About This Webinar
How do we move beyond slogans about “belonging” and actually build identity-safe schools and classrooms—especially for students who have experienced trauma, racism, xenophobia or marginalization?
In this third episode of the Identity Affirming Classroom Team Thought Partner Series, authors Dr. Becky Cohn-Vargas and Dr. Debbie Zacarian are joined by Chen Kong Wick, program manager in Oakland Unified School District and former Cambodian refugee, and moderator Audra McPhillips, K–12 math coach and AFT leader. Drawing from their book Identity Safe Spaces at Home and School: Partnering to Overcome Inequity, they share concrete, real-world practices that help students feel seen, valued and empowered at school and at home.
Using classroom examples, family stories and research, the panel explores how connectedness, cooperation and compassion can transform learning environments and interrupt inequity—not just for individual students, but systemwide.
In this webinar, you’ll learn how to:
- Build identity-safe relationships grounded in mutual trust, dignity and equal status.
- Teach students to be upstanders who safely speak up for themselves and others.
- Use social and emotional learning (SEL) as the opposite of indoctrination—and communicate that clearly to families and communities.
- Reduce prejudice in classrooms using Gordon Allport’s four research-based conditions.
- Shift from deficit-based to asset-based and growth-mindset language about students and families.
- Design co-powered partnerships with families that honor their strengths and cultural identities.
- Create professional learning and schoolwide practices that support identity-safe, affirming environments for every student.
Ideal for classroom teachers, instructional coaches, school and district leaders, and family/community partners who are ready to move from theory to concrete daily practices that foster safety, belonging and agency.
