Equity Resources

Access & Equity Advisory

In our continuing effort to provide equitable access to afterschool programs for all youth, OregonASK convened an advisory group starting in 2018 to inform our research work.

This Advisory team has integrated to become part of our Equitable STEM & CTE Committee that continues to inform strategic planning and focused efforts on supporting more equitable expanded learning opportunities for Oregon youth. Find out more about Equitable STEM & CTE HERE.

Our initial Advisory members were able to review tools and resources that may be helpful for programs interested in diving deeper to support equitable and inclusive space.Here are a few helpful resources for programs looking for a place to start:

If you are interested in joining OregonASK’s equity training cohort, find out more HERE or contact general@oregonask.org with questions.

Partnering to Support Equitable STEM

OregonASK has been working alongside East Metro STEAM Partnership for several years, specifically supporting their Equity action team through the development of a Self Assessment STEM equity tool based on local listening sessions. The Tool has been formatted so programs and partners may look through each of the six sections, assessing what score they would give themselves in each of the various attributes. STEAM programs may use this to assess its level of preparedness to serve students and families who historically have been underrepresented in STEAM. Ideally, this tool will help a program: Look critically at it’s policies, procedures and practices; Identify areas in need of improvement; and Begin the process of continuous improvement, in collaboration with EMSP or other organizations

Recognizing the Importance of Black History Month

In honor of all equity work happening throughout this country, we must do our part to understand the weight of the racial injustice occurring currently, and throughout history. In recognition of Black History Month, NPR has released a compilation of resources ranging from podcasts about Black visionaries to trivia night on pop culture – Check it out HERE.
Additional educational resources can be found through other national partners: A Trauma-Informed Approach to Teaching the Colonization of the Americas, and Black Lives Matter at School, or read OregonASK’s own Letter on Equity from just last year.

Working Together for Equity in Expanded Learning

As an organization that works to serve historically underserved communities, we want to ensure that we present quality materials that embody the cultural responsive and equitable practices. Listed below are 5 new Summer Guides that were developed to help engage youth with supportive adults in a range of settings developed by the Georgia State Afterschool Network  (GSAN) and the 50 State Network.

Summer Activity Guides:

Understanding Juneteenth

Juneteenth (June 19th) was first celebrated in 1865 in Galveston, Texas when enslaved Black-Americans learned of the abolition of slavery through the Emancipation Proclamation, which had been signed nearly two and a half years before in 1863. Juneteenth commemorates Black-American freedom and highlights accomplishments and education. Observations range from small gatherings to community-wide events and parades. In Oregon, the Juneteenth Celebration was founded by community leader Clara Peoples, in 1945. See photos and videos of 2020’s 155th Juneteenth celebration on Facebook and Instagram.

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