​NASHVILLE (May 5, 2020)– The Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance (TECA) has selected 12 educators across Tennessee to participate in its inaugural fellowship, designed to provide proven educators with opportunity to develop their leadership potential.

​TECA is a statewide nonprofit committed to amplifying the voices and expanding the options for leadership for educators of color in Tennessee. Recently, TECA launched the Tennessee Educators of Color Fellowship, a leadership opportunity that will develop, connect and elevate Middle Tennessee teachers  of color in the areas of policy, advocacy and leadership skills in order to improve outcomes for students in Tennessee.  The fellowship is one way the organization fulfills and supports its mission.

​“Each of these dynamic educators has already proven they’re dedicated to the field of education and to bolstering the outcomes for all students,” said Diarese George, Ed.D, who serves as the Executive Director for TECA, and is also its founder. “The purpose of our fellowship is to take those dedicated educators and help put them in a position to lead and also encourage their retention in the profession. One of our primary goals is to ensure more educators of color have a shared, elevated voice and a stronger presence. We’re absolutely confident that each of these fellows will become visionary leaders who help guide our children and our state to levels not achieved previously.”

​The fellows are as follows:

Jacqueline Bing, Metro-Nashville Public Schools, special education teacher providing inclusive and small group instruction to lower elementary students

Priscilla Conerly, Franklin Special School District, an eighth grade English and Language Arts teacher.

Tequila Cornelious, an Instructional Literacy Coach, Franklin Special School District.

Lyzette Garza, Metro-Nashville Public Schools, a social justice educator who works with students, families, and school leaders to raise awareness around issues of equity and inclusion

Dania Henry, Metro-Nashville Public Schools, an instructional lead, second-grade teacher, and Diversity Coordinator.

Halima Labi, Metro-Nashville Public Schools, a freshman English Language Arts teacher.

Victoria McAlman, Clarksville-Montgomery County School System, a third grade English Language Arts teacher and multi-classroom leader.

Daven Oglesby, Metro-Nashville Public Schools, an elementary exceptional education teacher.

Darlene Perry, Metro-Nashville Public Schools, a certified English as a Second Language instructor as well as a fourth-grade math and English Language Arts educator.

Sarah Robinson, Nashville-Davidson County (Independent School), social studies teacher.

Leticia Skae-Jackson, Maury County Public Schools, an English Language Arts teacher.

Taylor Kirk, Nashville-Davidson County (Independent School) an English Language Arts teacher.

“We are so proud of each of these educators already, and we can’t wait to see how they leverage this fellowship opportunity to improve equity and outcomes in their schools and their communities,” George said.

René Dillard will be coordinating programming for the fellowship, drawing from her background in teaching, education policy, and research, to cater a unique experience for fellows. Ms. Dillard also works full time as Manager, Early Literacy for United Way of Greater Nashville, where she facilitates collective impact work for the Blueprint for Early Childhood Success initiative. The Blueprint aims to double third grade literacy by 2025. 

In addition to launching the fellowship, TECA is also gearing up to host the following virtual opportunities in May:

S.O.S – State of the State Conversation

4 p.m. to 5:30 p.m.

Wednesday, May 13

Zoom

The conversation will feature education leaders of color from the three divisions of the state. It will focus on moving forward from COVID-19, addressing the challenges that our most vulnerable students and communities face, and reimagining what education should look like for Tennessee in the future. Learn more and sign up at tneca.org.

​Districts Are Still Hiring: Resume Development & Interview Preparation Workshop

10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

Friday, May 15

Zoom

​This workshop will be geared toward recent college graduates and existing educators looking to gain employment at a new school. The virtual event will focus on resume development, interview preparation, and etiquette for virtual interviews. Learn more and sign up at tneca.org.

​Wine Down Virtual Happy Hour: Addressing Mental Health and Self-Care 

5:30 p.m.  to 7 p.m.

