The Power of Allyship to Cultivate Inclusive Leadership:
I was recently honored to be invited by the Illinois Association of School Boards to present my University of Southern California doctoral dissertation, Equity-Focused School Boards: Supporting K-12 Suburban Districts. To demonstrate a real life story reflective of my research, my school board colleague Kevin Michael and our Superintendent Brian Kaye from Arlington Heights School District 25 graciously co-presented with me, as we were cheered on by our school board colleagues, administrators and other education advocates. Standing before an engaged audience, I reflected on the power of allyship.
Throughout my research and leadership experiences, I’ve seen firsthand how colleagues—particularly those from different positionalities, and at times from identities of influence, have used their voices to support inclusive efforts. Their willingness to engage, listen, and advocate for equity made it possible to advance these critical conversations. I am inspired by this allyship, as to place the responsibility of cultivating a sense of belonging on the very individuals that may be suffering without its benefits may be a burden too heavy.
Allyship isn’t about speaking over others; it’s about amplifying voices, sharing power, and creating opportunities for meaningful change. When leaders commit to cultivating inclusivity, they don’t just open doors—they transform systems.
I’m grateful to those who have advocated to ensure that everyone in organizations, especially our youth have a sense of belonging. I encourage all leaders to ask themselves: How are you using your position to build a more equitable and inclusive future, in this case a future where as Superintendents and Authors Nick Polyak and Michael Lubelfeld shared at the closing session of the Triple I conference, where every student gets the same quality of outcome - if education were a pair of shoes, "we have to make sure that we are not just handing everyone the same pair of shoes, but that each student be given a pair of shoes that fits them" and their individual needs.
#Allyship #InclusiveLeadership #EquityInEducation #Equity #EducationAdcocates
#ILJAC24 #TripleI (Illinois Association of School Boards, Illinois Association of School Business Officials, ILLINOIS ASSOCIATION OF SCHOOL ADMINISTRATORS, USC Rossier School of Education
📸 credit: Greg Scapillato and Elizabeth Nierman thanks for capturing these pics and for cheering us on during our presentation.
▶ ICF Certified Coach | Human-Centered Leadership | Author | Speaker | First-Generation Professional | Cultural Belonging | Organizational Learning & Development
3moThanks for bringing attention to this! And only 8% of Master’s degrees are held by Latinas.