Leading With Authenticity: Tackling Cultural Responsiveness Leadership as Your Authentic Self

• In Event: Let's Talk About Race in Leadership: Challenging White Supremacy, Racism, Antiblackness, Othering, and Marginalization

Abstract

The following practitioner article presented is an examination of a district-level equity and inclusion leader named Jessica Dawson and her 20-year career of applied equity and culturally responsive leadership. Jessica is the leader of a district-wide equity team, known as Cultural Liaisons, and is empowered by her district and community to advance and improve the cultural responsiveness of her 20,000 student district. The research presents explore best practices and lessons learned from a long-serving equity and inclusion leader in a rapidly diversifying district. We explore Jessica’s leadership vision manifest itself in three crucial areas of District Culturally Responsive Leadership (working locally with building staff, being perceived as an honest actor and being situational– adapting equity work to fit priorities)

Authors

• Bodunrin O Banwo, University of Massachusetts - Boston

• Muhammad Khalifa, The Ohio State University - Columbus