Welcome Heather Harding as Executive in Residence for EdLoC!
The attacks on education over the last few years have left parents and educators exhausted, scared and searching for answers. Education will continue to be a key voting issue in 2024, and we know that extremist politicians and groups will continue to manufacture fear and use divisive rhetoric when it comes to our students’ education.
Ensuring every student in our country, especially students of color, have access to honest, inclusive curricula is essential to the successful functioning of American democracy. That’s why we are so pleased to welcome Dr. Heather Harding as an Executive in Residence for EdLoC.
Heather Harding, Ed.D., is a founding member of EdLoC and former board member, and she has served as the Executive Director of the Campaign for Our Shared Future (COSF). Launched in 2021, COSF is a time-bound campaign to address politically motivated attacks on equity in education. Since then, COSF has helped to change the national narrative to center the needs of children by rallying grassroots support to stop harmful policies like book bans and blocking or modifying destructive actions across the country, It was also the go-to resource for developing a school board election information program for local stakeholders and training leaders across the country to build and sustain power while managing crises related to extremist threats. This work will continue under EdLoC’s umbrella.
Additionally, Heather will oversee the planning of our 2024 National Convening and will collaborate with our Network’s C-suite members on special projects that ensure young people of color have access to high-quality education that enables them to become critical thinkers. Having Heather at the helm of the National Convening ensures our biggest event of the year will be laser-focused on the intersection of education equity and sustaining multiracial coalitions within our fragile democracy.
EdLoC members know better than most that our democracy is under threat. Unlike others, we are not shying away from this challenge. With Heather and COSF by our side, we are instead moving steadfastly into this work. As the new home for COSF through 2024, EdLoC will support COSF’s work to conduct critical polling and messaging research, advise and train stakeholders and spokespeople, provide much-needed resources to allies on the ground, and work with partners to collect and draw attention to important stories.
Our Network is full of transformational leaders of color who are shaping solutions and driving progress on some of the most pressing challenges across the country. Together, we are building a collective power and finding the strength, inspiration, and resources to do what may otherwise feel impossible. We hope you’ll join the EdLoC team in welcoming and celebrating Heather in her transition from founding board member to Executive in Residence.