“The Surge Fellowship is doing that Fannie Lou Hamer and Ella Josephine Baker work – empowering a generation of leaders with the tools necessary to change the education system, thereby providing students with the footing needed to uplift communities, reconstitute or dismantle systems of oppression, and establish LEGACY. My mission is to equip our youth of…
“I am inspired to work in education due to my experiences growing up in an immigrant household. While I began my education by learning English at CPS, my hard work and determination paid off with access to invaluable educational opportunities that led me to where I am today. Because education was the key to my…
“Surge is important to me because we are living in a critical and transformative moment in history. Communities of color are under attack, and the progress we have made to fight against the injustice of inequities in education is being actively torn apart by legalized white supremacy. Being part of Surge means participating in organized…
“By leveraging the power of inclusivity, the Surge Fellows (La Colectiva) are provided with the opportunity to be leaders amongst equals and actively participate in authentic collaborative opportunities where individual perspectives and insights are indispensable to community advancement. I strive to be a part of this community that reflects on the intersectionality of those experiences…
“Being part of the Surge Institute would help me to become more confident in my leadership skills and more willing to take on challenges such as seeking out larger-scale collaborations with educational agencies to effect positive change. The skills, network, and self-awareness I gain through the Surge Institute will prepare me to one day take…
“Leaders that I feel have been most successful have kept students at the center of all that they do and have been brave enough to allow themselves to be led. For me, those are the most important attributes of educational leadership. One can easily slip into the trap of being guided by our own egos…
“I chose to be part of Surge to achieve my desired outcome of equity among people of color and to have the opportunity to have a positive impact on those lives. Throughout my career in education, I have been fortunate to be able to contribute to the growth and wellbeing of our city’s young people…
“Just as important as dismantling and reconstructing current systems and oppressive institutional forces, there is “work” we, as people of color, must do internally. I believe this is the starting point to truly make a greater impact in society. Even as an adult, I struggle with self-worth and confidence, choosing to doubt and believe the…
“As a member of the 2019 Chicago Surge cohort, I believe that I will be pushed and affirmed by like-minded leaders who all aspire to change the educational outcomes for students of color in Chicago. I firmly believe that the broad professional and lived experiences of cohort members will be a springboard for ingenuity and…
Janene Ingram is the Director of Program at Pitch In – Wood Family Foundation