California
Welcoming Schools is proud to partner with Our Family Coalition (OFC) to bring our unique approach to California Schools. Four of our original pilot schools were located in the Bay Area and with the guidance of OFC, Berkeley Schools officially adopted Welcoming Schools as a part of their curriculum. OFC is also actively bringing Welcoming Schools to districts in Southern CA. Our California work is being led by our Regional Consultant Tarah Fleming who also serves as Education Director for OFC’s Welcoming & Inclusive Schools Program. Contact Tarah to learn more about Welcoming Schools' work in California! |
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Tarah Fleming
Region: California Location: San Francisco, CA Areas of Expertise: Early Childhood Education Racial Justice Anti-Bias Education
As a Regional Consultant for Welcoming Schools and the Education Director for the Welcoming & Inclusive Schools Program at Our Family Coalition (OFC), Tarah Fleming helps districts and schools create culturally responsive classrooms for all children.Tarah uses the Welcoming Schools approach as her primary tool to create more inclusive learning environments throughout California. Tarah frequently reaches out to schools by holding LGBTQ Inclusive School Forums that create a space where families, teachers and administrators can build coalitions to support the implementation of Welcoming Schools in their communities.
Tarah joined the Welcoming Schools team in October, 2011, bringing 25 years of experience as an advocate of racial justice, a teacher trainer and a consultant working in the private and public sectors. She has international teaching experience and locally has facilitated dialog on cultural competency, issues of power and privilege and developing equitable and inclusive curriculum for all ages. She has a biracial son and has over two decades of experience working in multiracial communities. She is the executive producer of the film “My People Are…Youth Pride in Mixed Heritage” and of the Educator’s Guide and Video entitled “Serving Biracial and Multiethnic Children and Their Families.” For the last 5 years, Ms. Fleming co-directed the Youth Action Project (YAP), which exists within the White Privilege Conference, one of the most progressive anti-racist movements in the country.
Tarah is a fourth generation Northern Californian and the proud mother of an eight year old boy who has personally approved all of the children's literature on the Welcoming Schools recommended reading list! She has lived in 5 different countries and speaks three languages. She is a passionate activist and lover of all people who greatly appreciates the opportunity to work in solidarity with movements striving for social justice. Her work with Welcoming Schools has helped her deepen her ally work with the LGBTQ community
One Thing That Excites Me About Welcoming Schools Is…
“…the flexibility and relevancy of the lesson plans. We hear from elementary school teachers across the country that their students ask questions they do not feel comfortable answering and the training we offer is often just the remedy they are seeking. We actively seek to provide educators all the tools they need to talk about diverse family structures, gender stereotypes and creating respectful spaces for everyone. It is so satisfying to hear teachers and parents say after working with Welcoming Schools how much the climate has changed for the better and how much more confidence they have to include LGBTQ people in conversations about love and family.”
