Creating Spaces for Transformation: Reflections on EdLoC’s ASU+GSV Book Talks
Coming together in community, especially with fellow leaders of color who are driving impact across systems, is always powerful. But at this year’s ASU+GSV Summit, the sense of connection felt especially vital. Through EdLoC’s Book Talk series, we created space to reflect, listen, and reconnect with why we do this work. These were not just panels; they were moments that revitalized our shared purpose and deepened our commitment to young people of color.
At a time when public dollars are being routed away from our students, and communities of color continue being sidelined, how we show up as leaders, how we define progress, and how we build systems that actually shift power back to our people matters.
This is why EdLoC exists. We create intentional spaces for members and guests to have honest conversations about enacting change in our communities. There will always be those who don’t value or understand our leadership, and even actively seek to repress it, but we are here to help build and sustain our collective power. As I watched our Network of leaders fill the room to attend our Book Talks with curiosity and determination, despite the headwinds we face, I felt something beyond pride. I felt and remain hopeful.
We created these Book Talks to explore the different strategies leaders of color are using to navigate complexity, shift power, and drive change. One focused on coaching as a tool to strengthen leadership from within. The other challenged us to think differently about how we measure power, equity, and impact. Together, they offered a fuller picture of what it means to lead with intention in this moment—and what it takes to build systems that serve our communities.
First, we were joined by trailblazers from the largest school systems in the U.S., whose guidance has helped shape the careers of many of our very own members. EdLoC Board Chair Dr. Nancy B. Gutiérrez’s conversation with former school chancellors Kaya Henderson, Dr. Janice Jackson, and Dr. Meisha Porter illuminated how coaching is more than just a professional tool—it is a systemic leadership strategy that empowers education leaders to lead with clarity, care, and impact. Henderson said, “Coaching is an inextricable part of leadership. If you are a leader, you are a coach.” And when we coach others, we create ripples of change that extend far beyond individual growth, ultimately transforming K-12 education as a whole. It comes down to what Dr. Porter said, we’re “coaching [people] in service of young people. You’re not just coaching someone so they can keep their job. You get to have long-range impact.”
After, author Dr. Andre M. Perry talked about his book, Black Power Scorecard, with Trymaine Lee, Pulitzer Prize and Emmy Award-winning journalist and MSNBC contributor. Dr. Perry highlighted that true impact also requires a reframe of research that is often used against communities of color, particularly Black communities. For example, Dr. Perry said, “Instead of saying marriage is a solution for poverty, what the data actually shows is that when you have healthy communities, you have healthy relationships.” Looking at data in this way will give us the power and tools we need to build toward a vision of individual success and community. From education, to homeownership, to entrepreneurship, and more, it’s “important to measure what matters. What gets measured gets done.”
As we move forward in a landscape where commitment to education feels increasingly uncertain, I remain convinced that our greatest power lies in community. EdLoC unites multiracial leaders across sectors, knowing we belong in these spaces where we have not traditionally had a seat at the table. We will continue to create spaces like these Book Talks for our Network—spaces where we can show up fully, find joy, build community, and strengthen our multiracial solidarity.
In Solidarity,
Jessica Rhau
Senior Director, Strategy & Programs