Role: : Lead Creator, Presenter, Equity Strategist

Team: Student Equity Advisory Committee (7 members)

Duration: 2 years

Deliverables: District-wide professional development session, restorative plan framework, educator handouts

microagressions_ august 24th.pdf

Microagressions_Handout 2.pdf

Overview

This project marked the first student-led professional development on equity in our district’s history — a two-year initiative centered on teaching educators about microaggressions, implicit bias, and restorative communication.

As a founding member, I helped design, write, and deliver a comprehensive PD session and restorative plan that reframed accountability as a relationship-building process rather than punishment.

The work directly informed district policy and led to the adoption of our restorative model across multiple schools.


The Challenge

When our committee reviewed belonging-survey data, we saw a pattern: students — especially those from marginalized groups — reported feeling unseen, unheard, and disconnected.

Only 34–39% of high school students felt they were “a real part of their school community.” Teachers were eager to help but often lacked language and tools to respond when microaggressions occurred.

Our challenge was to bridge that gap — to give educators a way to understand harm, take accountability, and rebuild trust without defensiveness.


The Solution

We created a district-approved PD experience titled “Microaggressions and What to Do When They Happen.”

The workshop combined storytelling, guided reflection, and role-play to help teachers: