DeMarco Hughes is the Director of Culture and Climate at Chicago Tech Academy. “When I left my school on March 13th to begin our state-mandated stay at home order, I thought I was preparing for COVID-19, not COVID-1619 – this deadly, racist virus has raised a myriad of emotions and feelings in me in the…
Shelby Hildreth is the Director of Program Design at AUSL. “These challenging times call for a different kind of leadership. Being able to connect with other innovative leaders of color will help me hone my skills to make the biggest impact I can within my community and beyond.”
Liz Gutierrez is the Program Director at The Posse Foundation. “I hope to walk the Surge journey with intentionality and grace. Transformational change is not always easy; it forces us to recognize privilege, to explore I hope to walk the Surge journey with intentionality and grace. Transformational change is not always easy; it forces us to…
Jessica Cañas is the Assistant Director of Education at Enlace Chicago. “Surge is a movement of socially conscience and critically thinking like-minded professionals that want to change the world of education. COVID-19 has amplified attention to systemic inequities and I believe Surge fellows will be pivotal in recreating an equitable education system during this window of opportunity;…
Dalonte Burns serves as a school leader for 900 students and 120 staff members at UIC College Prep in Chicago, Illinois. He is a Chicago native, a first generation college graduate, an educator, leader, minister, husband, and father. For over a decade, he’s committed his life’s work to education and serving his community in order…
Quiaria Asiedu is the Director of Matriculation and Onboarding at Teach For America. “There is a change coming to our city and our country as a whole. Undoubtedly the Black and Latinx community has recognized that in order to raise and lift our communities we must create systems that are designed specifically to benefit said…
Cindy Agustín Peña is the Director of Student Support Services, Center for Identity + Inclusion at The University of Chicago. “Now is the time for communities of color to strategize, organize, and fight for our collective liberation and ensure that our youth have opportunities to grow, learn and thrive. I want to work with passionate…
Earlier this year, we made the exciting announcement of the Surge Academy’s expansion to Indianapolis, IN, thanks to the partnership of The Mind Trust, an education focused nonprofit organization whose mission is to provide every student in Indianapolis, no exceptions, with access to a high-quality education. Today we are proud to announce that after weeks…
Ronni Moore is a College and Career Readiness Coordinator at Purdue Polytechnic High School North. “We are best positioned to effect the transformative change we seek when we work together across schools and districts toward the common goal of high-quality education for all learners. The Surge Academy presents an opportunity to fortify our community of…
Nicole Montiel is the CEO of Anda Spanish. “Surge has created a space where we can focus on personal and professional growth and be agents of change in our communities of Indianapolis. We need healing. We need disruptive leadership. We need each other. This is an opportunity to build each other up and drive each…