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This week, residents of Puerto Rico stood together to demand accountability from their government. They saw their protests yield results with the resignation of Governor Ricardo Rosselló. When your students return this fall, you have an opportunity to talk with them about the necessity—and power—of standing together against injustice. These resources can help.

As an onslaught of anti-LGBTQ efforts—particularly targeting trans and nonbinary youth—continues at the start of the new school year, it’s imperative for educators, parents and caregivers to help young people understand that justice requires an appreciation for the value of identity and diversity among individuals, and that there are actions to take to ensure equity. These LFJ resources can help foster such understanding. 

The Social Justice Standards allow educators to use backward design when planning lessons and provide a framework for discussing social justice topics at every stage of K-12 instruction. Get to know the anchor standards, grade-level outcomes and the four domains of anti-bias teaching and learning—Identity, Diversity, Justice and Action—with the resources in this edition of The Moment.

National Suicide Prevention Week is September 8-14. And while educators can’t—and shouldn’t—act as mental health professionals, they can advocate for students. They can help create schools and communities where all children know they’re valued and loved and where support is available if students find themselves in crisis. We hope these resources will help.

This year marks the 55th anniversary of the Selma-to-Montgomery march for voting rights. Hundreds of activists, students and educators organized and marched bravely in the face of racist violence and arrests. Use these resources to teach how the Selma organizers achieved one of the most significant victories of the civil rights era: the passing of the Voting Rights Act of 1965.

As we continue to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we hope educators commit to uplifting the diversity of AAPI identities year round. These resources offer ideas for including AAPI stories and valuing the lived experiences of AAPI people in our learning spaces, regardless of our own identities and those of our students.

As the school year starts, we extend a warm welcome—or a welcome back—to you! We hope you’ll take time to dive into our many resources, including our Social Justice Standards and One World posters. We appreciate you and all you do to create inclusive school communities for all students.