Washington, D.C. (March 25, 2024) –The NEA Foundation announced today that it will honor the Institute for Democratic Education in America (IDEA) with the 2024 Equity Partner Award at its annual Salute to Excellence in Education Gala on May 3. The Equity Partner Award recognizes those who have demonstrated an outstanding commitment to advancing equity in education and American society.
IDEA is a nonprofit organization based in Jackson, Miss. that collaborates with communities across the nation to advance meaningful learning and build a more just and sustainable democracy. Stemming from the long history of advocacy and activism in Jackson, IDEA leads with equity at the forefront of all of its actions. Through partnerships with educators, families, and community organizers, IDEA coordinates learning experiences rooted in equity, such as community schools and antiracism courses for White educators. IDEA also supports community leadership development, restorative justice practices, and narrative change efforts.
“IDEA is continuing the legacy of a long line of education and civil rights advocacy efforts in Mississippi through its wide ranging initiatives and programs,” said Sara A. Sneed, president and CEO of The NEA Foundation. “For IDEA, advancing equity is not just a mission, but an imperative for fostering a future where opportunity knows no bounds.”
The Equity Partner Award will be among several honors presented at the 2024 Salute to Excellence in Education on May 3 at The Anthem in Washington, D.C. In addition to recognizing organizations advancing the best in public education, the Foundation will honor 44 educators from across the country with the 2024 Awards for Teaching Excellence. The annual Salute to Excellence in Education attracts hundreds of the country’s education leaders and supporters of public education from across the country. Join us in person or on the livestream!
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Editor’s Note: Please use our correct name, The NEA Foundation. The “NEA” is never spelled out in our name. It is not the National Education Association Foundation. Many thanks!
About The NEA Foundation
The NEA Foundation is a national philanthropic organization that invests in educators’ leadership, shared learning, and collaboration; supports partnerships and initiatives that strengthen public education; and promotes public education policy and practice improvements. Find us at www.neafoundation.org, Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, YouTube, and LinkedIn.
About Institute for Democratic Education in America
Institute for Democratic Education in America is a nonprofit organization that mobilizes action to advance meaningful learning and build a more just and sustainable democracy, where communities in the U.S. and Puerto Rico have the tools, visions, stories, and strategies to create educational experiences and systems that lead towards equity, justice, and sovereignty. IDEA works toward its vision by making critical connections alongside and with communities engaged in the struggle for education equity and racial justice, and building ongoing learning opportunities to ensure that communities can achieve their goals.
