Love as the Practice of Freedom
"The moment we choose to love we begin to move against domination, against oppression. The moment we choose to love we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others. That action is the testimony of love as the practice of freedom."
-bell hooks, Outlaw Culture (2006)
Love as the Practice of Freedom
"The moment we choose to love we begin to move against domination, against oppression. The moment we choose to love we begin to move towards freedom, to act in ways that liberate ourselves and others. That action is the testimony of love as the practice of freedom."
-bell hooks, Outlaw Culture (2006)
"The land is our greatest teacher. In the soil, we find not just food but the stories, healing, and liberation of our people."
- Leah Penniman, Soul Fire Farms
- Leah Penniman, Soul Fire Farms
Creativity, Love, & Justice in Service of Collective Liberation
Dr. Kaleb "Kofi" Rashad
Dad & Husband | Founder & Creative Director, Center for Love & Justice at the HTH Graduate School| Former High Tech High CEO| | President Unlocked, Inc. | Doctorate in Educational Leadership, Organizational Change, & Relational Trust | Designer, Explorer, Community Activator | American Descendant of Slavery | Son of the Diaspora, Born of the Yoruba & Igbo Peoples of West Africa | Ma'at Inspired Buddhist in the Thich Nhat Hanh Tradition
Kaleb is a catalyst in educational innovation, known for transformative leadership as the former CEO of High Tech High (HTH), a pioneering network of 16 project-based learning schools in San Diego. As the Founder & Creative Director at the Center for Love & Justice, within the High Tech High Graduate School, Kaleb spearheads efforts to reshape educational ecosystems globally, collaborating with a diverse array of stakeholders including student groups, educators and families, community organizers, foundations, and governmental bodies. His work extends beyond the U.S., influencing educational practices in countries such as Canada, Hong Kong, Spain, Greece, Portugal, and Ghana. With an academic background in Human Development, Educational Leadership, with a focus on relational trust and organizational change, Kaleb is dedicated to advancing creativity, innovation, and equity in schools globally.
Build an Ecosystem of Innovative Schools (You can do it!!)
1. Codesigning School |Tools for Creating Equitable Change in Your School
2. Launch DesignCamp in Your Space! | Create. A. Movement.
3. CenterforLoveandJustice.org | Co-Design School for Love, Justice & Collective Liberation
Research
My dissertation research focused on what do school leaders say, do, and create to develop relational trust, a keystone resource for initiating and sustaining change, among teachers and adults within learning communities. Creative Strengths Visionary: Imaging the Impossible-->Full of big ideas, ability to see potential and possibilities everywhere StrengthsFinder 2.0 (latest go round, 2019) Maximizer | Empathy | Strategic | Connectedness | Developer StrengthsFinder 2.0 (used to be) Positivity | Relator | Empathy | Communication | Woo 16Personalities: ENFP-A "The Campaigner" Ancestral Connections Origins: West Africa: Yoruba & Western Bantu Peoples Nigeria, Congo, Mali, Senegal, Northwestern Europe, Ghana |
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Recent Engagements & Contributions
- 1st International Seminar: Educational Innovation: why, for what, how? | Sponsored by RIMED--Education Network for Innovation & Improvement | Keynote Presenter | Porto, PT 2024
- Global Institute of Creative Thinking (GIoCT) in partnership with OECD and UNESCO | Committee for Creativity in Schools & Climate Action | Workshop Presenter | Paris, FR 2024
- Justice Coalition USA: Vote Your Power 2024 Conference Facilitator with Dr. Shameka Gerald
