DEEL Hosts Groundbreaking Conference On Centering Black Girls In Education

The Seattle Department of Education and Early Learning (DEEL) recently hosted the 2025 Children, Race, and Racism Institute, a powerful three-day event focused on centering, cultivating, and celebrating the brilliance of Black girls. Held in-person at Seattle City Hall and virtually through RingCentral Events, the institute gathered 173 educators, administrators, and directors working across early childhood to secondary education.

The institute builds on more than 30 years of work by Seattle-area educators committed to dismantling racism in educational spaces. This year’s event invited participants to engage in difficult but necessary conversations about how race and racism shape children’s development and educational outcomes—and how early educators play a pivotal role in either perpetuating or disrupting inequities.

Keynote speaker Dr. Bettina Love, author of Punished for Dreaming: How School Reform Harms Black Children and How We Heal, opened the event with a call to action. Her address set the tone for a conference that was equal parts celebration and critical examination of educational systems.

Attendees explored a variety of topics through three keynote speeches, 11 interactive workshops, and a curated youth panel featuring students from Seattle Public Schools and the University of Washington. Participants were also moved by performances from youth poets Harlem Naché Yarbrough and Ms. Nia Steward’s Melanin Poppin Girls Literacy Group, whose powerful words echoed the themes of self-love, leadership, and resistance.

A beautifully curated resource table provided books and classroom materials designed to help educators more intentionally center the experiences and stories of Black girls in their teaching.

“This conference left me more optimistic about how we can introduce equity and empathy to the next generation,” said Liliam Aly of La Escuelita Bilingual School. “Afro-descendants have contributed greatly to this country and to education. As a preschool teacher, I now feel even more committed to teaching children that they should never be afraid to express themselves because of their skin color.”

A highlight of the institute was its closing youth-focused day, which allowed educators to hear directly from Black girls about what it means to feel seen, heard, and celebrated in school environments. Their stories underscored the urgent need to create learning spaces where identity and ambition are not seen as opposing forces.

“Furthering my education isn’t just about school,” said one youth panelist. “It’s about proving to myself and other girls like me that we don’t have to choose between our identities and ambitions—we can be both fully ourselves and fully successful.”

Speakers and workshop leaders represented a diverse range of disciplines and institutions:

•Dr. M. Billye Sankofa Waters led a session titled “Centering Stories of Unapologetic Blackgirls,” emphasizing the power of narrative and representation.

• Dr. Cirecie West-Olatunji, CEO of CRESTSprogram LLC, spoke on creating joyful learning spaces tailored to Black girls’ emotional and intellectual needs.

• Dr. Ashley Smith-Purviance addressed educational harm and strategies for healing.

• Dr. Sharon Knight introduced culturally responsive frameworks to support academic excellence among Black girls.

• Dr. Jamila L. Lee-Johnson shared her “Blooming Brilliance Blueprint” for cultivating leadership.

• Dr. Tamecca S. Fitzpatrick explored how leadership begins early, offering strategies to support Black girls as future change-makers.

• Dalisha Phillips, LMHC, presented “Brilliant Black Girls: The World is Your P.E.A.R.L.,” using art therapy to inspire power and resilience.

• Dr. Darielle Blevins encouraged educators to view Black girls through new, affirming lenses.

• Dr. Autumn Aida Griffin connected STEM/STEAM innovation with cultural relevance.

• Tia Naché Yarbrough and Genisha Branch led a session titled “Being a Black Girl…My Superpower,” guiding participants in identifying and affirming brilliance.

Organizers said the institute reflects DEEL’s broader commitment to racial equity and inclusive education. Each element of the event—from youth voices to academic expertise—was carefully designed to leave participants with practical tools and deeper understanding.

The Children, Race, and Racism Institute remains a vital part of Seattle’s education ecosystem, offering both inspiration and a challenge to do better for all students—especially those who are too often overlooked.

As one student on the youth panel put it, “We don’t want to just survive school. We want to thrive in it—and we want to lead.”