Presenters for 2019 Conference:

Story and Voice:

Transforming Ourselves and Our Learning Communities from the Inside Out

Keynote Speaker

Denisha Jones is the Director of the Art of Teaching Program at Sarah Lawrence College. She earned her Ph.D. in Curriculum and Instruction from Indiana University in 2013. Dr. Jones began her career in education as a kindergarten teacher in D.C. after earning her Bachelor of Arts in early childhood education from the University of the District of Columbia. She also worked as a preschool director before spending the last 15 years in teacher education. In 2018, she earned her Juris Doctor from the David A. Clarke School of Law at the University of the District of Columbia. 

 Dr. Jones is active in the fight to protect childhood from the corporate takeover of public education, organizing and speaking at numerous rallies, marches, and conferences. She has been a board member and administrator for the Badass Teachers Association, Inc. (BATs), and currently, she is the interim Assistant Executive Director for BATs. Dr. Jones has been working with Defending the Early Years as an advisory board member since 2014. Currently, she is the Director of Early Childhood Organizing and works with early childhood educators across the country to resist harmful assessments, curriculum, and teaching practices.

Workshops

Yo Re Mi brings curriculum-based music and yoga education to NYC schools (Pre-school age 2 through 5th Grade). Through our unique combination of music and yoga, children learn with their bodies, minds, and voices all at once. We incorporate live music, movement and mindfulness while supporting curriculum goals. In addition to combining two enrichment classes into one, we celebrate the uniqueness of a child’s mind, honoring their creativity and imagination in a non-competitive environment. Bridget Saracino is the Director of School Operations for Yo Re Mi and a 200-hour National Yoga Alliance registered Yoga Teacher. In addition to teaching yoga, Bridget is a professional actress and musician with a Master of Fine Arts in Acting from Brown University/Trinity Repertory Co., and a Bachelor's of Arts in Theatre Arts from Cornell University. She acts professionally in theatre, voiceover, and commercials across the country. Bridget is also a theatre educator, specializing in play, voice, dialects, and movement for children and adults. [Early Morning Yoga Practice, Closing Ceremony]

Julia Morris, Ph.D is a professional storyteller and emergent language specialist. She is currently an adjunct assistant professor of Early Childhood Education at Kingsborough Community College, CUNY, where she teaches courses in language and literacy, children’s literature, and music and movement. Professor Morris also teaches a course in aesthetic literacy for graduate students at Manhattanville College. Areas of interest and research include creative arts education and imaginative language development.

Takiema Bunche-Smith is the Executive Director of the Center on Culture, Race & Equity. Takiema has worked for over two decades in support of young children and families. Her work has been guided by a deep commitment to racial equity, social justice, and a belief that collaboration and reflection has the power to change people and systems for the better. 

Maimuna Mohammed is an Equity Specialist at the Center on Culture, Race & Equity with over 30 years of teaching experience in Africa and the United States. She worked as an early childhood educator in community based programs and specializes in working with students of all abilities.

Daseta Gray is a lifelong learner she understands that experience builds and brain. Every baby is born ready to learn but the experiences that the brain is exposed to makes a difference. She has been in field of early childhood education for over 35 years. She is a NYS Trainer and Consultant. Daseta has a MA.Ed in Early childhood; Certified Infant/Toddler Specialist; PhD psychoanalyst candidate at the Harlem Family Institute. Ms. Gray is the former Education Director at a childcare program in the Bronx. She is passionate about preparing infants/toddlers for school. Ms Gray would like to open her own childcare program in the near future.

Sala Cyril is the Director of Little Maroons, a parent-supported childcare cooperative operating from a child-led, African-centered curriculum rooted in indigenous wisdom. She is a mother, an organizer with The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement, and an educator. Mama Mshairi is the Lead Teacher at Little Maroons. 

Mshairi Siyanda is one of the founding members of The Nalo Movement, an Atlanta based theater collective. She is also one of the founding members of Wildseeds Octavia Butler Emergent Strategies collective in New Orleans and an active member of The Malcolm X Grassroots Movement. She practices ARTivism as a poet, writer, educator, and artist who is committed to social justice as a proud Black feminist and nationalist.

Dwight Dunston (Sterling Duns) is a West Philly-based hip-hop artist, musician, educator, and facilitator. Sterling is the Coordinator of Equity and Justice Education at Friends' Central School, an active performer, and a facilitator with the University of Pennsylvania Racial Empowerment Collaborative. 

Brian Caselli Jordan (Caselli) is an early childhood educator, garden educator, a social justice singer-songwriter with the duo City Love, a facilitator with the University of Pennsylvania Lion’s Story and is currently pursuing a Masters in Early Childhood Education at Temple University

Razan Abdin-Adnani is an early childhood educator and consultant. She has over a decade of experience working with young children. She holds a BA in International Studies, a Masters degree in Education, a globally recognized Montessori credential (AMI, ages 3-6), and has extensive training in anti-bias, culturally responsive practices. Razan has presented at national conferences and worked directly with schools, families, and organizations around the world. She currently leads a classroom of 3 year olds at a Reggio-inspired preschool in downtown Manhattan.

Please email us with any questions at ecediversityconference@gmail.com