- ASCD Ghana International Educator Summit 2024 | Presenter: Equity Stances for Liberatory Leadership with Shani Leader (CenterforLove&Justice)
- ASCD Ghana International Educator Summit 2024 | "System Leadership: African Americans Leading Student-Centered Networks of Innovation, Creativity & Deeper Learning" with Carlos Moreno (Big Picture Learning) and Tony Simmons (HSRA, 4Learning, CLJ)
- ASCD Ghana International Masterclass: Leading Systemic Change 2024, hosted by Ghanaian Ministry of Education | Presenter: "Big Change, Starts Small: Systemic Change for Creative Freedom"
- World Design Capital 2024 | San Diego-TIjuana | Contributor 2016-2024 with the UC San Diego Design Lab
- Anti-Racist Educator Network Collaborator, Opening & Closing Keynote Speaker with BC Minister of Education the Honourable Rachna Singh & the great Dr. George Dei, Vancouver, BC, 2023, designed by Beth Applewhite & Equitas International Centre for Human Rights Education
- High School for the Recording Arts, 25 Year Anniversary Den Talk Speaker at RemixED, St. Paul, MN, 2023
- Digital Promise, Co-Facilitator with Dr. Katy Martin (LCC), San Diego Regional STEM Pathways Initiative, 2023
- UManresa, Founding Member of The International Conference on Early Childhood Studies, Catalonia-Spain, 2023
- Diàleg Educatiu: Innovació per a la transformació, Closing Dialogue Session with Eduard Vallory, hosted by Umanresa & Fòrum Futurs de Educació, November 2022
- Institute for Radical Permission, Participant | Summer 2022 hosted by Sonya Renee Taylor & adrienne maree brown
- Toward Deeper Learning, Presenter | Speaker, 2021-2022, Fraser Valley | Metro Vancouver, BC hosted by ALPS
- CISC 2022: LIBERATE | Our Voice | Our Time, Keynote Speaker, February 2022, Monterey, CA hosted by Monterey County Office of Education
- Presenter, Gates Foundation NSI: Community of Practice, October 2021, Virtual
- Leadership Journeys MC with DJ Mickey Breeze & Carlos Moreno hosted by Big Picture Learning, August 2021, ASU GSV
- Deeper Learning Symposium, Keynote & Presenter, hosted by Jefferson County Public Schools, Louisville, KY, August 2021
- Virginia School Consortium for Learning (VaSCL) Student Leadership Conference Keynote with 230+ High School Students: Joy & Justice, March 2021
- PolyVocal Keynote, City Neighbor's 10th Annual Progressive Education Summit, with Dr. Jal Mehta & Dr. Crystal Laura, January 2021
- Keynote, Catholic Educator Conference 2021 Catholic Independent Schools of Vancouver Archdiocese, February 2021
- Equity in Education Keynote, Fielding International, with Karla Vigil, January 2021
- Keynote & Workshop, New Tech Network, Deeper Learning & Social Justice, October 2020
- Keynote, New School Venture Fund, Community of Practice: Model Design in the Midst of Dual Pandemics, October 2020
- Presenter, IDEO's Teacher's Guild: A Virtual Summer Experience: It's Starts with Schools," Summer 2020
- Keynote Panelist, A New Way Forward Summit, "Building a Learner-Centered Future," Spring 2020
- Guest Lecturer, Claremont Graduate University, "Futuristic Leadership" Spring 2020
- Virginia is For Learners Innovation Network (#VaLIN), Advisor 2020, in partnership with Virginia Department of Education, James Madison University, Virginia School Consortium for Learning, Edu21C Foundation and Jobs for the Future
- IDEO Design Council, San Francisco, 2019
- "Design Thinking for Education Leaders" Advisor, Hong Kong 2019-2020, in partnership with HK Centre for Design, HK University & Future Impact Lab
- LTE--Learning & Teaching Expo Panelist: From Teacher to Student Centered Learning, Hong Kong, 2019
- Interim Director, New School Creation Fellowship, 2019-2020
- #DesignCampMonterey, Monterey County Office of Education, Salinas, CA 2019
- #DesignCampStLouis, Lindbergh Schools, St. Louis, MO 2019
- Program Design with Monterey County Office of Education, Salinas, CA 2019 #TLCMonterey