Thursday, May 21

Zoom​

This event will focus on addressing mental health challenges among educators, the importance of self-care, and strategies to practice good mental health and self-care. Learn more and sign up at tneca.org.

​The Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance (TECA) board of directors has hired Diarese George, Ed.D as the first full-time executive director. Founded by George in 2016, TECA was created to provide a platform to amplify the voice and presence of educators of color.

​“It has always been a goal and a dream of mine to build TECA to a point where I could lead the organization full-time; all of our accomplishments and growth has been driven by a working board of directors,” George said.

​Last fall, TECA was announced as one of NewSchools Venture Funds Teacher Diversity grantees, providing funding to advance our work in retaining teachers of color in Tennessee while providing leadership opportunities.

​Previously, George has served as director of recruitment for the Nashville Teacher Residency and taught for five years as a high school Career Technical Education teacher, with a focus on business.

Additionally, he has completed education leadership fellowships for Education Pioneers, the State Collaborative on Reforming Education (SCORE), Hope Street Group, and the Mosaic Fellowship, which connects and empowers education leaders of color across the state of Tennessee. Dr. George holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration and a Master’s degree in Corporation Communications from Austin Peay State University. He also received an MBA and Doctorate in Education Leadership from Trevecca Nazarene University. He is a proud member of Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity Incorporated.

​The mission of Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance is to amplify the voice, presence, and support for educators of color while remaining student-centered and solutions-oriented. The central belief of TECA is that all students benefit from teachers and administrators of color, especially since many of these educators were once students of color themselves. Because of these shared experiences, educators of color are able to speak to the systemic inequities that students of color face. Many of Tennessee’s policymakers do not look like or represent the majority of students in our schools and TECA believes in elevating teacher leaders of color to be policy advocates for their students.

Approximately 35 percent of the students in Tennessee are students of color while only roughly 15 percent of teachers are teachers of color. While we want to raise awareness of why this is critical for students, we also want to launch an advocacy campaign to establish a statewide goal for increasing (recruiting and retaining) teacher diversity by 20 percent by the year 2025 to create parity between students of color and teachers of color. In an effort to support this campaign, one of many initiatives, the Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance will host a statewide Male Educators of Color Summit in Memphis at the National Civil Rights Museum on Saturday, April 11, 2020.

​​Approximately 35 percent of the students in Tennessee are students of color while only roughly 15 percent of teachers are teachers of color. While we want to raise awareness of why this is critical for students, we also want to launch an advocacy campaign to establish a statewide goal for increasing (recruiting and retaining) teacher diversity by 20 percent by the year 2025 to create parity between students of color and teachers of color. In an effort to support this campaign, one of many initiatives, the Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance will host a statewide Male Educators of Color Summit in Memphis at the National Civil Rights Museum on Saturday, April 11, 2020.

Due to the overwhelming interest and response to the launch of the Fellowship application, we have decided to extend the fellowship application due date until Friday, February 21 by 11:59 pm.

​The Tennessee Educators of Color (TEC) Fellowship is a teacher leadership opportunity that will develop, connect and elevate teachers of color in the areas of policy, advocacy and leadership skills in order to improve outcomes for students in Tennessee. We will select a cohort of 10 to 12 Fellows from the Middle Tennessee area for the 2020-2021 academic year. As we develop as an organization, we will expand the fellowship to a state-wide opportunity. The TEC Fellowship is open to classroom teachers who have at least two years of teaching experience, and fellows will participate in an interactive experience with 35 hours of face-to-face engagement, with the opportunity to receive an honorarium of upto $1,200 for meeting participant expectations

Again,applications are due Friday, February 21 by 11:59 pm. Additionally, an MOU (linked in the application) must be signed by the applicant’s school leader and submitted with the application by the due date. If you have questions, please send them to tecfellowship@tneca.org.

Please consider applying or sharing this opportunity with other interested people in your network!

