Tony Arias Sorto
Tony Arias Sorto immigrated from Honduras to Boston, Massachusetts, where he taught in public schools before moving to North Carolina. He continued working in education with a passion for fostering teaching practices that center the whole child. His commitment to creating systems where all students can thrive, led him to work at Education Justice Alliance, where he is a Statewide Organizer working to dismantle the school to prison and school to deportation pipeline through community organizing.
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