- Hewlett: District-Community Partnerships for Learner-Centered Education, District Coach and Presenter, San Diego, CA 2019
- Creative Summer Institute Guest Speaker, Teacher's Guild + IDEO, San Francisco 2019
- Hopewell City Public Schools, Admin Leadership Retreat 2019 Facilitator: Leading for Equity, Innovation and Deeper Learning, Virginia 2019
- Steam Conference Barcelona, Keynote Speaker, CosmoCaixa, Barcelona 2019
- Unleashed! Empowered by Design, Distinguished Speaker, Hong Kong Design Centre, Hong Kong 2019
- Keynote Speaker with Andrew G. and YahYah, Chicago, IL 2018, hosted by Glenbard High School
- #DesignCampBC with the AWESOME Dr. Chagala, Vancouver, BC 2018, hosted by Thomas Haney Secondary School
- PBL World Keynote with two AH-MAZING students, Blake D. and Zelma D.: Love + Justice, Napa, CA 2018
- Design 4 San Diego (DS$D) at UCSD Design Lab, San Diego, CA 2018
- #DesignCamp Co-Creator (with the AWESOME Dr. Chagala!!), San Diego, CA 2016-2018: DesignCamp2018
- Mastery Transcript Consortium (MTC), Advisory Council, 2018
- VA ASCD Keynote Speaker: Love + Disruption, Williamsburg, VA 2017
- ShiftEDU Keynote and Facilitator: Love + Disruption II and School ReTool Hack-a-Thon, Miami, FL 2017
- Edleader21 Co-Facilitator: The Power of Human-Centered Design, with Eric Chagala, Atlanta, GA 2017
- School Retool Co-Presenter, Hactivation Nation: Hacking Toward Equity, with Susie Wise + Marthaa Torres, Stanford d. School, CA 2017
- School Retool Coach, Hactivation Nation: Student Exhibition of Learning, Stanford d.School, CA 2017
- Leadership + Design Facilitator, 4D Studio: Design. Disrupt. Dare. Dream. Richmond, VA 2017
- NAACP Legal Defense Fund Panelist, Deeper Learning Convening, Washington, DC, 2017
- Leadership + Design Member, Board of Directors, 2017
- #DesignCampBC Kickoff Co-Presenter, Vancouver, BC, Winter 2017 with Eric Chagala
- NSF Advisory Board for Classrooms as Enterprises: Improving STEM Education Through Authentic Entrepreneurship Experiences, 2017-present
- School Retool: San Diego Coach & Instigator, Winter 2017
- Innovation of Diffusion Cluster Grantee Meet Up (Hewlett + IDEO + Stanford d.School), 2016 to 2019
- SXSWedu 2017 Presenter, Austin, TX: "Design + Leadership" with Ela Ben Ur and Eric Chagala
- Hactivation Nation Facilitator & Partner | Building Networks of School Designers, Stanford d. School K12-Lab, 2015-2019
- MVIFI: A Night of Inquiry, Impact and Innovation Speaker, Atlanta, GA: "Love + Disruption"
- Real World Scholars Advisory Board, 2016-present
- The Buck Institute for Education (BIE): High Quality PBL Steering Committee, Present
- Deeper Learning Leadership Forum (Hewlett Foundation & National Equity Project), 2015-2017
- NeverSummer's edOS: A New Operating System for Education, Denver, CO: "Bringing PBL to School/Integrating Design Thinking" June 2016
- SxSwEdu 2016, Austin, TX: "Creating a Culture of Innovation"
- FutureNOW Conference, San Diego, CA: “PBL 102: Teaching Innovation via PBL" 2016
- DesignForward San Diego Presenter: "Scaling Design Thinking in Schools" 2016
Badassery on the Bookshelf
Afro-Indigenous Ways
Pedagogy
Change Leadership
Historical Perspectives
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Organizational Culture
Philosophy (Love, Justice, Liberation)
Fiction
Seminal Research & Resolutions (follow the links).
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Where do we go from here
"Power properly understood is to achieve purpose. Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is LOVE implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love."
--Martin Luther King, Jr.
"Power properly understood is to achieve purpose. Power without love is reckless and abusive, and love without power is sentimental and anemic. Power at its best is LOVE implementing the demands of justice, and justice at its best is power correcting everything that stands against love."
--Martin Luther King, Jr.