Meet Calago Hipps, Dom Gonzales, Ed Morris, Jr., Mahika Jhangiani, Nancy Tien, Shaniqua West, Victoria Powell, and Zena Amran | Dallas CORE Regional Strategy Team

We had the good fortune of connecting with Calago Hipps, Dom Gonzales, Ed Morris, Jr., Mahika Jhangiani, Nancy Tien, Shaniqua West, Victoria Powell, and Zena Amran, the Regional Strategy Team of Dallas CORE, and we’ve shared our conversation below.

Hi Regional Strategy Team, what’s the most important lesson your organization has taught you?
“Power concedes nothing without a demand” – Frederick Douglass. It is our responsibility to listen to the needs and then demand change in order to shift power dynamics so that our students, families, and educators are heard and are better cared for in the education system. We owe it to our young people to listen – they hold the answers that we’ve been searching for.

Those who have experienced the injustices of educational inequity must be given the tools to address the issues themselves. They must be empowered to be the change they want to see because no one can understand the nuances of the issues they experience in the same way those affected can. We often think that those with “prestigious” titles, such as a degree from an ivy league, are better equipped to address inequity. That is absolutely not the case, they must learn from, listen, and act according to the direction of those who experienced inequity first hand. Too often, good intentioned people have repeatedly made policy that perpetuates the cycle of inequity because there are nuances they simply will not understand unless they have witnessed it first hand. Efforts to bring in members of the community leaders seek to serve must be URGENT and PRIORITIZED.

In order to be effective and successful community organizers, it is imperative that we remain in constant communication with the individuals that are closest to the pain of the inequity and injustice that exists within our education system. We often have one-on-one conversations, House meetings, and monthly convenings to uplift the voices and experiences of students, families, and educators. This habit of intentional relationship-building with key stakeholders is key to ensuring that we continue to fight for what people need and that we are held accountable for staying committed to the fight. There’s no fight without the people.

Let’s talk shop. Tell us more about your organization, what can you share with our community?
The founding members of Dallas CORE are former educators and students of Dallas ISD and Fort Worth ISD that were simply not okay with how school districts neglect the real needs of students, families, and educators. They believed through creating a grassroots organization focused on community organizing skills to build power with individuals that were directly impacted, they could push the powers that be within school districts to act on behalf of the people they served. Dallas CORE continues to exist as a pillar in the community to agitate decision-makers and to generate reactions that lead to more equitable systems for all young people.

Dallas CORE is composed of volunteers that are willing to give extra time out of their already busy schedules to advance the strategic plans of the organization. We recognize that as a society, we have been through so much over the past few years, and we try to make it as easy as possible for individuals to jump in the movement we’ve started. Our Regional Strategy Team, who leads the strategic planning for the organization, gives about 2-5 hours per month. Our Issue Action Team members, who advance and execute our strategy, give about 1-2 hours per month. If someone is only able to like or share a post on our social media page, we appreciate it deeply because it increases the amount of people that see our message. However much time someone has to give, we have space for them to make an impact in their own way. We think that creating small, bite-sized actions with a large base is key to creating change. Additionally, we prioritize self-care in our organizing, so members know that they come first – always – and if their level of commitment ebbs and flows, they can still be an integral part. We’d love for more people to join us in the movement towards educational equity!

The Shoutout series is all about recognizing that our success and where we are in life is at least somewhat thanks to the efforts, support, mentorship, love and encouragement of others. So is there someone that you want to dedicate your shoutout to?
We would like to give a shoutout to the students, families and educators we serve through our advocacy efforts.

The resilience of our students is unmatched. They are way more perceptive than we give them credit for and it is our responsibility to listen. Students hold the keys to the future and they embody excellence and greatness – it is our duty to ensure that they have the support to tap into what’s already within them.

The way that families continue to show up for our students is admirable. Despite the cycles of inequity that are present in society, they still keep pushing and fighting for what they deserve. It is our goal to make sure that we reject the oppressive mindsets that cause us to not recognize that families show up for their children in different ways and instead of having our families adapt to the system, the system must adapt to the families.

Also, our educators inspire us. They don’t choose education because of the money – they choose education because it’s their heart’s work. As much as they pour into our students, we must ensure that we pour into them and provide them with the support necessary to walk in their purpose. We have to care for our educators first.

Website: https://www.equitydallas.org/

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/dallas.core.team