“We need to move from a deficit mindset to an asset mindset” ~ Acting Secretary of Education, John King Jr.
Courtesy of GW’s partnership with the Congressional Hispanic Caucus Institute (CHCI), two-second year PAFs, Ashlynn Profit and Kelly Bartz, participated in CHCI’s annual Public Policy Conference on Tuesday, October 6 and Wednesday, October 7. Topics ranged from engaging the Latino voter to reforming immigration. The conference encouraged participants to recognize the unique barriers marginalized communities face and consider how to act as their allies. Headlining speakers included Secretary of Homeland Security Jeh Johnson and Secretary of Education Arne Duncan along with several members of Congress, including Representative Linda T. Sánchez and Representative Joaquin Castro.
One of the highlights for both Ashlynn and Kelly was the breakout session entitled, “Education Summit: Access to Opportunity.” Although the panelists ranged in experience and opinions, from California public school teachers to an engineer for General Motors, they all emphasized the importance of mitigating the effects of poverty and leveraging financial resources to meet students’ unique needs. Perhaps this is most clearly depicted through Acting Secretary of Education designee John King Jr.’s call to action: “We (in the United States) need to move from a deficit mindset to an asset mindset.” Although he was speaking specifically about improving education for English language learners, his encouragement to value diversity was echoed throughout the panel. If policymakers can see the value of supporting otherwise marginalized students, then perhaps the U.S. can increase access to quality education for all students.
Reflecting on her experience at the conference, Kelly noticed how the participants’ passion for improving the lives of members of the Latino community transitioned to an agenda focused on developing and protecting the rights for all marginalized communities. She added, “It was a privilege to be immersed in a community that actively fights for dignity and regularly displays resilience.”
A special thank you to President Knapp for making PAF presence at the conference possible.
