WWU’s Woodring College of Education to Host 'Creating a Home in Schools' Book Launch on May 13 

Western Washington University Professor of Secondary Education Francisco Rios and Assistant Professor of Secondary Education A Longoria of WWU’s Woodring College of Education will host a virtual launch event from 4 p.m. to 5:15 p.m. on Thursday, May 13 to discuss their new book, “Creating a Home in Schools: Sustaining Identities for Black, Indigenous, and Teachers of Color.” 

In “Creating a Home in Schools,” Rios and Longoria provide caring advice to Black, Indigenous, and Teachers of Color (BITOC) on subjects regarding the assets they provide to their classrooms, the unique challenges they’ll face, and how to encourage their own Students of Color to feel comfortable in their identities and cultures.  

“This book was sparked by some of our own Students of Color in our teaching programs who bemoaned that diversity books are largely written to help white students understand diversity,” Rios said. “However, given the efforts to increase the number of Teachers of Color in the profession, we heeded their call to write about how to navigate the teaching profession, which has been hostile in many ways to Teachers of Color.” 

“We wrote this book as a love letter to BITOCs,” Longoria said. “We hope that it gives them strength on their journey toward becoming a teacher.  BITOCs are not a panacea for all the necessary reforms schools need, but their presence is vitally important for a school’s excellence.”  

To purchase a copy of “Creating a Home in Schools”, click here. 

To join the online book launch on May 13 or for more information about the event, click here.