PART 1 - Affirming Values and Honoring Differences: Engaging in Anti-Bias Education with Young Children with Meggan Gill, March 26. PART 2 - Practice/skill-building session with Masumi Hayashi-Smith & Aiyana Masala, April 2

PART 1 - Practicing Anti-Bias Education Goals as a family can create an important bridge between inclusion work being done in the Early Childhood classroom and the young child’s experience at home. Out of her extensive experience as an Early Childhood Educator, Parent Educator, and Director of Education and Organizational Culture at Sunbridge Institute, Meggan Gill will help participants in this session understand and integrate Anti-Bias Education principles into home life. The session will include grounded guidance for families as they nurture their children’s capacities to appreciate and celebrate differences and navigate social interactions with friends and classmates. This two-part event includes a practice/skill-building session. (see below)

PART 2 - In the week following the presentation, Aiyana Masla and Masumi Hayashi-Smith of Alma Partners will lead practice sessions for participants to integrate what they have learned with Keelah. In these sessions, participants will have opportunities to connect in small groups, engage in reflective exercises, and collaboratively delve into problems of practice associated with Racial Identity Development and Anti-Bias Education. (not recorded)

Meggan Gill (she/her) is director of education & organizational culture at Sunbridge Institute in New York and a founding member of Alma Partners. An experienced Waldorf early childhood educator, she holds a BA in health sciences from Evergreen State College, a diploma in Waldorf Early Childhood Teacher Education from Sunbridge, and is completing her MEd in Curriculum & Instruction at SUNY Empire.  

Masumi Hayashi-Smith (they/them) is a queer biracial facilitator originally from Coast Salish land in Tacoma, Washington. Masumi works with schools and organizations around topics of race, gender, identity, and systems of oppression and liberation. Currently, they work with Alma Partners, Rise for Racial Justice, and Spark Decks to help schools and organizations sustainably integrate principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, justice, and belonging into their communities.

Aiyana Masla (she/her) has worked for 18 years in the US and internationally as a bilingual interdisciplinary artist, curriculum writer, teacher, published poet, storyteller, certified sexual health educator, and picture book author/ illustrator.  At Naropa University, Aiyana studied Contemplative Education and Liberatory Anti-bias Curriculum for Early Childhood. She was the first Social Emotional Learning and Wellness Teacher at the Brooklyn Waldorf School and is co-author and illustrator of Teach Affirm Learn Know (T.A.L.K.) - Gender, Consent and Sexuality for Elementary School.

PART 1 - This is a live event that will take place on Wednesday, March 26, 2025 at 2:30 pm HT, 5:30 pm PT, 6:30 pm MT, 7:30 pm CT, 8:30 pm ET. All who register will receive access to the recording of the event.

PART 2 - This is a live event that will take place on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, at 2:30 pm HT, 5:30 pm PT, 6:30 pm MT, 7:30 pm CT, 8:30 pm ET. This will NOT BE RECORDED.

The registration fee is $20 USD, and you can register online through the ​​WECAN bookstore. We want everyone to be able to participate in this evening. If you require financial support, please contact Heather Church at hchurch@waldorfearlychildhood.org.

Please remember which email address you use to sign up with, as a Zoom link will be sent to you the day of the event. Please do not opt out of receiving emails from us, so that we can send you the Zoom link.

NOTE: If you are purchasing for a group:  On the first page of the checkout in the notes section, you must provide the email address for each person attending.

Registration for this event closes 24 hours before the event, on March 25, 2025  at 3:30 pm HT, 5:30 pm PT, 6:30 pm MT, 7:30 pm CT, 8:30 pm ET.