Stay and Prevail: Students of Color Don't Need to Leave Their Communities to Succeed

A guide to disrupting harmful mindsets and practices in our schools so that students can thrive where they are.

In many schools and districts, students of color living in low-income communities are told in simple and covert ways every day that they must leave their communities if they want to be successful. The message may be well-intentioned, but the leave to succeed (L2S) mindset is a dangerous narrative that affects students' sense of self. Students start to wonder: Are low-income or marginalized communities inherently "bad"? What happens to the people who don’t "make it out"? Who is worthy of success?

Instead, Nancy Gutiérrez and Roberto Padilla turn the L2S mindset on its head to interrogate how school and district leaders can nurture and support students to find success in their own communities. They share real-world vignettes, reflection questions, and clear and simple tips to build an asset-based, uplifting approach that honors the backgrounds, cultures, and strengths of Black and Brown communities. You will learn how to

* Recognize how the L2S mindset is pervasive in many schools.
* Encourage students to develop their unique stories of self that highlight their cultural backgrounds.
* Build schools that are innovative, offer a community-rich curriculum, and are held accountable to provide deep learning to all students.
* Rewrite the dominant narrative in your school system to become a disruptive yet positive force in education.
* Embrace the moral responsibility to be an equitable, fair, and compassionate leader to all students, no matter their socioeconomic backgrounds.

No one is truly served by deficit-based narratives, and for every student to feel valued and affirmed, schools and districts must embrace the idea that any student in any school can stay in their community and prevail.

Dr. Nancy B. Gutiérrez is president and CEO of The Leadership Academy, a nationally recognized nonprofit organization dedicated to supporting and developing school and school system leaders to dismantle inequities in schools and create the conditions necessary for all students to thrive. Nancy is an instructor at NYU and frequently teaches at the Harvard Principals' Center institutes for School Turnaround Leaders, Urban School Leaders, and Race, Equity, Access, and Leadership. Nancy is a member of the board of directors at the Hunt Institute, brightbeam, and Education Leaders of Color (EdLoC) and serves on the Latinos for Education teaching team.

Dr. Roberto Padilla is the superintendent of Community School District 7 in the Bronx. From humble beginnings as a child, Roberto learned early on in his life the true meaning of resiliency and grit. He is a lifelong educator, having been a teacher, assistant principal, principal, executive coach, and leadership consultant. Prior to becoming a superintendent, Roberto was a teacher and principal in New York City. He is widely recognized for his leadership in turning around failing schools and supporting school district leaders on change leadership. He considers himself to be an equity warrior whose purpose is to give all children a fighting chance at having a productive life. He is committed to placing effective teachers and school leaders in every school.