Driving the Inland Empire Economy

Dr. Sorrel Stielstra, Director of Research for GIA, addresses participants in a breakout room.https://flic.kr/p/2nVatVP   “Educational and economic transformation in the Inland Empire is fundamentally impossible without cross-sector, region-wide collaboration, cooperation and alignment. When we all work together, everyone wins,” said Ann Marie Sakrekoff, GIA’s Interim CEO. INLAND EMPIRE, CA – Growing Inland Achievement (GIA) will host its 7th annual Toward a Shared Vision summit on October 25–26 at the Riverside Convention Center. GIA is a nonprofit that networks education, government, nonprofit and business partners in the Inland Empire. The summit theme, “United in the Journey,” embodies the need for a collective impact approach that harnesses the combined efforts of the business community, the Inland Empire’s 56 K-12 school districts, 12 community colleges, two public universities, five private universities, many nonprofit organizations, economic development agencies, and government entities to address complex regional educational challenges and opportunities.  A video invitation from Ann Marie Sakrekoff, Growing Inland Achievement’s Interim CEO   https://youtu.be/-KMrcxXGOg4?si=7kF8WC4J1NRfkbgS GIA expects 300 local leaders from the IE’s leading organizations to tackle longstanding regional educational and economic challenges.  “Educational and economic transformation in the Inland Empire is fundamentally impossible without cross-sector, region-wide collaboration, cooperation and alignment. When we all work together, everyone wins,” said Ann Marie Sakrekoff, Growing Inland Achievement’s Interim CEO. GIA believes fostering an efficient, high-quality education system that creates access for all residents is critical to regional growth and prosperity. This commitment extends to building equitable structures to eradicate systemic racism, ensuring that every student, regardless of their background, has an opportunity to succeed. Sakrekoff underscores the significance of uniting together, stating, “We understand that it takes all stakeholders' collective efforts and collaboration to drive transformative change.”   Participants will engage in collaborative discussions, workshops and team breakouts, focusing on strategies and solutions to expedite equitable educational opportunities and pathways to student success.   Photo caption:  Left to Right: Chancellor Wolde-Ab Isaac, Chancellor of Riverside Community College District; Chancellor Kim Wilcox, University of California Riverside; Brian Haynes, Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs, University of California Riverside. https://flic.kr/p/2nVexGv Two distinguished keynote speakers will highlight the event: Dr. Anton Treuer and Dr. Victor Rios.   Dr. Treuer is a renowned author and Professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University, recognized for his work in race relations and indigenous languages.    Dr. Rios, the MacArthur Foundation Chair and Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara, specializes in equity, anti-racism, cultural responsiveness, resilience, closing the opportunity gap, teacher well-being and restorative justice.   To secure a seat, attendees are encouraged to register early, as availability is limited. Early bird registration is $109 until September 30, 2023, and $129 after. Conference registration includes access to all keynote and breakout sessions and event parking, as well as breakfast and lunch on both days. All proceeds from the event will support GIA’s student scholarship fund.   Learn More about GIA in this 90-second video: https://youtu.be/9kwl6QycvSQ   For more information and to register, please visit the GIA website at InlandEmpireGIA.org. —30— About Growing Inland Achievement Growing Inland Achievement, which serves both San Bernardino and Riverside Counties, is a regional cross-sector network of education, government, nonprofit, and business partners in the Inland Empire, collectively working towards a shared vision of educational and economic success.  GIA staff support this work by researching issues and opportunities, developing financial resources for the region, and connecting diverse stakeholders across the two-county region of the Inland Empire.  GIA’s shared vision is that by 2035, San Bernardino and Riverside Counties will be widely recognized for their educated workforce, thriving communities, and vibrant economy that creates prosperity for all.  Keynotes:    Dr. Anton Treuer Dr. Anton Treuer (pronounced troy-er) is Professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University and author of many books. He has a B.A. from Princeton University and a M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. He is Editor of the Oshkaabewis (pronounced o-shkaah-baywis) Native Journal, the only academic journal of the Ojibwe language. Dr. Treuer has presented all over the U.S. and Canada and in several foreign countries on Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask, Cultural Competency, Racial Equity, Strategies for Addressing the “Achievement” Gap, and Tribal Sovereignty, History, Language, and Culture. He has sat on many organizational boards and has received more than 40 prestigious awards and fellowships, including ones from the American Philosophical Society, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Science Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Bush Foundation, and the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. His published works include Everything You Wanted to Know About Indians But Were Afraid to Ask, The Language Warrior’s Manifesto: How to Keep Our Languages Alive No Matter the Odds, The Cultural Toolbox: Traditional Ojibwe Living in the Modern World, Warrior Nation: A History of the Red Lake Ojibwe (Winner of Caroline Bancroft History Prize and the American Association of State and Local History Award of Merit), Ojibwe in Minnesota (“Minnesota’s Best Read for 2010” by The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress), The Assassination of Hole in the Day (Award of Merit Winner from the American Association for State and Local History), Atlas of Indian Nations, The Indian Wars: Battles, Bloodshed, and the Fight for Freedom on the American Frontier, and Awesiinyensag (“Minnesota’s Best Read for 2011” by The Center for the Book in the Library of Congress). Treuer is a member of the United Nations Technical Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals through Inclusive, Just Energy Solutions and the governing board for the Minnesota State Historical Society. In 2018, he was named Guardian of Culture and Lifeways and recipient of the Pathfinder Award by the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums.     BIOGRAPHY Anton Treuer (pronounced troy-er) is Professor of Ojibwe at Bemidji State University and author of many books. He has a B.A. from Princeton University and a M.A. and Ph.D. from the University of Minnesota. He has sat on many organizational boards including the United Nations Technical Working Group on Sustainable Development Goals through Inclusive, Just Energy Solutions and the governing board for the Minnesota State Historical Society and has received more than 40 prestigious awards and fellowships, including ones from the American Philosophical Society, the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Science Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the Bush Foundation, and the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation. In 2018, he was named Guardian of Culture and Lifeways and recipient of the Pathfinder Award by the Association of Tribal Archives, Libraries, and Museums. His equity, education, and cultural work has put him on a path of service around the nation and the world.   Dr. Victor Rios Dr. Victor Rios is MacArthur Foundation Chair and Professor of Sociology at the University of California, Santa Barbara. He received his Ph.D. at the University of California Berkeley in 2005. Professor Rios has worked with local school districts to develop programs for students who have been left behind in their education. Using his personal experience of living on the streets, dropping out of school, and being incarcerated as a juvenile—along with his research findings—he has developed interventions for marginalized students aimed at promoting personal transformation and civic engagement. These programs have been implemented in many schools across the United States; juvenile detention facilities; and alternative high schools. He is also the author of six books including, My Teacher Believes in Me: The Educator’s Guide to At-Promise Students (2019); Street Life: Poverty, Gangs, and a Ph.D. (2011); Buscando Vida, Encontrando Éxito: La Fuerza de La Cultura Latina en la Educación (2016); and Human Targets: Schools, Police, and the Criminalization of Latino Youth (2017). Dr. Rios has been featured in the Chronicle of Higher Education, Ted Talks, the Oprah Winfrey Network, Primer Impacto, and National Public Radio. He has had the honor of meeting President Obama and advising his administration on gun violence and policing. His Ted Talk “Help for kids the education system ignores” has garnered over 1.6 Million views. He is the subject of the documentary film The Pushouts (thepushouts.com).