Lowell Teacher Recognized for DEI Leadership

After finding out about her nomination a year ago, 2nd grade teacher Jazmine Jackson discovered this month that she was officially named one of Temple University’s 30 Under 30. “Brash. Bold. Building a future for all of us that’s brighter than ever,” is how Temple University describes the 2020 cohort. The 30 Under 30 award program celebrates alums whose visions and life’s work make a positive impact in their communities. For Jazmine, her legacy begins in the classroom.

 

Choosing to teach at Lowell, Jazmine says, "was a no-brainer." With a dedication to social justice and equity work, she knew that Lowell’s community would help her strengthen her passions. “By acknowledging social justice and DEI work as an essential part of the school’s mission, Lowell has given me a platform to take risks, explore, and discover new ways of thinking and teaching,” she says. She considers many of her colleagues as equally passionate and experienced, which is essential to supporting difficult conversations vital to both professional and personal growth when working in DEI.

 

Since her first year, Jazmine has also proven to be a leader, participating in SEED workshops, attending NAIS’ People of Color Conference, and sitting on the school’s diversity committee. Her commitment to and leadership in equity has led her to serve as a DEI coordinator alongside Michelle Belton, director of diversity, equity, and inclusion, and fellow teachers April Green, Coleman Rose, and Ana Ardon. Together, they vertically align the curriculum to Teaching for Tolerance's Social Justice Standards. For Jazmine, these opportunities “sent the message that Lowell believes in me and my ability as an educator and pushed me to continue thinking of new ways to keep moving us forward,” she says.

Today, Jazmine brings her vision into Lowell’s work with the Assessment of Inclusivity and Multiculturalism, measuring the school’s progress towards its DEI goals and identifying areas of growth to inform Lowell's upcoming strategic plan. Also critical to her success, Jazmine credits Lowell with allowing her to be her authentic self, adding “there is truly no place like Lowell.”