ABOUT THE EVENT
May 29, 2024 | 4:00 - 5:00pm
Join us for a virtual fireside chat with Dr. Shawn Ginwright, Jerome T. Murphy Professor of Practice at the Harvard Graduate School of Education moderated by Worcester State University President, Dr. Barry Maloney.
Conversation is guaranteed to be lively and will focus on Dr. Ginwright’s recent book, "The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves." The book asserts that to achieve large scale, positive, and systemic change, we need a fundamental shift in our values–a pivot in how we think, act, work, and connect.
Joining Drs. Ginwright and Maloney will be Ms. Raquel Castro-Corazzini of Worcester’s Division of Youth Opportunities, and Worcester Public Schools Superintendent Rachel Monárrez.
The event is free and open to the public.
ABOUT THE BOOK
“Reading this courageous book feels like the beginning of a social and personal awakening…I can’t stop thinking about it.”—Brené Brown, PhD, author of Atlas of the Heart
For readers of Emergent Strategy and Dare to Lead, an activist’s roadmap to long-term social justice impact through four simple shifts.
We need a fundamental shift in our values–a pivot in how we think, act, work, and connect. Despite what we’ve been told, the most critical mainspring of social change isn’t coalition building or problem analysis. It’s healing: deep, whole, and systemic, inside and out.
Here, Shawn Ginwright, PhD, breaks down the common myths of social movements–a set of deeply ingrained beliefs that actually hold us back from healing and achieving sustainable systemic change. He shows us why these frames don’t work, proposing instead four revolutionary pivots for better activism and collective leadership:
Awareness: from lens to mirror
Connection: from transactional to transformative relationships
Vision: from problem-fixing to possibility-creating
Presence: from hustle to flow
Supplemented with reflections, prompts, cutting-edge research, and the author’s own insights and lived experience as an African American social scientist, professor, and movement builder, The Four Pivots helps us uncover our obstruction points. It shows us how to discover new lenses and boldly assert our need for connection, transformation, trust, wholeness, and healing. It gives us permission to create a better future–to acknowledge that a broken system has been predefining our dreams and limiting what we allow ourselves to imagine, but that it doesn’t have to be that way at all. Are you ready to pivot?
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Dr. Shawn Ginwright, Featured speaker
Dr. Shawn Ginwright is the Jerome T. Murphy Professor of Practice at Harvard Graduate School of Education. His groundbreaking work on trauma, healing, and the empowerment of African American youth has earned him a reputation as an innovator, provocateur, and thought leader in the field of education. His research has been instrumental in reshaping the discourse surrounding youth development. Dr. Ginwright’s introduction of the concept of "healing-centered engagement" in 2018 has revolutionized the field, providing an asset-based approach to addressing youth trauma and fostering resilience.
Dr. Shawn Ginwright is a Professor of Practice at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
His work has been cited in the New York Times, and he is a highly sought-after speaker on topics ranging from civic engagement and youth activism to the transformative power of healing.
Dr. Ginwright's contributions extend beyond his academic work. He is a seasoned nonprofit leader, serving as the co-founder and chief executive officer of Flourish Agenda, Inc., a pioneer research lab and consulting firm dedicated to unlocking the power of healing and empowering youth of color, as well as their adult allies, to drive transformative change in their schools and communities. In addition, Dr. Ginwright has written numerous highly acclaimed books, including "The Four Pivots: Reimagining Justice, Reimagining Ourselves" (North Atlantic Books), "Hope and Healing in Urban Education: How Urban Activists and Teachers Are Reclaiming Matters of the Heart," "Black Youth Rising: Activism and Radical Healing in Urban America," "Black in School: Afrocentric Reform, Urban Youth, and the Promise of Hip-Hop Culture," as well as co-edited the influential volume "Beyond Resistance! Youth Activism and Community Change: New Democratic Possibilities for Practice and Policy for America's Youth."
Dr. Shawn Ginwright resides between Boston, MA and Oakland, CA and continues to drive transformative change in education. His relentless dedication to empowering marginalized youth and creating inclusive spaces for healing and growth is truly inspiring. To learn more about his impactful work, please visit www.ShawnGinwright.com.
MORE ABOUT THE PARTICIPANTS
Raquel Castro is Director of the City of Worcester’s Division for Youth Opportunities.
Raquel Castro-CORAzzini, Speaker
Raquel holds a BA in Spanish from Worcester State University and a Master’s in Urban Planning from Boston University. In 2011, she received the Lewis Hines Award for professionals who work to enrich the future of America’s youth. Raquel joined the City of Worcester in the office of Community Health in 2014 where she trained over 100 staff on health equity and community organizing.
