Welcome to the Change Agent Academy!

If your organization is really committed to creating liberating, antiracist educational or work contexts, the Change Agent Academy will help you do so from the inside out. Rather than a one-time professional development class, the Change Agent Academy offers short courses tailored to the needs of your work context.

Why This? Why Now?

The Change Agent Academy is the Answer!

In recent years, many organizations have formed diversity committees or have pledged to be antiracist. Though they've made progress, the progress is not what it could be with the help of an expert. The Change Agent Academy seeks to make your organization more self sufficient through teaching concrete and conceptual skills to bring your aspirations of antiracism from the abstract to the concrete. We teach your employees foundational skills to be the internal change agents you need, so that you don't have to rely on consultants every time issues arise.

What is a Change Agent?

Change Agents Change the World

A change agent is a someone who is a catalyst for transformation; someone who has a developed eye for equity; is familiar with the organizational change process; and can help usher in new, fresh and equitable ways of doing things. They are equipped with the tools necessary to evaluate and change their performance, coach others to do the same and contribute to institutional reformation.

What is the Change Agent Academy?

Many well-meaning organizations offer one, maybe two diversity trainings per year. These trainings usually aim to increase our awareness about issues of diversity and offer a few practical solutions at the end. While this is better than nothing, research shows that this has little effect on changing behaviors in both the short and long-term.

At LRPI, we believe that lasting transformation happens when we; Increase our awareness of social ills and their causes; Develop a capacity to critically evaluate social issues from a systemic perspective; Investigate the ways we have internalized societal messages; Heal from the trauma of oppression; Learn about organizational changes processes; See ourselves as competent change agents; Have support in the change process; And begin to put into practice the things we learn, under the guidance of expert facilitators.

The Change Agent Academy fills this critical gap for organizations by providing an evidence informed course that does just this!

Specifics About the Academy

Course Length

Ideally this course is delivered over a 15 week period. This can be 15 consecutive weeks or broken into four 3-4 week segments with breaks in between. It can be modified for organizations who need shorter courses, as well. Depending upon preference, the course can be delivered in blending learning formats (synchronous and asynchronous), or completely asynchronous, self-paced e-modules.

Course Format

This course is catered to the realities of adult learning. Using a flipped classroom model, learners will have self-paced modules to engage with between weekly live class sessions. During live, virtual weekly 90-minute classes, learners get to make sense of what they are learning and consider its applicability to their personal and professional lives.

Course Rigor

The curriculum is designed by faculty who have taught at well-respected private and public university's and is aligned with best practices for educational psychology and adult learning. Learners can expect to do extended learning journaling activities that enrich and deepen learning.

Course Content

This course is unlike any other professional development course you've taken before. Your employees will leave the course with increased morale; knowing you have invested in them as employees, but also as individuals. They will leave transformed; forever grateful for your investment in them.

Injustice

Through an intersectional, antiracist lens we analyze the many ways power and privilege show up in our society (i.e., racism, sexism, classism, heteronormativity, cisnormativity, etc). We consider these topics through the lens of critical consciousness; exploring how social hierarchies contribute to the maintenance of these dynamics.

Internalized Oppression

We explore the ways we have internalized societal messages about who is to be valued in society and who is not. We further investigate the ways we have unknowingly been complicit in upholding our own oppression, as well as that of others. Thereafter, we engage in a trauma-informed healing process.

Liberation

In seeking to develop liberating contexts, we cultivate a greater understanding of what it really means to be liberated. Together, we begin to envision new futures; while we entangle practices that have the appearance of such, but do not accomplish it. Learners become more equipped and ready to enact change.

Skill Development

This journey culminates with learning about organizational change processes, and developing concrete skills to increase inclusion & belonging in the work or educational place. Learners develop practical skills for the workplace and develop communities of practice to support change processes. Learners leave ready to engage in organizational change processes.

Melissa M.

“Dr. Williams, how many gems can you drop in about 10 minutes? The answer: Caverns and caverns filled with gems. The gem I want to focus on is Everyday activism as it’s about consciously living in this world as your authentic self and centering those who have been historically and perpetually thrown to the margins...Another gem that I’m leaning on is libration is a practice, process, and destination. Insert all the fire emojis and Caribbean finger snaps!.”

K. Flagg

"Regardless of where you are in your liberation journey, Change Agent Academy will definitely move you forward in new ways. Dr. Williams & her wonderful team facilitate supportive but challenging conversations, and I have enjoyed meeting & learning from people in all areas of education. While the course is only a few months, I hope to continue the relationships formed within my cohort as we continue our liberation work. I highly recommend CAA!"

Sakina W.

"Change Agent Academy is a monumental journey that every educator needs to experience. Lisa M. Johnson and Dr. Norissa Williams are absolutely amazing pillars who have mastered the process needed to create effective and cognizant human beings that are true change agents."

Liberation Research & Practice Institute