moment to reintroduce our magazine under a title that captures our community’s shared mission. Indeed, Advancing Educational Justice isn’t just a name, it cuts to the core of our values at the University of Washington College of Education.
We are a diverse community of scholars and practitioners pursuing a wide breadth of work who unite in our shared belief in creating more just educational outcomes for every child. Additionally, our magazine’s new name reflects our inclusive storytelling approach. In education, research and practice go hand-in-hand, driven by leaders at every level and we want our publication’s name to encompass that reality. You’ll still find innovative research at the heart of our stories — now under a name that recognizes and values the many ways students, staff, faculty and community partners drive and shape our community of practice.
In this issue, feeling inspired and energized after welcoming our newest cohort of student leaders in September, we reflect on our collective futures as a community committed to moving the needle for educational justice. We share stories that showcase the innovative ways we’re achieving more equitable futures now. After enduring nearly three years of pandemic-impacted learning conditions, our understanding of what it will take to ensure every child has access to high-quality, culturally relevant education has never felt more urgent. These insights drive our work and encourage us to imagine what might be possible. This focus on imagining our collective futures — what equitable systems look like and how we build and sustain them — animates our work and guides our storytelling in this issue.
For example, learn how first-generation doctoral candidate and Community Partner Fellow Henedina Tavares, in partnership with nonprofit Washington STEM, is helping shift Latinx students’ access to dual credit opportunities in Yakima. “I start by asking [families] to tell me their hopes and dreams for their child’s education,” Henedina shares in the story. Her approach beautifully captures what we aim to do as a larger community of scholars, educators and leaders — to dream, create and continue imagining more equitable futures together.
In the following pages, I hope you feel inspired!
Mia Tuan
Dean, University of Washington College of Education