October 2022
AERA has announced the commentators and moderator who will join John Diamond for a highly engaging open discussion forum immediately after he delivers the 19th Annual Brown Lecture in Education Research on November 3. The in-person and online audiences will be encouraged to ask questions during the forum, allowing for a town hall discussion driven by Diamond’s catalytic lecture.
Akilah Alleyne, director and team lead for K-12 education policy at the Center for American Progress, and Michelle Molitor, executive director of The Equity Lab, will serve as commentators, offering their insights into the compelling issues raised during Diamond’s lecture. Alia Wong, who reports on inequities in education for USA Today, will moderate the forum.
The Brown Lecture will take place on November 3 from 6:00 to 7:30 p.m. ET. Registration is open for this free public lecture.
Alleyne’s work at the Center for American Progress is driven by her commitment to expanding access to opportunity, resources, and funding through an equity lens that improves the lives of children, youth, and families across the United States. Prior to joining the center, Alleyne served as a NextGen Fellow for the U.S. Global Leadership Coalition while working on Capitol Hill for Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE). She currently serves on the board of directors for the American Civil Liberties Union of Delaware. Alleyne holds a PhD in sociology from the University of Delaware.
Molitor is founder and executive director of The Equity Lab, which strives to build change agents who can lead collective anti-racist action in their organizations. Earlier, Molitor was a founding administrator of E. L. Haynes Public Charter School, where she later served as principal of the elementary school. She has also taught in Fairfax County Public Schools and was a recipient of the Washington Post’s Distinguished Educational Leadership Award. Molitor earned her MS in administration at Trinity University through New Leaders for New Schools, an urban principal training fellowship.
Wong, who covers inequities in education for USA Today, is an award-winning reporter based in the Washington, D.C., area. She previously worked as a staff writer and associate editor at The Atlantic, where she developed its education section. Born and raised in Hawai‘i, she began her journalism career as a watchdog education reporter at Honolulu Civil Beat. Wong has also served as a volunteer teacher. She has a BS in journalism and a BA in Latin American Studies from Boston University.
“We are excited to have such an accomplished and insightful group of experts joining us for what promises to be an engaging and enlightening conversation,” said AERA Executive Director Felice J. Levine. “Centered around Dr. Diamond’s groundbreaking scholarship, this year’s Brown Lecture will provide a rigorous and much-needed examination of the significant and troubling role of race and racism in education.”
More information about the Lecture can be found here. Registration for the virtual livestream is free and open to the public.