Reimagining Schools for Democracy: A Conversation with Linda Nathan
By Gustavo Rojas Ayala, co-director Harvard Alumni for Education LATAM
On Thursday, June 5th, Harvard Alumni for Education LATAM hosted an inspiring conversation with educator, author, and activist Linda Nathan. The webinar focused on her most recent book, Designing Democratic Schools and Learning Environments, which I had the honor of co-editing. Our exchange served as a powerful invitation to rethink schools as living spaces for democracy. Linda opened by unpacking what democratic education truly means. It’s not a checklist of strategies—it’s about building living communities where agency, voice, and collective responsibility can thrive. In simple terms: schools where democracy is learned by living it. She then shared the book’s guiding framework, which centers on four core pillars: An open flow of ideas and choices, High-quality, inclusive, and accessible education for all, Active engagement in service of the common good, Deep collaboration with families and communities.
Collective Leadership for Systemic Change: Insights from webinar with Radha Ruparell
The latest Harvard Alumni for Education LATAM webinar with Radha Ruparell reminded us all that collective leadership can be an exceptional avenue to build systemic change. Stemming from her experiences as Head of the Global Leadership Accelerator at Teach For All and author of Brave Now, Radha shared with our audience valuable insights. Such as the idea that powerful conversations can drive powerful action. Below, there are a few relevant takeaways from our conversation.
Current State of Education and Life in Ukraine
Harvard Alumni for Education (HAEd) hosts Viktor Pozdniakov- Ukrainian Lt. Colonel & former UN Police Commander to share about the current quality of life, education, child protection, and attitudes towards peace accords in Ukraine. Pozdniakov is an expert in policing, justice, and international relations; Lt. Colonel in Ukraine/ Veteran of National Police; with 26 years of police experience, including 8 years of UN experience including command positions in post-conflict countries - Sudan, Liberia and South Sudan. He addresses What is the current situation and quality of life in Ukraine, over 3 years after the start of the full-scale Russian invasion? What is the current state of education for children and universities despite war? What is the current concerns with children affected by the war? What is the current attitude of Ukrainians towards a peace deal with Russia? What does Ukraine need currently to help end the war?
When: Mar 25, 2025- 11:00 AM Eastern Time (US and Canada)/ 17:00 PM (Kyiv, Ukraine)
https://youtu.be/oKOyRHgyGbI
Transforming International Careers and Academia
Thursday, February 6, 2025
Join us for a webinar on the findings of a global study on international careers and academia with a focus in North America and Western Europe. Speakers will discuss several possible courses of action with a holistic perspective for academia and scholars.
Speakers: Professor C.K. Noble and Professor Emerita Sonja A. Sackman
Learn more at https://www.sparksreadings.com/webinar-2025-haed/