Resource Center

This launch kit is designed for community leaders interested in starting a Blueprint Action Dialogue in your community. These dialogues are cross-race, cross-sector community gatherings of African American and Latino community, business and education leaders focusing key local education issues, including equitable funding, quality schooling, ensuring graduation for all, and access to higher education. The launch kit provides you with step-by-step instructions for following the dialogue process to cultivate organizational change in schools as promised by the Mendez and Brown court cases. Each of three sections in the kit includes the most important steps for helping community leaders assemble the best ideas to engineer real transformation in their neighborhood schools. It includes a resource CD and a DVD with the video, Keeping the Promise, that features community leaders and inspiring historical background on the two landmark cases of Mendez and Brown.

Creating Your Education Blueprint for Action – Mendez and Brown Community Dialogues – A Launch Kit contains an abundance of resources to support and nourish a blueprint dialogue for action in your community.

Launch Kit booklet – The 20-page booklet describes the dialogue process and includes a step-by-step guide for conducting blueprint dialogue sessions, accessing resources for your dialogues and learning how to connect your dialogues with others across the nation.

Keeping the Promise video – This DVD features community leaders and inspiring historical background on the two landmark cases of Brown and Mendez.

A Community Action Guide – Seven Actions to Fulfill the Promise of Brown vs. Board of Education and Mendez vs. Westminster – This publication details seven actions community members can take to help improve education of African American and Latino students. It also includes a step-by-step tool for developing a blueprint for action in a local community. (Included free in the kit and normally sells for $12.50)

Promoting Student Leadership on Campus: A Guide for Creating a Culture of Engagement – This is a helpful guide for creating a culture of engagement that includes student voices in the educational change process. (Included free in the kit and normally sells for $6.00)

Resource CD – This CD contains documents and sample resources needed to conduct your own blueprint dialogue in your community.

A suite of inspiring articles and podcasts by IDRA leaders on issues of access, excellence and equity in education.

Information on ordering IDRA’s latest book, Courage to Connect – A Quality Schools Action Framework.

Website links – Access online resources and connect with the national Mendez and Brown Community Dialogues website that is dedicated for communities involved in similar action planning.