Our Vision
We envision schools where all students learn in safe, engaging, and inclusive learning communities.
We envision schools where each student’s identity is affirmed and humanity is honored, creating communities of opportunity. We believe all young people have the right to see themselves reflected in their school’s curriculum. We imagine schools where all students do work that matters for them and their communities. As our country’s schools become more diverse, they must continue to evolve to meet the needs of our students. In addition, we envision a world where educators challenge racism within their schools and community and create antiracist, equitable practices for all. Therefore, we help educators create equitable learning environments where students of color can thrive.
The Challenge
Schools that serve students of color often fail to create engaging, supportive learning environments.
As Gloria Ladson-Billings describes, America owes an educational debt to many of its communities of color, an accumulation of years of inequitable funding and exclusion from the political process. Despite our nation’s efforts to integrate public schools, American schools serving predominantly Black and Latin students continue to receive significantly less funding than those serving predominantly white students. While individual educators and schools cannot control these larger societal issues, they must be aware of how continued inequities impact their students and communities and how racism can show up within their walls.
Our Mission
We help educators build the shared knowledge, vision and collective capacity to forge schools where students of color thrive.
Shared Knowledge
Helping educators build a common language and framework to understand and discuss issues of racial equity.
- Understand the history of racism within education and beyond
- Understand oppression and how it lives in inequitable practices and policies
- Reflect on personal identities, privilege, and power
- Understand practices that build equitable learning environments
Shared Vision
We offer processes and facilitate conversations to create a collective vision for racial equity within education.
- Define practices that build equity in the classroom
- Create clarity about how your community works together
- Develop a shared definition of equity for your school community
Collective Capacity
We offer tools and learning experiences to build skills and strengthen your practices.
- Build educator critical consciousness
- Learn and practice skills to affirm all students
- Engage in dialogue about identity and systemic oppression with each other
Guiding Action
We support your needs throughout the journey with actionable tools and community.
- Analyze systems and processes for inequitable practices
- Create and take clear actions to build equitable practices
- Gain resources and tools for supporting growth and accountability in your community
Our North Star
Throughout history, many scholars and activists have advocated for schools and education that center the needs of students of color. Our name was inspired by Malcolm X. In an effort to highlight the challenges that young Black Americans faced in learning about their own histories, he observed:
“When we send our children to school in this country they learn nothing about us other than that we used to be cotton pickers. Every little child going to school thinks his grandfather was a cotton picker. Why, your grandfather was Nat Turner; your grandfather was Toussaint L’Ouverture; your grandfather was Hannibal. Your grandfather was some of the greatest black people who walked on this earth. It was your grandfather’s hands who forged civilization and it was your grandmother’s hands who rocked the cradle of civilization.”
Unfortunately, many of our student’s histories and humanity remain unacknowledged in current curricular and co-curricular materials. Therefore, Forged Ed is committed to creating tools and materials so all students do feel supported and affirmed.
Featured Artist
Nimah Gobir
ArtistIllustrator and Artist
Nimah Gobir is an artist and educator based in Oakland, California. She created the artwork on ForgedEd.com. Her studio practice explores, uplifts, and celebrates the Black race and identity through painting and illustration. Gobir drew from her work as an art teacher in classrooms to create images that encapsulate transformative learning experiences for this project.
Why art?
Illustrations provide the opportunity to blend bright colors, imaginative elements, and realistic imagery. For that reason, we decided to use custom illustrations to show what it means to create educational spaces that are both radical in their vision and execution.
Visit her website and support her work at
www.nimahgobir.com