A Message From the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation

We at the Friday Institute for Educational Innovation join with the many people who are saddened and outraged by the murder of George Floyd by a Minneapolis police officer. We cannot be silent as those we care about are hurting and grieving. For our Black colleagues, educators, students and community partners, we support you. For those peacefully protesting, we stand with you. We ask for justice and commit to teaching anti-racism. We are here to listen, to learn and to grow.

As an organization, we believe the power of education is transformative as we strive to increase equity in education. We commit to recognizing and counteracting all forms of racism so all learners can achieve their potential, especially those who have been systematically marginalized by our education system. Through our collaborations, leadership, convenings, research, resources and tools, we cultivate equity in education. The Friday Institute is committed to promoting equity-mindedness in our organization and in our work. This mindset is not new to our work, but we know we can do better.

This is a pivotal moment in our history; we must have tough conversations, interrogate our own prejudices and privileges, and commit to the ongoing work of creating equitable systems. The Friday Institute is here for our community as a partner and an agent for change. We believe education is a powerful tool — one we will use to help create a more just world.

In recent months, we have undertaken a revisioning process for the future work of the Friday Institute. A core component of our future vision is equity-mindedness, and as we develop an action plan, we look to our partners, friends and leaders to learn from you. What do you need from us? What do you think we can do to help eliminate racial injustice? We are listening.