Apply Now:

​Funding and management assistance from NewSchools Venture Fund will fuel efforts to recruit, support and cultivate more classroom teachers of color 

​NASHVILLE, TN, NOVEMBER 21, 2019 – The Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance (TECA) is proud to announce its selection as a member of the Diverse Teachers cohort at NewSchools Venture Fund, generously supported by the Walton Family Foundation. 

​TECA is one of 14 organizations in the cohort. Each cohort member is committed to enhancing the recruitment, development and retention of underrepresented teachers, (including Black, Latino, Asian/Pacific Islander and Native American/Alaskan Native teachers). In addition to financial support, NewSchools will provide management assistance and create a community of practice for the cohort members. 

​TECA aims to develop, support, and train educators of color with decision-making power who shape, create, and influence policy. Funding from NewSchools will support our pilot for a teacher leader fellowship in Middle Tennessee. The fellowship will develop, connect and elevate teachers of color in the areas of policy, advocacy, and leadership skills. “We’re excited to create leadership opportunities for teachers of color to address systemic inequities and create localized systemic change in their building, districts, and communities,” said Dr. Diarese George, founder and chairman for TECA. 

​“I am proud of NewSchools’ commitment to this work,” said Frances Messano, a senior managing partner at NewSchools Venture Fund who leads the Diverse Leaders strategy. “Today’s students are the most racially diverse in the history of this country and it’s time to have teachers who match that diversity. We, with support from the Walton Family Foundation, are eager to support this new cohort focused on diversifying the teaching force. This cohort is an impressive group that will make a difference,” she added. 

About Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance The Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance is a statewide nonprofit organization founded in 2016. Based in Nashville, Tennessee TECA focuses on amplifying the voice and presence of educators of color, while remaining student-centered and solutions oriented. Learn more at www.tneca.org. 

​About NewSchools NewSchools Venture Fund is a national nonprofit that supports and invests in promising teams of educators and innovators who want to reimagine learning. We help them accomplish their missions to achieve outstanding results for the schools, students and educators they serve. We are committed to helping students graduate high school prepared and inspired to achieve their most ambitious dreams and plans. Through our investing, management assistance, network building, and thought leadership, NewSchools helps to reimagine PreK-12 education. 

​The Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance is set to release its report, Sharing Our Stories: Perspectives of Teachers of Color in Tennessee during an event to be held from 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 15 at Pearl-Cohn High. Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen and Metro Nashville Public School Board Vice Chair Christiane Buggs will make remarks during the event.

​NASHVILLE (November 14, 2018) – The Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance (TECA) will release its inaugural report, Sharing Our Stories: Perspectives of Teachers of Color in Tennessee during an event to be held from 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 15 at Pearl-Cohn High School. The report, which aims to highlight the experiences of educators of color in Tennessee and offers policy recommendations on how schools and districts can support them, will be discussed, released statewide, and will be made available during the event on Thursday.

​The event will also feature reflections and comments from Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen and Metro Nashville Public School Board Vice Chair Christiane Buggs. Both will provide talk about how schools and districts can support educators of color and offer their reflections about the report.

​In August and September 2018, TECA conducted focus groups with teachers of color in Nashville, Memphis, Knoxville, and Chattanooga. The alliance asked educators about school culture, hiring, and supports for teachers of color. Some questions included:

​·       Does the racial and ethnic diversity of teachers influence a school’s culture?

·       What unique perspectives do teachers of color bring to their work?

·       What challenges do teachers of color experience?

·       How can schools and districts better support teachers of color?

​The report answers these questions, based on the perspectives of the educators, and provides policy recommendations on how schools and districts may better support educators.

​Diarese George, Ed.D, a former high school teacher in Clarksville, Tennessee, founded the Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance. The mission of the organization is to amplify the voice, presence, and support for educators of color while remaining student-centered and solutions-oriented.

