Abstract
The aim of this study was to explore the application of culturally responsive school leadership (CRSL) in an out of school time organization (OST). This was accomplished by analyzing how the actions of leaders both enabled and constrained CRSL. Research was conducted with Inspire Mentoring an OST organization that provides mentoring services to approximately 90-120 high school students of color from freshman through senior year. Approximately 60% of the mentors identify as people of color. The data collected for this qualitative case study occurred over 6 months and included: 6 semi-structured interviews with executive leaders and adult mentors, 5 observations of organizational meetings and community workshops, and reviewed documents from Inspire Mentoring. The leadership practices observed were analyzed using the behaviors of CRSL. This study suggest that positional OST leaders should become more connected to their community understanding longstanding inequities, interrogate their own worldviews, and work in tandem with minoritized youth and community members to address cultural youth development needs.
Highlights
Introduction and Research QuestionDuring my interview with the Executive Director of Inspire Mentoring (IM) Diana Bond (Asian American Woman), she claimed that the minoritized youth in her organization “have a voice and that students are primary”
I believe a form of Culturally Responsive School Leadership (CRSL) was occurring that engaged this community in empowering ways
Khalifa et al (2016) suggest that leaders with critical self-awareness must use these understandings to create a new environment for learning, which Diana and Alex both demonstrate. Diana used her critical self-awareness to understand that IM did not value the expertise and decision making of youth and made intentional decisions to better engage them in culturally appropriate ways
Summary
During my interview with the Executive Director of Inspire Mentoring (IM) Diana Bond (Asian American Woman), she claimed that the minoritized youth in her organization “have a voice and that students are primary”. Minoritized youth are young people of color that have been historically marginalized by society and institutions in the United States (Khalifa, 2018). Diana’s assertion piqued my interest because the minoritized youth that her mentoring organization serves have been described as the farthest from educational justice. The target of disproportionate discipline and Out of School Time (OST) organizations with deficit ideologies, these youth typically have the least voice and agency (Baldridge, 2014). As my interviews with people associated with IM continued, a more nuanced picture of Diana’s statement came to light. I believe a form of Culturally Responsive School Leadership (CRSL) was occurring that engaged this community in empowering ways
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