Course Description

During this panel, we will hear from Ebonyse Mead and Jen Neitzel from the Educational Equity Institute in North Carolina on what defines culturally competency and how we can recognize it in our practices. Then we will hear from two Nashville leaders: Lydia Yousief from Elmahaba Center and Maria Paula Zapata from Conexión Américas on what culturally competent service delivery looks like in day to day practice. The majority of the session will be spent in Q&A, with attendees encouraged to participate and ask questions.  

Ebonyse Mead

Educational Equity Institute

Dr. Ebonyse Mead is a Clinical instructor at Georgia Southern University and President of the Educational Equity Institute. For 18 years, Ebonyse has worked in communities to improve the health and educational outcomes for children of diverse cultural and socioeconomic backgrounds. Since 2016, Ebonyse has provided training on racial equity with a particular focus on examining structural barriers to educational equity, implicit racial bias, and culturally responsive instruction. Dr. Mead is a Certified Family Life Educator and holds a Doctor of Education in Early Childhood and a Masters in Human Services from Concordia University Chicago. In 2015, Dr. Mead earned a Masters in Family Studies from Texas Woman’s University and recently completed a graduate certificate in Anti-racist Urban Education from the University of North Carolina at Charlotte.  Dr. Mead is deeply committed to creating brave spaces to talk about structural racism and promote equitable and just programs in early childhood.

Jen Neitzel

Educational Equity Institute

Dr. Jen Neitzel is the Executive Director of the Educational Equity Institute, which is focused on eliminating the educational and opportunity gaps within communities through systems level change. Prior to this work, Jen was a Research Scientist and Technical Assistance Provider at FPG Child Development Institute at UNC-Chapel Hill for 15 years. During her time at FPG, her work focused on implicit bias; disparities in suspensions and expulsions; trauma; and culturally responsive anti-bias practices. Jen presents frequently at state and national conferences and is widely published in peer-reviewed journals. She also is the author of the book Achieving Equity and Justice in Education through the Work of Systems Change. Jen also is the co-editor and author of the upcoming book, Handbook of Racial Equity in Early Childhood Education (Spring 2023).

Lydia Yousief

Elmahaba Center

Lydia Yousief is a founder and is the current director of Elmahaba Center, a South Nashville nonprofit supporting Arabic-speaking families. She is a graduate of Vanderbilt University where she wrote her thesis on a history of Coptic Nashville. In 2019, she graduated with her master’s from the University of Chicago’s Center for Middle Eastern Studies. She loves Oum Kalthoum, her plants, discovering new teas, and academia vintage decor styles.

Maria Paula Zapata

Conexión Américas

Maria Paula Zapata is the Director of Programs at Conexión Américas, a nonprofit organization whose mission is to create opportunities where Latino families can belong, contribute, and succeed. Maria Paula oversees programs and staff that serve Latino families and students through numerous education and economic prosperity initiatives. Before this role she managed k-16 education programs, particularly Padres Comprometidos (Parents as Partners), which aims to help Latino parents better understand the school system and advocate for their children. Maria Paula is also an adjunct for the Learning, Diversity, and Urban Studies M.Ed program at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College and often serves as a resource for local schools and universities. She is passionate about education, equity, and supporting immigrant families.

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