On Wednesday May 11, 2022, from 6:00-7:15pm, SPEAK is excited to host Learning for Justice educator Dr. Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn in conversation with local KPIX journalist and broadcaster Betty Yu. In the wake of the surge in reports of anti-Asian incidents in the Bay Area and nationally over the past two years, many parents, caregivers and educators are looking for language and tools to support our youth as they develop confidence in their identity and in their ability to be allies. Blackburn and Yu will share strategies to help our children navigate bullying, microaggressions and safety concerns based on scenarios from our own community.
Dr. Sarah-SoonLing Blackburn is an educator, speaker and professional learning facilitator. Her work focuses on identity, diversity and justice with an emphasis on race and ethnicity. The author of an upcoming middle grade book, “The Truth About Chinese Americans: Exclusion and Belonging”, and the LinkedIn Learning course “Understanding and Supporting Asian Employees”, Sarah also serves as Associate Director, Learning in Schools at Learning for Justice, an organization dedicated to creating equitable school experiences for students and supporting educators. Founded in 1991 by the Southern Poverty Law Center, Learning for Justice (formerly Teaching Tolerance) is dedicated to creating equitable school experiences for all students.
Betty Yu joined KPIX 5 in November 2013 as a general assignment reporter. She spent two years at WTVJ, the NBC-owned station in Miami, as a reporter before moving to San Francisco. Prior to that, she was an anchor and reporter for News 12 The Bronx and Brooklyn, a 24-hour cable news station, for four years. She covered New York City crime, politics, sports, and severe weather.