James Fields is a Senior Program Director – Neighborhood Leadership Initiative at Mikva Challenge.

“My experience as a black educator on Chicago’s south and west sides has taught me that partnership and relationship building with people who are passionate about education and youth work is vital to the success of any radical change in education. Surge’s commitment to helping educators navigate complex systems, strengthen collaboration amongst leaders, and continuing the further education of the nation’s educators is invaluable to my leadership and to what I hope becomes a model of collaborative community-based education model.”