In June of 2016, she started the Division of Youth Opportunities which is housed in the City of Worcester’s Department of Health and Human Services. The Division serves over 3,000 youth in the city of Worcester each year. Along with her experience in Youth Development and Urban Planning, Raquel has been a consultant on Anti-Racist Organizational Practices for over 10 years with a concentration in Leadership Development. Currently, Raquel directing the Division of Youth Opportunities for the City of Worcester and is an instructor at Clark University in the Education Department.
Dr. Rachel H. Monárrez, Speaker
Rachel H. Monárrez, Ph.D., believes in the possibility of every child, and this approach guides her daily interactions as Superintendent of the Worcester Public Schools.
Now entering her third decade working in education, Dr. Monárrez holds a vast knowledge base for academic excellence, professional development, and collaborative practices. Rachel has served as a teacher, school principal, director of English learner programs and special education, assistant superintendent, and deputy superintendent.
As a social justice champion, she works collaboratively with all stakeholders to foster a culture of equity, academic excellence and high expectations for all learners. Her favorite quote is: "Excellence can be attained if you care more than others think is wise, risk more than others think is safe, dream more than others think is practical, and expect more than others think is possible."
Dr. Rachel H. Monárrez is the Supintendent of Worcester Public Schools.
Dr. Monárrez received a Bachelor of Arts in History from University of California Irvine, a Masters of Arts in Education and Ph.D. with an emphasis on urban education from Claremont Graduate University. She is the proud mother of Natalee, an emerging writer, teacher, and poet, and married to Jesus Monárrez, a retired educator.
Dr. Barry Maloney is President of Worcester State University.
Dr. Barry M. Maloney, Moderator
Barry M. Maloney, Worcester State University’s 11th president, has served in this role since 2011. His straightforward charge—to put students first—means providing them an excellenteducation at an affordable price in a vibrant campus environment, one where students explore their intellectual passions and pursue their professional interests, while gaining transformative leadership experiences.
Under President Maloney, Worcester State University has significantly improved its graduation rate; doubled its fundraising and tripled its endowment; overhauled the physical campus; balanced annual campus budgets; increased grant support; doubled the diversity of its student body; and expanded outside-the-classroom learning opportunities for students.
Maloney’s Five Points of Action toward a More Inclusive Campus Climate, initiated in 2016, has resulted in gains in faculty diversity and better systems for addressing bias.
Due to sound fiscal management, the campus has kept tuition and mandatory to fees to just over $10,000 a year for commuting students.
Knowing that academic success correlates with deeper connections to the campus, Maloney ensured that construction of a new residence hall and Wellness Center moved forward. The 150,000-square-foot Sheehan Hall opened in 2014, adding 400 beds and bringing Worcester State undergraduate residential population to about 40%—roughly double what it was in 2000. When the $52.6 million, 101,000-square-foot Wellness Center opened in September 2016, it completed a 10-year, $200 million dollar investment in new and renovated facilities that have transformed the campus.
Under President Maloney’s leadership, The Princeton Review has consistently named Worcester State University a “Best in the Northeast” and U.S. News & World Report has ranked WSU in its regional “top tier.” Worcester State University has also launched new academic programs;was named to the President’s Honor Roll for Community Service; and was noted as one of the nation most “environmentally responsible” campuses.
In 2019, Massachusetts Commissioner of Higher Education Carlos Santiago named Maloney to the statewide Equity Advisory Committee and Worcester Mayor Joseph Petty appointed Maloney to chair the Worcester Advisory Committee for Diversifying the Teacher Workforce.
President Maloney serves on governing boards of the Worcester Business Development Corporation, the Worcester Regional Research Bureau, the Worcester Regional Chamber of Commerce, St. Vincent Hospital, and the American Antiquarian Society and is a corporator for the Greater Worcester Community Foundation.
He has served as chair of both HECCMA, the consortium of 11 Central Massachusetts colleges,and of the State University Council of Presidents. Prior to joining Worcester State University, Maloney served for nearly 20 years at Westfield State University in a variety of positions, including twice as interim president.
A native of Springfield, Massachusetts, Maloney graduated from the University of Maine at Orono with a bachelor’s degree in political science and public management, and a master’s degree in public administration. Maloney is also a 2007 graduate of the Institute for Educational Management at Harvard Graduate School of Education.
Maloney, his wife Laura, and their children have lived across the street from the University since 2011.
