Introducing: our newest communication, Facing History Matters, an insider look at the impact you’re making possible through your generous support.
In this new communication, we aim to answer your questions about the field and our work in it:
What are we hearing from teachers, students and school leaders?
What is our presence in the educational landscape?
How can I continue learning with Facing History?
We are thrilled to launch this new quarterly message built for and inspired by your requests for us to share with you more often.
The name, Facing History Matters, acknowledges Margot Stern Strom, our bold founder who used this name for a printed publication years ago.
We hope that this will give you an opportunity to understand the value and impact that your support has, as well as what’s happening on the ground in classrooms; an opportunity to read more about issues that matter most to us, and to you, as we collectively work to build a better future for the next generation.
Desmond K. Blackburn, PhD
Reports from the Field
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I’m incredibly thankful for Facing History & Ourselves. It’s institutions like yours that model best intentions, knowledgeability, and consistent provision of wisdom and strength for teachers. Thank you! We need Facing History & Ourselves now more than ever. Please keep doing the fine work that you all do!
We have embarked on a new contract with Philadelphia Public Schools to work with 30 middle and high schools across the district for three years. The district reached out to us to support their efforts to respond to increased incidents of antisemitism and other manifestations of hate in their schools. We will train humanities educators in “Teaching Holocaust & Human Behavior,” and include a whole-faculty professional development on “Fostering Civil Discourse: Teaching Strategies to Combat Ideologies of Hate.”
Martha's Vineyard Upstander Event
As part of our efforts to engage and expand our donors across the regions we serve, we hosted an event in Martha’s Vineyard in August. This celebrated gathering brought friends and both longtime and new supporters together to learn and engage. More than 100 guests joined us to recognize the work of upstanders Freada and Mitch Kapor while learning more about our critical work. This event was chaired by extraordinary volunteers, Edda Collins Coleman, Chair of the Northern California Advisory Board and Bernard Coleman from the Bay Area, and included a Host Committee composed of donors and Advisory Board members from several of our regional offices.
In his welcome remarks, Bernard reminded us that during challenging and fraught times such as these, “the work of organizations like Facing History and individuals like Mitch and Freada becomes ever more crucial. They remind us that each of us has the power—and the responsibility—to be upstanders in our communities.” This sentiment was underscored by the experiences Mitch and Freada shared, which reminded us all that we can, in fact, do well by doing good.
New & Notable
In response to requests we have received from educators across the country for our new civics initiative, we have created professional learning opportunities and resources for the 2024 US election. The full list can be viewed here, and includes resources such as:
The ideas and tools in this updated guide help teachers prepare to engage students in civil discourse by bringing their minds, hearts, and consciences to reflective conversations on topics that matter, in ways that allow them to extend their understanding in dialogue with others.
Event Co-Chairs: Abdullah Antepli, Shruti Shah, & Stephanie Simon
Do you have connections to people in Durham, NC, that you think would be interested in learning more about us? Please reach out to Erika Hamel at Erika_Hamel@facinghistory.org to learn more about how to invite them to join us for this event, where they will have a unique opportunity to hear from North Carolina Teacher of the Year, Kimberly Jones, as she shares how Facing History enriches her classroom experience.
Facing History & Ourselves uses lessons of history to challenge teachers and their students to stand up to racism, antisemitism, and other forms of bigotry and hate.
