ROC the Future Presents the
8th State of Our Children Address & Report Card Release
Equity & Education: The Next Horizon
Monday, November 16th — Thursday, November 19th, 2020
Each year, ROC the Future brings hundreds of partners together to learn the best ways to make systems work for kids. This year, we invite you to join us for our first-ever virtual State of Our Children Address! Become a part of the discussion and learn how we are making a difference in the lives of children in the city of Rochester.
Event Schedule
Monday, November 16th | 11am – 12pm
Distance Learning: Impact of the Digital Divide
“Pandemics don’t create disparities. They expose them.” Oliver T. Brooks, President, National American Association.
The ability to access computers and the internet has become increasingly important as we navigate through the coronavirus pandemic. However, not everyone has access to this technology. The digital divide refers to the growing gap between the underprivileged members of society who do not have access to computers or the internet, and those with means who do. This impacts our children greatly who are most impacted by poverty and racism. So, how do we close the divide? Tune in to hear what the Rochester community is doing to address the divide, what more needs to happen and how students are being impacted by distance learning. You will hear from East High School student, Reganae Walters, who shares first-hand experience of what distance learning is like and the impact of the digital divide.
Simeon Banister, Emcee
Stephanie Townsend
Glen Vanderwater
Reganae Walters
East High School Student, Class of 2022, Step to College
Tuesday, November 17th | 11am – 12pm
Parents’ Perspective: A Guided Conversation with Local Parents
Parents are undoubtedly the secret sauce when it comes to educational success. In 2016, ROC the Future launched the Parent Engagement Collaborative Action Network (PECAN). This group is focused on bringing parents to the table to address systemic issues impacting children’s success. During this panel conversation, parents will share their perspective on the relevance of teacher representation, the impact of COVID-19 on education, and the benefits and challenges of at-home learning.
Tiana Stephens, Emcee
Kilolo Moyo-White
ROC the Future Family & Community Engagement Specialist
Khadijah Muhammad
Maria Cruz
Wednesday, November 18th | 2:30pm – 3:30pm
Racism and Education: Where Do We Go From Here?
Our nation is fighting a battle on two fronts: the coronavirus pandemic and systemic racism. The impacts of these two crises on children and families can’t be ignored. There is no time like the present to make intentional change that will lead to measurable results. But what happens when you inherit a problem that has been in existence for 400 years. What is the first step? How can leaders and community members step in to undo structures that are inherently designed to privilege one group over another? New York Times writer Nikole Hannah-Jones says, “In a country built on racial caste, we must confront the fact that schools are not broken. They are operating as designed.”
Evan Dawson, Emcee
Host, WXXI Connections
Jackie Campbell
ROC the Future Alliance Director
Wade Norwood
Lesli Myers-Small
Thursday, November 19th | 11am – 12pm
Educational Access: The Haves and the Have-Nots, keynote by Jennifer Blatz, CEO of StriveTogether
Jennifer Blatz is the president and CEO of StriveTogether, a national nonprofit working in nearly 70 communities across the United States to enable more than 12 million young people to succeed in school and life. We know that disparities exist in education but imagine if we found a way to change the trajectory of lives by working across education, housing, health care, justice – all of the systems that impact young people and their families. Tune in to hear what other StriveTogether partnerships are doing to help every child succeed in school and in life, cradle to career.
Jessica Lewis, Emcee
Jennifer Blatz
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