Ana Mercado
Ana Mercado is a National Lead Organizer for Race Forward’s Honest Education, Action & Leadership (H.E.A.L.) Together initiative. In this role, Ana brings over 20 years of experience working with youth, parents and educators for liberatory education.
Before joining Race Forward, Ana led a team of Restorative Justice coaches that supported public schools to drastically reduce violence, misconduct, and suspension rates. Ana also organized grassroots campaigns at the neighborhood and school district level for policies and practices that interrupt the school-to-prison pipeline and the defunding of public schools.
Presentations from Facing Race 2024
Movement-building Through the Public School Strong Model: Lessons Learned and How You Plug In
Public school systems across the country have long been a battlefield for competing visions of society. Recent attacks on Critical Race Theory (CRT) and LGBTQ+ people in schools are part of a well-funded, long-term effort to discredit, dismantle and privatize public education and with it, the very notion of public goods. Extremists and their wealthy backers want to destroy public schools because, if they are thriving and equitable, this challenges white supremacy and elite power.
Public School Strong (PSS) is a national campaign that builds power starting locally, so that every student – regardless of zip code, race, gender, or ethnicity – can have equitable access to quality, fully funded public schools. Initially developed by HEAL Together North Carolina in the spring of 2023, PSS has expanded to have participants from all 50 states and statewide organizing committees in more than a dozen states. This interactive session is designed for individuals, grassroots groups and allied organizations to explore this model and how to plug in.
Speakers: Ana Mercado, Asma Elhuni, Tony Arias Sorto