7. Preparing Future Principals for Equity-Driven Leadership with Soraya Sablo Sutton, Lizzy May, and Kyle Tana

Equity Leadership Now!

Episode 7 Transcript

Equity Leadership Now! host Dr. Jabari Mahiri wears many hats including serving as the Faculty Director for Leadership Programs at the UC Berkeley School of Education. In this role, Jabari helps cultivate a diverse community of equity and justice-focused teacher, school, and system leaders.

This episode is part one of a two-part series that features two of Leadership Programs’ flagship offerings, Principal Leadership Institute (PLI) and Leaders For Equity And Democracy (LEAD). Dr. Mahiri spoke with PLI Director and alum, Dr. Soraya Sablo Sutton, and two graduates, Lizzie May and Kyle Tana about the program and how it uniquely equips future principals to lead for equity. They discussed how PLI prepares educational leaders to confront and address systemic inequities through a blend of collaborative learning, individual support, and practical application of equity-focused principles.

Program graduates Lizzy May and Kyle Tana earned an MA and Preliminary Administrative Services Credential in just 14 months. They both agreed that this was made possible by the emotional support provided by their cohort and the presence of their professors and coaches, many of whom are scholar-practitioners.

Lizzy, with a background in teaching and instructional coaching, highlighted the program's integration of theoretical frameworks with practical applications, including "Theater of the Oppressed" for embodied leadership. Kyle, an assistant principal, was drawn to PLI for its focus on equity and the diverse, supportive community. Both students emphasized how PLI's approach to hard conversations enhanced their leadership skills and ability to engage in challenging but necessary discussions about race and equity in education.

Both Lizzie and Kyle shared their experiences working on the Continuous Improvement Inquiry (CII), which serves as a capstone project for students. This project is designed to help students engage with complex issues related to equity within their schools by requiring them to undertake a semester-long qualitative research project.

Applications for the next PLI cohort will open soon. What’s more, is that PLI was fortunate to be awarded a grant to subsidize tuition in collaboration with three Bay Area districts. This grant will fund PLI tuition for educators from diverse backgrounds, supporting the program’s equity-focused mission. For the next three years, teachers and educators who work in Oakland Unified, West Contra Costa Unified, and San Francisco Unified, have the opportunity to have a significant amount of their tuition paid for, free and clear, by the state of California.

Interested candidates are encouraged to visit the program's website for more information and to attend information sessions before the application deadline of December 3, 2024. To learn more about PLI, click here.

Equity Leadership Now! hosts conversations with equity-conscious leaders from pre-K through university settings who transform structures and strategies for educating students, particularly for those from historically marginalized communities.