​The central belief of TECA is that all students benefit from teachers and administrators of color, especially since many of these educators were once students of color themselves. Because of these shared experiences, educators of color are able to speak to the systemic inequities that students of color face. Many of Tennessee’s policymakers do not look like or represent the majority of students in our schools and TECA believes in elevating teacher leaders of color to be policy advocates for their students.

Learn more about TECA at tneca.org.

The public and media are invited to attend the event. Interviews will be available upon request. An embargoed copy of the report is available upon request.

For more information, contact Ashley Northington via e-mail at ashley@denorbrands.com or by phone at 615.268.5944.

​WHO: Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance, Tennessee Education Commissioner Candice McQueen and Metro Nashville Public School Board Vice Chair Christiane Buggs

​WHAT: The release of Sharing Our Stories: Perspectives of Teachers of Color in Tennessee

​WHEN: 5 p.m. – 6:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 15 at Pearl-Cohn High School

WHY: To release Sharing Our Stories, which aims to highlight the experiences of educators of color in Tennessee and offers policy recommendations on how schools and districts can support them

Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance (TECA) is set to host its second annual conference DiversifiED from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 23 at Trevecca Nazarene University.  

​NASHVILLE (January 22, 2019) — Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance (TECA) is set to host its second annual conference DiversifiED featuring Executive Director of the National Black Justice Coalition David Johns, Teach Plus Chief Executive Officer Roberto Rodriguez, and 2018 Tennessee Teacher of the Year Ciecly Woodard. The conference will be held from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Saturday, February 23 at Trevecca Nazarene University.  

​DiversifiED is the annual leadership conference for educators of color. The conference is open to all public school educators, pre-service educators, teacher educators and education advocates with an interest in celebrating the importance of a diverse teacher workforce in Tennessee. This year’s theme is Equity and Beyond. Through two keynote addresses, breakout sessions, and a Teach of the Year Panel discussion, attendees will explore what equitable outcomes and practices look like across the state for educators, communities, and students.  

​“We are excited to host our second annual conference, which will highlight some of the brightest minds in education and social justice,” said Diarese George, Ed.D, who is TECA’s founder and chairman of the board. “We are serious about equipping educators of color with the tools to advocate and lead, and DiversifiED gives us this opportunity annually.” 

​The purpose of the conference is to allow educators to Engage with thought leaders who will transform the way they see themselves as educators, advocates, and leaders.  The morning keynote will be delivered by Rodriguez, who, in addition to being the CEO of Teach Plus is a former Deputy Assistant to the President for Education during the Obama Administration. The afternoon keynote will be delivered by Johns, who is the executive director of the National Black Justice Coalition, and the former Executive Director of the White House Initiative on Educational Excellence for African Americans during the Obama Administration. The afternoon will also include a Teacher of the Year panel discussion featuring Woodard, James Ford of North Carolina, Ivonne Orozco of New Mexico; and Josh Parker of Maryland. 

​TECA is doubling down on its efforts to amplify the voices of educators of color. In November, the organization released its inaugural policy report, Sharing Our Stories: Perspectives of Teachers of Color in Tennessee, which highlighted the experiences of educators of color in Tennessee and offers policy recommendations on how schools and districts can support them. Learn more and download the report at bit.ly/TECASharing.  

The media and the public are invited to attend DiversifiED. Tickets cost $20 and can be purchased at bit.ly/DiversifiED. Media may contact Tereva Parham at 615.419.1223 or by e-mail at tereva@denorbrands.com for credentials. 

The mission of Tennessee Educators of Color Alliance is to amplify the voice, presence, and support for educators of color while remaining student-centered and solutions-oriented. The central belief of TECA is that all students benefit from teachers and administrators of color, especially since many of these educators were once students of color themselves. Because of these shared experiences, educators of color are able to speak to the systemic inequities that students of color face. Many of Tennessee’s policymakers do not look like or represent the majority of students in our schools and TECA believes in elevating teacher leaders of color to be policy advocates for their students.