2024 Neubauer Fellows | Washington, D.C. Weekend
“Life-affirming in a way that reminds us why we do the difficult work.” As the 2024 Neubauer Fellows (Cohort 8) closed out the first half of their two-year Fellowship, they embarked on what has become a rite of passage among cohorts: a two-day trip to Washington, D.C. filled with inspiring programming, professional development, and community building. From Friday, February 21st to Saturday, the 22nd, the current members of the Philadelphia Academy of School Leaders’ flagship program, the Neubauer Fellowship in Educational Leadership, traveled from Philadelphia to Washington, D.C. There, they visited museums to explore pivotal moments in history and how systemic oppression impacts communities today, learned strategies to address educational inequity from leadership experts, and deepened their ties over a group dinner.
Grounded in the belief that great schools require great leaders, the Neubauer Fellowship cultivates leadership skills in Philadelphia K-12 school and system leaders, enabling them to allocate scarce resources—time, budget, and personnel—to their highest and best use, in pursuit of educational excellence for every student in Philadelphia. Now in its 8th cohort, the Washington, D.C. trip provides Fellows with tools to address educational inequity and context for how historical harms impact communities today. It has become a core part of PASL’s Fellowship programming; an opportunity for Fellows to both contextualize and reflect on the first half of their Fellowship and gain valuable insights that will ground their practice moving forward.
Fellows kicked off the trip at the Smithsonian Institute’s National Museum of African American History and Culture, where they viewed exhibits and had lunch at the James Beard Award-nominated Sweet Home Cafe. That afternoon, Dr. Yolanda Sealey-Ruiz and Dr. Angel Acosta held a dynamic session on growing cultural capacity to deepen and strengthen educational leadership. After a day of deep reflection, Fellows relaxed at a community dinner at the D.C. restaurant The Hamilton. On the trip’s second day, Fellows visited the United States Holocaust Memorial Museum, where guided tours walked them through exhibits designed to “inspire citizens and leaders worldwide to confront hatred, prevent genocide, and promote human dignity.” This powerful trip was concluded by a second learning session with Drs. Sealey-Ruiz and Acosta.
PASL’s Washington, D.C. trip is not only an opportunity for Fellows to connect with each other and strengthen cohort ties, but also an intensive two-day reflection on the emotional foundation that fuels their work as education leaders. Reflecting on the trip, one Fellow stated, “I had no idea exploring with my colleagues would be so impactful. We were able to be open and honest with each other, unpacking our own feelings.” Another shared, “the brave space we built allowed me to address critical leadership issues that had been weighing on me, specifically immigration concerns and our ongoing advocacy work to dismantle systemic racism. These discussions, characterized by honesty and vulnerability, offered valuable insights and fostered a shared understanding. This process empowered me to approach these challenges with greater clarity and a renewed sense of purpose.” It’s little wonder this powerful two-day trip is held in such high regard.
