As a soon-to-be professional school counselor committed to learning best practices in providing equitable access and learning for all students, I was eager to attend the second annual Equity Symposium sponsored by the San Diego County Office of Education (SDCOE). The two-day conference took place on September 7th and 8th, 2017 at the Sheraton Hotel in San Diego and it brought together school and district leaders, teachers, and school counselors to uncover barriers impeding students’ education. This year’s theme was “Mindsets, Relationships, and Innovations” and each of the three keynote speakers addressed these key factors in providing students with equitable supports and opportunities they need to be successful. Attendees sat with other members of their district which allowed for productive conversations with people familiar with the specific student needs, resources, issues of each district in attendance. I loved that this conference was not exclusively for school counselors, although I was surprised that I was the only school counselor in attendance from the San Marcos Unified School District. I loved having the opportunity to connect with principals and teachers from throughout the district, and even the superintendent, brought together with a common vision of equity.
“If you are offensitive, this workshop is going to be difficult for you.” This was one of the opening lines of the first keynote speaker, Dr. Anthony Muhammad. Dr. Muhammad, author of Overcoming the Achievement Gap Trap: Liberating Mindsets to Effect Change, warned educators in attendance that we would be examining personal, social, and professional mindsets that would force discomfort and cause cognitive dissonance. “Offensitive”, which Dr. Muhammad described as “easily offended” and “overly sensitive”, really encapsulates how many educators feel when their traditional practices and beliefs are challenged. While I am not generally offensitive, it is always unsettling when the realities of our education system are examined. We discussed how as early as kindergarten, teachers are already grouping students based on ability and are making decisions about who is talented enough based on achievement, reinforcing the idea that our education system is a meritocracy rather than an egalitarian system. Dr. Muhammad discussed two clashing mindsets- one of superiority/privilege versus one of victim/deficit. To counter this view of students, Dr. Muhammad proposes a “liberation mindset” which really resonated with me as a future school counselor. An educator with a liberation mindset promotes equity by removing barriers to student growth, teaches students intrinsic motivation and self-efficacy skills, as well as advocacy skills. I am convinced that school counselors are in an optimal position to promote equity in schools and ensure that all students have their strengths cultivated through education. 
One of the most impactful workshops I attended at the Equity Symposium was “Ikigai for All: Providing Students with the Opportunities and Tools to Find their Purpose.” Ikigai is a Japanese concept that means “reason for being/living.” As a francophone, I think of it as a “raison d’etre.” Ikigai is when what you love, what you are good at, what the world needs, and what you get paid for come together. I other words, your purpose is when your passion, mission, vocation, and profession align. The visual representation of Ikigai was so powerful to me and it inspired me to share it with others. While on the surface, the topic might seem a bit out of place at an “equity” symposium, I truly believe this is an equity issue as all students should have opportunities to discover their ikigai.
During this workshop, the presenter, Jewyl Clarke, provided concrete strategies to help students from all grade-levels discover what they like, what they are good at, what the world needs, and what they can get paid to do. I incorporated the concept of Ikigai when doing a core-curriculum lesson with English language learners at Mission Hills High School. In a school that is focused on being college-going, I saw a need to work with these students by first tapping into their strengths, talents, and passions, couple with career exploration. Although I introduced the concept of Ikigai to high school students, I am confident the concept can be introduced to students K-8 when speaking about college and career readiness. The concept of Ikigai has really struck a cord with me because in pursuing my masters degree to become a professional school counselor, it is evident that I have finally discovered my “raison d’etre.”
The two other keynote speakers of the Equity Symposium were so powerful and inspirational in their own ways. Liz Murray shared her personal story of how she went “from homeless to Harvard.” Liz’s childhood was characterized by trauma: poverty, neglect, and parents who suffered from substance abuse. Her mother died of AIDS when she was 15 years old, resulting in her homelessness. It wasn’t until she started to think “what if…?” that she began to see small glimmers of hope in her future. Liz makes it clear, though, that it took educators along the way who believed in her, gave her a chance, and created opportunities that made her journey possible. It was relationships with people that made the most positive impact on her life. She challenged the educators in the room to self-reflect about our own impacts on the lives of students.
She had many memorable quotes that have stayed with me:
“If you treat someone like they are broken, they behave like they need to be fixed.”
“There is always and forever an impact from our behavior. The question is, will your impact be positive?”
“People grow into the conversations you have around them.”
“Don’t let what you can’t do interfere with what you can do. Are you seizing your moment?”
My biggest takeaway from the third keynote speaker, George Couros, was his concept of The Innovator’s Mindset (also the title of his book) which is the belief that abilities, intelligence, and talents are developed leading to the creation of new and better ideas. This belief not only applies to students, but his focus was really on educators. Couros really drove home the idea that we as educators must take risks when working with students. This risk will move us from “an uncomfortable ‘average’ in pursuit of an unknown ‘better.’”
The Equity Symposium not only contributed to my growth as a soon-to-be professional school counselor but also as a human being who hopes to be a positive person in the lives of others.
Lezya Weglarz
Graduate Student
San Diego State University
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