2023-2024 EOY Report DRAFT - Flipbook - Page 4
Reflections
In August 2024, the Center for Racial Equity in Education (CREED) o昀케cially turned 昀椀ve years old! In this time, we have grown into
a formidable force and 昀椀lled a space in North Carolina education. Our commitment to explore the intersections of racial justice
and educational equity is stronger than ever before. Our resolve has grown even more in the face of a drastically changed political
climate. We are rising to the moment by continuing to o昀昀er dynamic programming, empirically sound research products, and keen
policy analysis. And, as always, we continue to lock arms with our partner organizations throughout the state. We are trying to build
the infrastructure that actualizes a vision where students of color, in all their complex identities, are truly thriving. This is our CREED,
and until it becomes reality, we cannot rest.
In the past year, we have expanded our team by hiring a full-time Manager of Policy, Research, and Community Engagement, and
a contract Youth Program Manager. In these roles, we brought on two former CREED interns, a testament to our strong internship
program, and the incredible students we have here in North Carolina. In the spring of 2024, we welcomed our largest intern class to
date, with 昀椀ve students. In total, we welcomed nine interns this year after receiving over 70 applications.
We also had a busy year of partnership and programming, including an Education Policy Chat, an HBCU Advocacy Day, and our
third-annual #TeachingInColor Summit. CREED also released resources for educators and the community, including the Learning
Di昀昀erences Playbook, a tool to help improve the educational outcomes of students of color with learning di昀昀erences, and the fourpart Deep Rooted podcast series.
Additionally, we continued our work as one of the three anchor organizations of the Honest Education Action Leadership (HEAL)
Together NC coalition. HEAL is a national initiative by Race Forward to advance statewide organizing that pushes back against
harmful attacks on public education. We’re working to change the tide in the state through the Public Schools Strong Campaign.
The campaign is engaging parents, students, and teachers in the 昀椀ght for fully-funded schools, as well as honest, inclusive, and
accurate content. The PSS network now has over 750 public school advocates in 71 of North Carolina’s 100 counties. The PSS
campaign has now become national with chapters in several states and has o昀케cially been adopted by the National Education
Association (NEA), the largest union in the country.
3
