Charity E. Freeman (she/her)

I did not attend SIGCSE this year.

This neurodivergent Black woman found it helpful. “Take life a moment at a time, and not a moment before” meets “You’ll find every resource you need for when you need it.”

We’ve been here before. Yeah, it’ll suck ass, but when we have no choice but to survive, we will. For me, that’s comforting af.

Equality is bland; everybody gets the same thing. Equity provides resources according to what folx need. True Justice means bringing strategic change to the systems that created those inequities in the first place.

Wish you were here, @awillery!! Not to worry- We’ve got LOTS of swag headed your way. ♥️

#CSTA2022 is happening! Hitting the ground running with Ariana Flewelling @CDWCorp on Empowering Stakeholder Advocacy for CS Ed. “Digital equality and digital equity are often conflated- they’re NOT the same thing.”

@ladoctoratorres: "A trauma-informed perspective requires a shift in thinking." Here's what that looks like:

@UIC_CollegeofEd Bridge to Faculty Postdoctoral Research Assoc Dr. Stephanie Torres addresses trauma inflicted by adverse collective historical experiences, like slavery, racism, & mass incarceration: “We need to expand our thinking about what constitutes trauma.”

@mdwstgal : "How can we prepare educators to understand the impacts of trauma? Incorporate TIC approaches into their teaching practices? Support Ss with disabilities?" ...aaand proceeds to share FREE resources for teachers- all offered ONLINE at UIUC!

Asst Prof of Special Education @edILLINOIS Dr. Catherine Corr sheds light on the frequently overlooked connections btwn Ss with disabilities and their experiences with trauma

@UIC_CollegeofEd professor Dr. Marisha Humphries sharing these simple yet impactful ways for educators to support students who may have experienced trauma: "Speak LESS... Beyond 'happy' and 'sad,' equip Ss with the language to describe how they feel."

Listening in on this important convo... Learning more about trauma-informed education from a panel of amazing University of Illinois System scholars ! #WeHealUs

"People who don’t hold you accountable, likely don’t believe in your capacity to be a better person, or the risk to themselves isn’t worth their effort." - @twiffanyjana

Selah.

Panel Moderator @eblugo81 (Director of External Relations @DiscoverDPI) emphasizes how vital it is "to acknowledge the expertise of teachers when forming and enacting new educational policies."

#ILCSedSummit2021 Day 5: STEM Dean of Instruction @BeNobleGCCP Dr. Janelle Scharon asks the right questions. "Who gets access first? Which communities get resources? The on-the-ground perspectives of teachers can ensure that equitable funding actually makes it to our classrooms."

Panel moderator @csanchezcrozier says one of the quiet parts out loud: "You can't talk about equity and not talk about access. It will take a lot of dollars and a lot of intentionality to see digital equity happen for our students." #CSforALL

LOVE @JFCM2's shameless callout of algorithmic bias and the need to elevate the voices of POC (like the creators of @CodedBias) and distrupt inequities in CS ed in tangible, relevant, and non-performative ways. #ILCSedSummit2021

#ILCSedSummit2021 Day 4: "Standards are the floor, not the ceiling... CS includes coding, but it's so much MORE than coding." - @BTwarek, K12 CS Standards expert, Director of Ed at @csteachersorg, and perpetual reminder that I need to up my gif game💪🏾

"I want to learn how to code, but we don't have any CS classes. Who wants to learn coding on YouTube videos when you could learn from a teacher face-to-face? - Colby Haynes, hs engineering student, Effingham IL

“Everyone deserves a chance to learn, and everyone has the ability to learn.” - Thalia Gonzalez, CS student @parklandcollege, Champaign IL

#ILCSedSummit Day 3: DEI Student Panel was phenomenal!! 🔥♥️
"Seeing folks who look like you in a space where you're not usually seen... It seems like a small thing, but it can make an exponential difference." - Alonda Robinson, @ChiPubSchools grad + CS major @NIUlive, Chicago IL

Read their technical report on on four years of CS coaching and implementation - [https://doi.org/10.51420/report.2021.1]
Thanks to Steven McGee @jointhepartners for sharing!

Always love learning from @dyanekCS and Val Curry - Brilliant CPS instructional coaches and strategists with incredible passion for broadening participation in CS thru the @exploringcs curriculum. #CSforRPP #ECSforAll #ILCSedSummit

#ILCSedSummit Day 2: Learning from Irene Lee @MIT @ProjectGUTS in this session on "Research in K-12 CS Education"! [Join here: http://ilcsedsummit.org]

"Who should learn about quantum computing? It wasn't long ago that we were asking ourselves the same thing about computing. And the answer is the same: There is room for ALL students and ALL teachers across disciplines." - Jen Palmer, @EPiQCExpedition #ILCSedSummit

@HegemanRaya and I will be here all week! Register to attend: http://ilcsedsummit.org

#ILCSedSummit Keynote Speaker @simonpj0 is addressing one of my favorite misconceptions about CS! #CreativesAreWelcome #CSforALL🥰

7/ I am more than okay with being misunderstood by folks who don't know me. A little too comfortable, perhaps... 🙃

I will listen and educate for the sake of mutual understanding, but I will not justify or defend my or another's humanity. /end

6/ I'm learning to extend the same kindness, grace, and understanding to myself as I do to others, especially during these trying times. Self-criticism is a beast. As is self-empathy.

5/ I'm not weak. I'm not lazy. I am weary.

Sleep doesn't fix fatigue; REST does. There's a difference.

Perpetual battle, no matter how great or worthy the cause, is draining & unsustainable.

Replenishment requires energy that I don't have. Recovery must be sufficient for now.

4/ I value inner peace, autonomy, authenticity, balance, mutualism, transparency, trust, and safety. I cannot compromise in favor of relationships or connections- personal or professional- whose actions, regardless of intent, visibly oppose these values. It ain't worth it.