Pollyanna started in 2015 with a one-day conference model that invited schools in a small geographic region to come together and use the wisdom in the room to help improve and implement a school’s commitment to diversity. This model, still popular, and successful today, incorporates listening, sharing, learning and action. Every voice is represented as administrators, alumni, diversity practitioners, faculty, heads of school, parents, students and trustees are invited to attend. These transformative gatherings have inspired our motto: Every Voice Matters.

As our work has expanded, Every Voice Matters now carries over into all of our work: 

• Our DEIB Community Assessments invite all voices to be heard. We are excited to announce that we have entered into a partnership with the Johns Hopkins Institute for Education Policy. We will be using their research-based School Culture 360™️ in our suite of assessment tools. This survey provides key insights as we support your school's inclusivity across all aspects of the community's common life. 
• Pollyanna’s K-12 Racial Literacy Curriculum includes many voices and prepares and encourages students to have meaningful conversations about race and racism. The K-8 curriculum ensures that students develop concrete academic and leadership skills that result in a more robust vision of social responsibility and global citizenship. The soon-to-be-released High School Curriculum integrates topics of racial justice into rigorous content designed for high school instruction in eight different subject areas: Advisory, Art, Biology, English Language Arts, Health and Wellness, History, Math, and Technology.
• Our Workshops and Discussion Groups invite many different voices to be heard, as well. We offer a range of presentations and workshops that are designed and customized to help schools, organizations, and corporations engage with DEIB initiatives and enhance knowledge of racial literacy and equity practices. Many of our workshops are centered on the questions, “What if you considered the work of racial justice to be your most important work? How would this affect your perspective? Your decisions? Your relationships?”

We use the motto Every Voice Matters because we believe communities are healthiest when its members feel a sense of agency and affirmation. While change is a challenging and rigorous process, we believe our work creates a seat at the table for every voice.

Use your voice in 2022 to inspire community accountability with kindness that invites people to participate in collective and transformative action in the work of equity and justice. Wishing you a Happy New Year!